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. MANKIND'S SECOND CHANCE (B'reishit
4:1-4) For Kayin (Cain), whose name is derived from kinyan, to take possession, but also from koneh - source of power, the challenge flowed from understanding the true nature of acquiring possessions and of power (Rabbi S. R. Hirsch). He was a tiller of soil and as such was fulfilling Adam's role in this world to labor in it and guard it. Historically, the source of civilization and wealth has been agriculture. As a positive factor it has been the stimulator of a great part of the human inventions and culture from the wheel to machinery to refrigeration to transportation. It was also the foundation of communal society, the state and the administration of justice geared to the allocation and monitoring of land and water resources. However, working on the land tends to bind men to the land, and make them into clods ruled by the soil they till so that they become subservient to increasing their yields. This has led to worship of the forces of nature or to fate, imagined to be the source of wealth. This duality exists to this day with regard to all our efforts at wealth creation. The Torah gives us the ability to achieve wealth creation while preserving justice, chesed and spirituality, thus avoiding the trap that Kayin chose for himself. "G-d gave Israel great wealth when He took them out of Egypt and then at Sinai gave them Torah to know how to deal with it" (Rabbi S.R. Hirsch). Hevel (Abel) was a shepherd and as such set an example of a livelihood that the Patriarchs, Moshe and David HaMelech followed. The shepherd deals only with living creatures, whose care and attention keep alive humane feelings of tenderness and consideration. It is an occupation that does not strain man physically and mentally, so that he can also develop ideas of spirituality and godliness. Furthermore, the wealth represented by his flocks and herds is not a fixed asset and does not owe its existence to human beings but only its care. This protects one from placing too much dependence or value on property and its owners. No one is suggesting that we should all become shepherds, only that our attitudes to wealth should be balanced ones, as the Torah demands. Perhaps the spiritual dilemma that faced these two brothers was foretold and alluded to in the two different views of Chava's exclamation on giving birth. "She said I have acquired a man, with G-d" (4:1). "The first enthusiasm of the first mother was a raised feeling of self-importance'' (Rabbi S. R. Hirsch). "Kaniti, however, has another connotation, that of creation or of action; "You have kanita-created my mind" (T'hilim 131:13) or "He is your father, your konecha-creator" (Dvarim 32:6). Thus, Chava was expressing the creativity associated with motherhood. "Adam was created from the Earth and Chava from Adam, but henceforth, all humans are created in their image, no man without woman and no woman without man and neither of them without Shechina" (B'reishit Rabba 22:2). Furthermore, by her announcement 'with G-d', Chava declared that the birth was not the product of her lust but the fulfillment of His commandment, "Be fruitful and multiply". The choice before her sons was between self- importance, and a partnership in their wealth creation with their Creator. The first test came when they brought offerings to Hashem. "It is a tradition that the place where David and Shlomo built their altar for the Temple was the same place as where Avraham bound Isaac as a sacrifice. In that place Kayin and Hevel offered their offerings, as did Adam. From the dust of that place was Adam created and from there came his atonement" (Rambam, Hilkhot Beit HaBechirah 2:2). Kayin brought casually of the produce of the land; "of the worst produce" (B'reishit Rabba) or "flax" considered the most inferior of the yarns; (Tanchuma), whereas "Hevel brought of the first-born of his flocks, and of the best thereof" (4:4). "She seeks out wool and flax" (Eshet Chayil); the wise woman knows to balance between the inferior flax and the refined wool, each for their appropriate use. However, "Even when the 'gasut ru'ach' perform mitzvot, those mitzvot are perverted by their pride and arrogance " (Admor of Kotsk). We can understand the sin of Kayin, but what was Hevel's error that caused his premature death and lack of descendants? His name reveals the defect; Hevel from vanity, worthless or transitory, so he held nothing was worthwhile and all were merely passing phases. "Man is like a breath - hevel, his days are like a passing shadow" (T'hilim 144:4). Rabbi Simcha Bunem of Pshyshcha made his trousers with two pockets. In one he placed a paper on which was written, "Hashem created Man in His Image", whereas the other had a slip bearing, "What is Man that You should be mindful of him". "The wisdom is to know when each slip of paper is appropriate. We read, "Hevel, he also brought an offering" (4:4), to tell us that even praise of Hashem, even divine worship was hevel in his eyes. The world cannot exist on a life based on the negation of all Man's actions and good deeds, so Hevel had to die." (Shem MiShmuel). "And Adam knew his wife again and she bore a son in place of Hevel" (4:52), and of Kayin, since through him, Sheit (Seth), the world was to be continued. This is the 88th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
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