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. Avraham and Sarah in
Egypt [2] (B’reishit 12:10-13:4) Only now after many years of marriage did he? Rashi, Abarbanel and Rabbi S. R. Hirsch relate his statement to the fact that the children of Ham, the Egyptians were ugly so that while in comparison with the daughters of Shem she was not especially beautiful, with regard to the Egyptians her beauty stood out and would be noticed. "We know (Megila 13) that Queen Esther was green and not beautiful, the stream of chesed on her made her beautiful. However, Sarah's was a natural beauty and now when Avraham saw that despite the journey and the difficulties that natural beauty preserved, he made his statement" (GR"A). Irrespective, her beauty became a danger both to her and to Avraham since all the tum'ah accumulated during the 10 generations from Noah to Avraham became concentrated in Egypt (Shem MiShmuel). So a way of protection had to be found since that was a country where a man could be killed for his wife and a women easily raped or taken by another especially by a person of power such as a king. Yet how could Avraham ask her to say that she was a sister, even though she was a half sister, nevertheless it was untrue since it denied their marital status? We find a legal justification for his behavior; "The Rambam teaches that according to Bnei Noach, a marriage could be dissolved simply by mutual consent without any form of divorce, therefore by consenting to say she was only his sister, Sarah was dissolving their marriage in an appropriate manner " (Ketav VeKabala). Was he morally justified in endangering her? For the Ramban, "A great sin our father Avraham committed thereby. Why even the most coarse and uncivilized of men would do everything, even die to prevent her suffering. Rather Avraham should have depended on G-d to save them". The Netziv writes: "The promise,' And he who curses you I will curse', was seen by him as applying only in the Land of Israel and he had no fears as long as he was there, however, he was concerned that it did not apply in Chutz LaAretz. That explains rationally why he feared the contact with Egypt and why the story was repeated with Avimelech of Philistia; Yitzchak followed his reasoning when he came with Rivka to Avimelech" (HaEmek Davar). "Avraham believed that the righteousness of Sarah justified a miracle for her, but he did not believe that he himself was worthy of one" (Shem MiShmuel). Perhaps the comment of the Shem MiShmuel sounds too pious or too mystical for us? I thought the same when I saw his question as to what Potiphar's wife wanted of Yosef. To me, her immoral purpose was quite clear. Then I realized the spiritual difference between us. He simply could not envisage such gross or physical behavior and therefore sought the spiritual perspective that she desired that the Messiah that was descended from Yosef should be born through her. Avraham's words, "that I may be treated well because of you", seem like the hope of material rewards for him. This is strange behavior for the man who refused any benefit from the king of Sodom. The Netziv points out that the text reads 'that He may treat me well', the hope that G-d would save him because of Sarah's merit. Many others see Avraham's request in the light of the principle MAASEI AVOT SIMAN L'BANIM whereby the Avot paved the way for the future of Israel thus strengthening them and enabling them to meet the challenges and difficulties. By his request, Avraham was preparing for the realization of the Divine Promise that after the Exodus from Egypt, they would go out with great treasures. It is of great spiritual and religious value to note the different reactions of Pharaoh and Avimelech the Philistine to the repetition of the same incident. Pharaoh asks only, "why did you not tell that she is your wife"? Avraham does not answer that he fears the king would have him killed for his wife and Pharaoh does raise any doubts about that suspicion; in immoral Egypt such action was quite plausible so that he admitted by silence that the fear was justified. On the other hand Avimelech, in righteous anger queries Avraham's moral right to suspect such behavior in Philistia. The Philistines saw themselves as cultured and ethical people; their whole culture was closely related to the early Greek tribes. He asks, "what did you see that that you did such a thing". To which Avraham replied, "Because I said, there is no fear of G-d in this place and they will kill me because of my wife". [The
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