Yirmiyahu's Suffering
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The Personal Dimension of Yirmiyahu’s Prophecy
Part I
Rabbi David SabatoYirmiyahu stands out among the prophets with the descriptions of the deep involvement of his personal life with his prophecies. There is no other prophet whose prophecies are described as inseparably connected to the prophet's personal life as those of Yirmiyahu.
Embedded among Yirmiyahu's chapters of prophecy are his personal prayers, in which he pours out his supplications before God and reveals his doubts and troubles. A tension exists between Yirmiyahu the prophet, who is not permitted to cry in front of the people, because this would contradict his standing and his mission, and Yirmiyahu the representative of his people, who identifies with their grief and suffering and secretly weeps with them day and night. On the one hand he transmits God’s prophecies of destruction. On the other hand he attempts to rip up the decree of evil through his prayers. On numerous occasions God halts his prayers, but not because of a deficiency in Yirmiyahu, but because of the nation's inability to repent.
The Personal Dimension of Yirmiyahu’s Prophecy
Part II
Rabbi David SabatoIn the analysis of the personal dimension that are found in the chapters of Yirmiyahu, one encounters the complicated relations between Yirmiyahu and his neighbors, the agony that he suffered as a result of his prophecies, and his resignation from and reappointment to prophecy.
The descriptions in Yirmiyahu of the prophet’s conflicts with those who wished to stop him from prophesying raise another dimension of Yirmiyahu's personal tragedy: Yirmiyahu's twofold roles and identities – his being a member of his people and his mission as a prophet – not only cause a profound mental crisis, but also create a severe disconnect between him and the people. A false image is created of him as enemy of the people who seeks their harm, when there is nothing further from Yirmiyahu's true goal. The budding opposition and the attempted assassination at the beginning of his prophetic mission in Anatot herald the great dangers and challenges that await him in the future and prepare him for them.
Yirmiyahu's Prayers and the People
Rabbi David SabatoYirmiyahu and the People
Rabbi David SabatoYirmiyahu 11-12
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David SabatoThe prophecy in perek 11 is the product of three combined prophecies delivered on three different occasions. The combination of these prophecies reflects the deterioration of the nation's spiritual state. The first section (1-5) describes a covenant that engendered hopeful expectations. The second and third sections (6-8, 9-13) describe the nation's failure to fulfill their commitment. After the description of the punishment in the third section (11-13), Yirmiyahu requests permission to pray on behalf of the nation. However, God refuses his request.
The second half of perek 11, and perek 12 reveal painful details of Yirmiyahu's tortured life by describing the mistreatment and harassment he suffered at the hands of his family and neighbors. The first section (11:18-23) describes the evil committed by the people of Anatot and the punishment they received as a result of their behavior. In the second section (12:1-6), Yirmiyahu joins the ranks alongside great leaders, prophets, and composers of Tehillim who have questioned the ways of God, wondering why the sinners succeed while the righteous consistently suffer. The perek continues with two prophecies in which God speaks about the destruction of the Temple and the land of Israel as an event which has already taken place. God's distress over the nation's betrayal is interwoven with expression of His deep love for them and His pain at the site of the destruction.
Royal Quarter and Bullae House, City of David
Megalim Institute
Megalim | 6 minutesThe archaeological site of the Royal quarters of King Jehoiakim gives us a glimpse into the biblical narrative that ultimately lead to the destruction of the first Temple.
Courtesy of Megalim Institute