| Parashat Beshalach (B) Yehoshua Bin-nun: A Life(II)
I
THE APPEARANCE OF YEHOSHUA…
ON THE STAGE OF HISTORY
In the first installment of this week's shiur, we analyzed some enigmatic passages in the final chapter of Sefer Yehoshua - notably the delay of Yoseph's interment until after the passing of Yehoshua. In this second half of the shiur, as promised, I would like to further investigate the life and career of Mosheh's disciple, the great leader who brought us into Eretz Yisra'el - Yehoshua bin-Nun.
We first meet Yehoshua in this week's Parashah:
Then came Amalek, and fought with Yisra'el in Rephidim. And Mosheh said to Yehoshua, Choose for us men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Yehoshua did as Mosheh had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Mosheh, Aharon, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Mosheh held up his hand, that Yisra'el prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Mosheh’s hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aharon and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Yehoshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
And Hashem said to Mosheh, Write this for a memorial in a book, and recite it in the ears of Yehoshua; for I will completely put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Mosheh built an altar, and called its name Hashem-Nissi. For he said, Because Hashem has sworn that Hashem will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
We will yet return to this passage as we continue to assay Yehoshua's successful leadership of Am Yisra'el.
II
AVNEI ALGABISH
There are two wondrous and famed miracles associated with Yehoshua bin-Nun. By far the most well-known (gospel afficianados will appreciate this one) is the implosion of the walls of Yericho - an event we will revisit further on. The second great wonder is recounted in Yehoshua 10. An alliance of five K'na'ani kings had attacked the Giv'onim, who had deceptively gotten the B'nei Yisra'el to sign a mutual protection treaty. The likely reason for the attack on the Giv'onim, besides punishing them for their treachery in allying with the B'nei Yisra'el (some things don't change), was to effectively lure Yehoshua's army into battle.
The text relates:
So Yehoshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And Hashem said to Yehoshua, Fear them not; for I have delivered them to your hand; there shall not a man of them stand before you. Yehoshua therefore came to them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. And Hashem struck them with confusion before Yisra'el, and slew them with a great slaughter at Giv'on, and chased them along the way that ascends to Beth-Horon, and struck them as far as Azekah, and Makkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Yisra'el, and were in the descent to Beth-Horon, that Hashem threw down great stones from heaven upon them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from hailstones than there were killed with the sword by the people of Yisra'el. (Yehoshua 10:7-11 - this event directly precedes the famous passage - which was a focal point of last week's essay - in which Yehoshua "stops the sun". He did so in orde r to continue the rout of these kings and their armies)
I would like to pose two questions relating to this passage:
1) Why did God use hail to defeat the enemy here; first of all, it seems that Yehoshua was doing quite well before this overt Divine intercession. Second, there are more "customary" methods in which God intervenes in such situations - e.g. creating mass confusion among the enemy camp (e.g. Sh'mot 14:24, Shoftim 4:15, ibid. 7:22). Why use hailstones - an unprecedented and never repeated form of Divine battle?
2) Although the text reveals that the Heavenly projectiles were hail, they were first called "stones": Hashem threw down Avanim Gedolot (great stones) from heaven upon them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from Avnei haBarad (hailstones) than there were killed with the sword by the people of Yisra'el. Why are they first called "Avanim" (stones) if in the same verse they are called hail?
The first Mishnah in the final chapter of Massechet Berakhot details the obligation to give thanks to God when happening upon a place where a miracle took place. The Gemara quotes a Baraita which provides a list of locations where miracles took place:
Our Rabbis taught: If one sees the place of the crossing of the Reed Sea, or the fords of the Yarden, or the fords of the streams of Arnon, or Avnei Algabish in the descent of Beit Horon, or the stone which Og king of Bashan wanted to throw at Yisra'el, or the stone on which Mosheh sat when Yehoshua fought with Amalek, or [the pillar of salt of] Lot's wife, or the wall of Yericho which sank into the ground, for all of these he should give thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty…
The Gemara analyzes each of these locations. In assessing the significance (and meaning) of Avnei Algabish, the Gemara comments:
What are Avnei Algabish? A Tanna taught: Stones [Avanim] which remained suspended for the sake of a man [Al Gav Ish] and came down for the sake of a man. ‘They remained suspended for the sake of a man’: this was Mosheh, of whom it is written, Now the man Mosheh was very meek, and it is also written, And the soldiers and hail ceased, and the rain poured not upon the earth. ‘They came down for the sake of a man’: this was Yehoshua, of whom it is written, Take thee Yehoshua bin Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and it is written, And it came to pass as they fled from before Yisra'el, while they were at the descent of Beit-Horon, that Hashem cast down Avanim G'dolot. (BT Berakhot 54a-b)
3) Why are these rocks, which fell in Morad Beit-Horon (a place Mosheh never reached), associated with Mosheh? These stones fell in the Yehoshuan war against the southern kings, well after Mosheh had passed on - and passed the mantle of leadership to Yehoshua.
Although these questions focus on one particular - albeit outstanding and awe-inspiring - event in the storied career of Yehoshua bin-Nun, we will need to deepen our appreciation of the development of this general cum Navi in order to properly respond. Thereby, we will not only provide an explanation for the oddities associated with the Heavenly Hail, but also - and more to our point - gain a fresh and enhanced understanding of the unfolding of this first Sefer of N'vi'im.
III
"ON THE DAY THAT YOU CROSS THE YARDEN"
Before beginning our inquiry, I'd like to pose one more question, relating to the sequence of events in Sefer Yehoshua.
To illuminate the question, here is an outline of the first third of the Sefer:
Chapter Topic
1 Appointment of Yehoshua
2 Spies sent to Yericho
3 Preparation for crossing the Yarden
4 Crossing the Yarden, setting up of commemorative stones
5 B'rit Milah and Korban Pesach in Gilgal
6 Conquest of Yericho
7 Aborted attempt to conquer Ha'Ai
8 Conquest of Ha'ai, Construction of altar at Har Eval
As can be seen, the first two chapters take place on the East Bank of the Yarden, the next two describe the process of crossing the Yarden - and from that point on, the B'nei Yisra'el remain (until the very end of Sefer M'lakhim) "between the (Yarden) river and the (Meditteranean) sea". Following the sequence of events as presented here, from the time that the B'nei Yisra'el cross the Yarden until they arrive at Har Eval, construct the altar and complete this inauguration ceremony (see below), at least several weeks elapse. The text testifies that the people crossed the Yarden on the tenth of the first month (Aviv/Nissan) (4:19). They continue on to Gilgal, perform B'rit Milah and the Korban Pesach (on the 14th of the month), followed by the week-long preparation for the conquest of Yericho (cf. 6:3-4). Subsequent to the vanquishing of Yericho, spies are sent to Ha'Ai (7:2), the initial foray is repelled (7:5), Yehoshua prays to God and the traitor Achan is identified via a process that certainly took most of a day. Finally, the B'nei Yisra'el attack Ha'Ai, circling the city at night and attacking the next day. It is only after the destruction of Ha'Ai that the people ascend Har Eval for the covenant ceremony, as presented at the end of Chapter 8.
Even if we allow that the conquest of Yericho began during Hag haMatzot, we still have at least two full weeks at the absolute minimum between the crossing of the Yarden and the covenant ceremony on Har Eval.
This is, in and of itself, not bothersome - until we look into Sefer D'varim and note the command regarding this ceremony. Compare:
And Mosheh with the elders of Yisra'el commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. And it shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Yarden to the land which Hashem your God gives you, that you shall set you up great stones, and plaster them with plaster; And you shall write upon them all the words of this Torah, when you have passed over, that you may go in to the land which Hashem your God gives you, a land that flows with milk and honey; as Hashem God of your fathers has promised you. Therefore it shall be when you have gone over the Yarden, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Eval, and you shall plaster them with plaster. And there shall you build an altar to Hashem your God, an altar of stones; you shall not lift up any iron tool upon them. You shall build the altar of Hashem your God of whole stones; and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to Hashem your God; And you shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before Hashem your God. And you shall write upon the stones all the words of this Torah very plainly.(Devarim 27:1-8)
With:
Then Yehoshua built an altar to Hashem God of Yisra'el in Mount Eval, As Mosheh the servant of Hashem commanded the people of Yisra'el, as it is written in the Book of the Torah of Mosheh, an altar of whole stones, over which no man has lifted up any iron; and they offered on it burnt offerings to Hashem, and sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the Torah of Mosheh, which he wrote in the presence of the people of Yisra'el. And all Yisra'el, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests, the Levites, who carried the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem, the foreigner as well as he who was born among them; half of them over opposite Mount Gerizim, and half of them over opposite Mount Eval; as Mosheh the servant of Hashem had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Yisra'el. And afterwards he read all the words of the Torah, the blessings and curses, according to all that is written in the Book of the Torah. There was not a word of all that Mosheh commanded, which Yehoshua did not read before all the congregation of Yisra'el, with the women, and the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them. (Yehoshua 8:30-35)
It is quite clear that the ceremony described at the end of the 8th chapter of Yehoshua is the fulfillment of the Mitzvah given in D'varim - but note v. 2 in D'varim:
And it shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Yarden
4) Why didn't Yehoshua lead the people directly from the Yarden to Har Eval on the 10th of Nisan?
The Tosefta, ignoring the sequence in Sefer Yehoshua, comments:
Come and see how many miracles were performed on that day. Israel crossed the Jordan, came to mount Gerizim and mount Ebal [thus traversing a distance of] more than sixty mil, …After that they brought the stones, built the altar, and plastered it with plaster, and inscribed thereon all the words of the Torah in seventy languages… Then they sacrificed Olot and Sh'lamim, ate and drank and rejoiced, pronounced the blessings and the curses, packed up the stones, and came and lodged in Gilgal; as it is said: Carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place. (Tosefta Sotah 8:6)
Although this passage solves the problem of the timing of the ceremony at Har Eval, it leaves a greater question - why is the text presented out of order. In other words, if the ceremony took place on the day of the Yarden-crossing, why isn't it described at the end of Chapter 4? Why are the B'rit Milah, Korban Pesach, conquest of Yericho, defeat at Ha'Ai, identification of Achan and the successful rout of Ha'Ai written before the description of this ceremony?
Whether or not we accept the Tosefta's approach (see Rashi and Radak at 8:30) we are left with a problem. Either the ceremony happened much later than it was to have - or it is written as if it happened later. Why doesn't the sequence conform to Mosheh's command?
Regarding the placement of this text, one of the Qumran scrolls (4QJosh.a) records the ceremony at Har Eval before the B'rit Milah (at the end of Ch. 5). LXXb, on the other hand, places it after the beginning of Chapter 9. Josephus (Ant. V 1:19) suggests that this event took place after all of the wars of conquest (i.e. after Chapter 11) and there are others who suggest that its proper placement is in Chapter 24, which takes place in Sh'chem. This wide range of opinions and approaches demonstrates the difficulty with the location in the Masoretic text - a difficulty we will try to resolve.
Now that we have laid out our questions, we are ready to analyze the development of Yehoshua - and developments within [Sefer] Yehoshua - which will eventually help us resolve all of them. | |
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| Mikra, Copyright © 2012 by Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom and Torah.org. The author is Educational Coordinator of the Jewish Studies Institute of the Yeshiva of Los Angeles. |
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