Difference between revisions of "Yiftach's Vow/2"
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<point><b>Spiritual level of the nation</b></point> | <point><b>Spiritual level of the nation</b></point> | ||
<point><b>Cultural influences</b> – It is possible that the above portrait of the nature of Yiftach's daughter's consecration is at least partially influenced by these exegetes' exposure to the practices of Christian monasticism. See Abarbanel who explicitly draws a connection, but in the opposite direction, saying "And from this the nation of Edom learned to make convents for women who enter there and never leave all their days...".<fn>For an in depth analysis of the issue, see J. Berman, "Medieval Monasticism and the Evolution of Jewish Interpretation to the Story of Jephthah’s Daughter," JQR 95:2, (2005): 228-256.</fn></point> | <point><b>Cultural influences</b> – It is possible that the above portrait of the nature of Yiftach's daughter's consecration is at least partially influenced by these exegetes' exposure to the practices of Christian monasticism. See Abarbanel who explicitly draws a connection, but in the opposite direction, saying "And from this the nation of Edom learned to make convents for women who enter there and never leave all their days...".<fn>For an in depth analysis of the issue, see J. Berman, "Medieval Monasticism and the Evolution of Jewish Interpretation to the Story of Jephthah’s Daughter," JQR 95:2, (2005): 228-256.</fn></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Purpose of the story</b></point> | ||
+ | </category> | ||
+ | <category>Sacrificed his Daughter | ||
+ | <p>When Yiftach made his vow, he did not think of the possibility that it would be a human who would emerge from his house and assumed that he was vowing to offer an animal sacrifice to Hashem.</p> | ||
+ | <mekorot>Josephus,<multilink><a href="BavliTaanit4a" data-aht="source"> Bavli Taanit</a><a href="BavliTaanit4a" data-aht="source">Taanit 4a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah60-3" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah60-3" data-aht="source">60:3</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TanchumaBechukotai5" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaBechukotai5" data-aht="source">Bechukotai 5</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanVayikra27-29" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanVayikra27-29" data-aht="source">Vayikra 27:29</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>,<fn><sup id="reffn8" class="fnRef mceNonEditable"><a href="#fn8" class="ahtNonEditable">8</a></sup></fn> <multilink><a href="HoilMosheShofetim11-31" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheShofetim11-31" data-aht="source">Shofetim 11:31</a><a href="HoilMosheShofetim11-39" data-aht="source">Shofetim 11:39</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>, R. Michael Hattin</mekorot> | ||
+ | <point><b>"וְהָיָה לַי"י וְהַעֲלִיתִיהוּ עֹלָה"</b> – According to this position, these two phrases refer to the same deed.  The words "וְהַעֲלִיתִיהוּ עֹלָה" explain what the term "וְהָיָה לַי"י" entails; being for Hashem means being offered as a sacrifice.<fn><sup id="reffn9" class="fnRef mceNonEditable"><a href="#fn9" class="ahtNonEditable">9</a></sup></fn></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Where did Yiftach err?</b> According to most of these sources, Yiftach's sin lay in not thinking before he spoke, and being careless in the wording of his vow.  He formulated it in general terms ("וְהָיָה הַיּוֹצֵא אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִדַּלְתֵי בֵיתִי") so that it was all inclusive, not thinking of the possibility that something might emerge from his home that was not fit for sacrifice.<fn><sup id="reffn10" class="fnRef mceNonEditable"><a href="#fn10" class="ahtNonEditable">10</a></sup></fn></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Why was Yiftach upset?</b> Yiftach's horrified reaction is understandable, as he had never fathomed that his daughter (or any human, for that matter) would become the object of his vow.</point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Why not annul the vow?</b><ul> | ||
+ | <li><b>Pride</b> – Bereshit Rabbah and Tanchuma assert that even though the high priest, Pinchas, could have annulled Yiftach's vow,<fn><sup id="reffn11" class="fnRef mceNonEditable"><a href="#fn11" class="ahtNonEditable">11</a></sup></fn> due to a power play neither leader would humble themselves to approach the other, leaving Yiftach's daughter to her unfortunate fate.<fn><sup id="reffn12" class="fnRef mceNonEditable"><a href="#fn12" class="ahtNonEditable">12</a></sup></fn></li> | ||
+ | <li><b>Ignorance</b> – Ramban, instead, asserts that Yiftach mistakenly assumed that  his vow was like that of a king in the midst of battle who declares that upon victory, his enemy will be "חרם לה'" (killed for Hashem).  Such a vow can not be annulled. Yiftach, in his ignorance, did not realize that his oath was not at all comparable and that no vow to offer an unsuitable sacrifice should be fulfilled.</li> | ||
+ | </ul></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Yiftach's daughter's reaction</b> – It is surprising that Yiftach's daughter would be so amenable to her father keeping his vow, if it meant her death.  This leads Tanchuma to suggest that she actually argued with her father, trying to show him how human sacrifice is prohibited. When this was unsuccessful, she turned to the elders to try and annul the vow, but again to no avail.<fn><sup id="reffn13" class="fnRef mceNonEditable"><a href="#fn13" class="ahtNonEditable">13</a></sup></fn>  All of this, however, is conjecture and negates the simple sense of Yiftach's daughter's words, "do unto me according to what has escaped your mouth."</point> | ||
+ | <point><b>"וַתֵּבְךְּ עַל בְּתוּלֶיהָ" / "וְהִיא לֹא יָדְעָה אִישׁ"</b> – It is not clear why the verses need to emphasize the fact that Yiftach's daughter never married, nor why she would request two months to cry over that fact.  Her upcoming death should have been the much greater tragedy!</point> | ||
+ | <point><b>"לְתַנּוֹת לְבַת יִפְתָּח"</b> – According to this position, the women lamented over the unjust fate that befell Yiftach's daughter.</point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Hashem's Evaluation of Yiftach's actions</b> – According to these sources, Hashem punished Yiftach for both his vow and for fulfilling it. One might have expected the text to explicitly condemn Yiftach for fulfilling his vow</point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Portrait of Yiftach</b></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Spiritual level of the nation</b> – Seder Eliyahu Rabbah says that the whole nation's spiritual level was low, and Yiftach as a leader belonged in that category.</point> | ||
<point><b>Purpose of the story</b></point> | <point><b>Purpose of the story</b></point> | ||
</category> | </category> |
Version as of 10:16, 23 August 2016
Yiftach's Vow
Exegetical Approaches
Sanctified His Daughter
Yiftach did not offer his daughter as a sacrifice but rather consecrated her life to service of Hashem.
Sacrificed his Daughter
When Yiftach made his vow, he did not think of the possibility that it would be a human who would emerge from his house and assumed that he was vowing to offer an animal sacrifice to Hashem.
- Pride – Bereshit Rabbah and Tanchuma assert that even though the high priest, Pinchas, could have annulled Yiftach's vow,11 due to a power play neither leader would humble themselves to approach the other, leaving Yiftach's daughter to her unfortunate fate.12
- Ignorance – Ramban, instead, asserts that Yiftach mistakenly assumed that his vow was like that of a king in the midst of battle who declares that upon victory, his enemy will be "חרם לה'" (killed for Hashem). Such a vow can not be annulled. Yiftach, in his ignorance, did not realize that his oath was not at all comparable and that no vow to offer an unsuitable sacrifice should be fulfilled.
Sacrificed His Daughter
Yiftach gave his daughter as a sacrifice to Hashem. This position subdivides regarding whether Yiftach originally thought that a human might be the object of his vow or not:
Mistaken Outcome
When Yiftach made his vow, he did not think of the possibility that it would be a human who would emerge from his house and assumed that he was vowing to offer an animal sacrifice to Hashem.
- Pride – Bereshit Rabbah and Tanchuma assert that even though the high priest, Pinchas, could have annulled Yiftach's vow,17 due to a power play neither leader would humble themselves to approach the other, leaving Yiftach's daughter to her unfortunate fate.18
- Ignorance – Ramban, instead, asserts that Yiftach mistakenly assumed that his vow was like that of a king in the midst of battle who declares that upon victory, his enemy will be "חרם לה'" (killed for Hashem). Such a vow can not be annulled. Yiftach, in his ignorance, did not realize that his oath was not at all comparable and that no vow to offer an unsuitable sacrifice should be fulfilled.
Intentional Outcome
Yiftach made his vow with full knowledge that a human might be the one to exit his home, and with full intentions of sacrificing him/her if that were the case.