Hoshea's wife/2

Hoshea's wife

Exegetical Approaches

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Hoshea married a prostitute

Sources:Bavli PesachimPesachim 87a-bAbout the Bavli, RidHoshea 1:2About R. Yeshayah of Trani, MalbimHoshea Beur HaInyan 1:2About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

Would Hashem command a prophet to sin?

• The Rid says explicitly that since Hashem is the one who commanded not to take a prostitute, he can also say that it is allowed ("הפה שאסר הוא הפה שהתיר"). The Malbim also agrees and says that Hashem sometimes gives a הוראת שעה and commands of something for a specific moment which is not according to the Torah laws.
• The Malbim says that in our case there was actually no prohibition since a prostitute in only prohibited for a Kohen and not for a regular Israelite.

What is the meaning of this prophecy?

To whom is this prophecy intended? Bavli Pesachim says that Hoshea's was commanded to take a prostitute as a wife in order to teach him a lesson, Hashem was trying to show Hoshea how to ask for mercy for the Children of Israel.

Hoshea 3

Other stories where prophets are commanded to sin – The Malbim holds that in general in Tanakh there are הוראות שעה which allow something that is prohibited in Torah. For example: Yechezkel's shaving of his פאות, Eliyahu's sacrificing outside of the Mikdash.

Other stories in which prophets are commanded to do weird acts – The Rid says that our story parallels Yehcezkel's sleeping on his side, there too Yechezkel actually did as Hashem told him. Though, the Rid does say that some cases were only בחיזיון like Yeshayahu walking barefoot for three years.

Hoshea did not marry a prostitute

These commentators hold that this story did not happen for real and it was על דרך המשל or במראה הנבואה.

Sources:Targum YonatanHoshea 1:2Hoshea 3:1About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Ibn EzraHoshea First Commentary 1:1-3Hoshea Second Commentary 1:1-3About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RadakHoshea 1:2Hoshea 1:3Hoshea 1:6Hoshea 1:8About R. David Kimchi

Would Hashem command a prophet to sin? These commentators hold that Hashem would not command a prophet to do something that is prohibited in the Torah and therefore this story did not happen for real.

What is the meaning of this prophecy?

To whom is this prophecy intended?

Hoshea 3

Other stories where prophets are commanded to sin – These commentators hold that also other stories where we hear that a prophet is commanded to do a prohibition, there too it is only במראה הנבואה. For example: Yechzkel's shaving of his פאות.

Other stories in which prophets are commanded to do weird acts – These commentators hold that also other stories where we hear that a prophet is commanded to do weird acts, there too they are only במראה הנבואה. For example: Yeshayahu's walking barefoot, Yechezkel's sleeping on his side.