Literary Devices – Bereshit 33/0
Literary Devices – Bereshit 33
Structure
Parallels and Contrasts
Key Words
אדון ועבד (master and servant)
Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the words “אדון” and "עבד" appear frequently in the narrative of Yaakov’s reunion with Esav in Bereshit 32-33.1 This language underscores Yaakov’s mistrust of Esav and his need to be strategically deferential when relating to him. On the backdrop of the prophetic promise of Esav’s eventual subservience to Yaakov (25:23) and Yaakov's taking Yitzchak’s blessing "Be master over your brothers" (27:29), such subservience is very ironic.2
"מצא חן בעיני" Similarly, Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the three-word phrase “...מצא חן בעיני” (find favor in another’s eyes), appearing three times in this chapter, is 100 times more prevalent here than elsewhere. This phrase has the connotation of seeking to appease an authority figure and reinforces the motif of subservience discussed above..
פנים (face / before)
- Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the word that appears with greatest frequency in both Chapter 32 alone and in the unit of Chapters 32-33 is "פנים".3 The term is used in the context of "going before", "appeasing the face" and "seeing the face" which all relate to submission to authority.4 The word, thus, highlights the motif of Yaakov’s ironic subservience to Esav so prevalent in this unit, as discussed above.
- More broadly, though, the keyword of “פנים” relates to the most prominent theme of Yaakov’s narrative: deceit and revelation. While the first part of the Yaakov narrative revolves around concealment,5 in these climactic chapters of his narrative, Yaakov experiences a powerful revelation of Hashem followed by a face-to-face encounter with Esav. This symbolizes a trajectory away from cunning and concealment, toward looking things in the face. This is perhaps reflected by Rashi’s comment on the change of Yaakov’s name to Yisrael in this chapter: “לא יאמרו עליך עוד שהברכות בעקיבה וברמייה, כי אם בשררה ובגילוי פנים"
מנחה and מחנה (tribute and camp)
When looking at Chapter 32 alone, Tanakh Lab demonstrates that, relative to the rest of Sefer Bereshit, מחנה (camp) is the word that appears with most significant frequency in the unit. The similar sounding מנחה (tribute) is also a frequently appearing word. These two words play off each other, as the first alludes to Yaakov’s military preparations for his encounter with Esav, while the second refers to the gift he sends to appease Esav.
