Gidon's Testing of Hashem/2

Gidon's Testing of Hashem

Exegetical Approaches

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Self doubt

Gidon did not doubt Hashem's abilities but whether he and/or the nation were worthy of Hashem's salvation.

Sources:R. Saadia Gaon, Abarbanel, Malbim

Gidon's religious beliefs – According to Abarbanel, Gidon was not only righteous and God fearing, but a prophet as well, as proven by all the instances in the chapters in which Hashem converses with him. As such, it is not possible that he was really doubting or testing Hashem.

Conversation with the angel: "?וְיֵשׁ י"י עִמָּנוּ" – Gidon's words do not constitute a lack of belief but a rebuke of Hashem for abandoning His people and hiding His face.¹  Malbim² claims that Gidon mentions Hashem's wonders in Egypt (וְאַיֵּה כׇל נִפְלְאֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר סִפְּרוּ לָנוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לֵאמֹר הֲלֹא מִמִּצְרַיִם הֶעֱלָנוּ י"י) to point out to Hashem that even when the nation sinned in the past, Hashem saved them. Thus, now too, Hashem should have come to the nation's aid despite their idolatry, yet "וְעַתָּה נְטָשָׁנוּ י"י" (now Hashem has cast us off).

Initial sign of angel – According to Abarbanel, even when Gidon asked for a sign from the angel he was not asking for proof that Hashem would save the nation, but rather evidence that the person with whom he was speaking was really a messenger of Hashem.³

Sign of fleece – Though all these sources agree that the request for a sign stemmed from a feeling of unworthiness, they disagree regarding who Gidon felt was unworthy:

• According to R. Saadia and Abarbanel, Gidon asked for this second sign to see whether he himself was worthy of such a miracle.⁴  They, thus, place Gidon alongside other humble leaders such as Moshe who question, "מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל פַּרְעֹה".‎⁵
• Malbim, in contrast, suggests that the request stemmed from Gidon's doubting of the nation's worthiness.  The people's angry reaction to Gidon's destroying of the Baal's altar proved that they were still idolatrous, making him doubt whether Hashem would make him victorious.

Need for a double sign? Malbim suggests that Gidon was not convinced by the first sign since he realized that naturally it was possible that the absorbent fleece would gather into it all the water, and so he asked for the opposite phenomenon which would be totally against nature.

Significance of fleece and dew

• Abarbanel suggests that the sign was chosen for its symbolic value. In the first test, the small fleece represented the weak Gidon, the dew symbolized Hashem's salvation, and the threshing floor stood for the enemy nation.  Gidon asked Hashem to show him that salvation would come to him alone, and not to his foes.  In the second sign, the dew took on a different symbolism, that of cursed waters.  Thus the threshing floor/enemes were drenched, while Gidon remained dry and unscathed.⁶
• Malbim, instead, suggests that the two signs represented the two stages of the battle, with the water consistently representing victory.  Gidon won the first battle against Midyan by himself⁷ (dew on the fleece alone); later he was joined by the other tribes to totally vanquish them (water on the entire floor).⁸

Biblical parallels

The water test – Abarbanel and Malbim assert that the purpose of the test was to differentiate the idolaters from those who worshiped Hashem. [All those who bowed down to drink were presumed to have been accustomed to prostrating before the Baal].

Lack of Faith

Gidon did not have full belief in Hashem, and therefore repeatedly asked for signs that Hashem would indeed bring salvation.

Sources:perhaps Ralbag

Was Gidon a prophet – According to Ralbag, Gidon himself did not have prophetic status and all the verses in which he appears to converse with Hashem really refer to his speaking with Hashem's messenger instead.⁹ Ralbag claims that if Gidon was at a level to receive full prophecies, there is no way that he would need to ask for signs.

Intervening Events

Although Gidon initially trusted in the words of the angel, intervening events led him to question the promise of salvation.

Sources:Prof. Y. Elitzur

¹ They convey Gidon's extreme caring for the suffering of his people.  In their defense, he is ready to act as prosecutor and accuse Hashem.

² See also R"Y Fidanque in his comments on Abarbanel's commentary.

³ He says, "וְעָשִׂיתָ לִּי אוֹת שָׁאַתָּה מְדַבֵּר עִמִּי" (give me a sign that you are talking with me) not "that you will save me".  In addition, after the sign, the verse states that now Gidon realized that it was indeed an angel who was speaking ("וַיַּרְא גִּדְעוֹן כִּי מַלְאַךְ י"י").

⁴ This self doubting and humility matches Gidon's earlier question, ""בַּמָּה אוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הִנֵּה אַלְפִּי הַדַּל בִּמְנַשֶּׁה וְאָנֹכִי הַצָּעִיר בְּבֵית אָבִי"

⁵ See also how Hashem tells each "כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ".

⁶ The obvious difficulty with this suggestion is that Abarbanel attributes opposing symbolism to the water in the two tests.  He is not troubled by this stating, "וכבר זכר הרב המורה שיהיה דבר אחד משל לשני ענינים מתחלפים".

⁷ Though Gidon had initially gathered many soldiers, he went to battle with only the 300 men who had passed the water test.

⁸ Malbim notes that it was specifically the actions o fthe other tribes which were successful, as Gidon say, ""

⁹ Thus when the verses says "וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ י"י" or "וַיֹּאמֶר גִּדְעוֹן אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים", the word "Hashem/ Elokim" refer to a prophet, who is called after the One who sent him (שלוחו של אדם כמותו).