Difference between revisions of "Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem/1"
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<p>The Book of Yonah opens with Hashem commanding the prophet to go to Nineveh, and Yonah deciding instead to flee to Tarshish.  Yonah's disobedience is perplexing.  How can a prophet disregard a command of Hashem?  Did Yonah really think that he could escape his mission?  Moreover, why did he think that fleeing was justified; why did he not want to preach to Nineveh?</p> | <p>The Book of Yonah opens with Hashem commanding the prophet to go to Nineveh, and Yonah deciding instead to flee to Tarshish.  Yonah's disobedience is perplexing.  How can a prophet disregard a command of Hashem?  Did Yonah really think that he could escape his mission?  Moreover, why did he think that fleeing was justified; why did he not want to preach to Nineveh?</p> | ||
<p>Yonah appears to explain his actions in Chapter 4:</p> | <p>Yonah appears to explain his actions in Chapter 4:</p> | ||
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<q xml:lang="he" dir="rtl">וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל י"י וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּה י"י הֲלוֹא זֶה דְבָרִי עַד הֱיוֹתִי עַל אַדְמָתִי עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה.</q> | <q xml:lang="he" dir="rtl">וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל י"י וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּה י"י הֲלוֹא זֶה דְבָרִי עַד הֱיוֹתִי עַל אַדְמָתִי עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה.</q> | ||
<q xml:lang="en">And he prayed unto the Lord, and said: 'I pray Thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in mine own country? Therefore I fled beforehand unto Tarshish; for I knew that Thou art a gracious God, and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, and repentest Thee of the evil.</q> | <q xml:lang="en">And he prayed unto the Lord, and said: 'I pray Thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in mine own country? Therefore I fled beforehand unto Tarshish; for I knew that Thou art a gracious God, and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, and repentest Thee of the evil.</q> | ||
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<h2>Unique Repentance</h2> | <h2>Unique Repentance</h2> | ||
| − | In all of Tanakh, Yonah is one of the only prophets who actually manages to convince his audience to change their ways.<fn>Another example might be Eliyahu at Mt. Carmel who persuades the people to turn back to Hashem and proclaim "".  His success, however, appears to be short-lived, as already in the next chapter he complains about how the nation has left Hashem's covenant.</fn> After but five words of warning, the people of Nineveh | + | In all of Tanakh, Yonah is one of the only prophets who actually manages to convince his audience to change their ways.<fn>Another example might be Eliyahu at Mt. Carmel who persuades the people to turn back to Hashem and proclaim "".  His success, however, appears to be short-lived, as already in the next chapter he complains about how the nation has left Hashem's covenant.</fn> After but five words of warning, the people of Nineveh set up a comprehensive campaign of repentance, replete with fasting and sack cloth.  All join in, from young to old, even the animals.  At first glance, the scene seems impressive, but on closer look, the reader is jarred.  What |
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Version as of 12:58, 10 October 2016
Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem?
Introduction
Flight from Prophecy
The Book of Yonah opens with Hashem commanding the prophet to go to Nineveh, and Yonah deciding instead to flee to Tarshish. Yonah's disobedience is perplexing. How can a prophet disregard a command of Hashem? Did Yonah really think that he could escape his mission? Moreover, why did he think that fleeing was justified; why did he not want to preach to Nineveh?
Yonah appears to explain his actions in Chapter 4:
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל י"י וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּה י"י הֲלוֹא זֶה דְבָרִי עַד הֱיוֹתִי עַל אַדְמָתִי עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה.
And he prayed unto the Lord, and said: 'I pray Thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in mine own country? Therefore I fled beforehand unto Tarshish; for I knew that Thou art a gracious God, and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, and repentest Thee of the evil.
Taken at face value, these words are somewhat shocking. Yonah fled because Hashem is merciful!? Because He forgives and overturns evil decrees? Why is Yonah upset about this?
Unique Repentance
In all of Tanakh, Yonah is one of the only prophets who actually manages to convince his audience to change their ways.1 After but five words of warning, the people of Nineveh set up a comprehensive campaign of repentance, replete with fasting and sack cloth. All join in, from young to old, even the animals. At first glance, the scene seems impressive, but on closer look, the reader is jarred. What
