Spiritual and
Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach;
JOSHUA, JUDGES, SAMUEL, KINGS (Nevi’im Rishonim) These four books ostensibly are merely the history of Israel from the entry into the Promised Land until the destruction of the Temple and the temporary loss of independent statehood. In fact they are actually, in a specifically Jewish sense, the most deeply religious and spiritual books of the Bible. One does not have to be specifically Jewish to see or feel the religion and spirituality in the revelations of the prophetic writings or in the words of the Tehillim. They speak to all people, as evidenced by the fact that the Bible is still the world's bestseller and there are millions of non-Jews who regularly recite the Psalms. However, it is specifically and intrinsically Jewish to understand that G-d is revealed in the prosaic material, in the political, social and military events in the lives of ordinary men and women, kings and leaders that are described in the Nevim Rishonim. Here are described the ideology and religious thoughts in Judaism, while in Chronicles we have the purely historical. The War Against Idolatry (Sho’f’tim 6) This pattern of Israel not obeying Hashem who then punishes them by giving them over to an enemy, is repeated throughout the book of Shoftim (Tanna Devei Eliyahu, ch.11). However, in our story of Gideon we have for the first time a prophet [identified as Pinchas], who describes what their sin actually was (6:10). There are no indications that in their period, there were sins of sexual immorality or of economic and social crimes such as we find in the later prophets such as Amos, Yeshayhu or Hoshea. However, if there is a primary issue that permeates the whole of the Tanach, then it is surely the question of idolatry, expressed as ingratitude for the many acts of chesed that Hashem did for Israel. All too often, we consider idolatry in terms of statues and graven images. In that way, however, we lose sight of its dangers to modern men and women, presented by what is essentially an error of the mind and the intellect. Rambam explains, that in the generation of Enosh (Bereishit 4:26), when people first started to worship idols, they thought that G-d being almighty and exalted was too removed from the everyday affairs of Mankind and unapproachable by people. Therefore they invented all sorts of inter- mediaries to whom they could worship as manifestations of the One G-d (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Avoda Zara 1:1). So idolatry is anything that comes to ascribe any of the powers of Hashem to any person, object, idea or natural phenomenon. It appears that for a period of 400 years, from Joshua till Achav, the idolatry of the Israelites took the form of dualism. They worshipped one G-d as the Creator and Savior of the people and at the same worshipped the spirits of natural phenomena as having the power over their daily material lives. This is easily understood if we remember that throughout this period, the Israelites never conquered and destroyed all the original inhabitants as they had been commanded innumerable times in the Torah to do. These people became agents for the cultural and spiritual assimilation of Israel. Being knowledgeable of local geographical and natural resources, they were able to give valuable agricultural advice to the newcomers based on centuries of experience. However, they did not give only technical advice. They also taught which baal or ashtoret controlled fertility of man and beast, which one ensured healthy and abundant crops and which one to turn to for rain or freedom from disease. In short, while they understood the Israelites worship of Hashem, they also counseled to pay tribute to the various spirits, gods or goddesses that could ensure prosperity and success, in a way that the distant Almighty would not. Israel followed their advice, if only as an insurance, just as we often do except we substitute luck, personal brains, and our own efforts for the Canaanite baalim. Whereas, in all the cases in Shoftim, prior to Gideon it was sufficient for Israel merely to pray for forgiveness; now acts were required. Since it was idolatry that brought Midyan on Israel, before Hashem would save them, Gideon had to perform an act rejecting the idols. In verses 25-27 we have a description of how he broke down the altar to baal that belonged to his father, using the bull that was holy to avoda zara. Then he cut the grove sacred to the female deity ashtoret and sacrificed to Hashem the second bullock, also belonging to his father but not destined for idolatry. The resulting consternation and public outcry at this desecration described in our chapter, are proof that the message against idolatry was heard and noticed. The words of Joash, the father of Gideon (6:30-32), stressed the inability of the baal and ashtoret to save even themselves, let alone to be of any assistance to their worshippers. This recalls the Midrash about Abraham's destruction of his father Terach's idols. Now the physical and military battle to
save Israel could begin. [The
Parshat Sho-f'tim Homepage]
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