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. Temporary Halt in the Slide to
Destruction and Exile (2) (Divrei HaYamim Bet 30) The Admor of Kotsk taught that just as we pay an artisan for the preparation of his equipment and the honing of his skill in addition to the actual work done, so too, the mitzvot require not only fulfillment but also forethought and diligent preparation. All spiritual and religious acts require preparation and thought if they are to be sincere, pure, and have meaning beyond ritual. The very first Pesach that Israel observed in its own land was preceded by the miraculous crossing of the Jordan but also by the act of circumcision of all the males born during the 40 years in the wilderness. Since the result of transgressing the laws of chametz and matzo are so serious and the details inherent in the Chag so intricate and many, our Sages taught; “A month before [that is, immediately after Purim], we start to teach the dinim of Chag HaPesach”; on the seder night itself the obligation is to tell and experience the actual Exodus itself. So too, the Pesach of Chizkiyahu was preceded by the reanctification and rededication of the Beit HaMikdash. In the very first year of Chizkiyahu’s reign, the king called on the Levites to rid the Mikdash of all the Tum'ah and Nidah with which Ahaz his father had filled it and to cast them into Nahal Kidron that lies east of the city, even as Asa had done before. This call included the Kohanim but was meant to exclude the ordinary people who had usurped their calling in order to officiate at the various Bamot. At the same time, they were to rid the city and the country of the altars to the many idols and asherot that the people of Judah had erected. Likewise they rectified all the changes in the physical conditions of the Temple that Ahaz had made.In addition, for many years, the people of Judah instead of lighting the Menorah, offering the incense, and sacrificing the daily obligatory offering [the olah] to HaShem, had used them in idol worship. Now, after relating the evil Judah had done to the consequent suffering and defeats at the hands of their enemies, the king prayed that their present actions would be: “A covenant between us and HaShem and He will turn from His anger with us” (29:10). The work was started in the first month, i.e. Nissan, and that is not without significance. To make Nissan Rosh Chodashim is the first mitzva we were given (Sh'mot 12:2), that according to some is the day of the Creation, on that date Moshe erected the Mishkan (Sh'mot 40:17), the Nesiim commenced bringing their sacrifices, Aharon HaKohen began to officiate instead of the firstborn, then was given the commandment of the Birkat Kohanim, the sacrifices at the bamot were henceforth forbidden, etc. (Shabbat 67b). The Kohanim purified the inner courtyard that was out of bounds even to the Levites, while the latter dealt with the outer courtyards and removed the altars to avoda zara erected there. It is significant that many names of both of them recall the names from the Torah and from earlier books of the Tanach; for example- Kehat,Merari, Gershoni, Amashi, Elkana Kish, Bnei Asaf etc. Chizkiyahu refers to the Temple as the Mishkan of HaShem and indeed the rededication and consecration that he ordered, compares in many respects to the Chanukat HaMishkan in the desert by Moshe. First there was the cleansing and purifying of the desecrated Temple. Then, just as there had been eight days sanctification at the erecting of the Mishkan, so too now the Kohanim started the sanctification of the Temple on the eighth of Nissan and completed it on the 16th. When the purification was complete, the king and the people laid their hands in confession on the Chatat and then the Kohanim offered Olot and Zevachim in gratitude, as they had done in the wilderness The trumpets were sounded by the Kohanim as required with all sacrifices (Bamidbar 10:16) and the musical instruments that David had prepared on the instructions of the prophets Gad and Natan, were played by the Leviyim while they sung praises; according to their order as he had arranged aspart of his preparations for the building of the Beit HaMikdash. It should be noted that the singing of the Levites is a separate mitzva and is required for the Avoda. “ It is a positive mitzva for the Leviyim to sing while the korbanot are offered [the absence of their songs invalidates the Avoda (Yerushalmi Pesachim 4:2). They and the Israelites accompany the offerings with their musical instruments (Rambam, Klei HaMikdash 3:3). “The burnt offerings were in abundance…. the peace offerings and the libations… So the Avoda of the House for the Lord was firmly established. And Chizkiyahu and all the people rejoiced because of that which G-d had prepared… ” (29:35-36). This is the 57th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times.” [The
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