For many, the name Yiftach conjures up one story, with a particular tragic outcome: that he made an ill-advised vow that led him to sacrifice his daughter.
However, on closer study, we may find that the vow and the tragedy are not as clear-cut as we may have thought – and certainly, Yiftach’s character, as portrayed by the Prophet, offers more complexity than that one terrible slice reveals.
Who was Yiftach? What sort of person was he, and what sort of people did he lead?
We will begin our exploration of Yiftach and his daughter at the beginning, in two parts: the national background, to understand the scene (or perhaps, the play) into which Yiftach enters; and Yiftach’s family background, certainly a key piece to understanding him as a person, as a leader, and perhaps as a father.