Hoshe’a ben Be’eri: The Prophet and his Wife
Parsha Halacha - Parshat Bamidbar
Hoshe’a ben Be’eri: The Prophet and his Wife
Sponsored by Chaim and Chana Antian in honor of Achdus Yisroel
Parsha Halacha is underwritten by a grant from Dr. Stephen and Bella Brenner in loving memory of Stephen's father, Shmuel Tzvi ben Pinchas, and Bella's parents, Avraham ben Yitzchak and Leah bas HaRav Sholom Zev HaCohen.
Shavuot Family Fund
I'm raising funds to assist families in South Florida and Israel with their Shavuot holiday needs. We are still $6,000 short of our goal (which was $10,000).
- You can donate by zelle to surfsideminyan@gmail.com
- or by cc to https://www.surfsideminyan.
com/payment.php . Please write Yom Tov Fund in the memo
Please include your email address if you are giving by Zelle and you need a receipt. Thank you and may Hashem bless you and your family to receive the Torah with sincere joy!
Click here for a print version of this article
The Haftorah of the Torah portion of Bamidbar is from the book of Hoshe’a. This article discusses this renowned prophet, his wife, and his children.
Hoshe’a ben Be’eri
Hoshe’a, son of Be’eri, was a prophet from the tribe of Reuven,[1] who prophesized in the Northern Kingdom as well as in Judea during the middle of the era of the first Beit HaMikdash. He would rebuke the Jewish people of that time who were doing “that which was evil in the eyes of G-d.”[2] This Hoshe’a should not be confused with Hoshe’a ben Alah, the last king of the Northern Kingdom.[3]
When Hoshe’a began to prophesize, he was already an old man.[4] He prophesized for 90 years,[5] outliving four of the kings of Judea.[6]
Time Period
Hoshe’a said his prophecies during the era of the four Judean kings, Uziya, Yotam, Achaz and Chizkiyahu.[7] The Talmud says[8] that there were three other prophets who prophesized during that era – Isaiah,[9] Micha[10] and Amos.[11]
Greatest or Oldest
The Talmud says that Hoshe’a was the גָדוֹל שֶׁבְּכוּלָּן – the greatest of those four prophets, but he was not as great as Isaiah, about whom the Midrash says,[12] he was the greatest prophet besides Moshe Rabeinu.
Some say that the Talmud and Midrash have differing opinions as to whether Hoshe’a was greater than Isaiah or vice versa.[13] Others say that Isaiah was greater and that the words גָדוֹל שֶׁבְּכוּלָּן means that Hoshe’a was the oldest of these prophets but not necessarily the greatest.[14]
Father Was a Torah Scholar, Leader and Prophet
The Midrash says[15] that Be’eri, father of Hoshe’a, was also known as Be’erah. He was a great Torah scholar and the leader of the tribe of Reuven, and he was exiled by the Assyrians together with his tribe.[16] He passed away in exile so that his merit should allow his tribe to be revived with him at the time of the resurrection. In addition, since the Talmud says[17] that when a prophet’s father’s name is given, it means that he too was a prophet, we can conclude that Be’eri was a prophet as well.
According to our sages,[18] two of the verses in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:19-2) were spoken by Be’eri. They were appended to the book of Isaiah because two verses are not sufficient material to make a separate book of the prophets.
Wife Was a Woman of the Night
In the beginning of the book of Hoshe’a, we read that G-d instructed Hoshe’a to marry Gomer bat Divlatayim, a well-known woman of ill repute. The name Gomer and Divlatayim allude to her misdeeds.[19] After each of the three children she bore for him, G-d gave him instructions as to how to name them. Each of these names indicate a negative prophecy for the Jewish people
● Wiping out the House of Yehu
The first was to be named Yizre’el to symbolize that G-d was going to wipe out the dynasty of Yehu, who had killed out the family of Achav in the valley of Yizre’el. (See footnote that he was commanded to do so by a prophet but it became a sin retroactively.)[20]
● Lo Ruchama – No Mercy
The second (a girl) was to be named “Lo Ruchama” – not merciful, indicating that G-d was no longer going to have mercy on the Jewish people.
● Lo Ami – Not My Nation
The third one was to be named “Lo Ami,” indicating that the Jewish people were no longer considered G-d’s people.
Why Should a Prophet Marry Such a Woman?
The Talmud[21] tells us of the background to this story. It took place when Hoshe’a was receiving his first prophetic vision.
G-d told Hoshe’a; “Your children (the Jewish people) have sinned.” Hoshe’a said, “Since You own the entire world, why don’t You switch them for another nation?”[22]
G-d exclaimed that Hoshe’a should have said “[My children?] They are Your children! They are the sons of Your beloved ones, the sons of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’acov. Extend Your mercy over them!”
G-d declared, “What can I do to this old man (to teach him a lesson)?”
G-d then instructed Hoshe’a to take Gomer bat Divlatayim as a wife, to have children with her, and to name each of them as above. After he did so, G-d told him that he should separate from his wife just like Moshe separated from his wife.[23] Hoshe’a protested, “But I have children from her! I can neither send her away nor divorce her!”
G-d then said to Hoshe’a, “If you can’t even send away your wife who is a prostitute and your children who may not even be your own, how do you expect me to send away My children, the Jewish people? The sons of my tested one, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov who are one of the four special acquisitions I “acquired” in this world!”
Hoshe’a realized his error and began to ask G-d for forgiveness. G-d said, “Instead of praying for yourself, pray for the Jewish people against whom I made three harsh decrees because of you (the three negative names mentioned above).”
Taking Back the Three Decrees
When Hoshe’a did so, G-d accepted his prayers and took back each of those three decrees. As the Haftorah of this week says:[24]
● You Are My People!
וְהָיָה בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם לֹא עַמִּי אַתֶּם יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם בְּנֵי אֵ-ל חָי – “Instead of being called ‘Lo ami’ (not My nation), you will be called the sons of the living G-d.”
● Planted by G-d
וְעָלוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ כִּי גָדוֹל יוֹם יִזְרְעֶאל – “And they will go up from the (foreign) land because the day of Yizre’el is great. (The commentaries explain that in this verse, Yizre’el is used in a positive way to mean that the Jewish people were planted by G-d [in foreign lands] and that they will be gathered back into Israel.)
● Ruchama
אִמְרוּ לַאֲחֵיכֶם עַמִּי וְלַאֲחוֹתֵיכֶם רֻחָמָה – “Say to my brothers, ‘You are My people’ and to my sisters, Ruchama - ‘[I have had] mercy.’” (This is a reversal of when G-d said he would cease having mercy (Lo Ruchama) on the Jewish people.)
Was Gomer for Real?
Some say[25] that Hoshe’a never married a prostitute and that the entire episode was a prophetic vision in which he experienced all of those events to symbolize G-d’s decrees and reversal of the decrees. This story is similar to other visions of prophets which didn’t take place in real life.[26] This answers the question that arises, how could Hoshe’a remain married to an unfaithful wife when, according to halacha, one must divorce such a woman? Since it didn’t actually take place, it isn’t a question.[27]
Others say[28] that the events occurred exactly as told in the text and that since G-d instructed Hoshe’a to marry (and remain married to) Gomer, he was allowed to do so as G-d may override the rules of the Torah on a temporary basis.[29]
Book of Hoshe’a
The Talmud says[30] that the book of Hoshe’a was written by King Chizkiyahu and his court. Chronologically, it belongs before Isaiah, but being a slim volume, it might easily get lost. As such it was grouped together with the other “minor” prophets and placed at the end of the books of the prophets since many of those prophets were at the end of that era. The volume containing the twelve “minor” prophets is called “Trei-asar.”
Teacher and Student
According to the Rambam,[31] Hoshea’s teacher was the prophet Zechariah ben Yehoyadah HaKohen while the prophet Amos was Hoshea’s student. (Although they prophesized at the same time, Hoshe’a was older than Amos, as mentioned e above.)
Reincarnated
According to Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Fano,[32] Gomer bat Divlatayim was a reincarnation of the wife of Yeravam ben Yoash. Yeravam was told by the prophet Amos that his wife would commit adultery in a public manner.[33] We do not find a record in the Tanach of her behaving this way and according to the above, this was fulfilled through the public philandering of Gomer bat Divlatayim, her reincarnation.[34]
In addition, Rabbi Menachem Azariah says that Gomer had sparks of the souls of Tamar (mother of Peretz and Zerach) and Rachav (who married Joshua).
A Segulah for Healing
Rabbi Moshe Yechiel Epstein, the Ozhrover Rebbe (of Poland, America and Israel, 1889-1971) quoted the following segulah (spiritually beneficial action) for an ill person. He should vow that when he recovers, he will make a Se’udat Hoda’ah (feast of thanksgiving) to which he will invite (at least) 10 poor people. The meal should take place on the third day after he is healed and it should be done for the merit of the soul of Hoshe’a ben Be’eri. At the meal, the two verses of Isaiah (8:19-20) that were said by Be’eri (father of Hoshe’a) should be recited.[35]
Those verses are וְכִי יֹאמְרוּ אֲלֵיכֶם דִּרְשׁוּ אֶל הָאֹבוֹת וְאֶל הַיִּדְּעֹנִים הַמְצַפְצְפִים וְהַמַּהְגִּים הֲלוֹא עַם אֶל אֱלֹהָיו יִדְרֹשׁ בְּעַד הַחַיִּים אֶל הַמֵּתִים׃ לְתוֹרָה וְלִתְעוּדָה אִם לֹא יֹאמְרוּ כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אֵין לוֹ שָׁחַר׃ “Now, should people say to you, ‘Inquire of the ghosts and familiar spirits that chirp and moan; for a people may inquire[36] of its divine beings—of the dead on behalf of the living— for instruction and message,’ surely, for those who speak thus there shall be no dawn.”
May we G-d soon have mercy on us, gather us into His land, and declare us His eternal nation!
[1] See Bereishit Rabbah 84:19 that Hoshe’a prophesied about teshuvah (repentance) first (see Hoshe’a 14:2) just like his ancestor Reuven who was the first to do teshuvah. See Emet Ve’emunah ot 6 (quoted here) as to why Reuven is considered the first to have done teshuvah.
[3] The Ibn Ezra (on ibid) harshly criticizes the opinion of “HaYitzchaki” (not Rashi) who says that the two Hoshe’as were one person and that Alah was another name for Be’eiri (see Isaiah 15:8). This is impossible since it says that Hoshe’a ben Alah did “that which was bad in the eyes of G-d” (II Kings 17:2) whereas Hoshe’a ben Be’eri was a righteous prophet.
[4] See Pesachim 87a that G-d said about Hoshe’a during his first prophecy “What shall I do with this old man?”
[6] See Pesachim 88a that the four prophets Hoshe’a, Isaiah, Amos and Micha all outlived the four kings of their era (see below).
[9] See Isaiah 1:1 “The prophecies of Isaiah son of Amoz, who prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”
[10] See Micha 1:1 “The word of G-d that came to Micah the Morashtite, who prophesied concerning Samaria and Jerusalem in the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah.” Although Uziah isn’t mentioned, this is because he had abdicated the throne in favor of his son after he got leprosy but he was still alive at that time (Tosfot).
[11] In Amos 1:1 it says “The words of Amos, a sheep breeder from Tekoa, who prophesied concerning Israel in the reign of King Uzziah of Judah.” The Talmud understands that he began his prophesy during the era of Uziyah but that he continued it during the next three kings, just like the other prophets of his era (Ben Yehoyadah).
[13] Lishmo’a BaLimudim, quoted in the Yalkut Biurim of the Metivta Shas on Pesachim ibid
[14] Rashash, on Vayikrah Rabbah quoted in ibid
[15] Yalkut Shimoni on Nach, 516
[16] See I Chronicles 5:6 “His son Be’erah—whom King Tillegat-Pilneser of Assyria exiled—was chieftain of the Revbenites.”
[19] Pesachim 88a
[20] See II Kings chapter 9 and 10. Although Yehu slaughtered the house of Achav based on the instructions of the prophet Yonah, since Yehu ended up serving idols worse than the house of Achav, in retrospect, the slaughter was considered a sin rather than a mitzvah (Rashi).
[21] Pesachim 87b and 88a
[22] Some say he meant that G-d should exile them among other nations to strengthen their belief through suffering (HaGefen Poriyah, quoted in Yalkut Biurim in the Metivta Shas). Although this interpretation renders Hoshe’as suggestion as less harsh, it was still not very kind on his part.
[23] See Numbers 12:1 and Rashi
[24] Hoshe’ah 2:1 and on
[25] Ibn Ezra and Radak on the beginning of the book of Hoshe’a
[26] See Isaiah 20:3, Ezekiel 4:4 and verse 9 and 5:1
[27] Chatam Sofer, quoted in Yalkut Biurim of the Metivta Shas
[28] Abarbanel. This is also the implication of the Talmud Pesachim ibid
[31] Introduction to Mishnah Torah
[32] Gilgulei Neshamot, ot aleph, entry Eshet Hoshe’a
[34] The chronology of this is difficult to understand since all the prophecies of Amos came after the first prophecy of Hoshe’a which is when he married Gomer.
[35] Quoted in Shulchan HaMa’arachot Besitrei HaChochmah vol. 3 by Rabbi Moshe Veinshtok (Jerusalem 1977) page 225.
[36] Although people say that this is permissible, in fact, it is forbidden
Wishing you a Chodesh Tov and a Shabbat Shalom UMevorach!
Wed, April 30 2025
2 Iyyar 5785
Upcoming Events
Join Our Mailing List
Zmanim
Pesach Family Fund
A Home of our own
Ask Rabbi Citron