{"id":47348,"date":"2019-02-08T15:50:20","date_gmt":"2019-02-08T21:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=47348"},"modified":"2019-02-17T11:04:09","modified_gmt":"2019-02-17T17:04:09","slug":"nauseating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/nauseating\/","title":{"rendered":"Nauseating"},"content":{"rendered":"

By RABBI JOSEPH H. PROUSER<\/p>\n

The Book of Jonah records the prophet\u2019s flight from God and his three days in the \u201cbelly of the whale\u201d (literally, \u201cgreat fish\u201d). Jonah is subsequently \u201cvomited\u201d by the whale onto dry land (2:11), where he grudgingly completes his divine mission. Jonah\u2019s experience conveys two complementary lessons.<\/p>\n

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Jonah\u2019s experience is also suggestive of ambergris, the pungent, waxy substance produced in the digestive tract of sperm whales, from which it is regurgitated\u2026 and generally found on beaches. Even if superficially unappealing, ambergris (essentially, petrified whale vomit) is highly prized as a source of fuel, pharmaceuticals, perfume and cosmetics. The Prophet Jonah was human ambergris! God\u2019s revealed will, with all its moral constraints and demands on our freedom, is a treasure\u2026 even if a less encumbered lifestyle may \u2013 deceptively \u2013 appear more appealing.<\/p>\n

Jonah reminds us: an affected, ostentatious piety is sickening\u2026 and, seemingly more attractive alternatives notwithstanding, God\u2019s Word is an invaluable discovery. Absent these moral insights, Jonah is just another big fish story.<\/p>\n

(Rabbi Joseph Prouser is the rabbi of Temple Emanuel of North Jersey and the National Chaplain of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting.)<\/em><\/p>\n

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