Fast of Gedaliah - Respecting the Word of G-d

בס"ד

The prophets frequently complain that the people of Israel despise (מָאַס) the Torah and the word of G-d. Despise has a number of meanings such as loathe, to hold in contempt and reject. It also often has the connotation of weakness. In this case it would mean that one need not obey the Torah because there will be no consequences for transgressing on its precepts. The word of G-d refers to the messages that G-d gives a prophet to deliver.  

This is an essential theme in the Fast of Gedaliah. After Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first Temple, most all of the Jews were exiled into Babylon. However a small number of people, generally low in stature were allowed to remain and Gedaliah ben Ahiqam was appointed as their governor. Sadly he was assassinated by another Jew. The Jews than asked the prophet Jeremiah to pray for them and to inquire of Hashem what to do as they feared greatly a reprisal from the Babylonians. 

Jeremiah did so and received a prophecy from G-d. The people were to stay in the land of Israel. There G-d would build them up, protect them, not punish them for past sins, and generally show them mercy. They are explicitly told not to go to Egypt particularly with the belief that there they would be safe from war and hunger and warned that if they do so the things that they are trying to avoid will overtake them and much worse. The reaction of the people is to accuse Jeremiah of lying to them and to flee to Egypt. The result is that horrible things happen to them and the land of Israel is completely empty of Jews. 

This is the reason for the fast. It also helps explain why there are no prophets today. What is this like? If a person consults an expert as to the proper approach and gets a reasonable answer, he should follow the advice. If he doesn't, the expert is within his rights to be unhappy with such a person. So too, if a prophet is asked for the word of G-d, it must be respected. The word respect in Hebrew יִרָא also means fear. The idea is that full respect includes some concern for consequences. If a person holds that the Torah may have beautiful ideas and great advice but it can be set aside without concern, there is an aspect of holding it in contempt. One of the principles of religious faith is to believe that the Torah is the revealed will of G-d and that He punishes people who do not keep it and rewards those that do.

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