Who wrote Eicha?

We have all grown up knowing that Yirmiahu wrote Eicha. After all Chazal say in Bava Basra 15a that Yirmiah wrote his book and "lamentations". These lamentations are presumed to be the same ones attributed to Yirmiah in Chronicles 35:25, "and they are written on lamentations". Chazal explained that this sentence speaks of the 4th chapter of Eicha; Yirmiah took the scroll that Yhoakim burnt and rewrote and added to them (Moed Koton 26a, Taanis 22b, also reported by Josephus' Antiquities 5:1 ). It is noteworthy that Ibn Ezra differs with this interpretation in his introduction to Eicha; however, he does not dispute that Yirmiah wrote Eicha.

That Yirmiah write Eicha was never questioned. In Septuagint, which is organized topically, Eicha follows the Book of Jeremiah. More, Septuagint as well as the Arameic Targum preface this book with a statement ascribing its authorship to Yirmiah.

It was surprising, then, for me to read in the Introduction to Eicha in Daas Mikra that there were scholars that differed. It should not surprise me that academics propose revisionism; this is after all the raison D'etre of modern scholarship. What troubled me was the low quality of their proofs for this contention. I list these proofs here following Daas Mikra with my responses; Daas Mikra provides more scholarly rejoinders and I incorporated some of them as well.

The proofs are as follows:

1.The statement in 5:20, "Why forever will you forget us, reject us for many days", indicates that it was written long after Yirmiah's forced descent to Egypt.

Response: This is a standard turn of phrase also found in in Tehilim 13:2 and 9:19 as well as in other places. Furthermore, it was likely quite clear soon after the destruction that this was going to be a long exile. In addition, prophetic inspiration surely played a role.

2.Use of alphabetical acrostic is too artificial for the poetic genius of Yirmiah.

Response: on the contrary, the mastery of poetic form that is demonstrated within the constraints of the alphabetical order is nothing short of astounding. Tor really appreciate the genius of the inspired author, you must read the section in the Daas Mikra's introduction devoted to the literary analysis of the Aleph-Beis in Eicha. It is nothing short of remarkable.

3.

a.They claim that some of the statements in Eicha contradict the teachings of Yirmiahu, for example, "our fathers sinned and are not, but we carry their sins (5:7)". This contradicts, ""each man shall die for his (own) sin.(Yirmiah 31"28).

b. How could Yirmiah speak of "their prophets did not find vision from God(2:9)? Didn't he find visions?

c.How could Yirmiah call Tsidkiah "spirit of our breaths, the anointed of Hashem (4:20)" when he spoke so harshly to him of his failings.(Yirmiah 24:7-10, 34:3, 38:24)

Response:

a.These scholars appear to disregard how Chazal reconciled similar questions.

b.These may refer to false prophets or to the fact that prophecy ceased after the Destruction (see Yormiah 45)

c.There is a difference between the king as an individual before God and the King as the symbol of Royalty. David also called Shaul anointed of Hashem and Shaul certainly fell short of his personal destiny before Hashem. See, Shmuel I:26 - But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?).

4. The history of prophet's suffering as recounted in Eicha is not exactly the same as the one in the Book of Jeremiah.

Response: This is not so (see Daas Mikrah for analysis). Even is we allow that it is so, the references in Eicha is to the events that occurred following destruction, of which fairly little is written in the Book of Jeremiah, and not to what is told in regards to Yirmiah's persecutions prior to the Exile.

On the other hand, stylistic, literary and theological parallels between Eichan and the Book of Jeremiah are overwhelming. I wil not recount them here but they are well discussed in the introduction to Daas Mikrah.

Finally, there is one reason why Yirmiah and only Yirmiah could have written Eicha. As Professor Y. Kaufman has pointed out, Yirmiah is the "prophet of assured destruction", the only prophet whose faith in Israel's ultimate repentance was clouded heavily by pessimism and doubt.  What this means is that he alone, at least in some passages, ominously presents the impending Churban as something which is inevitable and will no longer be prevented by Repentance (see, f.e. Jeremiah 29:28). It was fitting that the prophet who called out this message be the one to mourn over it.

Comments

[Ariel]

As Professor Y. Kaufman has pointed out, Yirmiah is the "prophet of assured destruction", the only prophet whose faith in Israel's ultimate repentance was clouded heavily by pessimism and doubt.

What about Yechezkel?

[Jew]

Response: This is a standard turn of phrase also found in in Tehilim 13:2 and 9:19 as well as in other places. Furthermore, it was likely quite clear soon after the destruction that this was going to be a long exile. In addition, prophetic inspiration surely played a role. You've got to be kidding.

[Abe]

I'm not at all familiar with this debate, but it seems to me a poor assumption that theological and literary parallels must imply a common author. Assuming that the parallels are significant enough, all it can show is that the author of Eicha was familiar with the book of Yirmiyahu. It seems to me that departures from the theology in Sefer Yirmiyahu are much more significant in this respect than the similarities.