Ovadiah HaNavi; Background and History
Parsha Halacha - Parshat VaYishlach
Ovadiah HaNavi
Background and History
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The Haftorah of VaYishlach consists of the Book of Ovadiah, which is composed of exactly one chapter. Like the Torah portion, the Haftorah describes some of the battles which Edom (the nation of Eisav) had with the Jewish people and predicts their downfall which will occur (speedily) at the time of the Messianic redemption.[1]
The article will discuss some of what we know about Ovadiah, the prophet.
Who Was Ovadiah?
The Book of Ovadiah, which contains only 21 verses, doesn’t state the name of Ovadiah’s father or his birthplace. In the case of most other prophets in the Tanach, either their father’s name or their location is given or both. These aren’t provided in the case of Ovadiah as, according to our sages,[2] Ovadiah was an Edomite convert. He was chosen to prophesize about the fall of Edom, following the dictum that “from within the forest comes the (handle of the) ax with which to chop the forest down.” This would explain why his lineage and birthplace aren’t cited.[3]
When Did He Live?
While the Book of Ovadiah doesn’t mention when he lived, our sages[4] identify him as the man by the same name who was the chief of staff for the wicked King Achav of Israel.[5] This means that the discussion in the Book of Ovadiah about Edom looting Jerusalem[6] was a prophecy of a future event rather than a description of one that already took place.
Specifically, Ovadiah was a descendant of Eisav through his son Eliphaz, who was also one of the friends of Iyov.[7] As such the Midrash says,[8] “You (Eliphaz) rebuked my servant Iyov with a vision (see Job 4:13), I will bring forth from your descendants a prophet who will announce the punishment of your father’s house with a vision (see Ovadiah 1:1).”
The Ibn Ezra writes that the chief of staff of Achav couldn’t have been the prophet Ovadiah as the chief of staff is described simply as being “very G-d fearing.” If he had been a prophet, he would have been identified as such since that’s the highest level a human being can attain.[9]
Level of Prophecy
According to the Midrash,[10] Ovadiah was the least of all the prophets. Despite this, Ovadiah used the term “chazon” (vision) to describe his prophecy as did the greatest of all (post-Mosaic) prophets, Isaiah. This teaches us that G-d can save (His people) both with the greatest and the smallest (person).
Supported by the Sanhedrin and Spoke 71 Languages
According to the Midrash,[11] the Gematria of the first word of Ovadiah and of Isaiah - חֲזוֹן /vision, which is 71, teaches us that Ovadiah and Isaiah prophesized in front of, and with the encouragement of, the 71 members of the Sanhedrin. Despite receiving their prophecy from the Almighty, if they had not had the backing of the Sanhedrin, they wouldn’t have been able to share his prophecies. Rabbi Reuven Margaliyot explains[12] that in order to be established as a true prophet, a prophet would be examined by the Sanhedrin. Once they were established as a prophet, however, they were not allowed to withhold a Divine prophecy regardless of what the Sanhedrin ruled.
Septuaginta-Lingual
The gematria of חֲזוֹן also teaches us that Ovadiah (and Isaiah) prophesized in 71 languages – the 70 languages of the ancient world plus Hebrew. This may indicate that their prophecies were of relevance to all of the nations of the world as well as to the Jewish people.[13] (His fluency in languages may have helped him in his duties as Achav’s chief of staff since, according to the Talmud,[14] Achav reigned over the entire civilized world.)
Was Extremely G-d Fearing
The Talmud says[15] that Ovadiah is described as being even more G-d-fearing than our Patriarch Avraham. Ovadiah is described as “very G-d-fearing” (יָרֵא אֶת ה׳ מְאֹד)[16]while Avraham is only described as “G-d fearing” (ירא אלקים).[17] The commentaries explain[18] that Avraham’s fear of G-d certainly exceeded that of later prophets, but that it wasn’t that noticeable since his primary form of Divine service was that of loving kindness.
Saved 100 Prophets by Borrowing with Interest
The book of Kings[19] tells us that when Izevel tried to kill all of the prophets of G-d (and almost succeeded), Ovadiah hid 100 prophets in a cave and supplied them with bread and water. The price of water was particularly high since Israel was in the middle of a drought.[20] According to the Midrash,[21] he was forced to borrow money with interest from Yehoram (Achav’s and Izevel’s son) in order to finance this project. (This was permitted since it was necessary in order to save the lives of the prophets.[22]) Yehoram was later killed later by an arrow (shot by Yehu) that pierced his chest between his arms.[23] This was a punishment for having taken interest with his arms.[24]
Ovadiah divided the prophets into two groups, hiding 50 prophets in one cave and 50 in another so that if Izevel discovered one cave the others could escape. He learned this from Yaakov who also divided his camp into two.[25]
Yehoram Comes to Collect[26]
Ovadiah passed away around the time that Achav was killed in battle. His debt to Yehoram had meanwhile increased substantially. The latter came to Ovadiah’s widow demanding that she give him her sons as slaves in payment for the debt.[27] Although having her children grow up as slaves in the king’s palace may have seemed like a good option for the destitute young widow, Ovadiah’s wife was concerned that her children would be influenced by the idolatrous ways of Yehoram’s household and so she refused to give up her children.
Having no means to repay the debt, she went to the cemetery looking for her husband’s grave. She cried out and said, “(Where is) the one who fears G-d?” A voice responded, “Whom do you mean? After all, there are four people who are described as fearing G-d; Avraham,[28] Iyov,[29] Yosef[30] and Ovadiah.”[31] She said,” I’m looking for the one who is ‘very G-d fearing’” (see above). She was then informed as to the location of her husband’s grave. She said to him, “Before you passed away, I asked you who would support my children and you said that G-d had told you that He would take care of them. But now I have no one to save them.” Ovadiah instructed her to go to Elisha, the prophet, who would assist her, considering what Ovadiah had done to save the other prophets. (Some say Elisha was among the prophets saved by Ovadiah.)
After finding out that (all) she had in her house was a small flask of oil, Elisha instructed her to prepare utensils which she would fill with oil that would (miraculously) keep on flowing from the flask. After the miracle occurred, he instructed her to sell the oil and sustain herself from the proceeds. The reason G-d’s salvation was wrought through oil is because Ovadiah had provided the prophets in the caves with oil (for light).
Saved the Jewish People
The Midrash connects the above with what happened in the previous chapter previous to this one of II Kings.[32] The combined armies of Yehoram, king of Israel, Yehoshafat, king of Yehudah, and the king of Edom were unable to conquer the nation of Moav. This was because when Meisha, king of Moav, saw that he was losing, he offered his first-born son as a sacrifice to his god (the sun god). This caused a celestial judgment against the Jewish people as the prosecuting angels pointed out that King Meisha was more devoted to his god than the Jewish people were to the true G-d. The Midrash concludes that it was the merit of the righteous widow wife of Ovadiah that saved the Jewish people from destruction, as it immediately following the account of the battle, the prophet speaks about her story (“Ve’isha achat mineshei venei hanevi’im etc- and a wife of one of the students of the prophets…”).
The commentaries explain[33] that Ovadiah’s wife sacrificed the physical comfort of her sons (see above) so that they remain devoted to G-d. This was the (spiritual) antidote to the Moabite king’s sacrifice of his son.
Merited to Prophecy by Saving the Prophets
The Talmud says that Ovaidah was given prophecy in the merit of his saving the prophets. This follows the concept that G-d rewards people based on their actions, “measure for measure.”[34]
The commentaries wonder why the Talmud finds it necessary to explain what Ovadiah did to merit prophecy when there is no similar discussion about other prophets.
They offer various explanations:
● Was a Convert
Rashi explains that the Shechinah (Divine Presence) only “rests” on Jewish people with good lineage and not on a convert. Since Ovadiah was a convert, he needed a special merit to achieve prophecy.
● Didn’t Prepare for It
The Aruch LeNer explains that in those days people who wanted to become prophets would prepare themselves in various ways in order to achieve prophecy. Such people were called benei hanevi’im (sons or students of prophets). Ovadiah wasn’t preparing himself in this way, for if he would have, Izevel would have killed him when she killed all of the prophets of G-d. Despite his lack of preparation, Ovadiah achieved prophecy in the merit of his providing safe shelter and food for the prophets.
● Was Still a Student
Another explanation offered by the Aruch LeNer is that Ovadiah was preparing to become a prophet, but he didn’t reach the level usually necessary to achieve prophecy. This is why, even after he passed away, he was referred to as one of the “sons of the prophets.”[35] Despite this, in consideration of his having saved the prophets, he merited to prophesize and foretell the downfall of Edom.
May this happen quickly with the coming of Moshiach now!
[3] Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah, 385.
In the cases of Shmuel (see I Samuel chapter 1) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:1), we know both their names and their places of origin.
In the cases of the following prophets, we know only their fathers’ names: Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:3), Hoshe’a (Hoshe’a 1:1), Yoel (Yoel 1:1), Yonah (Yonah 1:1), Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:1) and Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1).
In the cases of Amos (Amos 1:1), Micha (Micha 1:1) and Nachum (Nachum 1:1), we know their place of origin but not their fathers’ names.
Habakuk’s father and place of origin aren’t given (Habakuk 1:1), but our sages (Zohar, quoted here) identify him as the son of the Shunamite woman. Chagai’s father’s name and place of origin aren’t provided (Chagai 1:1). Malachi’s father’s name and place of origin aren’t given (Malachi 1:1), but some identify him with Mordechai (Megillah 15a).
This list only includes the prophets who have their own books in Tanach. As far as other prophets, here are the ones whose father’s names and places of origin aren’t cited: Natan Hanavi (II Samuel 12:1), Gad HaChozeh (I Samuel 22:5), Ido Hanavi (II Chronicles 13:22) and Machseyah (Jeremiah 32:12).
[4] Ibid.
[5] I Kings 18:3 describes Ovadiah as being in charge of the house. Shemot Rabbah 31:4 calls him the apotrapos (manager) of Achav.
[7] Midrash Tanchumah, quoted in Abarbanel on Ovadiah 1:1.
[9] In defense of the opinion of the Talmud, it’s possible that Ovadiah only began to prophesize after that incident which is why he’s not described as a prophet in that verse. The Talmud (ibid) says that Ovadiah became a prophet in the merit of his hiding 100 prophets in a cave and saving them from being killed by Izevel (see below). This means that he only prophesized after that event.
[10] Yalkut Shimoni on Isaiah, 385
[11] Ibid
[12] Margaliyot HaYam, Sanhedrin 2a, it 26. See also Targum Sheini on Megillat Esther 4:1 that Chagai, Zechariah and Malachi prophesized in the Lishkat HaGazit (the seat of the Sanhedrin).
[13] Da’at Mikra, Nispach 1 on Isaiah.
[21] Tanchuma, quoted in Rashi on II Kings 4:1.
[22] Tosfot D.H. Ani, Avdodah Zarah 26b.
[24] Rashi on II Kings 4:1
[25] Sanhedrin ibid.
[26] Based on II Kings 4:1 – 7 as explained in the Yalkut Me’am Loez and the Ahavat Yonatan.
[27] Although there is no provision in the Torah to collect children as payment for a debt, Yehoram’s demand wasn’t completely outlandish as a king has the right to enslave his subjects (Ahavat Yonatan).
[28] See footnote 14.
[31] See footnote 13.
[32] II Kings 3:4 and on.
[33] Beyad Nevi’echa by Rabbi Shmuel Fruchter (Benei Berak, 2011) siman 35 and in various other sources.
[34] Kli Yakar, quoted in Etz Yosef on Ein Yaakov.
[35] II Kings 4:1 as explained in Rashi.
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