Joshua Conquered on Shabbat and Dedicated Jericho as Sacred

Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 15:18

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

It is written, "Ephraim is the stronghold of my head" (Psalms 60:9). If a person says to you, Why did Joshua profane the Shabbat? say to him: The Holy One, blessed be He, told him to, as it is said, "And you shall circle the city... thus shall you do six days... and on the seventh day..." (Joshua 6:3-4), and there are no seven days without a Shabbat. Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta said: He did one more thing of his own accord, which the Holy One, blessed be He, did not command him. Since he captured it on Shabbat, Joshua said: The Shabbat is holy, and everything we have captured on Shabbat shall be holy. Rabbi Berekhiah said: He treated it like a condemned idolatrous city. But is not a condemned city forbidden in benefit? Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi bar Shalom said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua: It is written, "The first of your dough you shall give to the LORD" (Numbers 15:21); since we captured it first, let us make it a dough-offering to the Holy One, blessed be He.

Themes

ShabbatCommandmentsHoly Land

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