Why Elijah, Gideon, David and Joshua Broke Torah Law

Another interpretation: "Gilead is mine" (Psalms 60:9). If a person says to you: Why did Elijah build an altar on Mount Carmel and offer upon it, when the Temple was standing at that time, and Moses said, "Any man of the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a lamb [or a goat] etc., and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting [to offer it as an offering to the Lord before the Tabernacle of the Lord—bloodguilt shall be reckoned to that man etc.]" (Leviticus 17:3-4)—say to him: At that time Elijah acted for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, and by command of the Almighty, as it is said, "And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening offering [that Elijah the prophet drew near, and said... and at Your word I have done all these things]" (1 Kings 18:36). Thus, "Gilead is mine." "Manasseh is mine"—if a person says to you: Behold, Gideon offered on a high place, and that was forbidden, for Shiloh was standing; and Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Gideon did seven things—he offered a bull that had been worshiped, and a bull set aside [for idolatry], and he built an altar, and he cut wood from the Asherah, and he offered at night, and without a priest, and it was among the priests [of idolatry]—and everything he did, he did by command of the Almighty, as it is said, "And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said to him: Take the bull [etc.]" (Judges 6:25). Thus, "Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine." "Judah is my lawgiver"—and if a person says to you: Behold, David transgressed a negative commandment, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: He taught the tribes like a scribe teaching children, as it is said, "I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall return to You" (Psalms 51:15). Thus, "Judah is my lawgiver." "Ephraim also is the strength of my head"—if a person says to you: Why did Joshua profane the Sabbath at Jericho, say to him: He acted by command of the Almighty, as it is said, "And the Lord said to Joshua: See, I have given Jericho into your hand" (Joshua 6:2), and it is written, "And you shall encircle the city etc., thus shall you do six days; and seven priests etc., and on the seventh day you shall encircle the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets" (Joshua 6:3-4). And how do we know it was the Sabbath? For there are never seven days in the world without a Sabbath. And furthermore, Joshua did another thing of his own accord, which was not said to him: When Jericho was conquered, it was the Sabbath. He said: The Sabbath is entirely holy, and all that we have conquered on the Sabbath shall be holy to the Lord, as it is said, "And all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord etc." (Joshua 6:19). Rabbi Berechiah the priest, son of Rabbi, said: He made it like a condemned city, and behold, a condemned city is forbidden for benefit, as it is said, "And you shall burn with fire the city and all its spoil entirely, to the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 13:17). Rabbi Judah ha-Levi bar Shalom said: He taught Israel what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "The first of your dough [you shall set apart a portion as a gift]" (Numbers 15:20). Joshua said: Since we conquered it first, let us make it dough [a first-portion offering] to the Holy One, blessed be He; let us consecrate all its spoil to the Most High. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since you have done so, behold, your offering supports your tribe and overrides the Sabbath, as it is said, "On the seventh day, the chieftain of the children of Ephraim" (Numbers 7:48).