Jerusalem’s destruction and the people’s suffering in the book of Lamentations is mostly seen as punishment for sin. But chapter two breaks the pattern: it accuses God not only of abandoning but of actively attacking His people with His own right hand. Perhaps counterintuitively, only by confronting YHWH in raw, honest terms—and with tears that flow like a stream—can the fire of God’s anger finally be cooled.
Moses’ claim that he is “heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue” has been understood as a speech impediment or language difficulty, but his actual concern is about his quick temper.
Jonah is an idiosyncratic prophet who disobeys, doesn’t really repent, and even gets angry with YHWH. While later interpretations seek to explain Jonah’s problematic behavior, in the book, it is Jonah who is confounded by YHWH’s actions.
Moses issues an ultimatum to God: “If you don’t forgive Israel, erase me from Your book” (Exodus 32:32). God forgives Israel but erases Moses from the Torah portion of Tetzaveh anyway because the curse of a Torah scholar always comes true. Here is the story of how this medieval midrash came about, and how it developed into the modern myth that Tetzaveh is the only portion after Moses’ birth that is missing his name.
The Talmud has God congratulating Moses for shattering the Tablets, however, a midrash criticizes him for venting his anger, quoting the verse, “Anger resides in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Was his act commendable or lamentable?
A look at Naomi’s theology, as expressed in her poem, and how it carries her through her grief and back into productive engagement.
