LITTLE PROPHET
HISTORY
BOOK
NINEVAH
Hebraica
And the Lord said, Thou hast mercy of castor that cost you no trouble and that you did not grow, who was born in a night and perished in a night.
And I would not pity Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than one hundred twenty thousand men who can not distinguish their right from their left, and animals in large numbers!
YOM KIPPUR
JONAS OR THE INTEGRATED Teshuvah
by Rabbi Shlomo AVlNER
It is no coincidence that we read the book of Jonah in the office the afternoon of Yom Kippur. Indeed, this book is entirely devoted to Teshuva, repentance: this text is unique in that it tells us about the success of the prophet Jonah in his plan to surrender the city of Nineveh depraved in the right way, and this After only three days of calls and invective across the capital.
We can not fail to be surprised by the negative attitude of Jonah who, prior to prophesy in Nineveh, decides to escape and flee to another country: it is fully aware that he refuses to fulfill the mission of prophecy which the Lord has charged.
Obviously a preliminary issue arises in our mind: how a prophet can refuse to perform a sacred duty, and especially how he receives his "mission orders" directly from the Lord, can he seriously consider opportunity to flee D. .. ? Does he not that the divine presence fills the universe?
The Radak, Rabbi David Kimchi, and comments on this passage explains that Jonas had no intention to flee D. ..: he wanted only to abandon the place of prophecy. "For the prophet was a well of science and knowledge" commentators say. In fact, Jonah did not flee D. .. but the ability to prophesy in the name of D. .. ! We know that prophecy is in Eretz Israel, and outside it is impossible to receive all prophetic inspiration. So, logically, fleeing into exile, Jonas technically would not have accomplished its mission. Rabbi David Ben
Zimra, who lived in Safed four hundred years ago, gives him about a more nuanced interpretation of this principle: While the prophecy does not reach those who reside abroad, whether against a undertakes prophet its mission to Eretz Israel, it shall continue in exile, as was the case of the prophet Ezekiel (Talmud Moed Katan Treaty, p. 25).
later in our story, while he was in the belly of the fish, Jonah repented. Although the personalities of a very high spiritual elevation, the prophets are nonetheless men, endowed with qualities and flaws. No one is perfect or infallible says Rambam in the seventh chapter of his treatise entitled The Eight Chapters. One of the faults specific to the prophets, the sages tell us, is precisely what they may decide to suppress their prophecy (Kovech Nevouato). To illustrate this case, the Talmud relates the story of Jonah just refusing to talk to Nineveh and ignoring the order to bring God's message to its recipients (Treatise Sanhedrin p. 89 / a).
But what could then push Jonah such a refusal? Our prophet did not want it not see the city of Nineveh back on track? Jonas is himself gives us his answer. Indeed, a careful reading of the text, we note that after the people of Nineveh had indeed made Teehouva Jonas immersed in bitterness and despair, saying: "Alas, Lord, is it not is what I said is still in my country? Also had I hurried to flee to Tarshish. Because I knew you were a D. .. clement and merciful, full of longonimité and caring, ready to return to threats "(Jonas, IV, 2).
Jonas therefore knew in advance that D. .. willing to forgive the people of Nineveh, while himself was not prepared to do so. His refusal and his anger was motivated by the fact that D. .. D. .. being a pardon, and in this case, forgiveness was unbearable! For Jonah it was indeed too easy to do evil, then delete a single movement of the soul. He certainly knew that the Torah Teshuva accepted and promised to sinners forgiveness. He knew that Abraham, our forefather, had even prayed for the preservation of Sodom, the city of debauchery in excellence. Nevertheless, he considered that in the case of Nineveh, forgiveness was illegitimate: he was anxious that justice be done in full force!
Generally, teshuvah can sometimes appear to contradict the attribute of Justice In the Jerusalem Talmud, it is reported as a question "What is the punishment of the sinner?" who was asked three times, getting three different answers. We initially questioned the wisdom, who replied: "Sinners will be pursued by evil. "The matter was then referred to the prophecy, which said" The sinful person will die. "Then they asked last D. .. who said:" Let him do Teshuva, and he will be forgiven "(Talmud Jerusalem, Makota II, 6).
For an objective analysis of the situation, wisdom brings us to the conclusion that the possible harm the sinner must turn against him. Recognizing the gravity of the rebellion against D.. . and trampling of the property by the sinner, prophecy concludes that this person must die and we can not ignore.
By cons, D. .. is generous. It opens a door making it possible purification and allows the sinner to do teshuvah. Now that thought is unbearable for Jonas. For him, the people of Nineveh are such sinners, so they have oppressed the widow and the fatherless, it is impossible in a jiffy, to forgive them! It would be too unfair, says Jonas, their sins are too serious and they must be punished!
But the thought of the Creator is not that of the prophet "My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my voice is not your voice!" (Isaiah, LIII). D. .. was, for him, ready to accept the Teshuvah. In the prologue to his commentary on the Book of Jonah, Rashi complete this interpretation giving it a more original: "It was not the honor of morality and virtue was at stake, but the honor of the Jewish People: Jonah refused to go to Nineveh to prophesy for one reason because the 'Gentiles' are close to teshuvah [KrovéTechouva], are more capable and responsive to repentance. "If I talk to them," said Jonas, and they do teshuvah, I would come thereby to condemn the Jewish people, he does not listen to the words of the prophets.
The prophet Jonah therefore argues above all for the honor of the Jewish people: he was ready to be thrown overboard and sacrifice for the people D ...! "The prophets are willing to sacrifice for the people of Israel" (Mekhilta section Bo).
We remember Moses had also adopted such an attitude to D. .. after the episode of the Golden Calf by asking the Creator to erase it from his book if not forgive Israel. According to Rav Kook, Moses was even ready to sacrifice his future world, which is simply the "Book of D. .." (Letters § 555).
The Jewish people are a people who do difficult enough for three days of reprimands, such as Nineveh, to Teshuvah, For our people, in fact, hundreds of years remonstrances and dozens of prophets were not enough: it is a "stiff-necked people" it is very difficult to convince.
But unlike the non-Jewish inhabitants of Nineveh who repented were resumed shortly after the wrong path, we know that when occur authentic repentance of Israel, this teshuvah is about it forever.
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