Chapter 40 opens a new chapter in the life of Yirmiyahu and in the life of the nation. Jerusalem lies in ruins, the people have been exiled to Babylon, and the prophet who warned them for decades now stands facing the aftermath. The chapter describes Yirmiyahu's release from his chains, his choice to remain in the Land with the poorest of the people, and the early days of Gedalyahu ben Achikam at Mitzpah - days of brief hope that ended in tragedy.
הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ מֵאֵת יְהֹוָה אַחַר שַׁלַּח אֹתוֹ נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב־טַבָּחִים מִן־הָרָמָה בְּקַחְתּוֹ אֹתוֹ וְהוּא־אָסוּר בָּאזִקִּים בְּתוֹךְ כׇּל־גָּלוּת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וִיהוּדָה הַמֻּגְלִים בָּבֶלָה׃ - The word that came to Yirmiyahu from Hashem after Nevuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had released him from Ramah, when he took him bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon.
The verse describes the prophecy that came to Yirmiyahu from Hashem after Nevuzaradan, the captain of the guard, released him from prison, at a time when he had been bound - that is, tied - in chains among the entire exile of Jerusalem and Judah being led away to Babylon.
The Midrash in Eichah Rabbah asks: What was that "word" that came to Yirmiyahu? It answers: "Return to Gedalyahu." The explanation is as follows: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yirmiyahu: Will you go down with the exiles while I remain here with those left behind, or will you remain here while I descend with them to Babylon? Yirmiyahu said: If I go down with them, of what benefit will I be to them? Rather, let their Creator descend with them, for He can benefit them greatly. In other words, the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself would accompany the Jewish people into the Babylonian exile, while Yirmiyahu would remain with the remnant in the Land.
A major question arises here: Did not Nevuchadnezzar explicitly command Nevuzaradan not to harm Yirmiyahu, to do him no injury, and to do for him whatever he might ask? If so, how could Yirmiyahu be led away in the convoy of exiles bound in chains, being exiled to Babylon?
Rather, Chazal explain: He went into exile with them of his own accord. When he saw groups of people fastened in neck-irons, he would insert his own neck among them, saying to them: "Would that I could take your place!"
In this act lay a profound message. It was as if he were saying to them: "Now, wouldn't it have been worthwhile to heed the word of Hashem that was delivered to you back then? Wouldn't it have been proper to fulfill Hashem's command so that you would not be suffering now? See how much you suffer now because you did not listen. And how my heart aches for you."
Often, when a person warns others saying, "Such and such will happen," and it indeed comes to pass, he feels vindicated: "You see? I told you so! Why didn't you listen to me? You deserve it, now take your punishment!" Such behavior is unbecoming of anyone, certainly of a prophet, and all the more so of a moral person. After all, the entire warning was intended from the start to bring about repentance. Once they have received their punishment, we must not rejoice over the suffering, but quite the contrary - grieve: "Why were you punished, when you could have avoided it?"
And what we find in Avos D'Rabbi Nasan that there is an element of joy - this is regarding an entirely different matter: the death of a wicked person. There, several reasons apply: the moment the wicked person dies, he no longer commits evil and no longer harms the Jewish people. Furthermore, the moment he dies, the accumulation of sins comes to an end for him, and so he will not continue to suffer in the World to Come for long years, having died with his years cut short. For every additional day he lives is a day in which he adds another log to the fire of his Gehinnom, and when he lives less, he harms himself less, and as mentioned, also causes less harm to the public. Aside from this, in his very death there is a Kiddush Hashem - the Creator's Name is magnified in the world now that this wicked person is no longer here, and there is less Chillul Hashem in the world.
Yirmiyahu, however, certainly did not rejoice in their misfortune. On the contrary, he accompanied them, felt their pain, wept with them, and bound himself to them. This is a true leader: someone who attaches himself to his people, goes into exile with them, shares their pain, and weeps with them - not someone who says, 'Wait, I have a visa, I am all set, I am heading back.'
וַיִּקַּח רַב־טַבָּחִים לְיִרְמְיָהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ דִּבֶּר אֶת־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה׃ - The chief executioner took Yirmiyahu and said to him, 'Hashem your God spoke this evil concerning this place.'
וַיָּבֵא וַיַּעַשׂ יְהֹוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר כִּי־חֲטָאתֶם לַיהֹוָה וְלֹא־שְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּקוֹלוֹ וְהָיָה לָכֶם הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃ - 'And Hashem brought it and did as He had spoken, because you sinned against Hashem and did not obey His voice; therefore this thing has come upon you.'
Nevuzaradan takes Yirmiyahu and essentially tells him: Why are you grieving so much over them? After all, Hashem said that all of this would befall them. This is the Gentile's mindset: in his view, Yirmiyahu ought to be rejoicing now - look, what you warned about has come to pass! 'I told you so and you didn't listen; you see? You got what you deserved.' Therefore he asks him: Hashem your God spoke this evil, so on the contrary, now you should rejoice and say to them, 'You see? Hashem spoke, and Hashem fulfilled it.'
This is also the continuation of his words: 'And Hashem brought it and did as He had spoken, because you sinned against Hashem and did not obey His voice.' That is to say, this is the decree of Hashem, and on the contrary, this proves that their actions were sinful in Hashem's eyes, and that these deeds provoked their Creator, so this punishment is deserved. If so, why are you grieving?
וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה פִתַּחְתִּיךָ הַיּוֹם מִן־הָאזִקִּים אֲשֶׁר עַל־יָדֶךָ אִם־טוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ לָבוֹא אִתִּי בָבֶל בֹּא וְאָשִׂים אֶת־עֵינִי עָלֶיךָ וְאִם־רַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ לָבוֹא־אִתִּי בָבֶל חֲדָל רְאֵה כׇּל־הָאָרֶץ לְפָנֶיךָ אֶל־טוֹב וְאֶל־הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת שָׁמָּה לֵךְ׃ - 'And now, behold, I have freed you today from the chains that were on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will set my eye upon you; but if it seems bad to you to come with me to Babylon, refrain. See, the whole land is before you; wherever it seems good and proper in your eyes to go, go there.'
Nevuzaradan says to him: 'Behold, I have freed you today from the chains that were on your hands.' You went on your own and put chains on your hands, and this displeases me - I have orders from above. Woe to me if my boss sees that you have chains on your hands; Nevuchadnetzar warned me to treat your honor and well-being with care and to do whatever you wish, and I do not want him to see you bound in chains.
Therefore, he gives him a choice: If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will keep an eye on you; I am prepared to take you with me, but without chains, for you do not deserve to be chained. And if it seems bad to you to come with me to Babylon, refrain; go wherever you wish. But to continue with me to Babylon in chains - that I am not willing to allow.
וְעוֹדֶנּוּ לֹא־יָשׁוּב וְשֻׁבָה אֶל־גְּדַלְיָה בֶן־אֲחִיקָם בֶּן־שָׁפָן אֲשֶׁר הִפְקִיד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וְשֵׁב אִתּוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הָעָם אוֹ אֶל־כׇּל־הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת לֵךְ וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ רַב־טַבָּחִים אֲרֻחָה וּמַשְׂאֵת וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ׃ - And while he had not yet turned back: 'Return to Gedalyah son of Achikam, son of Shafan, whom the king of Babylon appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people, or go wherever it seems right in your eyes to go.' And the chief executioner gave him an allowance of food and a gift, and sent him off.
Yirmiyahu was not interested in turning back, until the Holy One, Blessed be He, told him: 'Return to Gedalyahu son of Achikam, son of Shafan' - and I, Hashem said, will go down with them to Babylon. Only then did he agree to return, once he heard that those poor people left behind here needed him just as much as the rest of the exiles. And Nevuzaradan gave him an allowance and a gift - food and provisions - and sent him on his way back to his land.
The Malbim explains: Nevuzaradan is telling Yirmiyahu - if you think that the exiles will quickly return to Eretz Yisrael, and that you are merely escorting them and will immediately return, you are mistaken. "While he has not yet returned" - this people is now going for a prolonged period, into absolute exile in Babylonia. This is no regional tour after which they will be brought back to Gedalyah ben Achikam. And since the people are not destined to return, therefore, "return to Gedalyah ben Achikam" - return by yourself, without them.
Furthermore, he offered him an alternative: If you wish - dwell with him among the people; and if you wish to go from there to somewhere else, you may settle anywhere else in the land. For unfortunately, there is now plenty of room in the land, it is completely vacant, and you may dwell wherever you please. He also granted him a regular food allowance, so that he would have a steady sustenance.
וַיָּבֹא יִרְמְיָהוּ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָה בֶן־אֲחִיקָם הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיֵּשֶׁב אִתּוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הָעָם הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּאָרֶץ׃ - Yirmiyahu came to Gedalyah ben Achikam at Mitzpah, and dwelt with him among the people who remained in the land.
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כׇל־שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה הֵמָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם כִּי־הִפְקִיד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָם בָּאָרֶץ וְכִי הִפְקִיד אִתּוֹ אֲנָשִׁים וְנָשִׁים וָטָף וּמִדַּלַּת הָאָרֶץ מֵאֲשֶׁר לֹא־הׇגְלוּ בָּבֶלָה׃ - All the captains of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedalyahu ben Achikam over the land, and that he had entrusted to him men, women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, from those who had not been exiled to Babylon.
The officers of the forces who were in the field are those men who did not go into exile with the rest of the people, but fled and hid in the open country. Now they hear that the king of Babylon appointed Gedalyahu ben Achikam over the land, and that there are others of the people with him - men, women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, from those who were not exiled to Babylon. From this they understand that the king of Babylon does not intend to carry out another exile, but rather that those who remained should continue to sustain the land. If so - why should they continue fleeing?
וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָה הַמִּצְפָּתָה וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָהוּ וְיוֹחָנָן וְיוֹנָתָן בְּנֵי־קָרֵחַ וּשְׂרָיָה בֶן־תַּנְחֻמֶת וּבְנֵי עֵיפַי הַנְּטֹפָתִי וִיזַנְיָהוּ בֶּן־הַמַּעֲכָתִי הֵמָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם׃ - They came to Gedalyah at Mitzpah: Yishmael ben Netanyahu, Yochanan and Yonatan the sons of Kareach, Serayah ben Tanchumet, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Yezanyahu ben HaMaachati, they and their men.
וַיִּשָּׁבַע לָהֶם גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָם בֶּן־שָׁפָן וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם לֵאמֹר אַל־תִּירְאוּ מֵעֲבוֹד הַכַּשְׂדִּים שְׁבוּ בָאָרֶץ וְעִבְדוּ אֶת־מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְיִיטַב לָכֶם׃ - Gedalyahu ben Achikam ben Shafan swore to them and to their men, saying: Do not fear serving the Chaldeans; dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.
Gedalyahu swore to them: Do not fear or dread the Chaldeans, thinking you will be oppressed by serving them. Know that under the yoke of the king of Babylon it will go well for you here. It is better to be subservient to the Chaldeans than to do what your predecessors did, who tried to rebel against the Chaldeans and were exiled. If so, is it not far better for you to obey the voice of Hashem, serve the Chaldeans - and it will be well with you?
וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי יֹשֵׁב בַּמִּצְפָּה לַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי הַכַּשְׂדִּים אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ אֵלֵינוּ וְאַתֶּם אִסְפוּ יַיִן וְקַיִץ וְשֶׁמֶן וְשִׂמוּ בִּכְלֵיכֶם וּשְׁבוּ בְּעָרֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר־תְּפַשְׁתֶּם׃ - As for me, behold, I dwell at Mitzpah to stand before the Chaldeans who will come to us; but you, gather wine, summer fruit, and oil, put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.
Gedalyahu continues to reassure them: Lest you think that the Chaldeans coming on the king's mission will arrive and plunder what you harvest and vintage? You have nothing to worry about. I am dwelling in Mitzpah - I have established my seat here to stand before the Chaldeans who will come to us, meaning that I will shield and protect you. You need not fear, nor do you need to hide away the wine, oil, and summer fruit. "Kayitz" refers to dried fig cakes, which are cut.
Therefore: Gather wine and summer fruit and place them in your vessels - and you can do so publicly, out in the open. And do not be afraid to settle wherever you wish: "and dwell in your cities that you have taken" - you may dwell in any city you desire, without restriction.
וְגַם כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר־בְּמוֹאָב וּבִבְנֵי־עַמּוֹן וּבֶאֱדוֹם וַאֲשֶׁר בְּכׇל־הָאֲרָצוֹת שָׁמְעוּ כִּי־נָתַן מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל שְׁאֵרִית לִיהוּדָה וְכִי הִפְקִיד עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָם בֶּן־שָׁפָן׃ - Likewise, all the Judeans who were in Moav, among the Ammonites, in Edom, and in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedalyahu ben Achikam ben Shafan.
וַיָּשֻׁבוּ כׇל־הַיְּהוּדִים מִכׇּל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר נִדְּחוּ־שָׁם וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶרֶץ־יְהוּדָה אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיַּאַסְפוּ יַיִן וָקַיִץ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד׃ - And all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven, and they came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mitzpah; and they gathered wine and summer fruit in great abundance.
The Jews who had fled out of fear of the Chaldeans to the surrounding countries - Moab, Ammon, and Edom - also hear that there is now a new leader in Judah, Gedaliah ben Achikam, and that they can come and take refuge under his protection. Therefore, all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven, and came to Gedaliah at Mitzpah. They were granted permission to live in Mitzpah, and they gathered around him, working the land without fear, and harvesting wine and summer fruit in great abundance.
וְיוֹחָנָן בֶּן־קָרֵחַ וְכׇל־שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה בָּאוּ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ הַמִּצְפָּתָה׃ - And Yochanan ben Kareach and all the army officers who were in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mitzpah.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הֲיָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי בַּעֲלִיס מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי־עַמּוֹן שָׁלַח אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה לְהַכֹּתְךָ נָפֶשׁ וְלֹא־הֶאֱמִין לָהֶם גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָם׃ - And they said to him, "Do you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Yishmael ben Netanyah to strike you down fatally?" But Gedaliah ben Achikam did not believe them.
Yochanan ben Kareach and all the army officers - those who had fled and hidden in the fields when Nebuchadnezzar and his forces arrived - now return to Gedaliah. When they arrive, they tell him: We want you to know that someone else has returned with us, and this man harbors evil intentions toward you. His name is Yishmael ben Netanyah, and he was sent by Baalis, king of Ammon, to assassinate you. Gedaliah ben Achikam hears this - and does not believe them.
וְיוֹחָנָן בֶּן־קָרֵחַ אָמַר אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ בַסֵּתֶר בַּמִּצְפָּה לֵאמֹר אֵלְכָה נָּא וְאַכֶּה אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה וְאִישׁ לֹא יֵדָע לָמָּה יַכֶּכָּה נֶּפֶשׁ וְנָפֹצוּ כׇּל־יְהוּדָה הַנִּקְבָּצִים אֵלֶיךָ וְאָבְדָה שְׁאֵרִית יְהוּדָה׃ - Then Yochanan ben Kareach spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mitzpah, saying, "Let me go, please, and strike down Yishmael ben Netanyah, and no one will know. Why should he strike you down fatally, so that all of Judah who are gathered to you will be scattered, and the remnant of Judah will perish?"
Yochanan proposes to him in secret: Let me carry out a targeted preemptive strike; before he can even reach you, I will put him to death, and no one will ever know. Why should he murder you, thereby extinguishing the remaining ember that still survives here in Judah? For you are our hope; the moment Nebuchadnezzar sees that even Gedaliah ben Achikam has been killed, it is all over - he will tolerate no further rebellion, but will come and exile every single person to the very last one. Is it not right, then, to let me resolve the problem, to act first and eliminate the one coming to kill you, so that a remnant of Israel may remain here and their spark will not be snuffed out?
וַיֹּאמֶר גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָם אֶל־יוֹחָנָן בֶּן־קָרֵחַ אַל־תַּעֲשֵׂה אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה כִּי־שֶׁקֶר אַתָּה דֹבֵר אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵאל׃ - But Gedaliah ben Achikam said to Yochanan ben Kareach, "Do not do this thing, for you speak falsely concerning Yishmael."
Gedaliah listens and replies: Do not do this thing. What you are telling me about Yishmael and his plans is false, and I do not believe you.
Chazal teach - and as we will see further on - that the massacre of those people and this final exile are attributed to Gedaliah ben Achikam. And why? Because here he acted with a form of misguided piety. Someone comes and warns you of murder, that you are about to be assassinated, and you say, "Heaven forbid, that is lashon hara!" How could it be lashon hara? He is warning you of a mortal danger about to befall you! This refusal to heed the warning ultimately brought about the destruction of the entire remnant of that generation still in the Land, leading to complete exile.
Chapter 40 presents us with two leadership figures and two lessons. Yirmiyahu, who could have rejoiced in an 'I told you so,' chooses instead to bind himself in chains together with the exiles and say, 'Would that I were in your place' - because a true leader binds himself to his people, shares their pain, weeps with them, and takes no joy in the punishment of sinners. In contrast, Gedalyahu ben Achikam, who acted in good faith to return the remnant of Yehudah to its land and reassure them, failed through 'misguided piety' when he rejected the warning that could have saved his life, calling it a lie - and this failure brought about the destruction of the remnant and total exile. From both of these we learn: true Ahavas Yisrael means being with the people in their distress, and true vigilance means listening to a warning when it is given.