The Book of Judges says:
The Children of [the Tribe of] Dan erected graven images [idols] for themselves; and Jonathan son of Gershom son of Menashe [וִ֠יהוֹנָתָן בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁ֨ם בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה], and his descendants, served as [idolatrous] priests to the tribe of Dan until the land went into exile. [Judges 18:30]
Comments on this:
Was Gershom the son of Menashe? No, he was the son of Moses. But his actions were not like those of Moses his father, so they added a nun to connect him to Menashe instead. [Avot d'Rabbi Natan 34:4]
[Although he was the son of Moses] he acted as Menashe [the wicked king of Judah who was notorious for idol worship], so the verse linked him to Menashe [by calling him “the son of Menashe”]. [Bava Batra 109b]
The Aleppo Codex (10th-century) gives us an early example of the raised nun:
My question is: What is raising the nun supposed to accomplish?
-If anything, it brings attention to the fact that Moses' grandson descended into idolatry, which is what the nun attempts to hide.
-If the written word hides, why did the Sages reveal?
-Besides, like all humans, biblical characters have flaws which the Torah not only mentions but frequently highlights.
So what is the lesson here?
