The climax of the yearly celebration came during the "Simchat Beit Hasho'evah" -- The Celebration of the Water Drawing -- an evening event, held daily from the second until the seventh days of the Succot holiday. During this ceremony, Yonah's joy reached ecstatic heights. The Holy Word of Hashem may rest upon a person when he is rejoicing in the performance of a Mitzvah, and that is exactly what happened in the case of Yonah ben Amitai. Yonah suddenly found himself overwhelmed by the Holy word of Hashem. He became a divine emissary, appointed to warn the gentile population of Ninveh to repent. (Yerushalmi Succah 5:1)

For reasons which will not be discussed here, Yonah balked at his assignment. He refused to accept his mission (see Jewish Thought, vol. 3:1, p.7, for further discussion of this matter). Yonah tried to flee from the word of Hashem by boarding a boat headed for Tarshish. When Hashem stirred up a storm that nearly sank the ship, Yonah publicly admitted his guilt in evading his duty. He advised the other passengers on the boat to throw him overboard. When they accepted his counsel and tossed him into the sea, the sea immediately calmed. (Book of Yonah, Ch. 1)

The passengers on the boat were so inspired by what had transpired, that each of them vowed to bring Korbanot, or offerings of thanks, to Hashem. (Targum Yonah, end of Ch. 1). In fact, they became so convinced of the omnipotence of Yonah's G-d, that they all eventually became proselytes. We refer to people such as these boatmates of Yonah, when we pray three times daily for Hashem to have mercy on "the righteous proselytes" (Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer, end of Ch. 10).

Yonah was undoubtedly plagued by the nagging question, "Why me?" It is obvious, however, that if *he* was chosen for the mission, Hashem must have had good reason for the choice. Perhaps, after a careful look at the words of Chazal, we can offer at least somewhat of an answer to this question, and gain a better understanding of Yonah's mission as well.

As Chazal tell us, Yonah's father stemmed from the tribe of Zevulun (Yerushalmi Succah 5:1). It is for this reason that Yonah's first impulse, upon fleeing the word of Hashem, was to board a ship. The tribe of Zevulun were primarily traders, who spent much time sailing to distant parts of the world in order to sell their wares (Rashi Devarim 33:18). It would therefore be natural for Yonah to feel safe and at ease when voyaging upon a boat.

Moshe Rabbeinu blessed all of the tribes of Yisroel on the day of his death. Implicit in his words were many revelations about their future destinies. Rashi describes Moshe's blessing for Zevulun in the following manner:

[The tribes of] Zevulun and Yissachar made a partnership. Zevulun traded at sea. He then shared his profits with Yissachar, who remained at home and studied the Torah... [it therefore can be said that] Yissachar's knowledge of Torah, was to Zevulun's credit.

"Zevulun," said Moshe Rabbeinu, "you shall trade successfully, and rejoice in your success. Yissachar -- you shall succeed in your Torah studies, and rejoice in that. You shall master the intricacies of the lunar calendar, and dictate to the tribes of Yisroel when to gather at Har Hamoria [i.e., the Beit Hamikdash] for the yearly holiday pilgrimages."

Alternatively, the verse means that *foreign nations* will gather at the Temple Mount through Zevulun's tradings. When foreign traders would cross the seas to trade with Zevulun, they would say, "Since we have already come this far, we might as well visit Jerusalem and see what these people worship." When they would come and see all of Yisroel serving a single deity and eating a single diet, they would be so overcome with awe that they would become proselytes.

(Rashi Devarim 33:18-19)

It is now evident why Yonah's prophesy came in the manner it did, and why *he* was chosen for this prophetic mission. As a member of the tribe of Zevulun, his was a pivotal role in the pilgrimages and their associated festivities. (*Rejoice*, Zevulun, when you go out..." -- Devarim ibid.) They were "his" Mitzvah, so to speak. (The Gemara tells us that even Yonah's wife, who, as a woman, was exempt from making the yearly pilgrimages, would also come to Jerusalem three times a year, out of her love for the Mitzvah -- Eruvin 96a.) Yonah was therefore able to take full advantage of these Mitzvot, and gain from them true spiritual growth -- even unto prophesy.

The prophetic message he was entrusted with, however, was not directed towards his brethren, the Bnai Yisroel. Rather, his assignment was to go out to the nations of the world and bring them to repent and follow the just and moral ways of Hashem. When Yonah refused to do so, there was only one way for him to correct his wrongdoing. He had to be thrown into the sea! The miraculous end that this brought to the storm demonstrated clearly to the gentile passengers aboard the ship that Hashem is the true master of the universe.

The Midrash draws a fascinating analogy between the Bnai Yisroel, and the bird known as the "Yonah" [= dove]:

[The Bnai Yisroel are compared to a Yonah in a number of ways:]

1. Just as the Yonah's walk is a pleasure to behold, so too the Bnai Yisroel's walk is a pleasure to behold when they come on their yearly pilgrimages.
2. Just as the Yonah is modest, so too, the Bnai Yisroel are modest.
3. Just as the Yonah stretches its neck to be slaughtered, so too, do the Bnai Yisroel, as it is stated, "For you [Hashem] we have been killed throughout the day."
4. Just as the Yonah atones for sins [i.e., it is used as a sacrificial offering], so too, the Bnai Yisroel atone for the nations. The seventy cows we bring on Succot as Korbanot are offered so that the seventy nations of the world should not be eradicated.
5. Just as we find with the Yonah that even if you take its young from under it, it will never leave its nest, so, too, the Bnai Yisroel did not cease to make their holiday pilgrimages to the Temple Mount even after the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed.
6. Rebbi said, "There's one type of Yonah which, when fed, gives off a scent that attracts other pigeons to its nest. So, too, when the Elders of Bnai Yisroel expound on the Torah they attract many gentiles who hear them and become proselytes.

(Midrash Rabba to Shir Hashirim, 1:15)

As the Yonah bird represents for us, Yonah ben Amitai was outstanding in his observance of the festival pilgrimages (#1, #5). His prophecy was given to him on Succot, when we bring Korbanot to atone for the gentiles, and his mission was indeed to save a gentile nation from annihilation (#4). Modestly, he tried to hide his prophetic status from all, and escape from his mission (#2). When confronted by the storm, he willingly offered his life, accepting it as divine retribution (#3). Finally, Yonah made such a deep impression on the gentile passengers of the ship that they all chose to convert to Judaism (#6). According to the Midrash (Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer, Ch. 10) representatives of each of the *70* nations of the world were on board Yonah's ship, all of whom left their idols behind and turned to the ways of Hashem after their experience with Yonah (#4, again). Yonah eventually proceeded to Ninveh, where he succeeded in turning and entire city of gentile sinners to the ways of their creator (#4, #6).

May Hashem make us aware of the missions that he has prepared for each of us on this world and give us the courage and determination to execute them!