Our story kicks off during a turbulent time. Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, has just kicked the bucket, and his son, Sennacherib, takes the throne. Now, this wasn't just a changing of the guard. Suddenly, travel became dangerous. The highways to Media, where Tobit had some money stashed away, were shut down because of wars. Imagine having your savings locked away, completely inaccessible!
But Tobit, despite his own troubles, wasn't one to sit idly by. He was a man of great tzedakah, charity. He gave generously to the poor, especially orphans and widows. But what really sets him apart is what he did next.
He saw the slain of his people, the Israelites, left unburied outside the walls of Nineveh. In Jewish tradition, this is a profound act of disrespect, not just to the deceased but to God. So, Tobit didn't rest. He didn't stay quiet. He took it upon himself to bury them, risking his own safety to perform this sacred duty. Talk about dedication to your principles!
And then, things got even worse. Remember Sennacherib, the new king? Well, he wasn't exactly a fan of the Israelites. The Book of Tobit tells us that Sennacherib returned from Judah to Nineveh "with confusion of face" because the Lord God of Israel had smitten him in the land of Judah. He was furious, feeling humiliated, and he took it out on the Israelites throughout his kingdom. The text says he "killed exceeding many of them."
It makes you wonder, what was Tobit thinking? He's out there, burying the dead, showing compassion, while the king is on a rampage. It's like shining a light in the darkest of nights, knowing it might draw the attention of something dangerous.
But Tobit doesn't stop there. He's not just burying bodies; he's wrestling with the bigger picture. He sought to understand why this calamity had befallen his people. He knew that God, the Kadosh Baruch Hu, the Holy One, blessed be He, is a God of truth and justice. So, where was the justice in all this suffering?
Tobit dove deep, trying to find the root cause. He observed that the tribes of Israel "did not lay to heart the destruction of their brethren". Sennacherib had burned their strongholds, slain their young men, and even ripped open pregnant women. It was a time of unspeakable horror, and perhaps, Tobit thought, a lack of solidarity and shared grief had contributed to their plight.
It's a heavy thought, isn't it? That our collective actions, or lack thereof, can influence our fate. Tobit wasn't just a passive observer; he was actively trying to understand the events unfolding around him, trying to find meaning in the chaos.
So, what do we take away from this opening of the Book of Tobit? We see a man of unwavering faith and courage, willing to risk everything to do what's right, even in the face of immense adversity. And we are left pondering the relationship between our actions, our suffering, and the mysterious ways of the divine.