Repentance Rejected/2

From AlHaTorah.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Hashem's Response to Teshuvah

Exegetical Approaches

This topic is currently in progress

Repentance is Lacking

Though an initial read of the verses suggests that the nation repented, in reality their repentance was either incomplete or lacking altogether.  As such, they needed further punishment.

"וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת עֲוֺנָם"
  • Words without actions – According to Ramban, Akeidat Yitzchak, and Abarbanel the confession was not a complete return to Hashem.  Though the people recognized and admitted to their sins, this was not accompanied by a change of ways.2
  • Only leaders confess – Abarbanel and Seforno suggest that only the leaders of the generation such as Daniel, Ezra and Nechemiah confessed but the laypeople did not.3
  • Command form – According to the Biur and R.D"Z Hoffmann the word "וְהִתְוַדּוּ" does not mean "and they will confess" but rather "and they shall confess".4  As such, it is not a description of what the nation will do but rather Hashem's command of what they should do and thus says nothing about their actual repentance.
"וְאָמַר... הֲלֹא עַל כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי מְצָאוּנִי הָרָעוֹת "
  • Partial or insincere repentance - Ramban suggests that this verse, too, represents only a partial repentance, a recognition of wrongdoing without a full correction thereof.5 R. Saba6 and Abarbanel instead posit that the nation might have repented for only some (עַל כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי), but not all of their sins.7 Alternatively, R. Saba8 suggests that the repentance is not considered sincere since it was only only in reaction to suffering (מְצָאוּנִי הָרָעוֹת), and, as such, coerced.
  • No repentance– According to Seforno the people's statement is not a confession of wrongdoing at all, only a recognition that Hashem is not with them. In fact, this feeling that Hashem is lacking, precludes them from even trying to repent.9
  • Continued sin -  Shadal goes a step further to posit that the nation's words are not a confession but a complaint.10 Abarbanel, instead, sees in the people's words an attestation of continued idolatry.11  Their words "אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי" referred not to Hashem but to the foreign gods whom  they felt that they had not worshiped sufficiently.12
"אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ עִמָּם בְּקֶרִי וְהֵבֵאתִי אֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם" – Most of these commentators views this as a further punishment, aimed at bringing the nation to a full repentance.13 Abarbanel and Akeidat Yitzchak posit that Hashem was to send the nation into further exile, while Ramban and Seforno assume that He would bring them back to Israel, but while it was still in the hands of their enemies.
"וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי" – Most of these exegetes14 views this as a fair punishment for those who have not fully repented, or who might have even continued in the idolatrous ways.15  They differ, though, in their specific understandings of the concept of "הסתר פנים"
  • Loss of providence – Abarbanel and Seforno understand Hashem's hiding of his face to mean a loss of providence and protection.16 While Abarbnanel sees in this a two-fold punishment (הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר) for the nation's crimes of idolatry, Seforno emphasizes that this does not mean that Hashem's presence would not be amidst the nation, only that He would no longer be willing to save them from the evil they bring upon themselves.17
  • Lack of redemption – Ramban contrasts this "hiding of Hashem's face" with the earlier mention in verse 17 and suggests that it is a less harsh form.  It only refers to Hashem's hiding His face of redemption, but not that His absence might bring in its wake extra suffering.18
  • Ignoring of sins – R. Saba offers a unique explanation of "הסתר פנים", suggesting that it refers to Hashem's hiding His face from the people's sins.  He views this as a punishment since it gives the sins time to accumulate making the eventual cumulative punishment all that harder to bear.19
  • Lack of prophecy - Netziv suggests that the הסתר פנים is expressed through an absence of prophecy (and thus connection to Hashem).
"אוֹ אָז יִכָּנַע לְבָבָם הֶעָרֵל וְאָז יִרְצוּ אֶת עֲוֺנָם" – Ramban suggests that the verse means that the nation will be in the land of their enemies until they either fully repent or their sin is atoned for by adequate punishment.20 Abarbanel, in contrast, understands that Hashem is telling the nation that they have a choice between a second exile or total repentance which will atone for their sin.21
Power of repentance – This position assumes that if a nation fully and sincerely repents of its sins, Hashem will no longer punish them.  A confession alone though might not suffice.
When did this happen?
  • According to Ramban and Seforno the verses in Vayikra refer to the generation of the first Temple that was exiled to Babylonia.  The confession refers to that done by the leaders of the exile (Daniel, Ezra and Nechemia) and the sending to an enemy land refers to returning to an Israel ruled over by enemies.22
  • Ramban asserts that the rebuke of Devarim instead refers to the present exile.  Netziv, though, asserts that this specific prophecy was fulfilled already in the period of the judges when the nation felt rejected by Hashem,23 leading them into a cycle of idolatry.
Relationship between rebukes of Vayikra and Devarim

No Punishment

The verses which speak of Hashem's punishment are reinterpreted so that the text contains no reference to punishing the nation after their repenting.

"וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת עֲוֺנָם" – These commentators understand this to refer to a full and sincere confession and return to Hashem.
"וְאָמַר... הֲלֹא עַל כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי מְצָאוּנִי הָרָעוֹת "
"אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ עִמָּם בְּקֶרִי וְהֵבֵאתִי אֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם"  – According to these commentators, this verse does not speak of any new punishment for the nation. They differ, though, regarding what they think it says instead:
  • Past actions of Hashem - According to Ibn Ezra, these words refer to what Hashem had done in the past, not what He will do in the future.
  • Part of nation's confession  – According to Ralbag,25 HaKetav VeHaKabbalah and R. D"Z Hoffmann, these words are part of the confession of the nation.  They not only admit their own wrongdoing but also justify Hashem's punishment.
  • Consolation– Netziv suggests that the word are actually comfort for the nation.26 According to him the word "בְּקֶרִי" means "contrary to".27  Since the people felt that Hashem could not have providence over them in exile, Hashem tells them that, in contrast to what they think (בְּקֶרִי), He will in fact care for them there.  He will bring them under his personal providence ("וְהֵבֵאתִי אֹתָם") even in the countries of their enemies.
"וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי"
"אוֹ אָז יִכָּנַע לְבָבָם הֶעָרֵל וְאָז יִרְצוּ אֶת עֲוֺנָם"
Power of repentance
When did this happen?

Punishment Despite Repentance