וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ מָ֚ה אֶתֵּ֣ן זֶ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י מֵ֣אָה אִ֑ישׁ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר תֵּ֤ן לָעָם֙ וְיֹאכֵ֔לוּ כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֖ה אָכֹ֥ל וְהוֹתֵֽר׃
Ma il suo servitore disse: «Come faccio a mettere questo davanti a cento uomini?». Ed egli rispose: «Dallo alla gente, affinché mangino; poiché così ha detto il Signore: Mangeranno e ne avanzerà»
Depths of Yonah
A Compelling Question
This question is indeed compelling. After all, Chazal (cited by Rashi to Melachim II 9:1) assert that Yonah began his career as one of the Bnei HaNeviim (prophets in training) who studied under the tutelage of the prophet Elisha. Melachim II 4:43 records that there were one hundred students in Elisha’s Yeshiva, training to be prophets. Melachim II 6:1 implies that later Elisha had even more Talmidim. Thus, Hashem indeed had a choice of many different Neviim from among Yonah’s peers to send to address Nineveh.
This question is indeed compelling. After all, Chazal (cited by Rashi to Melachim II 9:1) assert that Yonah began his career as one of the Bnei HaNeviim (prophets in training) who studied under the tutelage of the prophet Elisha. Melachim II 4:43 records that there were one hundred students in Elisha’s Yeshiva, training to be prophets. Melachim II 6:1 implies that later Elisha had even more Talmidim. Thus, Hashem indeed had a choice of many different Neviim from among Yonah’s peers to send to address Nineveh.
Or HaChaim
ובקצרכם את קציר ארצכם, "And when you reap the harvest of your land, etc." The Torah commenced this verse by speaking in the plural, whereas it concluded by addressing an individual i.e. לא תכלה פאת שדך, "you (sing.) must not reap the corner of your field." The Torah may have wanted to dispel the faulty notion that when the amount of gleanings, etc. does not amount to anywhere near enough to provide something meaningful for the poor that the law does not apply. We find an example of such thinking in Kings II 4,43 where Gechazi, Elisha's servant, questioned the use of sharing out twenty loaves amongst over one hundred of Elisha's followers. The Torah therefore addresses each farmer individually to tell him that even though his individual contribution is minimal he must abide by this legislation. The Torah uses the singular for each one of the types of gifts for the poor listed in our verse.