{"id":78530,"date":"2018-07-09T17:48:57","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:48:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-2023\/"},"modified":"2020-08-18T09:25:56","modified_gmt":"2020-08-18T06:25:56","slug":"wall-2023","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"book-Prophets-Zephaniah"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"book","wall_id":"2023","book":"Zephaniah","books_group":"Prophets","date":"","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"\u05e1\u05d9\u05db\u05d5\u05dd \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e6\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":"","updates_last_update":"19\/04\/2020","date_from":"20200818","date_to":"","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"78815","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"The Insider\/Outsider ","post_title":"The Insider\/Outsider","slug":"the-insider-outsider","old_id":"78815","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":47905,"post_title":"Natasha Mann","slug":"natasha-mann","old_id":"47905","first_name":"Natasha ","last_name":"Mann ","description":"Rabbi Natasha Mann serves as a rabbi at New London Synagogue and Hatch End\/Mosaic Masorti. Natasha hails from the grassy hills of Hertfordshire, England, and has spent most of her adult life between Los Angeles and the Holy City of Jerusalem. Natasha has worked in Jewish education and the non-profit world, promoting better education and legislation on human trafficking issues. ","short_description":"Rabbi Natasha Mann serves as a rabbi at New London Synagogue and Hatch End\/Mosaic Masorti.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":47906,"alt":"","title":"natasha mann","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169.jpg","width":735,"height":954,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169-231x300.jpg","medium-width":231,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-768x568.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":568,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-1024x757.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":757,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169.jpg","1536x1536-width":735,"1536x1536-height":954,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169.jpg","2048x2048-width":735,"2048x2048-height":954,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-1200x887.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":887,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/natasha-mann-e1548150986169-324x420.jpg","home_baner-width":324,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"546","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Zephaniah, the Cushi, identifies with both his audiences\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

There is much debate amongst readers and scholars of Zephaniah about whether or not he is described as being an Ethiopian (\u2018Cushi\u2019, or Cushite). Zephaniah is introduced with more ancestral information than is usual amongst his peers (1:1): \u2018The word of the Eternal that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, during the reign of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah.\u2019 It is possible to read this as describing four generations of Zephaniah\u2019s background (his father being named Cushi, and his great-great-grandfather being Hezekiah). Though it does read this way, \u2018Cushi\u2019 (Ethiopian) would be an unusual name for an Israelite man. This is why some claim that \u2018ben Cushi\u2019 is a description of Zephaniah\u2019s African ancestry, perhaps by way of direct description (meaning: Zephaniah - who was descended from the Cushites - son of Gedaliah), or perhaps as an explanation of Zephaniah\u2019s father\u2019s name (that Cushi was so named because of his own ancestry). It is especially interesting that the Cushite people are mentioned later in the text (Zeph. 2:12 and 3:10).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The question of Zephaniah\u2019s African heritage is only one of the interesting aspects of the superscription. Why are we given so many generations of Zephaniah\u2019s heritage? One traditional explanation, purported by Ibn Ezra, is that Hezekiah is a character with whom we are acquainted: King Hezekiah of Judah. King Hezekiah is famously the last righteous king before King Josiah, the monarch reigning during Zephaniah\u2019s lifetime. This explanation may aid us in understanding the length of Zephaniah\u2019s lineage.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, the third interesting facet of Zephaniah\u2019s introduction is that Zephaniah does not exist as a character within the text. The entirety of the book of Zephaniah is given in the voice of God; Zephaniah seems to be presenting himself simply as a vessel for the word of the Eternal. In that case, why does it matter whether or not Zephaniah is a Cushite or a descendant of King Hezekiah? Why does the text bother giving us any biographical information if it is not relevant?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps a clue can be found in the themes of Zephaniah\u2019s prophecy. Zephaniah is prophesying against two kinds of people: the insiders (Judah) and the outsiders (the nations). To both kinds of people, Zephaniah offers a condemnation and a message of hope. While Zephaniah does not show up in the text in the first person or as a character, it is still telling that his message goes specifically to the insider and the outsider. Perhaps this can help us to understand Zephaniah\u2019s name. First, his introduction indicates an aspect of relationship with the outsider: he is descended from the Ethiopians. Then, his name indicates an aspect of relationship with the inside: he is descended from the last good king of Judah. Zephaniah is therefore a voice able to speak in both directions. There is a power in the space that Zephaniah sits in relationship with all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":78824,"alt":"","title":"zeph1-face","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","width":6000,"height":4000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Insider\/Outsider","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Zephaniah, the Cushi, identifies with both his audiences\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":78824,"alt":"","title":"zeph1-face","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","width":6000,"height":4000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/zeph1-face-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Zephaniah","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"546","date":"20271003","wall_id":"546"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"78826","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Original Yom HaShoah ","post_title":"The Original Yom HaShoah","slug":"the-original-yom-hashoah","old_id":"78826","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"546","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A day of trouble and distress, of calamity and desolation, a day of darkness and deep gloom\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In sharp contrast to several of the preceding \u201cminor\u201d prophets about whom Scripture supplied next to no information, Zephaniah is introduced with a pedigree that goes back four generations (to King Hezekiah himself) along with the notation that he prophesied during the reign of King Josiah (an observation rendered superfluous by our knowledge that Josiah was the fourth generation after Hezekiah). His prophecy was centered around the impending \u201cday of the Lord,\u201d a day of judgment for all peoples (Chapter 1), a consolation offered to the Land of Judah by the grace of God (Chapter 2) in spite of all its iniquities and failure to repent (Chapter 3).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Amos had already warned: \"Ah, you who wish for the day of the Lord; why should you want the day of the Lord, it shall be darkness, not light\u201d (5:18). Zephaniah went even further, proclaiming:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The great day of the LORD is approaching, approaching most swiftly. Hark, the day of the LORD! It is bitter: There a warrior shrieks! That day shall be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of calamity (<\/span>shoah<\/span><\/em>) and desolation (<\/span>meshoah<\/span><\/em>), a day of darkness and deep gloom, a day of densest clouds. A day of horn blasts and alarms\u2014 against the fortified towns and the lofty corner towers. (14-16)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We first encountered <\/span>shoah<\/span><\/em> (destruction, or devastation) in Isaiah (10:3, 47:11), again in Ezekiel (38:9), and it recurs four times in Psalms, three in Job, and twice in Proverbs. Today, we identify it specifically with the Holocaust. Rashi (here) said, succinctly, \u201c<\/span>shoah<\/span><\/em> means devastation and <\/span>meshoah<\/span><\/em> means greater devastation,\u201d while Eliezer of Beaugency, citing Ezekiel 38:9, was more expansive, defining it as \u201ca cloud that comes suddenly covering everything with a stormy and tempestuous wind.\u201d Ibn Ezra, displaying his usual linguistic expertise, compared <\/span>shoah<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>meshoah<\/span><\/em> to <\/span>bukah<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>mebukah<\/span><\/em> (Nahum 2:11), and Radak, displaying his typical literary sensitivity, commented: \u201cThe entire verse is repetitive, using synonyms for reinforcement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Curiously, the word holocaust (coming from the Greek), which literally means burnt whole, appears in some old English Bibles as the translation of<\/span> the `<\/em><\/span>olah<\/span><\/em> sacrifice that is consumed entirely by the flames of the altar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":73914,"alt":"","title":"ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","width":800,"height":533,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":533,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":533,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":533,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":533,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Original Yom HaShoah","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A day of trouble and distress, of calamity and desolation, a day of darkness and deep gloom","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":73914,"alt":"","title":"ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","width":800,"height":533,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":533,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":533,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":533,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":533,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ez18-faces-jewish-museum-berlin-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Zephaniah","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"546","date":"20271003","wall_id":"546"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"78796","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"Want To Hear About The Fish I Caught? ","post_title":"Want To Hear About The Fish I Caught?","slug":"want-to-hear-about-the-fish-i-caught","old_id":"78796","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"546","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The use of exaggeration to spur the imagination\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

I\u2019ve considered <\/span>the role of humor in Tanach <\/span><\/a>(Isaiah 14), and <\/span>the use of parables <\/span><\/a>(II Samuel 12), and this chapter of Zephaniah got me asking: is Tanach rife with exaggeration?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Zephaniah opens his discourse with this prophecy from God, \u201cI will totally destroy everything from the face of the earth\u2026. I will destroy man and beast\u2026the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea.\u201d By which Zephaniah really means that the wicked will perish with the destruction of the land and the rest of the nation will be exiled (Radak).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Our sages are generally in agreement that Zephaniah used this grand exaggeration to drive home the message of the severity of the calamity about to occur, in hopes of convincing the nation to change their ways before it is too late.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rambam, in his <\/span>Guide for the Perplexed<\/span><\/em> speaks of imagination as a faculty in itself, alongside the faculty of reason, but with a distinct purpose. As explained by Rabbi Jos\u00e9 Faur (<\/span>Maimonides on Imagination: Towards a Theory of Jewish Aesthetics<\/span><\/em>) imagination is employed to link disparate and incompatible things and ideas. Or, as explained by Rabbi Yossi Paltiel (InsideChassidus.org, <\/span>Exaggeration in Torah?<\/span><\/em>), \u201cThe tool that bridges the wisdom of God and the comprehension of man is imagination.\u201d And, according to Rambam, exaggeration is a tool of imagination.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The use of exaggeration in Tanach is evident in many instances where the people need to be convinced to accept an idea or adopt a behaviour. For example:<\/span><\/p>\r\n