For The Sake Of Israel

Achan, for what reason was he punished? Because his wife and his children knew about it. "Israel has sinned" (Joshua 7:11). Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said: Even though he has sinned, he is still Israel. Rabbi Abba said: This is what people say: A myrtle that stands among thorns, its name is still myrtle and it is called myrtle. "And they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them; they have even taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff" (Joshua 7:11). Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Mispparta: This teaches that Achan transgressed against the five books of the Torah, as it is said five times "also" [gam]. And Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Mispparta: Achan used to draw back his foreskin. It is written here "And they have also transgressed My covenant" (Joshua 7:11), and it is written there "He has broken My covenant" (Genesis 17:14, of circumcision). This is obvious! What might you have said? That he was not dissolute regarding the commandment itself. Therefore it teaches us. "And because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel" (Joshua 7:15). Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said: This teaches that Achan had relations with a betrothed maiden. It is written here "And because he has done a disgraceful thing" (Joshua 7:15), and it is written there "For she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel" (Deuteronomy 22:21). This is obvious! What might you have said? That to such a degree he did not make himself dissolute. Therefore it teaches us. Ravina said: His law is like that of a betrothed maiden, which is stoning. The Exilarch said to Rav Huna: It is written, "And Joshua took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his ox, and his donkey, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had" (Joshua 7:24). If he sinned, what did his sons and daughters do? He said to him: According to your reasoning, if he sinned, what did all Israel do, as it is written "And all Israel with him"? Rather, it was to chastise them. So too here, it was in order to chastise them. "And they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones" (Joshua 7:25). In two ways? Ravina said: The one fit for burning, to burning; the one fit for stoning, to stoning. "And I saw among the spoil a goodly mantle of Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver" (Joshua 7:21). Rav said: a robe of fine wool; and Shmuel said: a cloak of dyed material. "And they laid them out before the LORD" (Joshua 7:23). Rav Nahman said: He came and dashed them down before the Omnipresent. He said before Him: Master of the world, for the sake of these shall the majority of the Sanhedrin be killed? As it is written: "And the men of Ai struck of them about thirty-six men" (Joshua 7:5). And it was taught: Thirty-six literally, the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Nehemyah said to him: But were they thirty-six? Was it not stated only "about thirty-six men"? Rather, this was Yair son of Manasseh, who was equal in weight to the majority of the Sanhedrin. Rav Nahman said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "The poor man speaks supplications, but the rich answers roughly" (Proverbs 18:23)? "The poor man speaks supplications" is Moses; "but the rich answers roughly" is Joshua. What is the reason? If you say it is because it is written "And they laid them out before the LORD," and Rav Nahman said: He came and dashed them down before the Omnipresent. Is that so? Did not Phinehas do the same? As it is written: "Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment [vayfallel], and the plague was stayed" (Psalms 106:30), and Rabbi Elazar said: It does not say "and he prayed" [vayyitpallel] but "and he executed judgment" [vayfallel], teaching that he entered into judgment with his Maker. He came and dashed them down before the Omnipresent, saying before Him: Master of the world, for the sake of these shall twenty-four thousand fall from Israel? As it is written: "And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand" (Numbers 25:9). But rather from here: "Why have you at all brought this people over the Jordan" (Joshua 7:7). But Moses too spoke similarly: "Why have You dealt ill with this people" (Exodus 5:22). Rather from here: "Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan" (Joshua 7:7). "And the LORD said to Joshua: Get you up" (Joshua 7:10). Rabbi Sheila expounded: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Yours is harder than theirs. I said, "And it shall be on the day you cross over the Jordan, you shall set up" (Deuteronomy 27:2-4), and you removed yourselves sixty mil away. After he went out, Rav set up an interpreter over him and expounded: "As the LORD commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses" (Joshua 11:15). If so, what is the meaning of "Get you up"? He said to him: You caused this to them. And this is what He said to him concerning Ai: "And you shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king" (Joshua 8:2). "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold... and he said, No, but I am the captain of the host of the LORD; I have now come. [And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and prostrated himself]" (Joshua 5:13-14). How could he do this? Did not Rabbi Yohanan say: A person is forbidden to greet his fellow at night, lest he be a demon? It is different there, for he said to him, "I am the captain of the host of the LORD; I have now come." And perhaps they lie? It is learned by tradition that they do not utter the name of Heaven in vain.