MY NAME IS JONAH SHMA.COM It was such a cliché moment. In my interview for entry into the rabbinic program of HUC-JIR I was asked who was my favorite biblical figure and why? Without missing a beat, I said: “Jonah! He ran away from God and I am running back!” In truth, the burden of being named for a reluctant prophet with a very, very steep learning curve taught me to be ever humble in my own desire to serve God. Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner is senior vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism.

resignations, and complaints are mostly per- “count” for any and all foods) and instead functory, but his expressions of gratitude in the recite blessings that apply to specific items, middle of it all are lush and generous. such as fruits of the earth, tree, and vine, A brakha, or blessing, formula — “Blessed and varieties of baked goods and other grain are You…” followed by an expression of items. thanks for a mitzvah, experience, or gift of In the words of the kaddish, God is nature — is a Jewish liturgical nugget of grat- l’ayla min kol birchata v’shirata, tushb’chata itude. There are two countervailing trends v’nechamata — beyond all words of blessing in our tradition regarding the multiplication and song, praise and consolation. And yet, of blessings. On one hand (as my friend while God’s gifts and essence surely cannot be adequately captured by human language, we In the darkness, we can find a sense of safety. In need, can find our way to an awareness and expres- we often find ourselves being fed and nurtured. sion of the specificity of what we have received — even if it is not all we need. In the darkness, and teacher Rabbi Benjie Samuels recently we can find a sense of safety. In need, we often taught at the minyan I attended during the find ourselves being fed and nurtured. In grief, sheloshim — the 30 days of mourning — for we may also find comfort. Not always, but my brother), ayn marbin b’kadishin — we sometimes; hopefully, often enough. don’t want to be too extravagant with the To Reb Nachman, the world seemed to be liturgical use of God’s name. On the other “a very narrow bridge.” To me, the world of hand, we are supposed to make at least human life is more of a constant wandering 100 blessings a day. With the exception of through light and darkness, through expan- ha-motzi, an all-inclusive brakha that we are siveness and constriction, among land and sea obligated to use when bread is part of a meal, and the belly of the whale — where it is both we are instructed to make our blessings over scary and safe, and where most of the time we food as particular as possible (even if that need to be sad and afraid and grateful all at requires two or three blessings at one sitting). once. For us, as for Jonah, there is fear even We learn that we should avoid simply relying in possibility and success, and there is blessing on the generic she’ha-kol (a blessing that would even in the chaos and the darkness. Jonah’s RUHAMA WEISS

he prophet Jonah is a silent man who explain why he is running away from God, but hides from people. All four chapters it is obvious that he knows he cannot escape. Ruhama Weiss, a professor Tof the book of Jonah contain only 82 “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of of Talmud at the Hebrew words that are said in his name (if we exclude heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Union College-Jewish Institute the prayer whose style, content, and stylistic (Jonah 1:9) of Religion in Jerusalem, is proximity to Psalms show that they are not the After drawing lots, the ship’s crew under- director of the college’s Sugiot words of the hero). stands that the storm, which is threatening to Chaim (Life Texts) talmudic bibliotherapy and spiritual If I were Jonah’s mother, I would be a drown them, is because of Jonah. They turn care programs. This essay was worried woman. The few times that he speaks, to him in an attempt to understand his belief. translated by Aryeh Cohen. he expresses a desire to die. Jonah does not Jonah requests that the ship’s crew free him

[6] SEPTEMBER 2012 | TISHREI 5773 from the burdens of life and throw him to his are described in Exodus 34:6). God decided to death. “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; exchange the virtue of “truth” with “renounc- then the sea will quiet down for you, for I ing punishment” and Jonah does not accept SHMA.COM know it is because of me that this great tempest the decree. Jonah is the antithesis of Moses. has come upon you.” (1:12) The ship’s crew Against Jonah’s wishes, God connects does not want to throw him overboard with him again to resuscitative machines — a their own hands, and they attempt to sail to plant that shades Jonah from the sun, but shore, but the blood covenant between God then withers. Jonah finds himself weak, de- and Jonah defeats them and they are forced to feated, and most of all alone and betrayed by throw him into the water. the divine virtue of mercy. He responds twice Every time I read the book of Jonah I to God’s questions, but all he can say is, “I wonder what caused Jonah to place such a would rather die than live. … so deeply that I heavy moral burden on the ship’s crew. Why want to die.” (Jonah 4:8-9) did he not volunteer to jump into the water? On the day when we ask God to be long- Jonah wanted to die, but he did not agree to suffering, we read the book of Jonah with its cause his own death. Jonah wanted God to kill moral critique of the idea of repentance. We him. He did not escape from God; he rebelled ask to live in a world that is less just and against God and hoped for a . more compassionate. We bow our heads and Jonah will believe in a God only if that say that we are not as good as Jonah. We are God will sentence him to death. But God is not fragile and confused; we are lost and we cause prepared to be Jonah’s executioner; He will not others to go astray; we do not desire to die. collaborate with Jonah’s merciless worldview. We lust for life and therefore we lust for for- Jonah’s punishment will be to bring forgiveness giveness. On the Days of Awe, we are asking, to the world. first and foremost, not to be evil in our own Jonah’s ejection from the fish occurs at eyes. We also ask to believe that though small, a critical moment of arm-wrestling between weak, and wayward, we are worthy of a God God and Jonah. With this act of salvation, God who is long-suffering. tells Jonah that his request for death has been denied. Jonah, for his part, declares before God of Michigan; Taube Center for Jewish Studies, three times, one after the other, that His world Stanford University; Lippman Kanfer Family Foundation; Carol Brennglass Spinner; Bruce is constantly disappointing and that death is Whizin; Marilyn Ziering the only way out. SHMA.COM Donations to Sh’ma are tax deductible. Sh’ma is available in microfilm from University With no escape from his life, Jonah is Editor-in-Chief: Susan Berrin Microfilms­ International, Ann Arbor, Mich., and forced to address the Ninevites. With just a Founding Editor: Rabbi Eugene Borowitz in audio format from the Jewish Braille Institute. few words, Jonah fulfills his obligation to God: Publisher: Josh Rolnick The journal Sh’ma and the Sh’ma archive are text-searchable online at shma.com and bjpa.org. “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be over- Art Director: Emily Rich Online Director: Robert J. Saferstein Subscriptions: $49/2 years in U.S.; $29/1 thrown.” (Jonah 3:4) This is a factual state- Budget Director: Neal Colby year; $59/2 years international; $39/1 year ment, short and dry, that brings the news of Webmaster: Hyung Park international; $21.97 for one year senior/ student. Bulk subscriptions are available at the death of a great kingdom. But these few Sh’ma Advisory Committee: reduced prices. Please notify the subscription words caused all the subjects of the kingdom Yosef I. Abramowitz, Aryeh Cohen, Charlotte office in writing if you prefer that your name Fonrobert, Neil Gillman, Lisa D. Grant, Richard not be given out on rented lists. to repent. And God, obviously, forgave them. Hirsh, Shawn Landres, Julian Levinson, Shaul Magid, Noam Pianko, Or Rose, Danya Ruttenberg, Address all editorial correspondence to Sh’ma, God’s decision to reverse the evil decree Carol Brennglass Spinner, Devorah Zlochower P.O. Box 1368, Menlo Park, CA 94026, or E-mail: [email protected]. brings Jonah not to further despair but, rather, Contributing Editors: Michael Berenbaum, Elliot For all Web-related inquiries, contact Robert J. to rage. In his longest speech, toward the end Dorff, Arnold Eisen, Leonard Fein, Barry Freundel, Rela M. Geffen, Neil Gillman, Irving Saferstein: [email protected]. of the book, Jonah cries out to the Heavens: Greenberg, Joanne Greenberg, Brad Hirschfield, Send all subscription queries and changes of “O Lord! Isn’t this just what I said when I was Lori Lefkovitz, Richard Marker, Deborah Dash address to Sh’ma, P.O. Box 439, Congers, NY Moore, Vanessa Ochs, Kerry Olitzky, Riv-Ellen 10920-0439. Telephone: 877-568-SHMA. E-mail: still in my own country? That is why I fled Prell, Harold Schulweis, Elie Wiesel, David [email protected]. Wolpe, Michael Wyschogrod beforehand to Tarshish. For I know that You We welcome your feedback. Send to Josh The opinions expressed in Sh’ma do not Rolnick, Publisher, at [email protected]. are a compassionate and gracious God, slow necessarily reflect those of the editors. Sh’ma is published by the Sh’ma Institute, an to anger, abounding in kindness, renouncing Sh’ma Partners: Hebrew College Rabbinical independent nonprofit established by Lippman punishment. Please, Lord, take my life, for I School; Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute Kanfer Family Foundation. of Religion; Jewish Theological Seminary © 2012 Sh’ma Institute. All rights reserved. would rather die than live.” (Jonah 4:2-3) of America; Reconstructionist Rabbinical Jonah escaped initially to Tarshish since he College; The Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns ISSN: 0049-0385 SEPTEMBER 2012. Jewish Studies Program, Indiana University; With all sponsorhsips, Sh’ma reserves complete knew — and could not abide by — a God that Frankel Center for Jewish Studies, University editorial control of content. is not a God of “truth” (as the virtues of God

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