Difference between revisions of "Stopping of the Sun at Givon/2"

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<mekorot><multilink><a href="BenSira46-1-7" data-aht="source">Ben Sira</a><a href="BenSira46-1-7" data-aht="source">46:1-7</a><a href="Ben Sira" data-aht="parshan">About Ben Sira</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="BavliTaanit19b-20a" data-aht="source">Bavli Taanit</a><a href="BavliTaanit19b-20a" data-aht="source">Taanit 19b-20a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliAvodahZarah25a" data-aht="source">Bavli Avodah Zarah</a><a href="BavliAvodahZarah25a" data-aht="source">Avodah Zarah 25a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah5-5" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah5-5" data-aht="source">5:5</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer52" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer52" data-aht="source">52</a><a href="Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer" data-aht="parshan">About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYehoshua10-12" data-aht="source">R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYehoshua10-12" data-aht="source">Yehoshua 10:12</a><a href="R. Yehuda ibn Balaam" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakYehoshua10-12-14" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakYehoshua10-12-14" data-aht="source">Yehoshua 10:12-14</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RAsherCrescasCommentaryonMorehNevukhim2-35" data-aht="source">R. Asher Crescas</a><a href="RAsherCrescasCommentaryonMorehNevukhim2-35" data-aht="source">R. Asher Crescas, Commentary on Moreh Nevukhim 2:35</a></multilink>, Abarbanel, Malbim</mekorot>
 
<mekorot><multilink><a href="BenSira46-1-7" data-aht="source">Ben Sira</a><a href="BenSira46-1-7" data-aht="source">46:1-7</a><a href="Ben Sira" data-aht="parshan">About Ben Sira</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="BavliTaanit19b-20a" data-aht="source">Bavli Taanit</a><a href="BavliTaanit19b-20a" data-aht="source">Taanit 19b-20a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliAvodahZarah25a" data-aht="source">Bavli Avodah Zarah</a><a href="BavliAvodahZarah25a" data-aht="source">Avodah Zarah 25a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah5-5" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah5-5" data-aht="source">5:5</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer52" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer52" data-aht="source">52</a><a href="Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer" data-aht="parshan">About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYehoshua10-12" data-aht="source">R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYehoshua10-12" data-aht="source">Yehoshua 10:12</a><a href="R. Yehuda ibn Balaam" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakYehoshua10-12-14" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakYehoshua10-12-14" data-aht="source">Yehoshua 10:12-14</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RAsherCrescasCommentaryonMorehNevukhim2-35" data-aht="source">R. Asher Crescas</a><a href="RAsherCrescasCommentaryonMorehNevukhim2-35" data-aht="source">R. Asher Crescas, Commentary on Moreh Nevukhim 2:35</a></multilink>, Abarbanel, Malbim</mekorot>
 
<point><b>Need for the Miracle</b><ul>
 
<point><b>Need for the Miracle</b><ul>
<li>Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer suggests that the battle took place on a Friday and that Yehoshua requested a miracle so that the nation would not need to desecrate Shabbat so as to finish the battle.</li>
+
<li>Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer suggests that the battle took place on a Friday and that Yehoshua requested that the day be lengthened so that the nation would not need to desecrate Shabbat so as to finish the battle.</li>
<li>Malbim agrees that the miracle was not needed for strategic purposes, claiming instead that Yehoshua's sole purpose was to ensure that the nation knew "that Hashem was fighting for Israel".&#160; The obvious miracle left them no doubt that Hashem was on their side.</li>
+
<li>Malbim agrees that the miracle was not needed for strategic purposes, claiming instead that Yehoshua's sole goal was to ensure that the nation knew "that Hashem was fighting for Israel".&#160; The obvious miracle left them no doubt that Hashem was on their side.</li>
 +
<li>Abarbanel, in contrast, assumes that the miracle was needed to help vanquish the Canaanites.&#160; Though he only speaks of the need forlight so as to If the soldiers reached the safety of their walled cities by nightfall, the earlier victory would be not be worth much as they could regroup and win the next battle.</li>
 
</ul></point>
 
</ul></point>
 
<point><b>Miracles and nature</b> – These sources are comfortable with Hashem suspending natural order, even when there might have been alternative methods of accomplishing the same goal.&#160; They feel no need to rationalize or minimize the extent that Hashem plays with natural laws.</point>
 
<point><b>Miracles and nature</b> – These sources are comfortable with Hashem suspending natural order, even when there might have been alternative methods of accomplishing the same goal.&#160; They feel no need to rationalize or minimize the extent that Hashem plays with natural laws.</point>

Version as of 08:51, 24 July 2016

Stopping of the Sun at Givon

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Supernatural: Literal Stoppage

Hashem wrought a miracle in which the celestial spheres stopped their movement, causing a lengthening of the daylight hours.

Need for the Miracle
  • Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer suggests that the battle took place on a Friday and that Yehoshua requested that the day be lengthened so that the nation would not need to desecrate Shabbat so as to finish the battle.
  • Malbim agrees that the miracle was not needed for strategic purposes, claiming instead that Yehoshua's sole goal was to ensure that the nation knew "that Hashem was fighting for Israel".  The obvious miracle left them no doubt that Hashem was on their side.
  • Abarbanel, in contrast, assumes that the miracle was needed to help vanquish the Canaanites.  Though he only speaks of the need forlight so as to If the soldiers reached the safety of their walled cities by nightfall, the earlier victory would be not be worth much as they could regroup and win the next battle.
Miracles and nature – These sources are comfortable with Hashem suspending natural order, even when there might have been alternative methods of accomplishing the same goal.  They feel no need to rationalize or minimize the extent that Hashem plays with natural laws.
Were Yehoshua's words a request or praise?
Comparison to Moshe's miracles
Sun versus moon?
"וְלֹא הָיָה כַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לְפָנָיו וְאַחֲרָיו"

Hypernatural: Sunlight Extended

Natural