The History of the Divine Service at Altars (34) – The Prohibition of Bamot (11)

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This week’s shiurim are dedicated in loving memory
of Yehuda Nattan Yudkowsky z”l whose yahrzeit is 17 Cheshvan

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Introduction to the story of Mikha’s idol

We will continue from the last shiur with the history of the worship of God when the Mishkan stood in Shilo. Coming shiurim will discuss the period of Nov and Givon, and then the period that the house of God stood in Jerusalem until the end of the First Temple period. Finally, our study will take us through the period of the Second Temple (focusing primarily on Bet Chonyo).

In the last shiur we analyzed the sacrifices and other forms of worship performed in Bokhim, and by Gidon. We will now turn to the episode of Mikha's idol.

In order to reach a precise understanding of Mikha's idol, we must preface our words with two introductions:

1. the prophet’s description of the overall spiritual situation during the period of the Judges;

2. the status of the Mishkan in Shilo.

Shoftim 2 describes in detail the spiritual background of the entire period. At the end of the book of Yehoshua and at the beginning of the period of the Judges, it is clear that the people of Israel had not yet completed the conquest of all of Eretz Israel. Nonetheless, it is stated: "And Yehoshua let the people go, and the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land" (Shoftim 2:6).

Instead of occupying themselves with completing the national conquest, the people of Israel focused individually on their own inheritances. Thus, they largely abandoned the national mission. In addition to their military weakness, the people decreased their religious devotion, allowing themselves to be drawn into the worship of the Canaanite idols, Ba'al and Ashtoret.

In response, God hands the people of Israel over to their enemies, but then raises Judges from among them who deliver them from oppression. Yet Scripture states: "And yet they would not hearken to their Judges, but they went astray after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them; they turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers had gone, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so" (Shoftim 2:17).

And so went the cycle – idolatry, an external enemy who threatens to destroy Israel, prayer to God, salvation by one of the Judges, and then again – idolatry, etc.

In the end, God does not allow the process of driving out the Canaanites to be completed: "That through them I may put Israel to the proof, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it, as their fathers did keep it, or not. Therefore the Lord left those nations without driving them out hastily; and He did not give them up into the hand of Joshua" (Shoftim 2:22-23).

That is to say, the spiritual background of the period includes the following elements that we have mentioned:

• preoccupation with individual private inheritance and the failure to complete the conquest of the land;

• turning to the Ba'al and Ashtoret and the idolatrous worship of the gods of Canaan;

• external enemies who attack Israel and subsequent rescuing by the Judges.

Given this situation, the question arises: What was the status of the Mishkan in Shilo during this period?

It is against this background that we will explore the significance of the story of Mikha's idol, its timing and its essence, and what it comes to teach about religious faith and the service of God during this period.

In our discussion below, we will advance two possible dates for the story of Mikha's idol, and expand upon each option.

DATE I: At the Beginning of the Period of the Judges

The book of Shoftim closes with the stories of Mikha's idol and the concubine in Giv'a. These two episodes clearly stand apart from the continuous account of the Judges from the beginning of the book until the end of the story of Shimshon (end of chapter 16 in Shoftim). In these two stories there is no external enemy and there is no savior, as there are in the earlier chapters. Thus, they are detached from the chronological continuity of the book.

The author of Seder Olam Rabba (chap. 12) states: "[The story of] Mikha's idol took place during the days of Kushan Rish'atayim," with Radak and other commentaries agreeing. Rashi as well writes that the story of Mikha happened "in the days of Otniel ben Kenaz, the Judge who delivered Israel from the hand of Kushan Rish'atayim." According to this view, the story of Mikha's idol takes place at the beginning of the period of the Judges after twenty-eight years of Yehoshua's leadership.

This position is strongly supported by the juxtaposition of the account of the tribe of Dan’s search for inheritance to the story of Mikha. Rashi (Shoftim 18:1) relates that: "Because they [Dan] did not receive their fitting inheritance in the conquered land, as is stated in Yehoshua: 'And the border of the children of Dan was too strait for them.' From here too it may be derived that this event took place immediately at the beginning of the [the period of the] Judges."

Indeed, at the beginning of the book of Shoftim (1:34), it says: "And the Emori forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not allow them to come down to the valley." Thus, at the very beginning of the period of the Judges we also hear of the distress suffered by the tribe of Dan.

In this sense, the delegation of the people of Dan who went out seeking an inheritance is a direct continuation of what is described in Shoftim 1. It is in connection with this reality, of failure to achieve complete conquest of the land, that it says: "And in those days the tribe of Dan sought for itself an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day a due inheritance had not fallen to their share among the tribes of Israel" (Shoftim 18:1).

The reason for inserting the story of Mikha’s idol at the end of the book

If, however, the episode belongs chronologically to the beginning of the book of Shoftim, we must clarify why it is not recorded until the end of the book. A number of answers have been offered.

Rashi points out that a sum of eleven hundred silver coins is mentioned both in the story of Mikha and in the story of Shimshon and Delila. In both stories the money brought catastrophe to the tribe of Dan. In the first episode, the money serves to induce Delila to collaborate with the Pelishtim, resulting in Shimshon’s capture and death.[1] In the second episode, the money leads to Dan's worship of Mikha's idol.

However, this argument does not address the essential significance of the story of Mikha. The Abravanel writes that the prophetic author wanted to first record the stories of the Judges, who constitute the primary subject matter of the book. The first chapters serve as an introduction to the book, whereas the stories of Dan and Mikha serve as a conclusion.

Alternatively, it is possible that recording the story of Mikha's idol at the end of the book was meant to express a more fundamental principle and characterize the time period as a whole. It is not by chance that the two stories of Mikha’s idol and the concubine in Giv’a together mention the three cardinal sins of idol worship (Mikha's idol), illicit sexual relations and bloodshed (concubine in Giv’a).

These episodes contain a common refrain: "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Shoftim 17:7); "In those days there was no king in Israel; and in those days the tribe of Dan sought for itself an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day a due inheritance had not fallen to their share among the tribes of Israel" (Shoftim 18:1); "And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the far side of Mount Efrayim, who took to him a concubine of Bet-Lechem-Yehuda" (Shoftim 19:1);  "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Shoftim 21:25).

The stories of MIkha and the concubine at Giv’a make clear that following only what is right in a person's own eyes leads to idol worship and bloodshed. There is no unified leadership, and therefore, there is no judge and no justice.

The reason stated for the lack of unified leadership is the absence of a king. The book of Shoftim precedes the book of Shmuel, which records a difficult spiritual reality preceding the establishment of the monarchy.   

The assumption here is that a monarchical regime would have prevented the national deficiencies and splintering tribal unity described at the end of Shoftim. Perhaps Scripture records the story of Mikha's idol and the concubine in Giv'a at the end of the book to characterize the period as a whole and highlight the need for a king.

DATE 2: Mikha’s idol existed at the time of the Exodus from Egypt

Chazal present an alternative view as to the dating of the story of Mikha's idol. The Gemara in Sanhedrin (103b) discusses the various people who have no part in the World-to-Come, and asks why Mikha is not included among them. He sinned and caused Israel to practice idol worship as did Yerav'am, the first king of Israel.[2] The Gemara answers: "Because his bread is available for wayfarers," providing him with sufficient merit to retain his share in the World-to-Come.

In the continuation of the Gemara, Rabbi Yochanan expounds the verse: "And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea" (Zekharya 10:11), as referring to Mikha's idol. Rashi (ad loc.) explains:

When Moshe wrote the name [of God] and cast it into the Nile to raise the coffin of Yosef, Mikha came and secretly took it. This is what it says: "And he shall pass through the sea with affliction." When the Holy One, blessed be He, passed Israel [through the sea], Mikha passed with them, and in his hand was the name [of God] with which to make the calf.

Another explanation: Mikha made an idol and brought it with him when Israel passed through the sea.

The book Kol Eliyahu, which is attributed to the Vilna Gaon, brings the following teaching on a verse from Az Yashir, The Song of the Sea: "And the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left" (Shemot 14:29) – "The word wall (choma) is spelled here without a vav." According to the Kol Eliyahu, when Nachshon entered the sea as the head of the tribe of Yehuda, the water served as a wall (choma). However, when the tribe of Dan entered together with Mikha's idol, the water represented cheima (anger). God's anger and wrath were directed at them.[3]

Let us turn to the two explanations proposed by Rashi.[4] Rashi relates that Moshe searched for Yosef's bones in order to take them out of Egypt. He was told that the Egyptians had put those bones in a metal coffin and sunk it in the Nile River. Moshe inscribed the Tetragrammaton on a tablet and cast it into the Nile in order to raise Yosef's coffin to the surface. Mikha then came secretly, took the tablet, and kept it with him until he used it to fashion the calf.

In his commentary to the Torah, Rashi cites Midrash Tanchuma (Ki Tisa 19):

There are those who say that Mikha was there, having been removed from the foundations of a building in Egypt where he was [nearly] crushed. He had in his possession a [supernatural] name and a plate upon which Moshe had written: "Come up, ox, come up, ox," in order to raise Yosef's coffin out of the Nile, and he cast it into the melting pot and the calf came out. (Shemot 32:4, s.v. eigel)

The words, "Come up, ox," are a reference to Yosef, who is likened to an ox ("His firstling ox, majesty is his" [Devarim 33:17]). They were inscribed on a plate that Mikha took out of Egypt. When Aharon cast the golden earrings that he had received from the people of Israel into a melting pot, Mikha threw in the plate and out came the golden calf.

Second, the Gemara in Sanhedrin (101b) expounds Mikha's name to mean, "He was crushed (nitmakhmekh) in the building." Rashi explains (ad loc.):

In the building of Egypt, he was built into the walls in place of bricks, as is explained in the Aggada. Moshe said to the Holy One, blessed be He: You have dealt ill with this people, for now if they have no bricks, they will put Jewish children into the building. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: They are destroying thorns, for it is revealed before Me that were they to live they would be absolutely wicked. If you wish, try and remove one of them. He went and removed Mikha.

Another explanation: Nitmakhmekh – he occupied himself with building until he became impoverished (makh), as it is stated (Sota 11a): Whoever occupies himself with building becomes impoverished.[5]

After Moshe came before Pharaoh to ask him to free the children of Israel, Pharaoh ordered that the people bring their own straw to make the bricks without diminishing their quota. Moshe objected to God that if the people would not be able to make the required number of bricks, the Egyptians would put Jewish children into the walls in place of the missing bricks. God answered that these children would grow up into thoroughly wicked people and he offered Moshe to try to remove one of them. Moshe did so, and the child that he saved grew up to be Mikha the idolater, so called because he was nearly crushed in the building.

According to these sources in Chazal, the episode involving Mikha's idol began long before the beginning of the period of the Judges.

On the one hand, according to the Midrash, the idol already existed at the time of the splitting of the Sea of Suf. On the other hand, there is a connection between Mikha and Israel's bondage in Egypt, for Moshe saved Mikha as a baby. In addition there is a connection between Mikha and the making of the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai.

What emerges from these midrashim is that Mikha and his idol go back to the beginning of Israel's history.

The relationship between Moshe and Mikha is discussed again in another context. The verse in Shoftim (18:30) states: "And the children of Dan set up the idol: and Yehonatan, the son of Gershom, the son of Menashe, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land." Regarding this dynasty, Chazal ask in Bava Batra (109b): "Was he the son of Menashe? Surely he was the son of Moshe, as it is written: 'The sons of Moshe, Gershom and Eliezer'! Rather, because he did the deed of Menashe, the verse attributes him to Menashe."

According to rabbinic tradition, Gershom, the father of Yehonatan, the young Levite, was Gershom, the son of Moshe. The Rashbam explains (ad loc.):

The letter nun [in the word Menashe] is suspended, as it is superfluous, since he was the son of Moshe. And Yehonatan the son of Gershom is written in that passage. For the tribe of Dan uncovered Mikha's idol, and the Levite went with them to serve them as a priest. And it answers: Was he the son of Menashe? Surely he was the son of Moshe, and therefore the letter nun is suspended. And also from the fact that he is called a Levite, as he was from the tribe of Levi. And as it is written in Divrei Ha-yamim: "The sons of Moshe, Gershom and Eliezer."

The letter nun is not a root letter of the name Menashe, but rather it is suspended in order to allude to Moshe. The purpose here may be to attribute the sin to Menashe rather than to Moshe.

We should also consider the relationship between the golden calf and Mikha's idol. What does this connection come to teach us about the nature of the worship of both, and is there any similarity between the sin of the golden calf and Mikha's idol?

According to Rashi's second explanation, "Mikha made an idol and brought it with him when Israel passed through the sea." The idol is the affliction mentioned in the verse, and according to this, Mikha's idol was in existence at the time of splitting of the Sea of Suf.

In this shiur we dealt with the dating of Mikha's idol. We will summarize the various opinions found in Chazal regarding the matter:

1. The author of Seder Olam Rabba understands that these episodes occurred at the beginning of the period of the Judges. Why, according to this view, does the text then record the stories of Mikha's idol and the concubine at Giv'a at the end of the book of Shoftim? We suggested that these two stories, which contain the three most severe transgressions: idol worship (Mikha's idol), illicit sexual relations and bloodshed (the concubine at Giv'a), characterize the period as a whole. The lack of a king and firm leadership allowed for such heinous sins on the national level.

2. A second opinion in Chazal dates Mikha's idol to the time of the splitting of the Sea of Suf. We commented, on the one hand, on the significance of the relationship between Moshe and Mikha, and, on the other hand, on the connection between the worship of the golden calf and that of Mikha's idol.

In the next shiur we will continue to explore the story of Mikha's idol. We will examine how long the idol existed and the nature of its worship.

(Translated by David Strauss)

, full_html, We will continue from the last shiur with the history of the worship of God when the Mishkan stood in Shilo.