5784/2023
What distinguishes a book of Navi (Prophets) from a book of historical anecdotes? For the sifrei Nevu’ah referred to as Nevi’im Acharonim, answering this question is fairly simple. Broadly speaking, these books (Yeshayahu, Yirmiyahu, Yechezkel, and Trei Asar) are
compilations of actual prophecies, clearly distinct from a typical
history book. Yet, despite their name, the books of Nevi’im Rishonim
cannot offer the same answer. The large majority of Perakim do not
contain explicit prophecies and primarily deal instead with stories of
war, kings, judges, and other leaders. These Seforim are included in
Nevi’im by dint of their prophetic authorship, not their content (see
the discussion in Bava Batra 15b about their authorship.)
Still, resolving that these Seforim are included in Nevi’im because of
their composers only prompts another important question: Why is it
so significant that Nevi’im composed them? If they are predominantly
books of historical stories, what difference does it make whether a
Navi wrote them or not?
There is an analogy that I like to share with my students that is useful
for answering this question: The Presidential Diet Analogy. Consider
the following scenario: a student is tasked with writing a paper on
United States presidential history from 1900-2000. To the teacher’s
surprise, the student’s submission contains information about the
various dietary preferences of Presidents during this time period.
Instead of writing about critical decisions the presidents made during
World War II or the Cold War, the author goes into great detail about
FDR’s penchant for fish chowder and scrambled eggs, Reagan’s love of
Jelly Beans, and JFK’s preference for meat and potatoes. Naturally, the
student should receive an F for a paper that totally missed the point of
the assignment! Yet, imagine if the student was tasked with a different
assignment: write a paper on United States presidential dietary
history from 1900-2000. If he handed in the same paper, he would
receive an A+! Why the difference? Clearly, what was supposed to be
included in the paper depends on what the purpose of the assignment
was. This is true more broadly as well. What an author includes,
emphasizes, abridges, or omits depends on the book's goal: to detail
history, spread ideas, or entertain. It will have a tremendous impact on
the writing style and content.
This applies to the books of Nevi’im Rishonim as well and explains why
it is so significant that the author of each Sefer is a Navi. The books of
Nevi’im are meant to impart critical lessons and values to the Jewish
people. Each authorial decision in these books is prophetically
inspired: where to start or end a story, how much detail to provide, the
type of language, etc. Sometimes a Navi will skip decades, and other
times describe an event at great length. The job of a reader of these
books is therefore not only to understand local issues in the text but
also ask in each Perek: why did the Navi choose to present this story
this way? What lessons are we supposed to derive from these
prophetically-inspired choices?
An example of this phenomenon is the very first Pasuk in the Haftarah
for Parashat Chayei Sarah from Sefer Melachim. Yirmiyahu, the author,
opens the sefer by describing David Hamelech’s state in his old age:
“Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they covered him
with clothes, but he could not become warm”(1:1:1). Of course, an
engaged reader will wonder why David could not warm up.1 However,
there is a broader question that must be asked: What is this
information doing here in the first place? As Abarbanel notes, it is
impossible for all parts of David Hamelech’s life to be recorded for
posterity, as there would be too many to count! Moreover, the purpose
of any details of his life included in Sifrei Nevuah is to share these
specific moments of his life with future generations because they are
uniquely significant and meaningful. Though every Jew loves to hear
about David Hamelech, what message is Yirmiyahu seeking to impart
with this vignette of a frail David nearing the end of his life? Why
should David’s challenges in getting warm be relevant to us?
Abarbanel’s first answer to this question is striking. He argues that it
informs the reader of an incredibly important lesson to be learned
from David Hamelech. David is incredibly weak and his life is nearing
its end. He has experienced many taxing ordeals in his lifetime. Yet,
when in the continuation of the narrative David is informed that
Adoniyahu is robbing the throne from Shlomo (his successor as
dictated by God), David jumps out of his bed with alacrity, vigor, and
passion and goes to address the situation. Though David Hamelech
was perhaps “burned out” and it was physically difficult for him to
take action, when he saw something wrong he pushed himself to great
lengths to do his part to improve the situation. Through his efforts,
David is teaching us that though we may be exhausted—be it
physically or mentally—and at times taking action against what is
wrong can be deeply challenging, we too cannot succumb to burnout
and must push ourselves to stand up for the just, moral, and holy when we can. Only through beginning with David’s weak condition is
Yirmiyahu able to convey this powerful message.
Several years ago, I observed this very lesson firsthand. There was a
march against anti-semitism that drew tens of thousands of people to
the Brooklyn Bridge. In the middle of the walk, I saw at my side a man
slowly walking across the bridge with a walker. After a second glance,
I realized it was the legendary Rabbi and Tzaddik, Rav Yehuda
Kelemer zt’’l. Rav Kelemer was a respected Posek and pulpit rabbi at
Young Israel of West Hempstead. Unfortunately, a few years before his
passing, he was involved in a terrible car accident that severely
hampered his mobility. However, despite his physical limitations,
when he saw something wrong that needed addressing, even if it
required tremendous exertion to literally cross a bridge, he pushed
himself with great Zerizut and passion to be involved in standing up
for what’s right.
During this extremely challenging time for the Jewish people, we
should be reminded by and take inspiration from our great
predecessors to continue to push ourselves to advocate and stand up
for our homeland and our People despite whatever exhaustion and
challenges it will bring.