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. Miracles of National Redemption 2 (Melachim
Bet 7) This siege intensified the 7 years of drought that were already laid upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel. We are not told the reasons for the drought and resultant famine nor is there textual reference to any act of Elisha’s to bring it, as there was in the case of Eliyahu. We can only assume that the drought came as Divine punishment for the nation’s sins, in accordance with that foretold in the 2nd paragraph of Shema and the parshiot of Bechukotai and Ki Tavo. The fact that the text makes no reference to the name of king in whose days these chapters (6-8) dealing with miraculous national deliverance took place thus making the period irrelevant, signifies that the national moral issues raised in them exist in all generations, and Torah’s solution is eternally relevant. Our story opens with the tragic cry to the king for justice. Dispensing justice was an integral part government in Judaism; "House of David, execute justice in the morning, and deliver the spoils out of the hands of the oppressor" (Yermiyahu 21:12). This was a legal system parallel to the Torah law. Nevertheless, the request ranged far beyond normal human experience since the woman involved asked him to adjudicate between her and her neighbor regarding the right to eat the body of her dead child. Owing to the famine, they had agreed to kill their sons and eat them. The text is unclear whether both children had already died and she only desired to bury his body, whether she did not to share it or whether the boy was alive and she did not want to keep her bargain. Irrespective, it is a picture of inhuman suffering quite beyond the comprehension of our modern world, yet: "And you will eat the flesh of your children… because of the siege" (Devarim 28:53); "hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children" (Eicha 3:10). The king’s reaction was to tear his clothes in mourning for the troubles of his people. While standing on the city walls he revealed in public the sackcloth worn under the clothes, even though the act could lower the morale of the people. There are 2 important lessons concerning Jewish leadership taught here. The first, that one cannot be a Jewish leader without identifying earnestly with the troubles of Jews. During Israel's war with Amalek, Moshe sat upon a rock rather than the appropriate throne, in sympathy with his people's suffering. Likewise, he offered his own destruction rather than agreeing that Israel should be destroyed in punishment for the Golden Calf. Hashem rewarded him with the Shechina shining from his face (Shmot 34:29). In contrast, Elimelech and his sons died for going to Moav rather than sharing and alleviating the suffering of famine. "Those who mourn for Zion shall see her comforting"; so is it customary to call to the comforting reading of the Torah in the Mincha of Tisha B’Av, the same people whole had been called to the Shacharit reading of future suffering. The fact that the king's sackcloth was hidden beneath his royal garments comes to teach the necessity of honoring kingship; even an evil king as were those of the Northern Kingdom. "Great honor accrues to the king, awe and fear have to be rendered to him, as it is written; 'you may appoint a king, in order that his fear shall descend on you' (Sanhedrin 19b on Devarim 17:15). So no one may ride his horse, sit on his throne, or make use of the scepter or any of his articles of office. A king who waives his honor, his honor is not waived" (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Melachim 2:1-3). After all, the king represents the totality of Am Yisrael; "The king is the very heart of Yisrael" (Admor of Sochochow). So Eliyahu ran before the chariot of Achav all the way to Yezreel; this despite the judgment of the Tanach that he did greater evil than all who preceded him (Melachim Alef 16:30). Despair filled the people of Shomron as they saw no sign of deliverance from the famine or from the Arameans. However, Hashem revealed to Elisha that redemption was at hand from both of them. Because of the famine, the people even ate unkosher animals, rodents and reptiles. "Man should live by observing the mitzvot but not die through that observance" (Ralbag based on Yoma 85b). A donkey's head sold for 80 shekel and a small measure of dove's dung - either for firewood or for the kernels of grain found in their crop (Radak) - for 5 shekel. Then Elisha prophesied that on the morrow, a se'ah [according to some, approximately 14 liter; others hold 8 1/3 liter] of fine flour and 2 se'ah of barley would only cost a shekel apiece in the market of Shomron. The king's officer mocked and asked: "Will the Lord cause wheat and barley to pour through windows in the sky like Manna, causing this drop in their price?" Elisha's reply was that as a punishment for such a lack of faith in the ability of Hashem to cause miracles, the officer would see the miracle yet not benefit from it. Indeed, on the morrow, that officer, while trying to gather much grain in order to prolong the famine and thus earn a profit for the king, was trampled to death in the mob's rush for food. Educating against this negation of G-d as The Provider, lies at the root of many mitzvoth - Bikurim, Tzedaka, the non-interest loan, weights and measures etc. For instance, concerning Shemita we read: "When you will say what will there be for us to eat that year? Then I shall command My blessings in the 6th year and the land shall bring forth enough for the 3 years [6th, 7th and 8th]" (Vayikra 25:20-21). This is the 45th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
Parshat Matot-Mas'ei Homepage]
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