Jonah and the Sailors (and You) Often when we read a story, we miss a critical subplot, because we are focused on the main story. You may have heard the broad strokes of the story about Jonah. G-d sends the prophet to Nineveh to warn its people to repent, but Jonah runs away. He boards a ship heading in the opposite direction, only to encounter a violent storm. The sailors throw him overboard, and he is swallowed by a giant fish. After praying to G-d from inside the fish, Jonah is returned to dry land and finally goes to Nineveh to fulfill his mission. There are many sub-stories and sub-plots unfolding in the book of Jonah. One of them is the story of Jonah’s interaction with the sailors. Jonah seeks to escape his mission of being the prophet carrying the word of G-d to humanity. He does all he can to avoid his mission; he boards the ship, descends to the belly of the ship, and goes to sleep. But the surrounding circumstances do not allow him to sleep. A great storm breaks out; all the people call to their gods, and the captain wakes him up and demands to know, “What is your work, and whence do you come? What is your land, and from what people are you?", to which Jonah responds: "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven, Who made the sea and the dry land." (1:9) Here is Jonah, seeking to escape his mission. Yet, even though this is not his intention, he has a profound impact on the sailors. Ultimately, when they realize that the storm had subsided as soon as they cast Jonah into the sea, they recognize the greatness of G-d: And the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they made sacrifices to the Lord and made vows. (1:16) Turns out that while trying to avoid his mission of carrying the message of G-d, he cannot escape his fate. Wherever he goes, people are being affected. But the story of the sailors does not end until the cycle is complete. Because in the next chapter, while praying to G-d in the belly of the whale, Jonah referenced the sailors coming back to G-d: “Those who keep worthless futilities abandon their kindness (idols).” (Jonah 2:9) And then immediately addresses the impact the sailors' recognition of G-d had upon himself: And I - with a voice of thanks will I sacrifice to You; what I vowed I will pay. (Jonah 2:10) The transformation has occurred. Jonah impacts the sailors, who in turn influence him to reconsider and embrace his mission, as Abarbanel explains: With a voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to You: meaning to say that I will go to Nineveh, and with a voice of thanksgiving I will make the proclamation according to Your commandment; for this will be to You like a sacrifice and a grain offering, because behold, to obey is better than sacrifice. This is the story of Jonah, but it is also our story. We each have a Divine mission to accomplish on this earth. To help, to heal, to inspire. Often we are distracted or discouraged from aligning with our mission and purpose. Yet, ultimately, as the Book of Jonah teaches, G-d will direct us back to our mission, and when we extend ourselves to help others, their inspiration becomes the very spark that reignites our own. When we help others find inspiration, we too will be infused with the joy and enthusiasm that will fuel and bring blessing to our lives.
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