In this week’s Haftarah we are told (הושע יג:יב),
"צרור עון אפרים צפונה חטאתו."
"Ephraim’s iniquity is bound, his sin is hidden."
Earlier, the navi had made it known, clearly, that the sin of Ephraim was idolatry. Idolatry being "hidden" is something that actually refers to an astronomical fact. More specifically, that which is hidden shows that idolatry is ridiculous.
Rabbeinu Bachye (Bamidbar 2:2) informs us that the cardinal directions, east (מזרח), west (מערב), north (צפון) and south (דרום) are named such because of the sun’s perceived motion (also see Ramban Shemos 26:17). מזרח is the word for east because it comes from zarach meaning to shine. It is from this direction that the sun begins its journey every day. מערב is from erev which means nightfall because the sun’s journey ends here at nightfall. דרום is actually a contraction of two words, dar and rom, meaning dwells high.
The sun, to those at northern latitudes, rises from the east and travels on the southern portion of the sky and sets in the west. צפון also means hidden and that is why north is referred to as such. While the sun can definitely set and rise from a slightly northern direction, it NEVER travels on this side of the sky. The sun, the most commonly chosen idol, should have been rejected as a god for this reason. The fact that it has no power in this area, and that it sets, shows its impotence!!! The Rema (Toras HaOlah) tells us that this is why the pending destruction of the first Beis HaMikdash was described by the navi, Yirmiyahu, as coming from the north. This was to show the idol worshippers that they were horribly wrong. Perhaps, this is why Ephraim’s sin is depicted as being hidden, as well.
When describing these types of ideas, people sometimes ask why the Torah seems to totally disregard those in the southern hemisphere. For them, it is the northern side that the sun travels on and the southern side is "hidden". I am not 100% sure, but I feel that the answer is either that since the Torah was given in the northern hemisphere it is told from that perspective, OR that the Torah would have called north darom and south tzafon to these people!!! The idea is not the actual direction, but the solar movement. If so, then it is reasonable that this would be the case.
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2 comments:
"I am not 100% sure, but I feel that the answer is either that since the Torah was given in the northern hemisphere it is told from that perspective, OR that the Torah would have called north darom and south tzafon to these people!!!"
You are basing that on the etymology you provided for of the word tzafon, which while a cute vort, is likely incorrect for the very reason you are using as your question.
IIRC, the Ramban has a completely different translation of the word, based on motzafon tiftach haraah.
Brian,
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but if you look up the citations that I inserted in the post you will see that the Ramban and Rabbeinu Bachya explicitly state that it is for the reason stated in the post. In fact, the Rema in his monumental work, Toras Haolah, maintains that the reason for "mitzafon ..." is because the epitome of idol worship is the sun and it is "hidden" on the northern horizon. I does not appear that the aforementioned Rishonim saw this as a "cute vort", rather, they seem to understand that this is actually the correct etymology of the word.
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