Re: Jonah, God, and Nineveh -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 06:36:12 03/04/08 Tue
Author: j.jackson
Subject: Re: Jonah, God, and Nineveh
In reply to: Betsy Peters 's message, "Jonah, God, and Nineveh" on 06:15:26 03/04/08 Tue

And we should also keep in mind that the Book of Jonah is the text which is read every year at Yom Kippur--the Day of Atonement. The Ninevites offer Israel a model by which they themselves ought to repent. So here's our Moebian structure:
The Israelites at one time were "Ninevites" (those who had no relationship--covenant--with God). They had to "turn" (te-shuva, metanoia, converso) from their ways. They had to "do" Israel and turn back to God.

Of course, while their Israel, they fell away from God through evil deeds, violence, etc. and became the Ninevites (communally, individually). So guess what they had to do? You guessed it, turn back to God--again, becoming Israel once again but also, simultaneously, their arch-rivals, the Ninevites.

So the Ninevites and Jonah act as a diachronic staging of the history of Israel--both past and future. The Ninevites stand as a model for their prophet Jonah who reads not prophetically but rather idolatrously. He understands God's prediction of destruction as already a done deal, not as an "if . . . then" clause. Jonah the prophet simply forgot (or perhaps wanted to keep Hashem all to himself) that God desires mercy and not sacrifice.

One final note: you'll notice the one thing missing in the Book of Jonah when it comes to appeasing this angry, wrathful God: THE SACRIFICE!!!!!!!
"A sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken and contrite heart." "Let everyone turn from his evil ways and from the VIOLENCE which is in his hands" (Jonah 3.8).

Indeed, rather than sacrifice the animals, they make them participate in the fast and the outward signs of repentance, sackcloth.

I really like the Book of Jonah. All of you should give yourself a treat and read the _Pearl_-Poet's "Patience". He "translates"/retells the Book of Jonah, and it is wonderful.

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Replies:

Re: Jonah, God, and Nineveh -- Erin Risch, 20:30:30 03/09/08 Sun
- On suicide -- Betsy Peters, 10:01:30 03/11/08 Tue
- Row against the storm to stop reciprocation -- Betsy Peters, 10:08:38 03/11/08 Tue