Yonah's Prayer/2
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Yonah's Prayer
Exegetical Approaches
Thanksgiving Prayer
Yonah offered praise and thanks to Hashem for saving him from drowning in the sea.
Past tense: "שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹלִי" – The fact that Yonah speaks of his salvation in the past tense implies that his prayer is not a request for future salvation but thanksgiving for aid already received.
Role of the fish – This position assumes that Yonah viewed the fish as an instrument of deliverance and not of punishment. Its swallowing of Yonah saved him from drowning in the sea, prompting him to thank Hashem.
- According to most commentators, Yonah's near drowning was a chastisement from Hashem for his attempt to avoid his mission. However, as Hashem did not intend that he die, only that he agree to go to Nineveh, He sent the fish to save him.
- See, in contrast, Yefet the Karaite and R"Y Kimchi in Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem who maintain that Yonah had never disobeyed Hashem, reading "וַיָּקׇם יוֹנָה לִבְרֹחַ תַּרְשִׁישָׁה" to mean that Yonah "hastened" rather than fled. According to them, the whole purpose of the storm and being swallowed by the sea was that outsiders see Yonah's miraculous salvation and recognize him as a true prophet. As such, there was no element of punishment in the episode as at all.
Imagery – Yonah's descriptions of the danger from which he was saved all revolve around potential drowning rather than being trapped in the fish, again suggesting that he did not view his presence in the fish as life threatening or necessitating aid. He speaks of being surrounded by water ("אֲפָפוּנִי מַיִם/ תְּהוֹם יְסֹבְבֵנִי") and overcome by waves ("מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ וְגַלֶּיךָ עָלַי עָבָרוּ"), getting entangled in seaweed ("סוּף חָבוּשׁ לְרֹאשִׁי"), and almost sinking to the depths of the sea ("לְקִצְבֵי הָרִים יָרַדְתִּי"/"תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מְצוּלָה") but no where mentions the dangers of the fish itself.
"וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה לָּךְ" – Yonah's vow to bring a thanksgiving offering is comparable to others who make similar promises in psalms of thanksgiving. See, for example, Tehillim 116:17 and 107:22.
"מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵי שָׁוְא" and the relationship between verses 9-10 – This position might explain the verses in either of the following ways:
- According to R"Y Kara, "מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵי שָׁוְא" refers to the sailors who had originally trusted in worthless idolatry, but given their salvation, decided to forsake their idols (חַסְדָּם יַעֲזֹבוּ) and recognize Hashem. Yonah, like them, vows to offer sacrifices in thanksgiving. Through the comparison Yonah highlights how Israelite and idolater alike come to recognize Hashem after miraculous salvation.
- R"E of Beuagency, in contrast, suggests that Yonah is contrasting himself with "מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵי שָׁוְא", those idolaters who trust in their idols and don't realize when it is Hashem who saves them. Yonah points out that, unlike them, he recognizes the hand of God and will fulfill his pledge to sacrifice to his savior, Hashem.
When did Yonah pray? This position might suggest that Yonah did not wait for three days before praying but thanked Hashem soon after being swallowed, realizing right away that he had been saved. If so, the phrase, "וַיְהִי יוֹנָה בִּמְעֵי הַדָּג שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה לֵילוֹת" at the beginning of the chapter should be read as a heading to the entire event (and not an indicator of how much time passed before Yonah's prayer of verse 2).
Why three days? If the fish was simply a vehicle for salvation, it is not clear why,Hashem did not have the fish immediately expel Yonah. It is possible that it simply took three days for the fish to reach dry land.
Indifference vs. prayer
- This position might suggest that despite Yonah's indifference on the boat and apparent willingness to die, when faced with the immediate danger, he was relieved to be saved. This occurs at the end of the book again. Though Yonah requests that Hashem take his life in 4:3, when struck by the harsh sun, he is happy for the shade provided by the gourd and devastated when it is taken away.
- It is also possible that Yonah had never wanted to die. Knowing that he was guilty and deserving of punishment (and perhaps not yet ready to change his ways) made him hesitant to request salvation while on the boat. He told the sailors to throw him overboard only to avoid their being collectively punished with him (but not because he welcomed death).1
Did Yonah change?
- According to this position, Yonah might not have fundamentally changed his positions. The close encounter with death convinced him that he had no choice but to complete his mission, but he might have still done so only grudgingly. As such, he is still upset in Chapter 4 after completing his mission. [For various approaches as to why Yonah had not wanted to relay Hashem's words, see Why Did Yonah Disobey Hashem.]
Petitionary Prayer
Yonah's prayer was a request for deliverance from the sea and fish.
Role of the fish – Though the fish prevented Yonah from drowning, Yonah's being trapped inside introduced new suffering and dangers and constituted further punishment for his disobedience.
Past tense: "שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹלִי" / "וַיַּעֲנֵנִי" – This position suggests that, despite the prayer being cast in the past tense, Yonah was asking that Hashem listen to his cries, not stating that they have already been answered. He stated his request in the past form to express his confidence that Hashem would indeed listen to him. Similar expressions of trust when in the midst of trials can be found in both Tehillim2 and Eichah.3
Imagery – This position understands the imagery used by Yonah to refer to the dangers posed by both the sea and the fish, as he requests deliverance from both.
- Sea imagery – Yonah speaks of being engulfed by waves and deep water, wrapped in seaweed, and sinking to the ocean floor.
- "קָרָאתִי מִצָּרָה לִי" – R"E Ben-Menachem suggests that Yonah might be referring to both metaphoric and literal "narrow straits" (his distress and the enclosed belly of the fish).
- "מִבֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל" – Rashi posits that this refers to the belly if the fish which was like the nether-world.
- "בְּרִחֶיהָ בַעֲדִי לְעוֹלָם" – The image of being locked away from land fits one who is trapped inside a sea creature.
Why three days? As being trapped in the fish was part of Yonah's punishment, he was not immediately brought to dry land. It was only after his prayer was accepted that he was spewed out.
"וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה לָּךְ" – Yonah promises that, after he is saved, he will offer thanksgiving sacrifices and praise Hashem for His salvation. This is similar to promises made in other petitionary psalms. See, for example, Tehillim 56:13 and 69:31.
Indifference versus prayer
Did Yonah change? This approach might suggest that Yonah prayed for salvation, but not for forgiveness. No where in the psalm does he acknowledge guilt or promise to act differently.
"וַיָּקֵא אֶת יוֹנָה" – The image of the fish "vomiting" Yonah out has negative connotations,4 perhaps implying that Hashem was still angry at Yonah, despite His willingness to save him.
Cry of Repentance
Sources:Abarbanel
Role of the fish
Past tense
וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְרַשְׁתִּי מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ
הָאָרֶץ בְּרִחֶיהָ בַעֲדִי לְעוֹלָם
בְּהִתְעַטֵּף עָלַי נַפְשִׁי אֶת י״י זָכָרְתִּי
מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵי שָׁוְא חַסְדָּם יַעֲזֹבוּ
וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה לָּךְ – According to this position, "וַאֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה" should be understood as Yonah promising to utter confession rather than thanksgiving. As evidence of this usage, see Ezra 10:11.5
אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתִּי אֲשַׁלֵּמָה
יְשׁוּעָתָה לַי״י
