BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
This biblical passage follows the great flood described in Genesis 6-8. God had decided to restart humanity from Noah and his family because human beings (and creatures in general) had completely corrupted themselves, the Torah says. Here the few surviving humans receive God's blessing, permission to eat meat, as well as commands concerning the value of life. "Blood" is used as a symbol of life, both animal and human. Jewish tradition interprets verse 4 as obligating all human beings not to eat part of a living animal. Then verses 5-6 speak about taking human life and how seriously God views this since, as already stated in Genesis 1, human beings are made in God's image, b'tzelem Elohim.
(א) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־נֹ֖חַ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לָהֶ֛ם פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֖וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וּמוֹרַאֲכֶ֤ם וְחִתְּכֶם֙ יִֽהְיֶ֔ה עַ֚ל כׇּל־חַיַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּרְמֹ֧שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה וּֽבְכׇל־דְּגֵ֥י הַיָּ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֥ם נִתָּֽנוּ׃ (ג) כׇּל־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוּא־חַ֔י לָכֶ֥ם יִהְיֶ֖ה לְאׇכְלָ֑ה כְּיֶ֣רֶק עֵ֔שֶׂב נָתַ֥תִּי לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־כֹּֽל׃
(ד) אַךְ־בָּשָׂ֕ר בְּנַפְשׁ֥וֹ דָמ֖וֹ לֹ֥א תֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ (ה) וְאַ֨ךְ אֶת־דִּמְכֶ֤ם לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶם֙ אֶדְרֹ֔שׁ מִיַּ֥ד כׇּל־חַיָּ֖ה אֶדְרְשֶׁ֑נּוּ וּמִיַּ֣ד הָֽאָדָ֗ם מִיַּד֙ אִ֣ישׁ אָחִ֔יו אֶדְרֹ֖שׁ אֶת־נֶ֥פֶשׁ הָֽאָדָֽם׃
(ו) שֹׁפֵךְ֙ דַּ֣ם הָֽאָדָ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם דָּמ֣וֹ יִשָּׁפֵ֑ךְ כִּ֚י בְּצֶ֣לֶם אֱלֹהִ֔ים עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הָאָדָֽם׃ (ז) וְאַתֶּ֖ם פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֑וּ שִׁרְצ֥וּ בָאָ֖רֶץ וּרְבוּ־בָֽהּ׃ {ס}
(1) God blessed Noah and his children, and said to them, "Be fertile and increase, and fill the earth. (2) The fear and the dread of you shall be upon all the beasts of the earth, and upon all the birds of the skies, on everything moving over the ground, and on all the fish of the sea--they are given into your hand. (3) Every moving thing that lives shall be yours to eat, just like the green grasses; I have given you all of it.
(4) "However, flesh with its own life-blood in it you shall not eat. (5) And indeed, for your very own life-blood I will seek liability, from every beast I will seek liability for it; and from humans I will seek liability for human life, from each person for his brother.
(6) "One who spills the blood of humans, by humans their blood will be spilled. For in the image of God he made humans. (7) And you must be fertile and increase; flourish on the earth and increase upon it."
Study Questions on Gen 9
1. Prior to the flood, humans in Tanakh were vegetarian. God now allows them to eat meat, while at the same time commanding them to respect human life much more than they had been. Is it a contradiction, in your opinion, to allow the killing of animals for food while demanding greater respect for human life? Why or why not?
2. Read verse 5 very carefully. Some Rabbis in the Talmudic period saw a prohibition against suicide in this verse. Where did they see it? Try to reconstruct their thinking, taking the whole verse into account and remembering that for those Rabbis every word and phrase in the Torah is significant.
3. In many places the Torah requires capital punishment, but this is the first time the idea appears. What are the rationales behind capital punishment according to this passage? Why is "God's image" relevant? Be as complete as possible in your answer.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
After the 10 Commandments are presented in Exodus 20, a long set of laws are then set forth in the next three chapters dealing with many topics such as slavery, murder, personal injury, property damage, theft, lending money, gossip, helping strangers and neighbors, Shabbat and festivals, idolatry, and more. The section above covers some of the most serious forms of harming another person. Note that in the Torah's view parents are subject to some special protections, so that even harming them in speech is considered very serious. Punishments involving the treatment of Canaanite slaves, on the other hand, are more lenient in certain cases.
(יב) מַכֵּ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ וָמֵ֖ת מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ (יג) וַאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א צָדָ֔ה וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אִנָּ֣ה לְיָד֑וֹ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י לְךָ֙ מָק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנ֖וּס שָֽׁמָּה׃ {ס} (יד) וְכִֽי־יָזִ֥ד אִ֛ישׁ עַל־רֵעֵ֖הוּ לְהׇרְג֣וֹ בְעׇרְמָ֑ה מֵעִ֣ם מִזְבְּחִ֔י תִּקָּחֶ֖נּוּ לָמֽוּת׃ {ס} (טו) וּמַכֵּ֥ה אָבִ֛יו וְאִמּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ {ס} (טז) וְגֹנֵ֨ב אִ֧ישׁ וּמְכָר֛וֹ וְנִמְצָ֥א בְיָד֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ {ס} (יז) וּמְקַלֵּ֥ל אָבִ֛יו וְאִמּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ {ס}
(יח) וְכִֽי־יְרִיבֻ֣ן אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְהִכָּה־אִישׁ֙ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ בְּאֶ֖בֶן א֣וֹ בְאֶגְרֹ֑ף וְלֹ֥א יָמ֖וּת וְנָפַ֥ל לְמִשְׁכָּֽב׃ (יט) אִם־יָק֞וּם וְהִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּח֛וּץ עַל־מִשְׁעַנְתּ֖וֹ וְנִקָּ֣ה הַמַּכֶּ֑ה רַ֥ק שִׁבְתּ֛וֹ יִתֵּ֖ן וְרַפֹּ֥א יְרַפֵּֽא׃ {ס} (כ) וְכִֽי־יַכֶּה֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּ֜וֹ א֤וֹ אֶת־אֲמָתוֹ֙ בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶט וּמֵ֖ת תַּ֣חַת יָד֑וֹ נָקֹ֖ם יִנָּקֵֽם׃ (כא) אַ֥ךְ אִם־י֛וֹם א֥וֹ יוֹמַ֖יִם יַעֲמֹ֑ד לֹ֣א יֻקַּ֔ם כִּ֥י כַסְפּ֖וֹ הֽוּא׃ {ס}
(12) One who strikes another person and [the second] dies, they [the first] shall be put to death. (13) But if they did not plan it--rather God brought it about--I will set a place for you where they can flee. (14) When one person plots against their neighbor, to kill them cunningly, you shall take the murderer from my altar to die. (15) And one who strikes their father or mother shall be put to death. (16) And one who kidnaps a person and sells him, or the victim is [still] found with him, shall be put to death. (17) And one who curses their father or mother shall be put to death.
(18) When people fight and one strikes their neighbor with a stone or a fist, and the victim does not die but is sick in bed: (19) if they [eventually] get up and go outside using a staff, the attacker will be cleared [of the death penalty], but they must pay for the lost income and full healing. (20) And when someone strikes their male or female slave with a stick, and they die under the blows, the victim shall certainly be avenged [with capital punishment]. (21) But if they survive a day or two, they shall not be avenged, since the victim is the other’s property.
Study Questions on Exod 21
1. What do you think the words "God brought it about" mean in verse 13? How is it different from what's happening in verses 12 or 14?
2. Collect all the evidence you can find from this passage which proves that killing a human being is understood by the Torah to be a terrible thing, and explain the evidence.
3. We will soon see that the Torah's main law connected to abortion comes immediately after this section, starting in verse 22. There it discuses (as understood by Jewish tradition) what should happen if men are fighting and one of them injures a pregnant woman so that she loses the fetus. Please look at this whole sequence of laws leading up to verse 22. In your opinion, does this sequence tell us anything about how the Torah views a fetus? Explain.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
This is the last chapter of the book of Jonah. Jonah is the story of an Israelite prophet who is sent by God to deliver a harsh message to the Assyrian empire (in their capital city, Nineveh), one of Israel's archenemies. Famously, Jonah runs away from his mission, boards a ship going out to sea, and is eventually swallowed by a large fish. After surviving this trauma, Jonah agrees to go to Nineveh and to declare God's warning to its people. According to the story, the Assyrians listen to the prophet and immediately begin to change their wicked ways. God sees their repentance and decides not to destroy them. But Jonah is terribly disturbed by this outcome.
(א) וַיֵּ֥רַע אֶל־יוֹנָ֖ה רָעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וַיִּ֖חַר לֽוֹ׃ (ב) וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֶל־יְהֹוָ֜ה וַיֹּאמַ֗ר אָנָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ הֲלוֹא־זֶ֣ה דְבָרִ֗י עַד־הֱיוֹתִי֙ עַל־אַדְמָתִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֥ן קִדַּ֖מְתִּי לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ אֵֽל־חַנּ֣וּן וְרַח֔וּם אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃ (ג) וְעַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה קַח־נָ֥א אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִמֶּ֑נִּי כִּ֛י ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃ {פ}
(ד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה הַהֵיטֵ֖ב חָ֥רָה לָֽךְ׃ (ה) וַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹנָה֙ מִן־הָעִ֔יר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב מִקֶּ֣דֶם לָעִ֑יר וַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ ל֨וֹ שָׁ֜ם סֻכָּ֗ה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב תַּחְתֶּ֙יהָ֙ בַּצֵּ֔ל עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִרְאֶ֔ה מַה־יִּהְיֶ֖ה בָּעִֽיר׃
(ו) וַיְמַ֣ן יְהֹוָֽה־אֱ֠לֹהִ֠ים קִיקָי֞וֹן וַיַּ֣עַל ׀ מֵעַ֣ל לְיוֹנָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת צֵל֙ עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ לְהַצִּ֥יל ל֖וֹ מֵרָֽעָת֑וֹ וַיִּשְׂמַ֥ח יוֹנָ֛ה עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן שִׂמְחָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃ (ז) וַיְמַ֤ן הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ תּוֹלַ֔עַת בַּעֲל֥וֹת הַשַּׁ֖חַר לַֽמׇּחֳרָ֑ת וַתַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן וַיִּיבָֽשׁ׃ (ח) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּזְרֹ֣חַ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ וַיְמַ֨ן אֱלֹהִ֜ים ר֤וּחַ קָדִים֙ חֲרִישִׁ֔ית וַתַּ֥ךְ הַשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ יוֹנָ֖ה וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃
(ט) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־יוֹנָ֔ה הַהֵיטֵ֥ב חָרָֽה־לְךָ֖ עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֑וֹן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הֵיטֵ֥ב חָֽרָה־לִ֖י עַד־מָֽוֶת׃ (י) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה אַתָּ֥ה חַ֙סְתָּ֙ עַל־הַקִּ֣יקָי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָמַ֥לְתָּ בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א גִדַּלְתּ֑וֹ שֶׁבִּן־לַ֥יְלָה הָיָ֖ה וּבִן־לַ֥יְלָה אָבָֽד׃ (יא) וַֽאֲנִי֙ לֹ֣א אָח֔וּס עַל־נִינְוֵ֖ה הָעִ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־בָּ֡הּ הַרְבֵּה֩ מִֽשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה רִבּ֜וֹ אָדָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדַע֙ בֵּין־יְמִינ֣וֹ לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וּבְהֵמָ֖ה רַבָּֽה׃
(1) And this was greatly upsetting to Jonah, and he was angry. (2) He prayed to the Lord, saying, “O my Lord! Isn’t this just what I said while I was still in my own land? This is why I ran off to Tarshish in the first place! For I know that you are a gracious and compassionate God, patient, full of kindness, who retracts punishment. (3) Now, Adonai, please take my life, for I would rather die than live.”
(4) Adonai replied, “Are you very angry?” (5) Then Jonah left the city and stopped at a place east of the city. He made a booth [sukkah] there and sat under it in the shade, so he could see what would happen in the city.
(6) Adonai God assigned a castor plant, which grew up over Jonah, to give shade for his head to save him from his discomfort. Jonah was delighted by the plant. (7) But at dawn of the next day God assigned a worm, and it struck the plant, and it dried up. (8) And when the sun rose, God appointed a hot east wind, and the sun struck Jonah’s head, and he started to faint. He wanted to end his life, saying, “I would rather die than live.”
(9) Then God said to Jonah, “Are you very angry about the plant?” He replied, “Very angry, enough to die!” (10) Adonai said, “You care about the plant which you did not work for and you did not grow, which appeared overnight and perished overnight. (11) Should I not care about the large city of Nineveh that has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and many animals?”
Study Questions on Jonah 4
1. Why is Jonah so unhappy that God forgave the Ninevites? (Use the text itself and the background information provided above.)
2. What lesson does God try to teach Jonah through the castor plant and the worm? Be precise.
3. What does this text suggest about the value of life in the eyes of the Tanakh?