Imagine opening a box of old letters, deciphering between the lines of back and forth communications between relatives in far away lands, the tense subtext of the stories, told and untold. That’s what’s going on in today’s chapter, detailing scrolls sent between Jerusalem and Babylon, debating the fate of the exiles and how to handle the new normal. It’s riveting.
By the time these letters are dispatched, the Judeans have to contend with split realities - two communities - and two kings. It’s 594 BCE, and in the wake of the exile of King Jeconiah and the royal court, 3 years earlier, in 597 BCE, the Judeans have become two centers, one in Babylon and one in Judah. The puppet king ruling Jerusalem, Zedekiah, is hanging on by a thread, and the tensions rise - to obey Babylon or join a regional revolt led by Egypt. The exiled in Babylon are as torn as their relatives left back in Jerusalem - do they accept their new normal as exiles or support the revolt so that they can return home and resume their life - as the ruling elite?
Jeremiah’s unpopular position is clear and loud: Surrender to Babylon till further notice so that more people can survive. The time will come for the return of the exiles and the return of rule - but not yet. Backing Zedekiah’s plan, some other prophets disagree, as we saw in the last chapter, and now Jeremiah expands the campaign to the people and the prophets who are already exiles in Babylon. He sends them a letter. They respond. It gets ugly.
Plant gardens, have babies - settle down in Babylon, Jeremiah advises the exiles. Do not rebel or think of coming back here anytime soon - the end here is near. Furthermore, he advises them, get on the side of Babylon - that’s the only strategic way to survive:
וְדִרְשׁ֞וּ אֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הָעִ֗יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִגְלֵ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה וְהִתְפַּֽלְל֥וּ בַעֲדָ֖הּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֣י בִשְׁלוֹמָ֔הּ יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם שָׁלֽוֹם׃
Seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to YHWH on its behalf; for in its prosperity you shall prosper.
Jeremiah 29:7
Jeremiah plants the seeds for diasporic loyalties - bless Babylon, pray for its peace - because only the welfare of the empire will enable Judeans to also live in peace. Forget the notions of return to Jerusalem, he urges the elders of Judah, at least for now. It’ll take as long as it takes - even seventy years. He’ll end up being right about this length of time but imagine how his words were heard by his contemporaries, eager to resume the lives they once lived. This chapter indicates the social class of the exiles - The king and his mother, the courtiers and craftsmen, some of the priests and prophets. While the exiled king bows his head to Babylon, some of the others speak up against the empire and are punished by death. Some other prophets, named here, reply to Jeremiah with wrath - how dare he tell them what to do and dash their hopes of speedy return to Zion?
One of the exiled prophets, Shemaiah the Nehelamite, writes back to the priests in Jerusalem denouncing Jeremiah for supporting Babylon at the expense of Jerusalem.
And so it goes. The debate between Jewish communities over loyalties and strategies goes on today, with bitter missives, posts and tweets, op-eds and protests. Jeremiah speaks from his heart, guided by God, and so, perhaps do the others. Between the lines of the Babylon-Jerusalem letters echoed in today’s chapter are the bitter tears of exile, the hopes for wellbeing and a message that still resonates today -- find ways to plant gardens, have babies, pray for the peace of the world and the powers that rule it -- that’s only way to survive and thrive, wherever we are - and whatever ‘we’ is.
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The recent dispute between the Othodox on one side and those who like family-together prayers both have strong arguments.
That said, public space is public space where all may come and go undisturbed.
I believe that those who wish to pray in orthodox plan should do so in their own communities, such as Bnai Brak. Others who wish to assemble in family-together format should be able to do so in their communities.....