meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Rashi/Prophets/Rashi on Jonah/English/Sefaria Community Translation.txt"}
text: Rashi on Jonah
  רש"י על יונה
  Sefaria Community Translation
  
  
  Rashi on Jonah
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  to flee to Tarshish: I.e, to a sea named Tarshish, which is outside the Holy Land. He said, “I will flee to the sea, for the Shechinah does not rest outside the Holy Land.” Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him, “By your life, I have messengers like you to send after you and fetch you from there.” This is illustrated by an allegory of a priest’s slave who fled from his master and entered a cemetery [making it impossible for his master to retrieve him]. His master said to him, “I have slaves like you to send after you and fetch you from there.” Now what did Jonah see that he did not wish to go to Nineveh? He said, “The gentiles are quick to repent. Should I prophesy to them and they repent, I will be found condemning Israel, who do not heed the words of the prophets.” [from Mechilta, Exodus 12:1] 
  He paid the fare: in advance, while passengers normally pay the fare only when the ship sails. Moreover, he paid the fare for the whole boat.
  
  Verse 4
  
  in danger of breaking up: it seemed as if she were breaking up.
  
  Verse 5
  
  the sailors: sons of men steering the ship.
  each to his own god: from seventy nations of the idolaters, they were there.
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  They saw that the other ships were sailing in the sea calmly, and [only] theirs was breaking...
  
  Verse 8
  
  You who have brought this misfortune upon us: Against whom have you sinned, that this evil should befall us because of it?
  What is your business? Perhaps you were negligent in your work.
  Where have you come from? Perhaps a decree has been issued upon the people of that place even if you are not there.
  Of what people are you? Perhaps your people have sinned.
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  Made vows: They converted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  a huge fish: It was a male, and Jonah could stand with plenty of room, so that he did not think to pray. The Holy One hinted to the fish, and it spewed him out into the mouth of a female, which was full of embryos, and it was crowded there, and he prayed there, as it is said: (verse 2) “from the belly of the fish (f.).”
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  From the belly of Sheol I cried out: from the belly of the fish, which is like Sheol to me.
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  the Red Sea hangs over my head: Lit., reeds are bound to my head. [Jonathan renders:] The Red Sea hangs over my head. For the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him the Red [lit., Reed] Sea and how Israel crossed in its midst, for the fish’s two eyes were like two windows, and he would look and see everything in the sea.
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  but You brought up my life from Gehinnom: I have seen Gehinnom here, and from there You brought me up, and, behold, now I stand under the Temple in Jerusalem, similar to what is stated: “Indeed, I will continue to gaze upon Your Holy Temple,” “And my prayer came to You, to Your Holy Temple.” 
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  Those who cling to empty folly: idolaters.
  forsake their own welfare: The fear of the Holy One, blessed be He, from Whom all their kindness and benefit emanate, they abandon; but I am not so, but “with a voice of thanks will I sacrifice to You” - so translated Yonatan in the Targum. And in Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, they interpret this to refer to the sailors, who left the kindness they had been giving to their idols, and converted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  overturned: Destroyed. (He did not say, “Destroyed,” because “overturned” has two meanings, bad and good. If they do not repent, it will be destroyed; if they repent, then “overturned” refers to the people of Nineveh, that they will be changed from bad to good, and they will repent...
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  This displeased Jonah: he said, "now the idolaters will say that I am a false prophet."
  
  Verse 2
  
  Isn't this just what I said: I know that if they repent, You will not destroy them - and I will look like a liar to them.
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  provided: appointed.
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  who do not yet know: children.
  and many beasts: Adults, whose minds are like those of beasts, who do not know their Creator.