Yiftach's Vow/2

Yiftach's Vow

Exegetical Approaches

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Sacrificed His Daughter

Intentional Outcome

Sources:Josephus5 7:10About Josephus Antiquities of the Jews, Hoil MosheShofetim 11:31Shofetim 11:39About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi

Yiftach's plan

Purpose of the story

Spiritual level of the nation

Crying for two months

Mistaken Outcome

Yiftach's intention was to sacrifice an animal.

Sources:Bavli TaanitTaanit 4aAbout the Bavli, Bereshit Rabbah60:3About Bereshit Rabbah, TanchumaBechukotai 5About the Tanchuma

Sanctified His Daughter to Hashem

Sources:RadakShofetim 11:31Shofetim 11:37-40About R. David Kimchi, RalbagShofetim 11:30-40About R. Levi b. Gershom

Yiftach's plan – These commentators read the verse "וְהָיָה לַי"י וְהַעֲלִיתִיהוּ עֹלָה" as two options, depending who or what will come out of Yiftach's house.  If it will be an animal, his fate will be to be sacrificed, and if it will be a human "וְהָיָה לַי"י".

"וְהָיָה לַי"י" – Radak and Ralbag explain that Yiftach's daughter was to seclusive from the rest of the world.  Ralbag explicates that she couldn't marry any man, in contrast to Shemuel who was to be seclusive but could get married because he is special to Hashem's service in other ways.

Purpose of the story

"וַתֵּבְךְּ עַל בְּתוּלֶיהָ" – This approach understands that Yiftach's daughter cried about her בתולים because she wasn't going to get married.