Commentaire sur Jonas 4:15

Now it displeased Jonah—He said, “Now the nations will say that I am a false prophet.” [from Pirk&d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 10]

Displeased: ...How did Jonah know? The forty days had not yet passed. God told him in the spirit of prophecy that He had turned from what He had decreed for them, since they had repented of their evil way.

...Jonah became depressed and wanted to die, because ... while they had repented from their evil ways in beliefs and deeds, he saw that they continued in their idolatry, and did not repent for their sins against God...

was this not my contention—I know that, if they repent, You will not destroy them, and I will appear to them as a liar.

...I knew that even if they continued to worship idols that You would not destroy them, and that is why I did not want to go on this mission.

Now, please, take my life: so that I do not see the harm to Israel, like Moses our Teacher of blessed memory said, "erase me from Your book," and "kill me, please."

Now: seeing that Israel had not repented, he feared that harm would come to them, and so he prayed, "please take my life," like Moses said "erase me [from Your book]...

Jonah left the city and sat east of the city...until he should see what happened to the city: when the prophecy went forth - and the word of God necessarily comes to fruition - even if they repented, this proclamation could not go entirely unfulfilled. And when the prophecy went forth that Nineveh would be overturned, even if they did repent, the prophet feared remaining in the city, because at least some house and courtyards would certainly fall. And so he left the city, and God showed him that He has great power to redeem, as the entire prophecy was in the end directed only at Jonah's gourd.

God was rebuking Jonah for his anger by saying "Are you that deeply grieved?" - which is to say, is there a trait worse than this one of yours, that you are grieved that I have been good to Nineveh?

Jonah left...east of the city: he sat in a place east of the city until he would see if perhaps they wouldn't stick with their repentance, and then the decree would be reinstated against them.

until he should see what happened to the city: he thought, even though the decree was cancelled and there would be no general overturning, even so, it was inconceivable that there wouldn't be some consequence, some punishment to the city...

appointed Heb. וַיְמַן, an expression of preparation. [from Jonathan]

to save him from his discomfort—From the heat of the sun.

kikayon—A plant that grows high with many branches and it affords shade and that is its name.

attacked Heb. וַתַּךְ. The worm attacked the kikayon. Where one would say for masculine וַיַךְ, he struck, he says for feminine וַתַּךְ, she struck.

stilling Heb. חֲרִישִׁית. Our Sages say: When it blows, it silences all the winds because of it, and it is very hot. So does Jonathan render: silencing. [from Gittin 31b]

and he fainted Heb. וַיִּתְעַלָּף, pasmer (pamer ), in O.F.

On the one hand, Jonah did not ask for life or health, but for death. On the other, he was grieved about the plant that had gone, because he had rejoiced over it. This is why God rebuked him by pointing out the contradiction, "Are you so deeply grieved about the plant?" - that is, if, as you say, death is better than life, why are you sorry about the plant that dried up? It would appear that life actually seemed good to you, and so you rejoiced over the plant that prolonged your life, and you were grieved at its absence, because its absence will bring about your death.

for which you did not toil—with plowing, sowing, or watering.

one night Heb. בִּן-לַיְלָה, lit., one night old, like בֶּן לַיְלָה. It grew only one night.

who do not know etc.—I.e, children.

And should I not care about Nineveh: who are the work of My hands, which is precious, because it is the great city even though many practice idolatry there. Does it not have more than 120,000 people who do not know their right from their left, who do not know how to distinguish between worshiping the God Who supports them from the right...and worshiping the [false gods represented by the] left...?
No, they should not be punished for their lack of understanding, and neither should the beasts, because even if the people sinned, what sin did the beasts do?
And thus Jonah received an answer on the punishment in store for Israel, because they had already been taught the difference between the right and the left [i.e. monotheism vs. idolatry]. They had already received the true Divine religion, and they deserved punishment for their idolatry, even as the people of Nineveh would [punish or be punished] for this.

and many beasts as well—Adult, who have the intelligence of beasts, who do not recognize who created them.