Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea

Whats Yonah really about?

<< < (3/4) > >>

muman613:
Ephraim you are onto something...

The midrashim also say that the animals during the time of Noach had become corrupt, because of the corruption of mankind. The animals began to have homosexual relationships because the generation was one of much immorality. So from this we can learn that animals are influenced by the humans alive at the time.

I have not heard this in reference to the Book of Jonah though. Let me see if I can find mention of this...

muman613:

--- Quote ---http://www.torah.org/learning/legacy/5769/noach.html


The Torah gives a lurid account of the level of depravity to which society had fallen, widespread idolatry, promiscuity and adultery so pervasive that even the animal kingdom was perverted, the total collapse of moral standards, the degeneracy and the shamelessness. And yet, the Torah tells us, the final decree of annihilation was triggered by pecuniary crimes - “vatimalei haaretz chamas,” and the land was filled with robbery. Why was the crime of robbery considered worse than all the other horrendous crimes of society? After all, robbery is not a capital crime, while some of the others are indeed punishable by death. Why then was robbery the fuse that ignited the explosion called the Great Flood?

http://www.torah.org/learning/ravfrand/5759/noach.html

Furthermore, what does the Medrash do with the literal interpretation of the verses? The verses themselves tell us what happened to the generation of the flood and why they were punished. "The earth was decadent before G-d, the land was filled with violence." [Bereshis 6:11]. The Torah tells us that there was so much perversion that it even affected the animals.

http://www.tfdixie.com/parshat/noach/017.htm

When G-d brought the flood, he did so to destroy all life, not just human life. "And G-d saw the earth and behold it was corrupted, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth" (Genesis 6:12). We learn that all land animals and fowl were destroyed because they too had become corrupt. As Rashi explains, "Even cattle, beasts, and fowl mated with those who were not of their own species." The sins of the humans spread to the animals, until all creatures were acting in a perverted way. Though the animals did not intend to be influenced by humans, their exposure to humans influenced them in a negative fashion. Thus, mere contact with a wicked person or a corrupt situation can negatively affect one’s personality and behavior.


--- End quote ---

But LKZ also points out a basic belief in Judaism that only humans have 'free will' and we can only be punished or rewarded for our free will. Animals do not have free will as we do, thus I still see a problem with asking them to do teshuva.



The Torah says that all life was destroyed because of the sin of robbery.

Israel Chai:
Mind-blowing presentation that spoke to me on a very personal level. Thank you Tag.

kyel:

--- Quote from: muman613 on September 15, 2013, 02:35:36 AM ---Shalom Tag-Mehir,

I am too tired to watch the video at this moment but I will share with you what the lesson of the story of Jonah is according to my understanding.

I have studied this book of the Prophets for many years and every year I learn more and more about it. It is not as simple as the narrative goes, even though the entire book is only 4 short chapters. As the question posed by Rabbi Froman reveals 'What's Jonah Really About' is not as simple as a tale about a prophet being swallowed by a whale (which is what most people tell me Jonah is about).

The question 'why did Jonah run from Hashem' is not really answered in the text, but only through various midrashim. I am not sure of the sources but I have heard two explanations.

1) Because he was a prophet he knew that Nineveh would rise against Israel in the future.
2) That the Ninevans easy repentance would shame the repentence of the Children of Israel who would not listen to the prophets.

This explains why Jonah was so very upset at the end of the story when his mission was, by all means, a success in that the entire city all repented of their sins and actually were forgiven by Hashem. He must have had is doubts because he left the city to observe what would happen from afar. He was so despondent from the fact that the Ninevans had done teshuva that he again wanted to die.

The idea of repentance is the reason we read this on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. The entire day we spend reading portions of the Torah where the mercy and patience of Hashem are discussed.

The midrashim teach an odd thing, that the King of Ninevah who donned sackcloth and ashes, was actually Paroah HaRasha himself. Do you understand what this is saying? That even the worst sinner (who drank Jewish blood) was allowed to repent. I even find it hard to comprehend myself because while I do believe in Teshuvahs ability to erase sins I believe some sins cannot be erased (and I myself believe genocide is one sin which cannot be erased). This is why one Passover I said to my Rabbi that I hated Paraoh to this day.



So I find the answers only lead to more questions. Why did Hashem want Jonah to rescue those who were the enemies of Israel? I really do not know the answer to that question at this time. My only supposition is that for some reason Israel may have deserved someone to oppress her, although this answer seems defeatist. But looking at where the Jewish people are today I sometimes believe that without an oppressor the Jewish people assimilate themselves out of existence.

This is my opinion after learning this for many years. I would appreciate hearing alternate explanations.

--- End quote ---


How could the King of Nineveh been Pharoah HaRasha wasn't this several centuries apart?

muman613:

--- Quote from: kyel on September 16, 2013, 06:11:07 PM ---
How could the King of Nineveh been Pharoah HaRasha wasn't this several centuries apart?

--- End quote ---

Yes indeed, this is because the lesson is learned from the midrash. Midrash is not historically correct and thus it cannot be used to learn facts. But Midrash can be used to learn principles. Thus the midrash is trying to teach us something about the nature of Teshuva.

The issue which I brought up concerning whether this midrash is true or not (whether an absolute Rasha like Paroah could ever have been forgiven) bothered me so much that I called my Rabbi about it. Unfortunately this was something he was unable to answer me.

http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/417,200/What-is-the-Midrash.html

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page