{"id":78681,"date":"2020-08-11T18:05:22","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T15:05:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=78681"},"modified":"2020-08-12T07:04:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-12T04:04:30","slug":"habakkuk-and-honi-stand-up-for-your-beliefs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/habakkuk-and-honi-stand-up-for-your-beliefs\/","title":{"rendered":"Habakkuk and Honi: Stand Up for Your Beliefs"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"78681","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":73524,"related_cahpter":"544","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"The logic of persistence is anything but circular\r\n\r\n","content":"

Habakkuk\u2019s second chapter appears to begin a new section, and the readers expect to hear how God will respond to Habakkuk\u2019s new charges against the injustice of Babylonia’s success. Instead, we find Habakkuk declaring emphatically that he will wait, in sentences marked by first person pronouns (v. 1 – on my watch, I will stand, and I will set myself \u2026and I will look out\u2026speak to me, and what I will reply when I am rebuked).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He begins with an announcement, declaring that he will assume the role of a watchman. In the Bible, the watchman served two roles: to look for approaching messengers (see II Sam. 18:24\u201328; Is. 21:6\u20138; 52:7\u201310), or to warn of approaching dangers (see I Sam. 14:16\u201317; II Kings 9:17\u201320, Ezek. 33:2\u20136). By using this metaphor, Habakkuk is hinting that he is searching for communication from God. Unlike other prophets who assumed the role of watchman in order to convey divine instructions downwards to the people (Jer. 6:17; Ezek. 3:16\u201321; 33:7\u20139; Hos. 9:8), Habakkuk waits for answers to the challenges that he hurled upwards to God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Habakkuk describes the specific physical posture that he will assume while waiting for God\u2019s response. Such a description is rare among the prophets, and emphasizes the depth of Habakkuk\u2019s resolve and determination to wait until God responds. Sensing an almost impudent tone in Habakkuk\u2019s words, Rashi provides more background for this rare emphasis on the prophet\u2019s posture (comm. to 2:1):<\/span><\/p>\n

Habakkuk dug a circular hole, stood within it, and said, \u201cI will not budge from here until I hear what He will say to me concerning this, my question why He looks and sees the prosperity of a wicked man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The source of Rashi\u2019s explanation is the rabbinic legend about Honi the Circle-Maker:<\/span><\/p>\n

Once it happened that the greater part of the month of Adar had gone and yet no rain had fallen. The people sent a message to Honi the Circle-Maker, \u201cPray that rain may fall.\u201d He prayed and no rain fell. He thereupon drew a circle and stood within it in the same way as the prophet Habakkuk had done, as it is said, \u201cOn my watch I will stand, and I will set myself upon a fortress.\u201d He exclaimed [before God], Master of the Universe, Your children have turned to me because [they believe] me to be a member of Your house. I swear by Your great name that I will not move from here until You have mercy upon Your children! (Ta\u2019anit 23a)<\/span><\/p>\n

The Talmud concludes by acknowledging that Honi\u2019s behavior was unconventional, if not impudent:<\/span><\/p>\n

Simeon ben Shetach sent him word, saying: \u2018If you were not Honi, I would order that you be excommunicated. But what shall I do with you, since though you are impudent towards God, He forgives you and indulges you like a spoiled child? To you the verse may be applied, \u201cLet your father and your mother rejoice, and let she that has born thee be glad\u2019\u201d (Prov. 23:25).<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":78683,"id":78683,"title":"hab2-circle","filename":"hab2-circle.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/habakkuk-and-honi-stand-up-for-your-beliefs\/hab2-circle\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"hab2-circle","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":78681,"date":"2020-08-11 15:05:00","modified":"2023-11-22 16:53:27","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1920,"height":1357,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle-300x212.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":212,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle-768x543.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":543,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle-1024x724.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":724,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1086,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1357,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle-1200x848.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":848,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab2-circle-594x420.jpg","home_baner-width":594,"home_baner-height":420}},"embedded_video":"","video_duration":"","show_fb_comments":true,"credit_media":""},"tile":{"top_caption":"Habakkuk and Honi - 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