0. Welcome and Opening Question
Welcome
- How have we been over the past weeks? - Passover - current events - Yom HaShoah and the upcoming Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut
Opening Question
- What happens when we pray? What does prayer accomplish?
1. Plan for this class
- Summary of Chapter 1
- Questions to consider about Jonah's prayer from the belly of the fish
- The Text
- Discussion and Commentaries
- Summary and Next Class
2. Questions to consider about Jonah's prayer from the fish
- How are we supposed to understand events in this chapter?
- What is the role of the fish?
- What is the order of the events here?
- How does the prayer-psalm here compare to prayers in Psalms?
- What kind of prayer is this?
- What are some messages of the prayer and chapter?
- What stands out for you in this passage?
3. Our Text: Jonah chapter 2
1 The LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the fish’s belly three days and three nights.
2 Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish.
3 He said: In my trouble I called to the LORD,
And He answered me;
From the belly of Sheol I cried out,
And You heard my voice.
4 You cast me into the depths,
Into the heart of the sea,
The floods engulfed me;
All Your breakers and billows
Swept over me.
וַאֲנִ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי נִגְרַ֖שְׁתִּי מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ אַ֚ךְ אוֹסִ֣יף לְהַבִּ֔יט אֶל־הֵיכַ֖ל קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ אֲפָפ֤וּנִי מַ֙יִם֙ עַד־נֶ֔פֶשׁ תְּה֖וֹם יְסֹבְבֵ֑נִי ס֖וּף חָב֥וּשׁ לְרֹאשִֽׁי׃ לְקִצְבֵ֤י הָרִים֙ יָרַ֔דְתִּי הָאָ֛רֶץ בְּרִחֶ֥יהָ בַעֲדִ֖י לְעוֹלָ֑ם וַתַּ֧עַל מִשַּׁ֛חַת חַיַּ֖י ה' אֱלֹקָֽי׃ בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֤ף עָלַי֙ נַפְשִׁ֔י אֶת־ה' זָכָ֑רְתִּי וַתָּב֤וֹא אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּפִלָּתִ֔י אֶל־הֵיכַ֖ל קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ מְשַׁמְּרִ֖ים הַבְלֵי־שָׁ֑וְא חַסְדָּ֖ם יַעֲזֹֽבוּ׃
5 I thought I was driven away
Out of Your sight:
Would I ever gaze again
Upon Your holy Temple?
6 The waters closed in over me [Jack Sasson: Water envelops me up to my neck/נפש],
The deep engulfed me.
Weeds twined around my head.
7 I sank to the base of the mountains;
The bars of the earth closed upon me forever.
Yet You brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God!
8 When my life was ebbing away,
I called the LORD to mind;
And my prayer came before You,
Into Your holy Temple.
9 They who cling to empty folly
Forsake their own welfare,
10 But I, with loud thanksgiving,
Will sacrifice to You;
What I have vowed I will perform.
Deliverance is the LORD’s!
11 The LORD commanded the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon dry land.
4. Discussion and Commentaries
A review of our questions and reactions
55 agorot Israeli stamp, 1963
"Jonah remained in the fish’s belly three days and three nights"
Holidays 5724 (1963-4)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jonah_stamp_1963.jpg
Chapter 2 as a whole
How are we supposed to read this chapter?
ר' יוסף אבן כספי יונה א':א'
ודע עוד כי יש סברות בכל הספור הזה, רוצה לומר מכאן עד ויקא את יונה אל היבשה (יונה ב':י"א), כי יש שאומרים, שהיה כלו בהקיץ, ויש אומרים שהיה כלו בחלום ובמראה נבואה ...
Source: AlHaTorah.org
R. Joseph ibn Kaspi to Jonah 1:1
from "JONAH CHAPTER 2 AS A PROPHETIC VISION," Zvi Ron (Jewish Bible.Org, v. 50, no. 3, 2022)
"Joseph ibn Kaspi (1279-1340) was one of the scholars of Provence who was part of the tradition of philosophical exegesis, interpreting Scripture on two levels, the plain meaning of the text, and a deeper allegorical truth which reveals philosophical teachings. His approach included providing naturalistic explanations for some miracles in Tanakh, following the approach of the rationalist rabbis of Spain." - https://jbqnew.jewishbible.org/assets/Uploads/503/jbq_503_ronjonah.pdf
Know that there are different opinions about this entire book, that is to say from the beginning to the end of chapter 2. Some say that it all occurred in a waking state. Some say that it was entirely a dream and prophetic vision.
What is the order of events in chapter 2?
Josephus - Composed in Greek by the Jewish-Roman historian Josephus Flavius at the end of the 1st century CE, the work was intended to explain Judaism to general Greek and Roman audiences and to attest to the Jewish tradition’s wisdom and antiquity. It is considered a vital source of Jewish history, particularly of the late Second Temple period, and of ancient Roman history generally. (Sefaria)
Composed: Rome (c.92 – c.94 CE)
Translation: The Antiquities of the Jews, translated by William Whiston, 1825
2. ... It is also reported that Jonah was swallowed down by a whale, and that when he had been there three days, and as many nights, he was vomited out upon the Euxine Sea, and this alive, and without any hurt upon his body; and there, on his prayer to God, he obtained pardon for his sins, and went to the city Nineveh, ...
Jonah and the Whale, St. Alban’s Church, Teddington, London. Designed by Charles Eamer Kempe (29 June 1837 – 29 April 1907), a British Victorian era designer and manufacturer of stained glass.
AndyScott, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 > , via Wikimedia Commons
2:3-10 Jonah the Psalmist
Ehud Ben Zvi, Jewish Study Bible, comment to Jonah 2:3-10, pp. 1189-90.
The prayer of Jonah is a pastiche of different verses taken from Psalms. Jonah is thereby presented as a person well versed in the language of Psalms and able to compose a sophisticated prayer on their basis. ... The verbs translated here in the past tense are probably better translated in the present. They point to events that are either happening or will happen (thus, "In my trouble I call to the Lord" rather than In my trouble I called to the Lord.).
Similar to 2:3
(1) A song of ascents. Out of the depths I call You, O LORD. (2) O Lord, listen to my cry; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.
Similar to 2:4
(8) where deep calls to deep in the roar of Your cataracts; all Your breakers and billows have swept over me.
Similar to 2:5
(23) Alarmed, I had thought, “I am thrust out of Your sight”; yet You listened to my plea for mercy when I cried out to You.
Similar to 2:6
(5) Ropes of Death encompassed me; torrents of Belial [I.e., the netherworld] terrified me; (6) ropes of Sheol encircled me; snares of Death confronted me.
Similar to 2:7
(4) O LORD, You brought me up from Sheol, preserved me from going down into the Pit.
Similar to 2:8a
(4) when my spirit fails within me. You know my course; they have laid a trap in the path I walk.
Similar to 2:8b
(8) But I, through Your abundant love, enter Your house; I bow down in awe at Your holy temple.
Similar to 2:9
(7) I detest those who rely on empty folly, but I trust in the LORD.
Similar to 2:10a
(17) I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and invoke the name of the LORD. (18) I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people, (19) in the courts of the house of the LORD, in the midst of Jerusalem. Hallelujah.
Similar to 2:10b
(9) Deliverance is the LORD’s; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.
2:1 God in Charge of Nature in the book of Jonah
Robert Alter, comment to Jonah 2:1 (Hebrew Bible, Vol. 2, p. 1292)
And the Lord set out [DR: וימן / 'provided']. This term (m-n-h) recurs in the subsequent story, highlighting God's supervisory control over all living constituents of creation: animal, vegetable, and human.
(א) וַיְמַ֤ן ה' דָּ֣ג גָּד֔וֹל לִבְלֹ֖עַ אֶת־יוֹנָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י יוֹנָה֙ בִּמְעֵ֣י הַדָּ֔ג שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יָמִ֖ים וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה לֵילֽוֹת׃
(1) GOD provided / vay'man / וימן a huge fish to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the fish’s belly three days and three nights.
(ו) וַיְמַ֣ן ה'־אֱ֠לֹקִ֠ים קִיקָי֞וֹן וַיַּ֣עַל ׀ מֵעַ֣ל לְיוֹנָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת צֵל֙ עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ לְהַצִּ֥יל ל֖וֹ מֵרָֽעָת֑וֹ וַיִּשְׂמַ֥ח יוֹנָ֛ה עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן שִׂמְחָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃ (ז) וַיְמַ֤ן הָֽאֱלֹקִים֙ תּוֹלַ֔עַת בַּעֲל֥וֹת הַשַּׁ֖חַר לַֽמׇּחֳרָ֑ת וַתַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן וַיִּיבָֽשׁ׃ (ח) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּזְרֹ֣חַ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ וַיְמַ֨ן אֱלֹקִ֜ים ר֤וּחַ קָדִים֙ חֲרִישִׁ֔ית וַתַּ֥ךְ הַשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ יוֹנָ֖ה וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃
(6) The ETERNAL God provided a ricinus plant, which grew up over Jonah, to provide shade for his head and save him from discomfort. Jonah was very happy about the plant.
(7) But the next day at dawn God provided a worm, which attacked the plant so that it withered.
(8) And when the sun rose, God provided a sultry east wind; the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he became faint. He begged for death, saying, “I would rather die than live.”
2:1, 2, 11 The fish
- Does God speak to other animals in Tanach?
- Are there other sea creatures in Tanach?
(28) Then ה' opened the ass’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” (29) Balaam said to the ass, “You have made a mockery of me! If I had a sword with me, I’d kill you.” (30) The ass said to Balaam, “Look, I am the ass that you have been riding all along until this day! Have I been in the habit of doing thus to you?” And he answered, “No.”
(2) The word of GOD came to him [=Elijah]: (3) “Leave this place; turn eastward and go into hiding by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. (4) You will drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” (5) He proceeded to do as GOD had bidden: he went, and he stayed by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.
(6) The ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening, and he drank from the wadi.
(כה) זֶ֤ה ׀ הַיָּ֥ם גָּדוֹל֮ וּרְחַ֢ב יָ֫דָ֥יִם שָֽׁם־רֶ֭מֶשׂ וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר חַיּ֥וֹת קְ֝טַנּ֗וֹת עִם־גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃ (כו) שָׁ֭ם אֳנִיּ֣וֹת יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ לְשַֽׂחֶק־בּֽוֹ׃ (כז) כֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אׇכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃
(25) There is the sea, vast and wide, with its creatures beyond number, living things, small and great. (26) There go the ships, and Leviathan that You formed to sport with. (27) All of them look to You to give them their food when it is due.
The Topography of Chapter 2. (See note of Robert Alter to 2:8)
- Heaven? (2:5? 2:8?)
- The Temple in Jerusalem? (2:5? 2:8? 2:10)
- Where sea and land meet (2:11)
- The waters (2:6)
- The base of the mountains (2:7) = the pit (2:7) = belly of Sheol? (2:3)
(כז) וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים הַלְוִיִּם֙ וַיְבָרְכ֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וַיִּשָּׁמַ֖ע בְּקוֹלָ֑ם וַתָּב֧וֹא תְפִלָּתָ֛ם לִמְע֥וֹן קׇדְשׁ֖וֹ לַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ {פ}
(27) The Levite priests rose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer went up to His holy abode, to heaven.
(ב) שִׁמְעוּ֙ עַמִּ֣ים כֻּלָּ֔ם הַקְשִׁ֖יבִי אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלֹאָ֑הּ וִיהִי֩ אדושם ה' בָּכֶם֙ לְעֵ֔ד אדושם מֵהֵיכַ֥ל קׇדְשֽׁוֹ׃
(2) Listen, all you peoples, Give heed, O earth, and all it holds; And let the Sovereign GOD be your accuser— The Sovereign from the holy abode.
Messages of Chapter 2
...מִי שֶׁעָנָה לְיוֹנָה בִמְעֵי הַדָּגָה הוּא יַעֲנֵֽנוּ: ... מִי שֶׁעָנָה לְדָנִיֵּאל בְּגוֹב הָאֲרָיוֹת הוּא יַעֲנֵנוּ:...
...He Who answered Jonah in the belly of the whale, He will answer us. ... He Who answered Daniel in the lions’ den, He will answer us....
(יב) וּזְמִינָא קָלָא חֲדָא לְאַתְּעָרָא בְּבֵי קִבְרִי, וְיֵימָא, (ישעיהו כ״ו:י״ט) הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר כִּי טַל אוֹרוֹת טַלֶּךָ וָאָרֶץ רְפָאִים תַּפִּיל. אֵימָתַי יְהֵא דָּא. בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִתְעַבָּר מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת מֵעָלְמָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו כ״ה:ח׳) בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח וְגוֹ'. כֵּיוָן דְּבִלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח, לְבָתַר, וּמָחָה ה'' אֱלֹקִים דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כָּל פָּנִים וְחֶרְפַּת עַמּוֹ יָסִיר מֵעַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ.
כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, וַיֹּאמֶר ה'' לַדָּג וַיָּקֵא אֶת יוֹנָה אֶל הַיַּבָּשָׁה.
(יג) כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְּעַר הַהוּא קָלָא בֵּינֵי קִבְרֵי, כְּדֵין כָּל קִבְרַיָּיא יָקִיאוּ לְאִינּוּן מֵתַיָּיא דִּבְהוֹן לְבַר....
199b
...until the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, will awaken the dead... It is of that occasion that it is written: 'And the Lord spoke unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land;' for as soon as that voice will resound among the graves they will all cast out the dead bodies that they contain. (Translation quoted by Jack M. Sasson, Jonah, p. 218, from M. Simon and Levertoff, The Zohar, Soncino, 1949, v. 4, p. 175)
Sasson observes (Commentary, p. 218, note 3):
This passage is taken from an extended allegory on the soul and its judgment based on the first two chapters of Jonah. In this reading, the sea is the accuser, the shipmaster is the conscience, the sailors are advocates, and the fish is the grave (Sheol) from which the justified soul arises after three days.
Matthew 12:38-42
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him [=Jesus], 'Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.' But he answered them, 'An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth.' (New Revised Standard Version)
"Jonah and the Whale", Folio from a Jami al-Tavarikh (Compendium of Chronicles), c. 1400
Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
"The story of Jonah and the Whale, mentioned in the Qur'an (37:139), was popular in the Muslim world and frequently illustrated in manuscripts of world history. This large-scale painting, however, never formed part of a manuscript. Rather, it may have been used during oral recitation or storytelling."(https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/453683)
Koran 37:139-144
Jonah too was one of the messengers. He fled to the overloaded ship. They cast lots, he suffered defeat, and a great fish swallowed him, for he had committed blameworthy acts. If he had not been one of those who glorified God, he would have stayed in its belly until the Day when all are raised up. (The Qur'an, transl. M. A. S. Abdel Haleem, Oxford World's Classics, 2016)
Herman Melville, Moby Dick
[from the Sermon of Father Mapple] ...what depths of the soul Jonah's deep sealine sound! what a pregnant lesson to us is this prophet! What a noble thing is that canticle in the fish's belly! ... But what is this lesson that the book of Jonah teaches? Shipmates, it is a two-stranded lesson; a lesson to us all sinful men, and a lesson to me as a pilot of the living God. (Quoted by Jack M. Sasson, Jonah, p. 65)
5. Summary and Prospect
- Class 9 Jonah Chapter 3 - Jonah Prophesies to Nineveh - 5/13
- Class 10 Jonah Chapter 4 - Jonah’s Conversation with God - Review - 5/20