Difference between revisions of "Stopping of the Sun at Givon/2"
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<p>Hashem wrought a miracle in which the celestial spheres stopped their movement, causing a lengthening of the daylight hours.</p> | <p>Hashem wrought a miracle in which the celestial spheres stopped their movement, causing a lengthening of the daylight hours.</p> | ||
<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>, <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>, <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>, <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>, <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>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.  | + | <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. </point> |
| − | <point><b>Need for the Miracle</b> – These | + | <point><b>Need for the Miracle</b> – These commentators differ in how they explain why a miracles was necessary, especially in light of the earlier Divine intervention in the battle in the form of heavenly hail stones:<br/> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li><b>Prevent Shabbat desecration</b> –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><b>Prevent Shabbat desecration</b> –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><b>Sanctify Hashem</b> – 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.</li> | <li><b>Sanctify Hashem</b> – 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.</li> | ||
| − | <li><b>Finish the battle</b> – Abarbanel, in contrast, assumes that the miracle was needed to totally vanquish the Canaanites.  He does not elaborate, only pointing out how light was needed | + | <li><b>Finish the battle</b> – Abarbanel, in contrast, assumes that the miracle was needed to totally vanquish the Canaanites.  He does not elaborate, only pointing out how light was needed in order to chase and kill off enemy soldiers. However, it is likely that Yehoshua was trying to prevent them from reaching the safety of their walled cities by nightfall.  Had they been able to, the earlier victory would be not have been worth much as the enemy could regroup and win the next skirmish.</li> |
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>Sun versus moon?</b><ul> | <point><b>Sun versus moon?</b><ul> | ||
Version as of 11:19, 24 July 2016
Stopping of the Sun at Givon
Exegetical Approaches
Supernatural: Literal Stoppage
Hashem wrought a miracle in which the celestial spheres stopped their movement, causing a lengthening of the daylight hours.
Sources:Ben Sira, Bavli Taanit, Bavli Avodah Zarah, Bereshit Rabbah, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, R. Yehuda ibn Balaam, Radak, R. Asher Crescas, Abarbanel, Malbim
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.
Need for the Miracle – These commentators differ in how they explain why a miracles was necessary, especially in light of the earlier Divine intervention in the battle in the form of heavenly hail stones:
- Prevent Shabbat desecration –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.
- Sanctify Hashem – 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.
- Finish the battle – Abarbanel, in contrast, assumes that the miracle was needed to totally vanquish the Canaanites. He does not elaborate, only pointing out how light was needed in order to chase and kill off enemy soldiers. However, it is likely that Yehoshua was trying to prevent them from reaching the safety of their walled cities by nightfall. Had they been able to, the earlier victory would be not have been worth much as the enemy could regroup and win the next skirmish.
Sun versus moon?
- Two halves of a whole – According to R. Yosef Kara, the main part of the miracle was the sun standing still; the moon simply followed suit, waiting for the sun to set before it moved.
- Distinct phenomena – Radak, however, implies that Yehoshua prayed for both extended sunlight, and later extended moonlight. The daylight hours only lasted as long as the longest day, so it was necessary for the moon, too, to shine more than usual.
Were Yehoshua's words a request or praise?
Comparison to Moshe's miracles
"וְלֹא הָיָה כַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לְפָנָיו וְאַחֲרָיו"
