Spiritual and Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach; JOSHUA, JUDGES, SAMUEL, KINGS (Nevi’im Rishonim)
by Dr. Meir Tamari

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.

“Visiting the sins of the fathers on the sons” (Melachim Bet, 14:5-6)
In our chapter there is reference to a war between Aram and Judah during the reign of Joash. As is often the case in the Tanach, there is a different version of events in Chronicles (II 24:15-27). According to Melachim Bet, Joash managed to bribe Hazael king of Aram, with the royal treasures but also with hallowed treasures of the Temple, thus desecrating them. Whereas, Chronicles tells of a later war, wherein Hazael actually defeated the superior army of Judah and plundered Yerushalayim. The second war was Divine punishment - Mida Keneged Mida – since Joash had, in addition to desecrating the Temple, murdered the prophet Zechariah who had foretold punishment for Joash’s arrogance in proclaiming his own godhead. The book of Kings tells of his murder by his own two counselors, who were later killed by his son Amatzya. Chronicles adds that they murdered Joash in his own bed, after he was severely wounded in battle and deserted by his army. This was punishment for the sin of ingratitude; Zechariah was the son of the Yehoiada, the kohen, who had saved the king from death at the hands of Athalia bat Achav, his grandmother, and sheltered in the Temple till he ascended the throne.

In this story of crime and punishment mixed with political assassination, we have a verse that highlights the inter-generational spiritual responsibility for behavior and thereby punishment for that behavior.

“But the sons of the assassins he [Amatzya ben Joash] did not execute, as written in the Torah of Moshe: ‘Fathers shall not be put to death for sons nor sons for their fathers but each man for his own sins’ (Devarim 24:16)” (Melachim Bet 14:6).
“The verse in Devarim speaks, ‘of the Torah of Moshe as commanded by the Lord’, teaching that it was the merit of Moshe that transformed the word of HaShem: ‘I visit the sins of the fathers on the sons’ (Shmot 20:5). Moshe said to Hashem, ‘There are many tzadikim who were the sons of resha'im, they will have to suffer for the idolatry, sexual immorality, theft, and bloodshed of their fathers. There are other tzadikim who will suffer for the sins of their sons’. HaShem considered the words of Moshe and substituted the verse in Devarim, ‘each will suffer for their own sins’, publicly attributing them to Moshe” (Bamidbar Rabba 19).

“The words in Shmot nevertheless remained in the Torah, to distinguish between those generations or individuals who persisted in the sins of their fathers and those who did not. The former were to suffer for the sins of earlier generations in addition to their own, since they were adding to them even though they were awareof them; others would be liable for their own actions alone” (Sanhedrin 27b).

The difference can also flow from the difference between the sins between Mankind and Heaven and the social sins between people. Regarding the social sins, we find, for example, “One who entrusts hot coals to a minor child, who then goes with them to another’s field and causes a fire, is not liable at the hands of a BetDin, but is guilty and liable before Heaven” (Bava Kama 6:4). There are sufficient similar examples to show that the judgment of Heaven in social crimes is far more stringent than those of human courts and judgments. “Rabbi Yosi taught Bloria the proselytess that this is what is meant by the verse: ‘He does not show favorto persons in judgment and does not accept bribes’ (Devarim 10:17). However, we read in Birkat Khanim (Bamibar 6:26): ‘The Lord lift up His countenance upon you [favor you]’. This is with regard to sins against Heaven where we find that HaShem is long-suffering and forgiving so that then His judgments are more lenientthat the penalties applied by human courts” (Rosh HaShana 17b).

The question of the applicability or not, of visiting the sins of the fathers on the sons, throws much light on the approach of our Sages through the ages to the question of Galut and Redemption. It seems that we can see three major schools of thought in this regard.

“Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we have suffered for their iniquities” (Megilat Eicha 5:7). Yermiyahu was attributing the destruction and subsequent exile to the accumulated sins of previous generations that despite HaShem’s Chessed, nevertheless, finally led to punishment of the sons, who persisted in their father’s sins. The prophet Yechezkiel saw the demoralizing effect of his exiled generation, of the sons paying for the sins of their parents and so reiterated the verse of Moshe in Devarim that each person only suffers for their own sins. During our long Galut, we ourselves have repeated in each generation; “For our sins we were exiled from our Land of Israel and have been separated from our soil” (Musaf of Chagim).

According to both Yirmiyahu and Yechezkel, shall we say that, since each suffer for their own sins or for the sins of their fathers, we the sons and daughters of those previous generations that were exiled because of their sins, are continuing the same social sins as well as those against Heaven, that earned the exile in the first place? “I have declared both in the exile of Edom [Ashkenaz] and of Ishmael, that this galut is prolonged because we conduct our business and commerce with the nations not in truth and yosher. They claim, justifiably, that therefore HaShem who is Just and True, cannot redeem us. Were we to change our way of doing commerce with them, they would urge Him, to redeem a nation whose business and dealings are Be’Emuna” (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Hashavat Aveida). What is therefore required for Redemption is for the sons to do Teshuva.

The concept of Redemption ‘in its allotted time’, would suggest that G-d’s Chessed and unlimited love for Israel will lead to Him ending the Galut whether or not they do Teshuva.

Harav Avraham HaKohen Kook saw our very continuing to live in the Golah, as a sin in itself, rather than a result of our continuing the sins of our fathers that earned the galut. This is an echo of the prophet Yechezkiel that Redemption will come, not as a result of Teshuva nor ‘in its time’, but rather because Galut constitutes a Chilul HaShem, since it shows His inability to redeem His Chosen People. “I do not do it [geula] for your sake, but for My Holy Name, which you have profaned in the midst of the nations whither you have come… And I will sanctify My Name and the nations shall know that I am the Lord. ….I will gather you out of all the countries and bring you to your own land” (Yechezkel 36:21-32).

This is the 53rd installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times”

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