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. On Being a Jewish Prophet part 5
Zealous for the Lord (Melachim Alef 19) Some scholars, seeing Eliyahu as the father of Jewish mysticism, envisage him as the prophet of the whirlwind, spending his time in spiritual meditation and mystical speculation, appearing only when necessary to fulfill a prophetic mission. Now, seeing no tangible result from his dramatic conflict with idolatry, he simply went once more to seek his soul. There is however, a deeper and more significant element to this whole chapter; one having relevance to Jewish zealotry and spiritual leadership in all generations. After Mount Carmel, Eliyahu awaited a revelation. When prophecy did not come, he followed in the footsteps of Moses. Fed a small cake by an angel just outside Beer Sheva, city of the Patriarchs, he went, carried by its strength, towards the Mountain of G-d to Horev-Sinai, the source of revelation. Forty days and forty nights he too fasted awaiting revelation, until Eliyahu came to a cave on the mountain. It was not chance that brought him there nor was it just one of the many caves that lie on the mountainside. Rather the text uses the definitive - hama’ara - THE Cave, to denote that this was a specific and well-known one. Indeed, that was the same cave where G-d had said to Moshe who pleaded there for forgive- ness for Israel after the sin of the golden Calf, “I have forgiven, as you asked”. However, now twice G-d asked “What are you doing here Eliyahu?"; as though in this place Eliyahu had no right to be. And before Eliyahu, there passed consecutively a powerful wind, then an earthquake, then a great fire; a parallel to the sound of the shofar, the thunder and fire that accompanied Matan Torah. Only here Eliyahu, after these three, heard a still small voice and only in the still small voice was G-d revealed. Twice he gave exactly the same reply to G-d’s questions, “ I have been very zealous for the Lord… for the Children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant and thrown down Your altars” (19: 10; 14). After the first time, Hashem said, “Go forth and stand upon the mount”, and after the second answer, “Go, return on your way”; to Moshe, however, G-d had said, “ And stand before the Lord”. ‘Kaneiti, that we translate as zealous, really means far more. It tells of great love that is betrayed, as in the husband of the Sotah, where the offering she has to bring is called minchat hakana'ut. So too, G-d says when telling of Israel’s betrayal, “They have moved Me to jealousy with false gods and I will ekanam, with a nation that is not a nation” (Deut.32: 21). Our Sages have given many different perspectives both to Eliyahu’s answers and to Hashem’s remarks: Israel has no need for a prophet who remains isolated in the desert, rather for ones like Moshe who was a shepherd to his people all the 40 years of their wanderings, neither for one who constantly appears and disappears (Chatam Sofer). Alternatively, prophets of the Lord have nothing to fear from powerful enemies or from persecution, symbolized by the great wind, the earthquake and the fire - ‘emissaries of mitzvot can come to no harm’ (Radak). We must bear in mind the significance in the location of Eliyahu’s revelation that makes his presence there wrong. In this spot Moshe had appealed for mercy, even while acknowledging Israel’s sin. He had requested, ‘Wipe me out of your book’ to G-d’s angry suggestion to wipe Israel out and create a new nation starting from Moshe. His love for Israel required of him the chesed and rachamim of G-d rather than the implementation of deserved justice. Therefore, Hashem wrapped Himself in a tallit like a chazzan at prayer and taught Israel through Moshe, the efficacy of His 13 Attributes - the Hashem, Hashem that we recite in all our penitential prayers. Yet Eliyahu insists on the full measure
of punishment being meted out; there is no place for tempering this with
mercy, so there was criticism of him in Hashem’s words. “His glory was not
shown in anything but the still small voice, to teach that Hashem desires
chesed and rachamim, rather than call for the force of His anger. He asked
twice what Eiyahu was doing in that place, was he bent on revenge?”
(Metzudat David). Hashem wanted that Eliyahu should plead for mercy
and forgiveness, as did Moshe. (Ralbag). Said G-d to Eliyahu when he spoke lashon harah about Israel, “always you are zealous; before at Shitim [as Pinchas-Eliyahu who killed Zimri when the Jews sinned with the daughters of Moav] and now. Truly you will have to be present every time they introduce their sons into My covenant. That is why we have a place of honor for him at every brit, Kisei shel Eliyahu, whereby he can see that we have not forsaken G-d’s covenant, as he accused” (Yalkut Shimoni, 2:7). This is the 35th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
Parshat Emor Homepage]
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