Difference between revisions of "Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem/2"
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<p>Others present Yonah as focused on the consequences of Nineveh's penitence. Thus, Ibn Ezra assumes that Yonah was motivated by his concern for the Nation of Israel, whose persistent refusal to heed the rebukes of its prophets would be placed in sharp contrast by Nineveh's repentance.  Alternatively, several Midrashim suggest that Yonah had his own personal interests in mind, fearing lest he be called a false prophet when his prophecy of doom would fail to come to pass.</p> | <p>Others present Yonah as focused on the consequences of Nineveh's penitence. Thus, Ibn Ezra assumes that Yonah was motivated by his concern for the Nation of Israel, whose persistent refusal to heed the rebukes of its prophets would be placed in sharp contrast by Nineveh's repentance.  Alternatively, several Midrashim suggest that Yonah had his own personal interests in mind, fearing lest he be called a false prophet when his prophecy of doom would fail to come to pass.</p> | ||
<p>Finally, R. Saadia Gaon and others question the assumption that Yonah disobeyed Hashem at all. They find it unfathomable that a prophet would defy the word of Hashem, leading them to conclude that Yonah must have initially gone to Nineveh as directed.</p></div> | <p>Finally, R. Saadia Gaon and others question the assumption that Yonah disobeyed Hashem at all. They find it unfathomable that a prophet would defy the word of Hashem, leading them to conclude that Yonah must have initially gone to Nineveh as directed.</p></div> | ||
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<li><b>Sincere</b> – The repentance was actually sincere, and the all encompassing nature (including animals as well) simply reflects the degree of guilt that the people of Nineveh needed to expiate.<fn>See <a href="BavliTaanit16a" data-aht="source">Bavli Taanit 16a</a> which points to the people of Ninevah as a role model for proper repentance.</fn>  Yonah did not take issue with the quality of the repentance, but only with Hashem's reaction to it and Nineveh's evasion of punishment.</li> | <li><b>Sincere</b> – The repentance was actually sincere, and the all encompassing nature (including animals as well) simply reflects the degree of guilt that the people of Nineveh needed to expiate.<fn>See <a href="BavliTaanit16a" data-aht="source">Bavli Taanit 16a</a> which points to the people of Ninevah as a role model for proper repentance.</fn>  Yonah did not take issue with the quality of the repentance, but only with Hashem's reaction to it and Nineveh's evasion of punishment.</li> | ||
<li><b>Inferior repentance</b> – The images of animals in sackcloth and the requiring of them to fast suggest that the entire scene is nothing but a parody of repentance.<fn>Cf. the opinions of the various Amoraim in <multilink><a href="YerushalmiTaanit2-1" data-aht="source">Yerushalmi Taanit</a><a href="YerushalmiTaanit2-1" data-aht="source">Taanit 2:1</a><a href="Talmud Yerushalmi" data-aht="parshan">About the Yerushalmi</a></multilink>.</fn>  If repentance entails regret and change of heart, involving animals is farcical.  This might support the idea that the change was prompted only by fear, and as such was superficial.</li> | <li><b>Inferior repentance</b> – The images of animals in sackcloth and the requiring of them to fast suggest that the entire scene is nothing but a parody of repentance.<fn>Cf. the opinions of the various Amoraim in <multilink><a href="YerushalmiTaanit2-1" data-aht="source">Yerushalmi Taanit</a><a href="YerushalmiTaanit2-1" data-aht="source">Taanit 2:1</a><a href="Talmud Yerushalmi" data-aht="parshan">About the Yerushalmi</a></multilink>.</fn>  If repentance entails regret and change of heart, involving animals is farcical.  This might support the idea that the change was prompted only by fear, and as such was superficial.</li> | ||
− | <li><b>Changed actions not beliefs</b> – Abarbanel claims that though the people repented of their crimes against their fellow men, they did not return to Hashem.  Thus, the verse states, "וַיַּרְא | + | <li><b>Changed actions not beliefs</b> – Abarbanel claims that though the people repented of their crimes against their fellow men, they did not return to Hashem.  Thus, the verse states, "וַיַּרְא הָאֱ-לֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם", emphasizing their actions but not their beliefs. Though earlier the text shares that "וַיַּאֲמִינוּ אַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה בֵּא-לֹהִים", this connotes a recognition of a heavenly authority but not a monotheistic belief in Hashem.  Thus, in contrast to the surrounding verses, Hashem is called "אֱ-לֹהִים" and not by His proper name, Hashem.<fn>Note how, in contrast to the people of Nineveh, the sailors (and, of course, Yonah) both cry out to Hashem (rather than Elokim). See R. Tzvi Romm, "The Failed Teshuvah of Nineveh", in the Benjamin and Rose Berger Torah to Go Series (2015): 10-14, who analyzes the various changes of Hashem's name throughout the story and what this says about the quality of the people's repentance.</fn></li> |
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>"כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה"</b> – Yonah's own explanation for his actions might support this reading of the story.  He says that he fled "because Hashem is a merciful God", implying that it is the fact that Hashem is merciful, rather than just, that troubles Yonah.  It is not coincidental that in quoting Hashem's attributes, he strikingly leaves out the attribute of Hashem's justice. In Yonah's opinion, eliminating deserved punishment might be merciful, but it is not "אמת".‎<fn>R"E Ben-Menachem points to Yonah's name, יונה בן <b>אמ</b>י<b>ת</b>י, as a further indication that he was a man marked by his belief in "אמת".</fn></point> | <point><b>"כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה"</b> – Yonah's own explanation for his actions might support this reading of the story.  He says that he fled "because Hashem is a merciful God", implying that it is the fact that Hashem is merciful, rather than just, that troubles Yonah.  It is not coincidental that in quoting Hashem's attributes, he strikingly leaves out the attribute of Hashem's justice. In Yonah's opinion, eliminating deserved punishment might be merciful, but it is not "אמת".‎<fn>R"E Ben-Menachem points to Yonah's name, יונה בן <b>אמ</b>י<b>ת</b>י, as a further indication that he was a man marked by his belief in "אמת".</fn></point> | ||
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<li>Abarbanel, in contrast, asserts that Yonah knew that Assyria was destined to exile the ten tribes, and thus he did not want to be the vehicle through which Israel's enemy was saved from destruction.</li> | <li>Abarbanel, in contrast, asserts that Yonah knew that Assyria was destined to exile the ten tribes, and thus he did not want to be the vehicle through which Israel's enemy was saved from destruction.</li> | ||
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
− | <point><b>"לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" – Did Yonah really think he could flee from God?</b> The Mekhilta claims that Yonah fled outside of Israel since Hashem's presence does not appear there<fn>The choice of Tarshish specifically might relate to <a href="Yeshayahu66-19" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 66:19</a> which mentions Tarshish as a land in which  "לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶת שִׁמְעִי".</fn> and therefore he would not be able to receive prophecy.<fn>Ibn Ezra finds support for this idea in the fact that the text states  "לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י", rather than "‏מפני י"י‏".  This indicates that though Yonah realized that he could never hide from Hashem Himself (מפני י"י), he thought that he could still go to a place where there would be no prophetic inspiration.   He points to Eliyahu's words, "חַי י"י | + | <point><b>"לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י" – Did Yonah really think he could flee from God?</b> The Mekhilta claims that Yonah fled outside of Israel since Hashem's presence does not appear there<fn>The choice of Tarshish specifically might relate to <a href="Yeshayahu66-19" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 66:19</a> which mentions Tarshish as a land in which  "לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶת שִׁמְעִי".</fn> and therefore he would not be able to receive prophecy.<fn>Ibn Ezra finds support for this idea in the fact that the text states  "לִבְרֹחַ... מִלִּפְנֵי י"י", rather than "‏מפני י"י‏".  This indicates that though Yonah realized that he could never hide from Hashem Himself (מפני י"י), he thought that he could still go to a place where there would be no prophetic inspiration.   He points to Eliyahu's words, "חַי י"י אֱ-לֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי <b>לְפָנָיו</b>" (Melakhim I 17:1) as evidence that the term "לפני ה'"  relates to a relationship with Hashem and prophetic capabilities.</fn> R. Yonatan<fn>See also Abarbanel in his wake.</fn> adds that Yonah was willing to die for Israel's sake, as he says to the sailors, "הֲטִילֻנִי אֶל הַיָּם".  Yonah, then, might never have expected to avoid the repercussions of his actions.</point> |
<point><b>Behavior during the storm</b> – Yonah neither prays to Hashem for salvation nor does he seek forgiveness and commit to set out for Nineveh as commanded, because he prefers to die rather than become the vehicle to save Assyria and contribute to the ultimate destruction of Israel.</point> | <point><b>Behavior during the storm</b> – Yonah neither prays to Hashem for salvation nor does he seek forgiveness and commit to set out for Nineveh as commanded, because he prefers to die rather than become the vehicle to save Assyria and contribute to the ultimate destruction of Israel.</point> | ||
<point><b>Yonah in the fish</b> – It is only inside 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 once inside the fish, he recognized that he was destined to eventually return and prophesy again. This led to his change of heart and decision to fulfill Hashem's command.<fn>Abarbanel further 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.</fn></point> | <point><b>Yonah in the fish</b> – It is only inside 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 once inside the fish, he recognized that he was destined to eventually return and prophesy again. This led to his change of heart and decision to fulfill Hashem's command.<fn>Abarbanel further 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.</fn></point> |
Version as of 13:49, 24 July 2019
Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem?
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Commentators differ regarding what prompted Yonah to flee from Hashem's mission. According to many modern exegetes, his disobedience stemmed from a fundamental disagreement with Hashem regarding Hashem's modes of justice. Yonah was troubled by the institution of repentance itself, believing it unjust that retribution could be avoided merely because someone regretted previous actions.
Others present Yonah as focused on the consequences of Nineveh's penitence. Thus, Ibn Ezra assumes that Yonah was motivated by his concern for the Nation of Israel, whose persistent refusal to heed the rebukes of its prophets would be placed in sharp contrast by Nineveh's repentance. Alternatively, several Midrashim suggest that Yonah had his own personal interests in mind, fearing lest he be called a false prophet when his prophecy of doom would fail to come to pass.
Finally, R. Saadia Gaon and others question the assumption that Yonah disobeyed Hashem at all. They find it unfathomable that a prophet would defy the word of Hashem, leading them to conclude that Yonah must have initially gone to Nineveh as directed.
Theological Objections
Yonah's disobedience stemmed from his fundamental notions of how repentance should work or not work.
- Repentance is not a substitute for punishment – Though Yonah believed that repentance for misdeeds is desirable, he did not think that repentance removes the need for retribution. In his view, justice requires that everyone receive their due, and atoning for or regretting one's actions cannot change that.
- Repentance out of fear is insufficient – Yonah felt that repentance which stems from fear of punishment is insincere, and will never be permanent. Since it does not emanate from a true recognition of right and wrong and a sincere desire to change, as soon as the danger ends, a person will return to their previous ways.
- No repentance for idolators – According to Abarbanel, Yonah maintained that "תשובה" means returning to Hashem. Thus, even if someone fixes their interpersonal behavior, their repentance can never be complete if they maintain their idolatrous beliefs.3 In other words, returning specifically to Hashem is a prerequisite for all repentance.
- Sincere – The repentance was actually sincere, and the all encompassing nature (including animals as well) simply reflects the degree of guilt that the people of Nineveh needed to expiate.4 Yonah did not take issue with the quality of the repentance, but only with Hashem's reaction to it and Nineveh's evasion of punishment.
- Inferior repentance – The images of animals in sackcloth and the requiring of them to fast suggest that the entire scene is nothing but a parody of repentance.5 If repentance entails regret and change of heart, involving animals is farcical. This might support the idea that the change was prompted only by fear, and as such was superficial.
- Changed actions not beliefs – Abarbanel claims that though the people repented of their crimes against their fellow men, they did not return to Hashem. Thus, the verse states, "וַיַּרְא הָאֱ-לֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם", emphasizing their actions but not their beliefs. Though earlier the text shares that "וַיַּאֲמִינוּ אַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה בֵּא-לֹהִים", this connotes a recognition of a heavenly authority but not a monotheistic belief in Hashem. Thus, in contrast to the surrounding verses, Hashem is called "אֱ-לֹהִים" and not by His proper name, Hashem.6
- Love erases punishment – Hashem is replying to Yonah's claim that punishment is necessary despite repentance. He teaches him that everyone needs mercy, even if undeserving, and that love should override pure justice. Yonah, who did not invest in the "קיקיון", and did not deserve it, still desired its life. As such, he should understand how Hashem would desire the survival of his creations. Repentance allows for erasure of destruction because love and mercy trump pure justice.
- Short-lived repentance is worthwhile – Hashem is attempting to teach Yonah that repentance, however short-lived, is not worthless. Though his gourd lived for merely a day, Yonah cared deeply about it. So too, Hashem teaches Yonah, even if the people of Nineveh eventually revert to evil, in the moment of their repentance, it is accepted.8
- Repentance of idolators – Abarbanel suggests that Yonah's principle of no repentance for idolators is generally correct, but that Assyria may have been an exception because Hashem wanted to use them as His instrument to destroy the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It is unclear, though, how the story of the קיקיון addressed Yonah's concerns regarding this issue.
Patriotism
Yonah's defiance of Hashem's command was rooted in his love of Israel and desire for their preservation.
- Most of these commentators maintain that Yonah was concerned lest the immediate repentance of Nineveh cast Israel in a bad light, as the Children of Israel had refused to change their ways despite numerous prophetic rebukes.
- Abarbanel, in contrast, asserts that Yonah knew that Assyria was destined to exile the ten tribes, and thus he did not want to be the vehicle through which Israel's enemy was saved from destruction.
Self Interest
Yonah's reluctance to fulfill Hashem's command was motivated by personal concerns. This position subdivides regarding the exact nature of the concern:
Feared being Labeled a False Prophet
Yonah feared that when the people of Nineveh repented, Hashem's decree of destruction would be overturned and he would be accused of being a false prophet.
- Tanchuma and Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer assert that Yonah attempted to flee to a place where Hashem's glory is not said to reside. Since different verses in Tanakh speak of Hashem's glory in both the heavens and the earth,18 he decided to run to the sea.19
- Alkumisi, the Karaite, explains that Yonah never expected to get away with his actions, but rather thought he would die. He does not explain however, why Hashem would choose a messenger who would defy Him.
- He asks why Yonah would care what the people of Nineveh thought of him; after all, he was not even living among them!
- Moreover, he questions how the inhabitants of Nineveh 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, why would they have accused him of fraudulent prophecy?
Futile Mission
Yonah was certain that the people of Nineveh would not repent and that Hashem would nonetheless forgive them, thus rendering Yonah's efforts futile and irrelevant. Being old and feeble, he preferred that Hashem send someone in his place.
Did Not Disobey
Yonah never attempted to flee, but rather fulfilled Hashem's instructions.
- Assumed fulfillment – According to R. Saadia, Yonah actually fulfilled Hashem's initial mission, even though this is not explicitly stated in the text,28 and he fled only to avoid being called a second time.29 Since the first mission entailed only rebuking the people of Nineveh, but contained no prophecy of destruction, Yonah was not worried about the possibility of being called a false prophet should the people repent, and was willing to do as told.30 Afterwards, however, he fled outside of Israel where there is no prophetic inspiration to avoid being called upon to deliver a prediction of doom.31
- Rereading the word "לִבְרֹחַ" – Both Yefet and R"Y Kimchi reinterpret the word "לִבְרֹחַ" to mean "to hurry",32 and they suggest that not only did Yonah not flee from Hashem's command, but he actually hastened to fulfill it.33 Yefet and R"Y Kimchi, though, diverge regarding Yonah's intent:
- According to Yefet, Yonah felt that travel by sea would be the quickest route to Nineveh, and that heading to Tarshish was the most expedient way to execute his mission.34 Thus, Yefet reads Yonah as loyally adhering to the spirit of Hashem's wishes, and not just technically submitting to the letter of the law.
- In contrast, R"Y Kimchi views Yonah as feeling compelled to technically fulfill Hashem's command, but attempting to do so in a way which would effectively sabotage the success of the mission and thereby preempt or "outmaneuver" Hashem. According to his reading, Yonah rushes to convey the prophecy, before Hashem could provide him with the necessary ammunition (i.e. a sign or a wonder) which would enable its success.35