Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem/2

Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem?

Exegetical Approaches

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Personal Interests

Yonah's reluctance to fulfill Hashem's command was motivated by personal reasons.  This position subdivides regarding the exact nature of the concern:

Feared being Labeled a False Prophet

Yonah feared that when the Ninevites repented, Hashem's decree of destruction would be overturned and he would be viewed as a false prophet.

Sources:Tanchuma #1Vayikra 8About the Tanchuma, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer10About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Daniel AlKumisi the KaraiteYonah 1:1About Daniel AlKumisi the Karaite,  Rashi #2Yonah 4:2About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RidYonah 1:3Yonah 4:11About R. Yeshayah of Trani

Do prophecies have to come true? Yonah's fear only makes sense if people believed that all prophecies must come true, regardless of one's actions. This might emerge from a simple understanding of Devarim 18:22, yet it would seem to negate the principle that individuals have the ability to overturn decrees through repentance, as expressed in Yirmeyahu 18.¹  Yonah himself obviously assumed that prophecies of destruction are conditional on behavior (or he need not have worried about Hashem overturning the decree), but for some reason figured that others would not agree.² 

"וַיָּקׇם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה" – This position maintains the simple meaning of the word "לִבְרֹחַ", claiming that Yonah fled to Tarshish so as not to have to prophesy Nineveh's destruction.

How can a prophet defy the word of Hashem?

• According to R. Saadia Gaon, Yonah actually fulfilled Hashem's first mission, even though it is not mentioned in the verses,³ and he was only trying to avoid being called a second time.⁴  Since the first mission entailed only rebuking the Ninevites, but contained no prophecy of destruction, Yonah was not worried about the possibility of being called a false prophet, and was willing to do as told.⁵ Afterwards, however, he fled outside of Israel where there is no prophecy to avoid being called upon to deliver a message of specific doom.
• The Karaite, Alkumisi, disagrees and assumes that from the beginning Yonah attempted to shirk his responsibilities. He explains that Yonah never expected to get away with his actions, but rather to meet his death. He does not explain however, why Hashem would choose a messenger that would defy him.

The storm and fish – This position views the storm and being swallowed by the fish as a means of punishing Yonah and teaching him that he can not flee from the will of God.

Yonah's behavior in the boat and fish – According to the Karaite Alkumisi, Yonah preferred death over being called a false prophet.  Therefore he was passive and apathetic in the boat, not joining in everyone's prayers for salvation.  He was even willing to be thrown overboard.  He was similarly initially silent in the fish, and only turned to Hashem after three days⁶ when he realized that Hashem did not desire his death and was essentially forcing him to do His bidding.

"עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה" – When Yonah sees the people's repentance and Hashem's overturning of his decree, he is distressed since this is what will lead others to call him a false prophet.  He explains that this is what led him to flee to begin with.  Ibn Ezra argues that at that point, however, Yonah had not yet been told to declare the impending destruction of the people and he should have had no reason to fear being labelled a liar. These sources⁷ might respond that though it is not stated in the text, already with Hashem's first call to Yonah he had been given the full prophecy.

The analogy of the gourd – It is not clear how these commentators understand the analogy of the gourd and what it was supposed to teach Yonah. Presumably, Hashem wanted to inculcate a message about the value of mercy and the sorrow brought by death to show Yonah that instead of worrying about his personal reputation, he should be thinking about the lives of the Ninevites.

Objections to this position – Ibn Ezra questions this position on several grounds:

• He asks why Yonah would care what the Ninevites thought of him; after all, he was not even living among them!
• Moreover, he questions how the Ninevites could possibly have concluded that Yonah was a false prophet.  They obviously understood that there was a chance that their repentance could overturn the decree, so they apparently thought that the prophet's role was to prompt them to change.  As such, when they were spared they would never think to accuse him!

Futile Mission

Yonah was convinced that not all of the people of Nineveh would repent, but Hashem would forgive them regardless, making his efforts futile.  Being old and tired, he preferred that Hashem send someone in his stead.

Sources:R. Eliezer of BeaugencyYonah 1:3, 9Yonah 2:1-2Yonah 4:1-4, 11About R. Eliezer of Beaugency

How can a prophet defy the word of Hashem? According to R. Eliezer of Beaugency, Yonah did not really defy Hashem, and did not even want to refuse the command openly.  Instead, he chose to make himself sparse in the hopes that Hashem would choose a different messenger in his place.

Biblical parallels – R"E of Beaugency compares Yonah to Moshe who similarly preferred not to act as Hashem's messenger and requested, "שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח".

Yonah's assumptions – In contrast to other commentators, R"E of Beaugency has Yonah assume that the Ninevites would not repent fully.  This would seem to be a logical assumption based on the numerous failed attempts of prophets throughout Tanakh.

The storm and fish – These events were meant to move Yonah into submission so as to fulfill Hashem's mission.

Yonah's prayer – R"E of Beaugency reads the prayer as one of thanksgiving.  When Yonah realized that Hashem did not mean to kill him, he offered praise.

Timing of Yonah's conversation in Chapter 4 – According to R"E of Beaugency these verses are out of order, and take place before the end of the forty days.  Immediately after announcing the city's destruction, Yonah left and built himself a hut to "see what the city's fate was to be."⁸  As such, at the time of the conversation, he was still unaware of the people's repentance.

"כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם... וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה" – As Yonah still assumed that the people were persisting in their evil, he complained to Hashem why He nonetheless would forgive them and change the decree. Yonah argued that if that was Hashem's plan, and Yonah was to play no useful role, then why did Yonah have to trouble to travel and tire himself!  R"E of Beaugency does not explain how Yonah knew that Hashem had decided not to destroy the city.

Request to die – According to R"E of Beuagency this request stemmed from Yonah's weariness and low morale, and is parallel to Eliyahu's similar cry, "קַח נַפְשִׁי," also said after a long journey, when the prophet felt that all his efforts were futile.

"הַהֵיטֵב חָרָה לָךְ" – R"E of Beaugency reads this as Hashem questioning Yonah, "Is this really a good reason to be upset?  Even if the people do not repent, and I have mercy, should you be so angry?"

Message of the gourd – Even though Yonah was mistaken, and the people really did change, Hashem wanted to teach Yonah that regardless, he should not be distressed if Hashem decides to have mercy on his creations when they are undeserving.⁹  Thus, he shows Yonah how he cares so much for a gourd which he did not even plant, to demonstrate how much more so Hashem would care for those He created!  Hashem appears to be saying that repentance is not the only consideration when deciding to destroy or save; sometimes parental love overrides justice.

"אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע בֵּין יְמִינוֹ לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ" – Hashem tells Yonah that the city is filled with people who do not know right from wrong, like babies and animals, and it is for them that Hashem would be willing to forgive the entire city even if they did not change their ways.

Patriotism

Yonah's decision was rooted in his love of Israel and desire for their preservation.

Sources:Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot12:1About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot, Tanchuma #2Vayikra 8About the Tanchuma, Rashi #1Yonah 1:2About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Ibn EzraYonah First Commentary 1:1-2Yonah First Commentary 2:2Yonah First Commentary 4:3-6, 9-11About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RadakYonah 1:1-3Yonah 3:5Yonah 4:1-6, 10-11About R. David Kimchi, Abarbanel

What is at stake for Israel? These sources disagree regarding how Yonah's refusal could help Israel:

• Most of these commentators maintain that Yonah was concerned lest the quick repentance of Nineveh cast a bad light on Israel who refused to change its ways despite numerous prophetic rebukes.
• Abarbanel, in contrast, asserts that Yonah knew that Assyria was destined to exile the ten tribes and he refused to be the vehicle through which Israel's enemy was saved from destruction.

"לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י"– Did Yonah really think he could flee from God?

• Ibn Ezra¹⁰ points out that the text uses the phrase "לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" rather than "מפני ה'" to indicate that though Yonah knew that he could never hide from Hashem Himself, he believed that he could go outside of Israel where Hashem's providence was weaker and there was no prophetic inspiration.¹¹
• R. Yonatan in the Mekhilta¹² claims that Yonah  was willing to die for Israel' sake, as he says to the sailors, "אוּנִי וַהֲטִילֻנִי אֶל הַיָּם".  Yonah, then, might never have expected to avoid the repercussions of his actions.

Behavior in the boat – Abarbanel claims that Yonah knew that he had gone against Hashem's will, and that is what he means when he identifies himself, "עִבְרִי אָנֹכִי" (from the language of transgression). He does not pray to Hashem for salvation or seek forgiveness and promise to set out for Nineveh, because he prefers to die than to be the vehicle to save Assyria, and thereby bring destruction to Israel.

Yonah's prayer – It is in the fish that Yonah realizes that Hashem won't spare him from fulfilling his mission, even through death. Abarbanel explains Yonah's words "אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְרַשְׁתִּי מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ אַךְ אוֹסִיף לְהַבִּיט אֶל הֵיכַל קׇדְשֶׁךָ" to mean that Yonah originally thought that he could hide from his prophetic mission, but now recognizes that he is meant to eventually return and prophesy again. This leads to his change of heart and decision to fulfill the prophecy.¹³

Nineveh's repentance

Message of the gourd

Theological Concerns

Yonah's objection stemmed from a fundamental disagreement with Hashem regarding the institution of repentance.

Sources:Abarbanel,¹⁴ Modern commentators

Objections to repentance – Scholars disagree regarding Yonah's specific objection to repentance:

• Repentance does not eradicate punishment – Though Yonah believed that repentance for misdeeds is desirable, he did not think that repentance removes the need for retribution. Justice requires that everyone gets there just due and apologizing does not erase that.
• Repentance from fear insufficient – According to Yonah, repentance that stems from fear of punishment is not sincere, and will never be long lasting as it does not come from a true recognition of right and wrong and desire to change.  As soon as the danger ends, a person is likely to return to their old ways.
• No repentance for idolators –  According to Abarbanel, "teshuvah" means returning to Hashem; thus even if someone fixes their interpersonal behavior, if they still maintain idolatrous beliefs, their repentance is not complete.

Comparison to Avraham in Sedom – According to this approach Yonah and Avraham might represent contrasting models of the desired balance between mercy and justice.  Avraham appears to call for mercy at all costs, asking that the wicked not be punished on behalf of the few righteous. Yonah disagrees, claiming that the wicked should not be saved even if they repent. Hashem appears to agree with Avraham, telling him that with the requisite number of righteous he won't destroy Sedom, and here telling Yonah that he has mercy on Nineveh due to the great number of its innocent residents "who don't differentiate between their right and left."

Comparison to Eliyahu – The only other case in Tanakh in which a prophet appears to successfully effect change in the people is Eliyahu at Mt. Carmel.  Interestingly, there, too, immediately afterwards the prophet asks for death.  The request might come in part from Eliyahu's recognition that the change was short-lived just like Yonah here.

Yonah's prayer in the fish

Quality of Ninevites' repentance

• Abarbanel claims that though the people repented of their crimes against their fellow men, they did not return to Hashem, as the verse states, "וַיַּרְא הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם", emphasizing their actions but not their beliefs. Though earlier the text shares that "וַיַּאֲמִינוּ אַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה בֵּאלֹהִים", this connotes a recognition of godly authority but not a monotheistic belief in Hashem.  Thus, in contrast to the surrounding verses, Hashem is called "אלֹהִים" and not by His proper name, Hashem.¹⁵
• The Yerushalmi also suggests that the people's repentance was lacking. This reading could be supported by the images of animals in sack cloth and the call for them to fast which lead to the feeling that the scene is but a parody of repentance. If teshuvah involves regret and change of heart, involving animals suggests it is farcical.
• According to Henschke, in contrast, the actual repentance was sincere, but being motivated by fear of punishment, it was not worthwhile.

"כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה" – In quoting Hashem's attributes, Yonah strikingly leaves out the attribute of Hashem's justice, since he does not believe that Hashem is being just.  Eradicating deserved punishment might be merciful, but it is not "אמת".

Message of the gourd – Hashem is attempting to teach Yonah that repentance, however short-lived, is not worthless.  Though his gourd lived for just a day, Yonah cared deeply about it; while it was there it did good for him.  So too, Hashem teaches Yonah, even if the Nineveites revert to evil, at the moment their repentance is sincere, and as such it is accepted.

Did not Disobey

Yonah never attempted to flee and disregard Hashem's directive. In fact, he boarded the boat to Tarshish so as to expedite his fulfillment of Hashem's mission.

Sources:R. Saadia GaonHaEmunot VeHaDeiot 3:5About R. Saadia Gaon, Yefet b. Eli the KaraiteYonah 1:3Yonah 1:15-16Yonah 4: 2-4Yonah 2:2Yonah 2:10Yonah 3:3Yonah 3:11About Yefet b. Eli the Karaite

"וַיָּקׇם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה"

• Yefet reinterprets the word "לִבְרֹחַ" to mean "to hurry",¹⁶ and suggests that not only did Yonah not flee from Hashem's word, but he actually hurried to fulfill it.  Yonah felt that travel by sea would be the quickest route to Nineveh.
• According to R. Saadia Gaon, Yonah actually fulfilled Hashem's first mission, even though it is not mentioned in the verses,¹⁷ and these words only reflect his attempt at avoiding being called a second time.¹⁸  Since the first mission entailed only rebuking the Ninevites, but contained no prophecy of destruction, Yonah was not worried about the possibility of being called a false prophet, and was willing to do as told.¹⁹ Afterwards, however, he fled outside of Israel where there is no prophecy to avoid being called upon to deliver a message of specific doom.

"מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" – Yefet explains that the phrase "מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" means from the place of Hashem's command.

The storm and fish – Yefet maintains that both the storm and being swallowed by the fish were not meant to punish Yonah but to serve as a miraculous sign which would lead people to believe in him as a prophet.  He points out that as soon as the storm subsides, the sailors are indeed filled with faith, "וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה אֶת י"י".

Yonah's prayer – According to Yefet, the fact that Yonah is able to pray and doesn't lose his wits in the fish proves that he recognized that this was Hashem's means of saving him from the sea rather than a punishment.  He further claims that Yonah's words "אַךְ אוֹסִיף לְהַבִּיט אֶל הֵיכַל קׇדְשֶׁךָ" were prophetic, and that he knew clearly that he was to emerge from the fish and eventually return to Israel.  This could explain why there is not much petition in the prayer, but rather thanksgiving.

"וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נִינְוֵה כִּדְבַר י"י" – Yefet notes that the fact that only after Hashem's second call to prophesy does the verse say that he did so "according to the word of Hashem" should not lead one to conclude that after the first call he did not abide by Hashem's word.²⁰ The phrase is left out of Chapter 1 only for technical reasons.²¹

Nineveh's repentance: "וַיַּאֲמִינוּ אַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה בֵּאלֹהִים" – According to Yefet the people's newfound belief was a direct result of having heard about the wonders that happened to Yonah at sea.²² Without such knowledge, what would have led them to believe in the prophet's prediction?

Why is Yonah upset after the people repent? According to Yefet, Yonah's distress is not directly related to the repentance of Nineveh, which he had been eager to promote, but rather due to the huge contrast between their reaction to prophetic rebuke and that of Israel.  Despite scores of prophets, Israel still persisted in her evil ways.

"עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה" – Before sharing with Hashem his distress over Israel, Yonah reiterates to Hashem the reason he hurried to Tarshish: Since Hashem is merciful, Yonah knew that if he could bring the people to repentance, Hashem would forgive them.  As such, he had been eager to fulfill the mission.

"Take my life" – Yonah asks Hashem to take his life out of anguish over the fact that Israel, unlike Nineveh, continues to sin and does not merit forgiveness. This statement feels like a non sequitur, not really following from Yonah's announcement "עַל כֵּן קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה". According to Yefet, Yonah is saying that now that he had successfully filled his mission, it was time to return to Israel, but he preferred to die rather than go back and see the nation punished for its sinful ways.

"הַהֵיטֵב חָרָה לָךְ" – Yefet reads this reply of Hashem as a show of solidarity with Yonah's sorrow.  Hashem tells Yonah that he is right to be upset; Hashem, too, finds it difficult when He sends prophets to Israel and they take no heed.

Message of the gourd – According to Yefet, the analogy of the gourd was meant to teach the need for mercy.  Hashem saved the people of Nineveh not only because of their repentance but also because he felt mercy for his creations, especially for the many innocent children and animals.  It is not clear, however, why such a message was necessary for Yonah, who on his own had desired the repentance of Nineveh, and wanted to avert their destruction.  Yefet suggests that the message might not have been for the prophet himself, but for others who were to hear it.²³

"מִשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה רִבּוֹ אָדָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע בֵּין יְמִינוֹ לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ" – Yefet claims that this refers to the many innocent children of Nineveh, who cannot be held accountable for any evil actions.

What is motivating this reading? Yefet's somewhat forced reading of the story is motivated by philosophical considerations.  He is influenced by the Islamic doctrine of prophetic impeccability ('isma) and the idea that Hashem would never chose a prophet who would be disobedient.²⁴ As such, it is unfathomable to him that Yonah could have attempted to avoid fulfilling Hashem's mission.

¹ See also Yechezkel 3:16-21 and 33:7-11.

² For a full discussion of the signs of a false prophet and whether or not prophecies must be fulfilled see Distinguishing Between True and False Prophets.

³ As support, he points to the many cases in Torah where the verse states that Hashem spoke to Moshe, telling him to relay something to the nation, but the text never mentions that Moshe fulfilled the directive.  This is just assumed by the reader.

⁴ He, like Yefet, is very influenced by the Islamic doctrine of prophetic infallibility and is loathe to say that Yonah could have actually defied Hashem's command.

⁵ If the people repented thereby averting punishment, no words of his would be overturned since he had never said that they were to be destroyed.

⁶ It is actually not clear from the verses when Yonah makes his prayer.  Though the chapter opens with the statement that Yonah was in the fish for three days and only afterwards speaks about him praying, it is possible that the three day time marker is simply an introduction relating to the entire ordeal.

⁷ Ibn Ezra's question is not a difficulty for R. Saadia Gaon since he posits that Yonah did not actually flee to avoid fulfilling Hashem's initial words (which he delivered), but only to prevent a second call.

⁸ This phrase, "עַד אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה מַה יִּהְיֶה בָּעִיר" is what allows him to say that the verses happen before the city fully repents.

⁹ R"E of Beaugency claims that Hashem did eventually told Yonah about the people's repentance. This, however, is not explicit in the text.

¹⁰ See Radak and Abarbanel who follow his interpretation.

¹¹ He points to Eliyahu's words, "חַי י"י אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו" (Melakhim I 17:1) as evidence that the term "לפני ה'"  relates to a relationship with Hashem and prophetic capabilities.

¹² See also Abarbanel in his wake.

¹³ Abarbanel reads, "וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה לָּךְ אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתִּי אֲשַׁלֵּמָה" as Yonah metaphorically telling Hashem that he is willing to do Hashem's bidding and fulfill his mission.

¹⁴ This is not Abarbanel's main reading of the story but comes out of his explanation.

¹⁵  Note how the sailors and Yonah both cry out not to Elokim, but to Hashem.

¹⁶ As evidence for such a usage he points to Shir HaShirim 8:14 and Bemidbar 24:11. This latter proof text, however, is somewhat weak as the root ברח in the verse can easily be understood as "run away."

¹⁷ As support, he points to the many cases in Torah where the verse states that Hashem spoke to Moshe, telling him to relay something to the nation, but the text never mentions that Moshe fulfilled the directive.  This is just assumed by the reader.

¹⁸ He, like Yefet, is very influenced by the Islamic doctrine of prophetic infallibility and is loathe to say that Yonah could have actually defied Hashem's command.

¹⁹ If the people repented thereby averting punishment, no words of his would be overturned since he had never said that they were to be destroyed.

²⁰ This is one of the Karaite, Daniel Alkumsi's arguments against Yefet's reading.

²¹ Since Hashem told Yonah to travel to Nineveh, but Yonah did so via Tarshish, the text would sound awkward if it read "Yonah went to Tarshish according to the word of God".

²² He assumes that some of the sailors aboard the ship who witnessed the miracle had arrived in Nineveh and shared what they had seen.

²³ He points out that Hashem could have easily just told the message to Yonah but he did so via an analogy because then it becomes sweeter to the listeners.

²⁴ For a full discussion of some of the Islamic influences on Yefet in his commentary to the Book of Yonah, see J. Andruss, "The Judaeo-Arabaic Commentary on the book of Jonah by the Karate Japheth bn Eli: Introduction and Translation," MA Thesis for Ohio State University (2007).