Knowt
Untitled Flashcards Set
TEST 1 outline GR11 Tanach Sefer Yonah
Need to know the general storyline of the first chapter of Yonah – 16 verses
Books of Tanach: Green Book
How many books are there in Tanach?
There are 3 books in the Tanach – Torah, Neviim, Ketuvim
How many Prophets in Tanach?
There are 48 prophets in the tanach
Who’s the author of the 12 minor Prophets? (The Trei Asar)
The Men of Great Assembly (A”kh – Anshei Hakenest HaGadolah) are the authors of the Trei Asar.
Who’s the author of Sefer Yonah?
The book of Yonah is a single book/story from Nevi'im Achronim (later prophets, composition).
It is written by the Men of Great Assembly (A”kh – Anshei Hakenest HaGadolah)
Major focus on spiritual improvement
Who were the Anshei Hakenest HaGadolah and who set them up?
The men of great assembly are 70 elders who helped rebuild the 2nd temple they were essential for the success of moving back to the land of israel
Were very influential
Compiled the Siddur
Created certain books for messages/lessons for future generations.
Ezra the scribe set them up (created them).
Ezra = the great scribe who brought the people back to israel from babylon
Talmud Megillah: Unit 1:1
The Gemara’s question
Only 48?
Support for the Gemara’s question
Why did the Gamara state that only 48 prophets existed in all the generations combined when it says there are 200 prophets in total?
The Gemara’s answer
Only 48 prophets are mentioned in the torah because they are the only ones that bore messages of importance for posterity/success and messages that related to all generations
Why there are only 48 Prophets in Tanach if there were 1000’s of Prophets in total
This is because these 48 bore messages of importance for posterity and messages that related to all generations
Rabbi Leibtag’s Article: Green Book
Definition of Nevi’im Rishonim and Nevi’im Acharonim and the specific difference between them
Nevi’im Reishonim = Narrative based/chronicle (ie. each books presents an ongoing story)
Nevi’im Acharonim = Prophet based/composition (ie. each sefer presents a collection of various prophecies delivered by a certain Navi)
The specific difference between them is: that Rishonim is a present ongoing story from one to another (chronicle). Whereas, Acharonim are a composition (separate), each book has a unique story that doesn’t continue into each other
What are the two points of intent of every Prophet that one needs to look for in their Prophecies
Author's intent:
Convey Hashem’s message to B’nei Israel from then and now (only exception is Yonah because he was giving a prophecy to non-jews)
They may bring historical facts that support that message/prophecy
Example: the jewish people is taking the jewish people into the land of israel god says that the land it there
Extra: Each book has a message for it’s times (these are messages/lessons for future generations)
Rashi (Megillah 14a) → “To help future generations to know how and when to repent”
Be able to explain whether Sefer Yonah is in the Nevi’im Rishonim or Achronim and why it is placed where it is
Sefer Yonah is in Nevi’im Achronim, it’s major focus is on spiritual improvement
The book of Yonah is in Achronim because it is written by the men of great assembly and is a separate story (not part of the chronicles)
Unit 2:1
What did Hashem ask Yonah to do and why did he want him to do it?
G-d told Yonah to go to Nineveh and give the prophecy “cry against her, for their evil has risen before me."
G-d wanted Yonah to do this because he wanted to give the people of Nineveh the chance to repent and become better and to send a message to have them change their ways
Radak’s two reasons why Sefer Yonah was included in Tanach, if the prophecy was for non-Jews.
The reason why it is included is because the people of Nineveh repented immediately
It is also included because we can learn about how God has mercy on all those who repent no matter if they are a jew or not.
We can also learn that he forgives all even if there's many people that need to be forgiven
Unit 2:2
Explain 3 of the five reasons we covered, why Yonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh to hand over the prophecy.
Pirkei DeRebbi Eliezer ch’ 10
If Nineveh would repent, Hashem would put His wrath against the Jewish people for not repenting when they were rebuked.
Radal
When the decree of Nineveh was annulled, they would not attribute it to their repentance based on Yonah’s prophecy. They would consider Yonah a false prophet when they would not receive punishment.
Prophecies View 1 (Repentance shouldn’t work): A person shouldn’t be able to remove bad deeds just through repentance. Therefore, Nineveh shouldn’t be given this chance to correct their ways.
Yonah's Position: Yonah decided to run away and not pass on the prophecy to the people of Nineveh as he believed they should not be forgiven for their evil ways.
Unit 2:3
Ibn Ezra’s two reasons why Hashem showed compassion towards Nineveh even though they were such evil people filled with Chamas.
Why did Hashem show Nineveh compassion and give them an opportunity to repent, correct their way and save themselves being destroyed?
Reason: They had only recently become sinful. (recently went off track
Proof: In 3:3 it refers to Nineveh as “a city great to G-d”
Hashem in His mercy wanted to help them and see if they were worthy of not being destroyed. He sent Yonah with ethical instruction, which if listened to would save them as a people and their city.
2. Reason: Hadn’t done major sins
What did Nineveh do wrong?
Moral & social corruption.
They were given a second chance to repent and improve their ways.
- Once they repented they didn't have to destroy any idol worship. This showed they didn’t stumble in the sin of idol worship.
Unit 2:4
The test Hashem gave Yonah by having the boat return to the port of Jaffa. What was the test and what should Yonah have done even though the boat returned miraculously.
The test: Hashem brought the ship back miraculously to test Yonah. The test was to see if Yonah would run away to Tarshish or listen to g-d’s orders and carry out what he said
What Yonah should have done: Yonah shouldn’t have gone on the boat even when it returned miraculously, instead he should have carried out the prophecy that G-d wanted Yonah to deliver to the people of Nineveh.
Yonah should have known that you should always listen to g-d and that he always has one's best interest in mind. In addition, Yonah should have known that G-d was testing him because g-d wants us to use our free will to make good choices. Finally, the Gemara says that “Hashem leads a person in the direction they want to go”. This should of made Yonah realize that g-d was allowing him to have free will “even if the person chooses to go in the wrong direction”
The Sailors, Their initial response to the storm, what they did with their idols and what they did to change their lives around because of the events on the ship.
Initial response: At first each sailor turned to their own G-ds (aka their idols) to pray to them to help stop the storm, but nothing happened
What they did with their idols: When the sailors saw that turning to their idols didn’t work they threw their idols overboard into the sea.
What they did to change their lives around: they drew lots and realized that it was Yonah’s g-d who was causing this storm. They repented and turned to Judaism and prayed to G-d. Then threw Yonah overboard to calm the storm.
Sailors started to repent, Wanted to convert to Judaism, Yonah regretted his decision to flee, He went to the bottom of the ship feeling shame and humiliation, After Yonah left the ship the crew converted to Judaism
Lesson of Yonah, that Hashem wants us to connect with Him through prayer even though we may have made mistakes in the past.
Praise Hashem (so we realize how great He is)
Thank Hashem - for all the blessings in our lives that come from Him.
Requests - to ask Hashem for all of our spiritual and physical needs.
3 Big ideas:
Hashem sends us tests that help us become better people. We can’t flee our life purpose
Hashem wants our prayers even though we aren’t perfect
We become better people by taking responsibility for our actions
Example from Yonah about hashem waiting for our prayers even if we disobey him: Also when Yonah was down on the boat G-d was waiting for Yonah to start praying to him
