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. "To flee before the
Lord" (Yonah 1:1) [2] "Rabbi Yochanan taught that Yonah was zealous for the son [Israel] therefore he fled to Tarshish" (Midrash). Tarshish, apart from being identified by tradition as Spain [Malbim], has also been seen as Taurur in modern day Turkey [Sa'adiah Gaon], and ancient Carthage in modern Tunis [Abarbanel] and other cites in North Africa [Alshich]; all of them far removed from Eretz Yisrael to separate Yonah from the source of prophecy. He was so devoted to safeguarding the honor and safety of Israel that he was prepared to be cast into the sea and lose his life for them. [1] Yonah knew that the people of Nineveh would do Teshuva as soon as the prophet of Hashem came to them and warned them of His displeasure at their actions. Chazal taught that the nations of the world are quick to repent. "One of the reasons for including the story of Yonah in the Tanach is to teach us Musar. Even though Hashem over many years sent many prophets to Israel to make them do Teshuva, they did not listen to them. Yet, only one prophet came to Nineveh and all the people repented immediately" (Radak). Indeed a suitable message for Mincha of Yom Kippur. The honor of Israel would be
damaged by the success of Yonah's mission, as then Israel would be
unfavorably compared to Nineveh. Rather than that, he fled. So by going there and causing them to repent, thus saving Assyria, Yonah would be assuring the Northern Kigdom's destruction. Therefore Yonah fled, hoping to evade that responsibility. [We will see a further example of Yonah's love and pride in his people in his reply to the sailors aboard the threatened ship]. Alongside Yonah's concern for Israel, Radak, summarizing Midrashim, Chazal and later Sages, points out that the very message of the Book of Yonah, is that the Merciful and Just G-d accepts the sincere Teshuva of all Mankind. "Adam asked Cain why he was so happy and Cain answered, 'I did Teshuva [for killing Hevel] and Hashem forgave me'. Adam cried out, 'If I would have known that one can do Teshuva, I would have been forgiven'. He stood and sang 'A psalm (92), a Song for the Sabbath Day' (Bereishit Rabbah). It is true that He punishes all wrongdoing and sin but at the same time it is also true that He has abundant love and mercy; " Hashem is white [chesed] and crimson [din]" (Shir Hakavod). So that the attribute of Justice inherent in His name Elokim, meets the attribute of Mercy inherent in His Name Hashem; "In the day that Hashem Elokim created earth and heaven" (Genesis, 2:4). The ship on which Yonah wished to make his way to Tarshish was smitten with a storm that Hashem had sent; a storm so severe that, as the text says, 'the ship thought to break up'. Yet see how careful the gentile sailors are not to be guilty of punishing an innocent man and to avoid bloodshed. First they tried desperately to row to the shore, then each prayed to his gods, then they cast off the cargo, then when nothing availed, they cast lots to let Divine Justice determine which of them was deserving of such a punishment. They pleaded with Hashem not to consider them guilty of casting Yonah into the sea; after all, the lot had fallen on Yonah and he himself had told them to, as he was the cause of the threatening storm. These should all be seen as spiritual preparations for what happened afterwards when the sailors saw that Hashem instead of being angry rewarded their actions by calming the sea. " And they feared the Lord exceedingly [during the storm they only feared exceedingly], they offered sacrifices to Him [in Yerushalayim] and took vows [to give tzedaka]" (Yonah 1:16). According to Chazal they converted to Judaism. So too, the king and people of Nineveh acted as we should. They and their animals wore sackcloth and fasted. Moreover, they returned any illegally and fraudently acquired wealth to the rightful owners. "One can fast all day on Yom Kippur, pray fervently and beat his breast; however, if he did not return the chamas in his hands, he has done nothing". This is the 84th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
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