Chukas 2024: The Dead Virgin
by devadmin | July 11, 2024 8:37 pm
Raboyseyee and Ladies,
The Dead Virgin:
Shoin, a few weeks back, the heylige Ois dipped his proverbial toe into uncharted waters and covered the haftoirah to Parsha Shelach instead of the parsha itself. Why? Because the haftoirah featured ‘Rochov the Zoina’ (the harlot) and this week’s haftoirah features Yiftach, described with these exact words in the heylige Novee: וְיִפְתָּ֣ח הַגִּלְעָדִ֗י הָיָה֙ גִּבּ֣וֹר חַ֔יִל וְה֖וּא בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה. “Yiftach was an able warrior and he was the son of a whore.” Of course, we need to know more! The reviews were givaldig -at least from a few choshove readers who rated it as one of the Ois’s top ten written over these past fourteen years. This week, the Ois is back with more.
And with that swelled head, and with an incredible haftoirah to this week’s parsha of Chukas -which features a red heifer, the deaths of Miriam and Aharoin, and other topics, kimat all mamish depressing, I thought we should take a look at the haftoriah which is quite astounding to say the least. And the question -many can be asked- but let’s stick to the basics: was Yiftach guilty of murdering his own daughter?
To chap what went down, the heylige Ois will present the story as written in the heylige Novee and then dissect further to see how our sages of the medrish dealt with this quite unusual myseh. Were our sages -a number of them- involved in a cover up? Were they part of the white House staff? It is mamish a case of the prosecution vs the defense in this outlandish story of a father who may have killed his own daughter. Did he?
Let’s read the story in both English and in the holy words of the holy Novee; English version first. Says the Novee (Judges 11:30) verbatim, azoy:
(1) Yiftach the Gileadite was an able warrior, who was the son of a prostitute. Yiftach’s father was Gilead;
(2) but Gilead also had sons by his wife, and when the wife’s sons grew up, they drove Yiftach out. They said to him, “You shall have no share in our father’s property, for you are the son of an outsider.”
(3) So Yiftach fled from his brothers and settled in the Tob country. Men of low character gathered about Yiftach and went out raiding with him.
(4) Some time later, the Ammonites went to war against Israel.
(5) And when the Ammonites attacked Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Yiftach back from the Tob country.
(6) They said to Yiftach, “Come be our chief, so that we can fight the Ammonites.”
(7) Yiftach replied to the elders of Gilead, “You are the very people who rejected me and drove me out of my father’s house. How can you come to me now when you are in trouble?”
(8) The elders of Gilead said to Yiftach, “Honestly, we have now turned back to you. If you come with us and fight the Ammonites, you shall be our commander over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
(9) Yiftach said to the elders of Gilead, “[Very well,] if you bring me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD delivers them to me, I am to be your commander.”
(10) And the elders of Gilead answered Yiftach, “The LORD Himself shall be witness between us: we will do just as you have said.”
(11) Yiftach went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their commander and chief. And Yiftach repeated all these terms before the LORD at Mizpah.
(12) Yiftach then sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What have you against me that you have come to make war on my country?”
(13) The king of the Ammonites replied to Yiftach’s messengers, “When Israel came from Egypt, they seized the land which is mine, from the Arnon to the Jabbok as far as the Jordan. Now, then, restore it peaceably.”
(14) Yiftach again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites.
(15) He said to him, “Thus said Yiftach: Israel did not seize the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites.
(16) When they left Egypt, Israel traveled through the wilderness to the Sea of Reeds and went on to Kadesh.
(17) Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Allow us to cross your country.’ But the king of Edom would not consent. They also sent a mission to the king of Moab, and he refused. So Israel, after staying at Kadesh,
(18) traveled on through the wilderness, skirting the land of Edom and the land of Moab. They kept to the east of the land of Moab until they encamped on the other side of the Arnon; and, since Moab ends at the Arnon, they never entered Moabite territory.
(19) “Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon. Israel said to him, ‘Allow us to cross through your country to our homeland.’
(20) But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. Sihon mustered all his troops, and they encamped at Jahaz; he engaged Israel in battle.
(21) But the LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his troops into Israel’s hands, and they defeated them; and Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that land.
(22) Thus they possessed all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
(23) “Now, then, the LORD, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites before His people Israel; and should you possess their land?
(24) Do you not hold what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So we will hold on to everything that the LORD our God has given us to possess.
(25) “Besides, are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he start a quarrel with Israel or go to war with them?
(26) “While Israel has been inhabiting Heshbon and its dependencies, and Aroer and its dependencies, and all the towns along the Arnon for three hundred years, why have you not tried to recover them all this time?
(27) I have done you no wrong; yet you are doing me harm and making war on me. May the LORD, who judges, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites!”
(28) But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message that Yiftach sent him. (29) Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Yiftach. He marched through Gilead and Manasseh, passing Mizpeh of Gilead; and from Mizpeh of Gilead he crossed over [to] the Ammonites.
(30) And Yiftach made the following vow to the LORD: “If you deliver the Ammonites into my hands,
(31) then whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me on my safe return from the Ammonites shall be the LORD’s and shall be offered by me as a burnt offering.”
(32) Yiftach crossed over to the Ammonites and attacked them, and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
(33) He utterly routed them—from Aroer as far as Minnith, twenty towns—all the way to Abel-cheramim. So the Ammonites submitted to the Israelites.
(34) When Yiftach arrived at his home in Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him, with timbrel and dance! She was an only child; he had no other son or daughter.
(35) On seeing her, he rent his clothes and said, “Alas, daughter! You have brought me low; you have become my troubler! For I have uttered a vow-b to the LORD and I cannot retract.”
(36) “Father,” she said, “you have uttered a vow to the LORD; do to me as you have vowed, seeing that the LORD has vindicated you against your enemies, the Ammonites.”
(37) She further said to her father, “Let this be done for me: let me be for two months, and I will go with my companions and lament upon the hills and there bewail my maidenhood.”
(38) “Go,” he replied. He let her go for two months, and she and her companions went and bewailed her maidenhood upon the hills.
(39) After two months’ time, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She had never known a man. So it became a custom in Israel
(40) for the maidens of Israel to go every year, for four days in the year, and chant dirges for the daughter of Yiftach the Gileadite.
And since what you just read may boggle your mind and have you in a state of disbelief mamish -a father killing his own daughter- lets’ read it as found in the back of your chumish or in the Novee שופטים י״א – also verbatim:
(א) וְיִפְתָּ֣ח הַגִּלְעָדִ֗י הָיָה֙ גִּבּ֣וֹר חַ֔יִל וְה֖וּא בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד גִּלְעָ֖ד אֶת־יִפְתָּֽח׃ (ב) וַתֵּ֧לֶד אֵֽשֶׁת־גִּלְעָ֛ד ל֖וֹ בָּנִ֑ים וַיִּגְדְּל֨וּ בְֽנֵי־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה וַיְגָרְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־יִפְתָּ֗ח וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ לֹא־תִנְחַ֣ל בְּבֵית־אָבִ֔ינוּ כִּ֛י בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֥ה אַחֶ֖רֶת אָֽתָּה׃ (ג) וַיִּבְרַ֤ח יִפְתָּח֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י אֶחָ֔יו וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ ט֑וֹב וַיִּֽתְלַקְּט֤וּ אֶל־יִפְתָּח֙ אֲנָשִׁ֣ים רֵיקִ֔ים וַיֵּצְא֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(ד) וַיְהִ֖י מִיָּמִ֑ים וַיִּלָּחֲמ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ה) וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁר־נִלְחֲמ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד לָקַ֥חַת אֶת־יִפְתָּ֖ח מֵאֶ֥רֶץ טֽוֹב׃ (ו) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְיִפְתָּ֔ח לְכָ֕ה וְהָיִ֥יתָה לָּ֖נוּ לְקָצִ֑ין וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֖ה בִּבְנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִפְתָּח֙ לְזִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד הֲלֹ֤א אַתֶּם֙ שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם אוֹתִ֔י וַתְּגָרְשׁ֖וּנִי מִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וּמַדּ֜וּעַ בָּאתֶ֤ם אֵלַי֙ עַ֔תָּה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צַ֥ר לָכֶֽם׃ (ח) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ זִקְנֵ֨י גִלְעָ֜ד אֶל־יִפְתָּ֗ח לָכֵן֙ עַתָּה֙ שַׁ֣בְנוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ עִמָּ֔נוּ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖ בִּבְנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וְהָיִ֤יתָ לָּ֙נוּ֙ לְרֹ֔אשׁ לְכֹ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֥י גִלְעָֽד׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִפְתָּ֜ח אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֗ד אִם־מְשִׁיבִ֨ים אַתֶּ֤ם אוֹתִי֙ לְהִלָּחֵם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וְנָתַ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה אוֹתָ֖ם לְפָנָ֑י אָנֹכִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לְרֹֽאשׁ׃ (י) וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ זִקְנֵֽי־גִלְעָ֖ד אֶל־יִפְתָּ֑ח יְהֹוָ֗ יִֽהְיֶ֤ה שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ בֵּינוֹתֵ֔ינוּ אִם־לֹ֥א כִדְבָרְךָ֖ כֵּ֥ן נַֽעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (יא) וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ יִפְתָּח֙ עִם־זִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד וַיָּשִׂ֨ימוּ הָעָ֥ם אוֹת֛וֹ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לְרֹ֣אשׁ וּלְקָצִ֑ין וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יִפְתָּ֧ח אֶת־כׇּל־דְּבָרָ֛יו לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃ {פ}
(יב) וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִפְתָּח֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר מַה־לִּ֣י וָלָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־בָ֥אתָ אֵלַ֖י לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם בְּאַרְצִֽי׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֜וֹן אֶל־מַלְאֲכֵ֣י יִפְתָּ֗ח כִּֽי־לָקַ֨ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶת־אַרְצִי֙ בַּעֲלוֹת֣וֹ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם מֵאַרְנ֥וֹן וְעַד־הַיַּבֹּ֖ק וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְעַתָּ֕ה הָשִׁ֥יבָה אֶתְהֶ֖ן בְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (יד) וַיּ֥וֹסֶף ע֖וֹד יִפְתָּ֑ח וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יִפְתָּ֑ח לֹֽא־לָקַ֤ח יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וְאֶת־אֶ֖רֶץ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (טז) כִּ֖י בַּעֲלוֹתָ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ עַד־יַם־ס֔וּף וַיָּבֹ֖א קָדֵֽשָׁה׃ (יז) וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מַלְאָכִ֣ים ׀ אֶל־מֶ֩לֶךְ֩ אֱד֨וֹם ׀ לֵאמֹ֜ר אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֔וֹם וְגַ֨ם אֶל־מֶ֧לֶךְ מוֹאָ֛ב שָׁלַ֖ח וְלֹ֣א אָבָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקָדֵֽשׁ׃ (יח) וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וַיָּ֜סׇב אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ אֱדוֹם֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וַיָּבֹ֤א מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לְאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּן בְּעֵ֣בֶר אַרְנ֑וֹן וְלֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ בִּגְב֣וּל מוֹאָ֔ב כִּ֥י אַרְנ֖וֹן גְּב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב׃ (יט) וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־סִיח֥וֹן מֶלֶךְ־הָאֱמֹרִ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נַעְבְּרָה־נָּ֥א בְאַרְצְךָ֖ עַד־מְקוֹמִֽי׃ (כ) וְלֹא־הֶאֱמִ֨ין סִיח֤וֹן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֲבֹ֣ר בִּגְבֻל֔וֹ וַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ף סִיחוֹן֙ אֶת־כׇּל־עַמּ֔וֹ וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּיָ֑הְצָה וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (כא) וַ֠יִּתֵּ֠ן יְהֹוָ֨ אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־סִיח֧וֹן וְאֶת־כׇּל־עַמּ֛וֹ בְּיַ֥ד יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיַּכּ֑וּם וַיִּירַשׁ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֚ת כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הָאֱמֹרִ֔י יוֹשֵׁ֖ב הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִֽיא׃ (כב) וַיִּ֣ירְשׁ֔וּ אֵ֖ת כׇּל־גְּב֣וּל הָאֱמֹרִ֑י מֵֽאַרְנוֹן֙ וְעַד־הַיַּבֹּ֔ק וּמִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ (כג) וְעַתָּ֞ה יְהֹוָ֣ ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הוֹרִישׁ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י מִפְּנֵ֖י עַמּ֣וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּירָשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ (כד) הֲלֹ֞א אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר יוֹרִֽישְׁךָ֛ כְּמ֥וֹשׁ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אוֹת֣וֹ תִירָ֑שׁ וְאֵת֩ כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹרִ֜ישׁ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ אוֹת֥וֹ נִירָֽשׁ׃ (כה) וְעַתָּ֗ה הֲט֥וֹב טוֹב֙ אַתָּ֔ה מִבָּלָ֥ק בֶּן־צִפּ֖וֹר מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֑ב הֲר֥וֹב רָב֙ עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִם־נִלְחֹ֥ם נִלְחַ֖ם בָּֽם׃ (כו) בְּשֶׁ֣בֶת יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל בְּחֶשְׁבּ֨וֹן וּבִבְנוֹתֶ֜יהָ וּבְעַרְע֣וֹר וּבִבְנוֹתֶ֗יהָ וּבְכׇל־הֶֽעָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־יְדֵ֣י אַרְנ֔וֹן שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וּמַדּ֥וּעַ לֹֽא־הִצַּלְתֶּ֖ם בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽיא׃ (כז) וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ לֹא־חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ וְאַתָּ֞ה עֹשֶׂ֥ה אִתִּ֛י רָעָ֖ה לְהִלָּ֣חֶם בִּ֑י יִשְׁפֹּ֨ט יְהֹוָ֤ה הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ הַיּ֔וֹם בֵּ֚ין בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבֵ֖ין בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (כח) וְלֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔ע מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יִפְתָּ֔ח אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁלַ֖ח אֵלָֽיו׃ {פ}
(כט) וַתְּהִ֤י עַל־יִפְתָּח֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהֹוָ֔ וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר אֶת־הַגִּלְעָ֖ד וְאֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַֽיַּעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־מִצְפֵּ֣ה גִלְעָ֔ד וּמִמִּצְפֵּ֣ה גִלְעָ֔ד עָבַ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (ל) וַיִּדַּ֨ר יִפְתָּ֥ח נֶ֛דֶר לַיהֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָת֥וֹן תִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן בְּיָדִֽי׃ (לא) וְהָיָ֣ה הַיּוֹצֵ֗א אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵצֵ֜א מִדַּלְתֵ֤י בֵיתִי֙ לִקְרָאתִ֔י בְּשׁוּבִ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם מִבְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וְהָיָה֙ לַיהֹוָ֔ וְהַעֲלִיתִ֖יהוּ עֹלָֽה׃ {פ}
(לב) וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר יִפְתָּ֛ח אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן לְהִלָּ֣חֶם בָּ֑ם וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (לג) וַיַּכֵּ֡ם מֵעֲרוֹעֵר֩ וְעַד־בֹּאֲךָ֨ מִנִּ֜ית עֶשְׂרִ֣ים עִ֗יר וְעַד֙ אָבֵ֣ל כְּרָמִ֔ים מַכָּ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
(לד) וַיָּבֹ֨א יִפְתָּ֣ח הַמִּצְפָּה֮ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ֒ וְהִנֵּ֤ה בִתּוֹ֙ יֹצֵ֣את לִקְרָאת֔וֹ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹל֑וֹת וְרַק֙ הִ֣יא יְחִידָ֔ה אֵֽין־ל֥וֹ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ בֵּ֖ן אוֹ־בַֽת׃ (לה) וַיְהִי֩ כִרְאוֹת֨וֹ אוֹתָ֜הּ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֲהָ֤הּ בִּתִּי֙ הַכְרֵ֣עַ הִכְרַעְתִּ֔נִי וְאַ֖תְּ הָיִ֣ית בְּעֹֽכְרָ֑י וְאָנֹכִ֗י פָּצִ֤יתִי פִי֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א אוּכַ֖ל לָשֽׁוּב׃ (לו) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אָבִי֙ פָּצִ֤יתָה אֶת־פִּ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ עֲשֵׂ֣ה לִ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר יָצָ֣א מִפִּ֑יךָ אַחֲרֵ֡י אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂה֩ לְךָ֨ יְהֹוָ֧ה נְקָמ֛וֹת מֵאֹיְבֶ֖יךָ מִבְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (לז) וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אָבִ֔יהָ יֵעָ֥שֶׂה לִּ֖י הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה הַרְפֵּ֨ה מִמֶּ֜נִּי שְׁנַ֣יִם חֳדָשִׁ֗ים וְאֵֽלְכָה֙ וְיָרַדְתִּ֣י עַל־הֶהָרִ֔ים וְאֶבְכֶּה֙ עַל־בְּתוּלַ֔י אָנֹכִ֖י (ורעיתי) [וְרֵֽעוֹתָֽי]׃ (לח) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לֵ֔כִי וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אוֹתָ֖הּ שְׁנֵ֣י חֳדָשִׁ֑ים וַתֵּ֤לֶךְ הִיא֙ וְרֵ֣עוֹתֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֥בְךְּ עַל־בְּתוּלֶ֖יהָ עַל־הֶֽהָרִֽים׃ (לט) וַיְהִ֞י מִקֵּ֣ץ ׀ שְׁנַ֣יִם חֳדָשִׁ֗ים וַתָּ֙שׇׁב֙ אֶל־אָבִ֔יהָ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ לָ֔הּ אֶת־נִדְר֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָדָ֑ר וְהִיא֙ לֹא־יָדְעָ֣ה אִ֔ישׁ וַתְּהִי־חֹ֖ק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (מ) מִיָּמִ֣ים ׀ יָמִ֗ימָה תֵּלַ֙כְנָה֙ בְּנ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְתַנּ֕וֹת לְבַת־יִפְתָּ֖ח הַגִּלְעָדִ֑י אַרְבַּ֥עַת יָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָֽה׃
The bottom line: the Novee tells us what went down. Let’s re-read the last two pisukim: 39) After two months’ time, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She had never known a man. So it became a custom in Israel (40) for the maidens of Israel to go every year, for four days in the year, and chant dirges for the daughter of Yiftach the Gileadite.
Ok, let us review the salient points: Yiftach made a vow (of course not knowing that the first person to exit the house to greet him would be his daughter), to sacrifice to the RBSO the first thing that walked out his door upon his victorious return from battle, felt compelled to keep the vow, and did go through with his vow. He -seemingly- killed his own daughter, his only child. She, unnamed in the entire story died. She had never been with a man. Nebech a virgin. OMG! Did Yiftach mamish do that?
Ober isn’t human sacrifice – or murder in virtually any form unless directed by the RBSO- mamish forbidden and repugnant to the RBSO? Idolatrous practices which involve child sacrifice are especially abominable to the RBSO and taka so says the heylige Toirah (Vayikro 20:1-5). Are we not still shell shocked yearly as we read how Avrohom -thousands of years back- took the life of his own son Yitzchok? We are! Do we not get the chills- goose bumps mamish- as we read the story every Rosh Hashono? And if the RBSO wouldn’t allow Avrohom to kill his own son, would He have agreed to have Yiftach take his own daughter’s life just because he took an oath? Say it’s not so please. And this is what we are to read this coming shabbis and every year as this parsha comes around? Who needs this? Was Yiftach mamish a murderer? Were Yiftach’s actions mamish antithetical to all ethics and morality? So it would appear. The bottom line: the story -as quoted above- is exactly what the Novee tells us.
Ober, were our rabbis happy with the storyline as presented in the Novee? Were they happy that the winning general was now a murderer? Were they happy that his daughter was killed before ever having been with a man? Why is her virginity highlighted? Isn’t the story sad enough without this detail? Were the rabbis happy? Not! What to do? Nu, believe it or not, a number of sages- names you will clearly recognize- came to his defense and tell us not to worry: Yiftach is mamish innocent of the charges. He does remain the son of a whore, but he may not be guilty of murder! What’s pshat? Ober, did she die a virgin? How do we reconcile the words of the Novee -as mamish told to us in the text- with the defense argued by our sages? Was an ill-fitting glove involved? Was Johnnie Cochran on the case? Let’s find out who represented Yiftach and their proof.
Let’s do a quick chazoro of the case: According to da’as mikra -poshit pshat- (the plain meaning of the text), it does appear to be an open and shut case: to make good on a vow he made, Yiftach actually sacrificed his daughter. Though he was a judge, and a leader of the generation, Yiftach didn’t understand that human sacrifice is an abomination since it was common for the idol worshipping population which surrounded them to sacrifice their children to their gods. Ober what to do when our sages couldn’t wrap their heads around a cold-blooded murder case?
And the good news for Yiftach? As mentioned, a good number of well-respected commentators -sages mamish- unanimously explain that Yiftach did not literally sacrifice his daughter. What? We read the entire haftoirah and it’s fake news? It never happened? Russian collusion? What the hec? Are stories written in the Novee but fictional? Was the Novee’s narrative being controlled by the deep state? But there to entertain us? Or to give people a chance to make kiddish before Musif? What’s pshat here? These are mamish excellent questions to which the Ois does not have answers. What the Ois knows with certainty and shares this week is that many biblical commentators could not cope with the words of the Novee as written and decided to re-write them.
That’s not quite emes: the words stayed the same, ober new meaning was infused so that in the end, no murder took place and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. As well, because the words don’t specifically state that Yiftach “sacrificed,” but instead, the words translate that he did what he had “vowed to the RBSO,” there was suddenly an opening for the defense. Let’s check it out as we read in posik 39: “After two months’ time, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She had never known a man.”
The sad ending to the story as we read it is that Yiftach’s daughter -her virginity intact- was the first to exit the house, the first thing Yiftach saw upon his return. Why animals and humans would use the same exit door, ver veyst, ober, let us move on. Next: Yiftach mistakenly thought he couldn’t annul his vow and believed he was obligated to sacrifice his daughter. Was Yiftach but a brainless warrior? How did she react? She requested two months to “wail upon the mountains.” What’s pshat? Says the medrish (Tanchuma) quoted by the Radak, azoy: the word “mountains” is a euphemism for the Sanhedrin (High Court). She asked her father for permission to ask the court whether the vow could be annulled. He permitted her to do so. And? Sadly, we don’t see -at least not in the text or in the medrish- that the Sanhedrin intervened to try to cancel the vow and save her from being sacrificed. Instead, we read azoy: “At the end of two months she returned to her father. He carried out with her the vow that he had vowed and she never knew a man.” Asks the Ois azoy: Is that how he killed and sacrificed her? By having her remain celibate? A virgin? Taka a murderer!
Who jumped on this line of defense? The list includes Rashi, the Radak, Ralbag, Metzudas Dovid, the Malbim and more. In fact, most agree that Yiftach did not kill his daughter though the heylige Gemora (Ta’anis 4a) does quote one opinion that Yiftach did in fact slaughter his unnamed daughter. As well, the Ramban writes (on Vayikro 27:29) of Yiftach’s (erroneous) rationale, feeling that it was within the power a ruler to put to death any subject at will. Ober, for the most part, the consensus among the commentators -his lawyers, if you will- is that Yiftach’s promise was fulfilled in a different manner.
Yiftach vowed to offer up -as a sacrifice- whatever emerged from his house to the RBSO. For an animal it would have meant sacrifice mamish. Ober, for his daughter it meant devoting her life to the RBSO. Yiftach’s daughter was thus not allowed to marry, raise a family, and interact normally with others. She had to live a life of isolation, fully devoted to Divine service. Yiftach sacrificed her love and sex life. Was she the first ever female version of a monk? And this is davka why the heylige Toirah concludes that as a result of his promise she never “knew a man?” The Novee does not state that she was put to death, but that she remained a virgin. Is virginity like death? So happens that in the heylige Toirah (Bereishis 30:1) we read this: When Rochel turns to Yaakov and demands children, she insists that without children she will be considered as one who is dead. In yeshiva we were taught -based on the heylige Gemora (Nedorim 64b) azoy: “onee chosuv k’mais,” that a poor person is considered like a dead person. Ober a virgin too? Say it’s not so please.
The bottom lines: Much has and continues to be written about the unnamed daughter of Yiftach. Based on the idea that taking a human life is mamish verboten, many sages, older and even more modern commentators, maintain that he did not really offer his daughter as a sacrifice. In fact, his original vow, “whatever comes forth . . . shall be to G‑d, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering,” had a dual intention: if what comes forth is a person, then it “shall be [consecrated] to the RBSO;” and if it should be an animal, then “I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” According to this pshat, Yiftach’s daughter was sent to the mountains to live in seclusion. She never married, instead dedicated her life to the service of the RBSO. Wow! These guys were good!
Ober, a few exegetes maintain that Yiftach, though a person in leadership, a great warrior, and one of the judges, was chosen for the position because of his bravery and might, not because of his scholarship. He ignorantly went ahead and offered his daughter as a sacrifice. Let’s read a part of the explosive indictment of Yiftach found in the medrish (Medrish Tanchuma Buber, Bechukoisai 7:1) “….And so you find in the case of Yiftach the Gileadite, because he was not a Toirah scholar, he forfeited his daughter. When? In the time that he fought with the children of Ammon and made a vow. At that time the Holy One was angry with him. The Holy One said: If there had come out from his house a dog, a pig, or a camel, he would have offered it to me. The Holy One summoned his daughter to him. But was not Pinchas there? Still he said AND I CANNOT RETRACT. However, Pinchas had said: I am a high priest and the son of a high priest. Shall I humble myself and go to an ignoramus ‘am ho’oretz? But Yiftach said: I am head of the tribes of Israel and head of the magistrates. Shall I humble myself and go to a commoner? Between the two of them that poor woman perished. The two of them were liable for her blood and both punished. In the case of Pinchas, the Holy Spirit left him. In the case of Yiftach, his bones were scattered. Well, blow me down and what’s going on this medrish? What’s Pinchas doing here and why does he have blood on his hands? Was the RBOS happy with Yiftach? Seemingly not, and on that point, many agree! The RBSO was very critical of Yiftach. If a person makes an oath and afterwards finds it is impractical to fulfill due to unforeseen circumstances and the like, he can typically go to a great rabbi or a court and have it annulled. Yiftach’s promise was clearly one he regretted for good reason. Yet he went ahead with it anyway. The bottom line of the entire medrish is that Pinchas -a koihen- had the authority and ability to break Yiftach’s vow but because each was stubborn -each standing on ceremony and ego, none made the first move to approach the other and find a solution. The hubris demonstrated by these two leaders cost an innocent girl her life. Bas Yiftach – the only moniker she gets in the Novee- was sacrificed. Even worse, she died without knowing a man; oy vey! Says the medrish that both were punished. Pinchas lost the divine spirit that had hitherto rested upon him. Yiftach became ill, and lost many of his limbs. At times, intervention is called for!
Which side is the emes? Did Yiftach kill his own daughter as suggested by some? Or, did he instead condemn her to a life of solitude, virginity and service to the RBSO living her life out as a hermit? Ver veyst? Both cannot be emes; they are mutually exclusive.
And the final bottom line? At least at times, in the name of artistic license, films, and even historical documentaries, are not always accurate. Seemingly, so are parts of the Novee. Yikes!
A gittin Shabbis!
The Heylige Oisvorfer Ruv
Yitz Grossman
Source URL: https://oisvorfer.com/chukas-2024-the-dead-virgin/