Jonah's Message for Us Today
As the Jewish world has just closed the books on another Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), its message remains as important and relevant for us as ever.
Among the readings during the Yom Kippur services, it is customary to study and discuss the book of Jonah. Why Jonah? Of all books, why does this book receive center stage honors on the highest of all holidays?
A few reasons, of many...
1) G_D's Mercy is Enduring and Total
We are reminded that the mercy of G_D is greater than we understand, and perhaps, [greater] than we'd like it to be. If the most-wicked of all pagan cities can avert destruction through repentance, then anyone can. It is no wonder the themes of Jonah have been written into the New Testament in various places.
2) Global Redemption
In the Rabbinic tradition, the idea of global redemption is not simply a promise, but a matter of justice. The great hope of the prophets is that all of the earth will one day return to serving the Creator. So complete will this event be, even the animals (signifying rest of creation) will be redeemed and restored to their original state - an idea alluded to in verses 3:7-8.
3) We Must Always Remember Our Mission: Helping Others
Earlier in my journey when I worked in a church, the lead Pastor sat me down somewhere in my first week, assuring me that making a mistake in my job was expected. Things happen. "However", he warned me, "If you miss a pastoral moment, I'll be in your face about it!"
This really stuck with me. He meant that my personal journey was great, but if I am too busy to make time for someone who needs my help, I'd be missing the point of it all. The Sages also encourage us to find a healthy balance between "loving your neighbor", and "being Holy". In other words, we must find the happy middle between separation and integration.
According to Jewish tradition, this was Jonah's problem. The Midrash tells us that Jonah was praying in the Temple when he was instructed to go to Nineveh. We must not take this lightly - Jonah had the Divine Presence enough to hear directly from the Creator Himself! We must not forget that Jonah was generally a righteous person.
So engrossed in his own agenda, everyone else in the story seemed to grasp the message, except Jonah. The most successful prophet of all time, yet he missed the very message he was carrying.
It can be too easy to over-emphasize our individual spiritual journey, forgetting that we have work to do on the collective level. For as much as modern readers enjoy smirking at Jonah, this lesson remains a harsh critique for us all - and, it is the reason the Rabbis have included this book on such a Holy day.
