Difference between revisions of "Battle of the Kings – Purpose of the Story/2"
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<p>The episode serves to highlight the precarious placement of Israel amongst the nations.</p> | <p>The episode serves to highlight the precarious placement of Israel amongst the nations.</p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="RSRHirsch" data-aht="source">R. S"R Hirsch</a><a href="RSRHirsch" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14</a><a href="R. Samson Raphael Hirsch" data-aht="parshan">About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit14" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann </a><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit14" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink></mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RSRHirsch" data-aht="source">R. S"R Hirsch</a><a href="RSRHirsch" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14</a><a href="R. Samson Raphael Hirsch" data-aht="parshan">About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit14" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann </a><a href="RDZHoffmannBereshit14" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
− | <point><b>Center of the world</b> – Israel lies at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe and between the two main civilizations of the Ancient Near East, Egypt and Mesopotamia.  As such, it has been eternally caught in the middle of the conflicts of its neighbors.</point> | + | <point><b>Center of the world</b> – Israel lies at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe and between the two main civilizations of the Ancient Near East, Egypt and Mesopotamia.  As such, it has been eternally caught in the middle of the conflicts of its neighbors.<fn>This is testified to by Vayikra 26:6 which assumes that, absent a special Divine promise, foreign armies will transverse the land of Israel.</fn></point> |
<point><b>Dependence on Hashem</b> – According to R. Hirsch, Israel was chosen precisely because of this very vulnerability, in order to teach that its security is dependent solely on Hashem. This message of recognition of and reliance on Hashem is one of the key lessons that Avraham introduced to the world.</point> | <point><b>Dependence on Hashem</b> – According to R. Hirsch, Israel was chosen precisely because of this very vulnerability, in order to teach that its security is dependent solely on Hashem. This message of recognition of and reliance on Hashem is one of the key lessons that Avraham introduced to the world.</point> | ||
<point><b>Biblical parallels</b> – The concept that Israel's natural insecurity is what makes it unique is explicit in Devarim 11 and other Biblical passages as well.  The Torah contrasts Egypt's self sufficiency due to the Nile with Israel's dependence on rain, and thus, Hashem.<fn>R. Hirsch points out that Avraham's first few trials brought this message home to him.  Soon after his arrival in Canaan he was forced to leave due to famine, and not long after, the land was attacked by enemies.  These trials revealed the land's lack of both political and natural security and stability, underscoring that success in such a place must be due only to Hashem's providence.</fn></point> | <point><b>Biblical parallels</b> – The concept that Israel's natural insecurity is what makes it unique is explicit in Devarim 11 and other Biblical passages as well.  The Torah contrasts Egypt's self sufficiency due to the Nile with Israel's dependence on rain, and thus, Hashem.<fn>R. Hirsch points out that Avraham's first few trials brought this message home to him.  Soon after his arrival in Canaan he was forced to leave due to famine, and not long after, the land was attacked by enemies.  These trials revealed the land's lack of both political and natural security and stability, underscoring that success in such a place must be due only to Hashem's providence.</fn></point> |
Version as of 12:45, 2 November 2014
Battle of the Kings – Purpose of the Story
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
In attempting to understand the reasons for the Torah's inclusion the episode of the Battle of the Kings, some commentators focus on its relationship to the surrounding Avraham narratives, while others look to its relevance to the broader history of Israel.
Thus, Radak and others suggest that the story serves to fill in the portrait of Avraham, highlighting his various qualities that emerge from the story, from selflessness to military prowess. Cassuto similarly connects the account to the other Avraham narratives, viewing it as the beginning of the realization of the Divine promises to Avraham.
In contrast, Ramban suggests that the narrative's significance is in its foreshadowing of future history, Israel's ultimate victory over the four kingdoms that will rule over it. Finally, R. Hirsch asserts that the story comes to emphasize the eternal vulnerability of the land of Israel and its people.
Integral to Immediate Context
The account of the battle is crucial for a full understanding of the surrounding Avraham narratives, on either the personal or covenantal levels.
Avraham's Character
The story highlights how Avraham was unique not only in his monotheistic beliefs but also in his other attributes. The Torah's inclusion of the episode helps the reader better appreciate Avraham's greatness and presents his behavior as a model to emulate.
- Military Might – According to R. Bachya and Abarbanel, Avraham's victory over the kings revealed both his bravery and his capabilities as a military strategist and warrior.1
- Loyalty – Alternatively, Radak, Ralbag, Abarbanel, and R. D"Z Hoffmann assert that the story teaches the importance of enduring loyalty to one's family. Avraham was willing to risk his own life in order to rescue his nephew, even though Lot had taken up company with evil people.
- Selflessness – Ralbag, Abarbanel, and R. D"Z Hoffmann point to Avraham's refusal to benefit from the spoils of battle as evidence of both his generosity and recognition that all belongs to Hashem. Avraham's conduct stands out, particularly in light of the norms of the Ancient Near East in which the victor took the spoils of battle.2
Hashem's Promises
Avraham's victory over the kings constituted a preliminary conquest of Canaan and its neighboring lands and was the beginning of the actualization of Hashem's promises to Avraham. The story is not out of place at all, but rather is integrally connected to the Divine covenants and assurances of the surrounding chapters.
- The Children of Israel – R. Hirsch and Cassuto claim that since the four kings had conquered the entire region, when Avraham vanquished them and chased them all the way to Damascus,3 he effectively gained control over the entire land of Canaan. This action thus staked out the Israelites' future claims to the land.
- Ammon, Moav, and Seir – The Ma'asei Hashem and Cassuto note that Avraham gained rights also to the lands east of the Jordan which were to go to his other descendants and relatives, the progeny of Lot and Esav. In conquering the four kings, Avraham inherited all that they had previously conquered, including the lands of the Refaim, Zuzim, Eimim, and Hori. Thus, the story provides the background for how Avraham's family (other than Yaakov's descendants) became sovereign over the entire region.
Forecasting Future History
The import of the episode lies in what it reveals about the future of the Israelite nation rather than in what it contributes to the portrait of Avraham.
Israel's Ultimate Triumph
Avraham's triumph over the four kings foreshadows Israel's future prevailing over the four major kingdoms: Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome.
Israel's Vulnerability
The episode serves to highlight the precarious placement of Israel amongst the nations.