Bereshit 15 – One Prophecy or Two/2

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Relationship Between the Sections of Bereshit 15

Exegetical Approaches

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Overview

In trying to untangle the many difficulties raised by our chapter, commentators are led to question the relationship between and chronology of its components.  Many, following the lead of Seder Olam Rabbah, suggest that the chapter is comprised of two disparate events, a promise of progeny which was given after the war of five kings, and the Covenant of the Pieces which was made much earlier, when Avraham was 70. This has the advantage of providing a single solution to most of the chapter's difficulties. Nonetheless, as the newly posited ordering makes many assumptions and creates new questions, many other exegetes prefer to maintain the unity of the chapter, and instead give local answers to the various questions.

Two Non-chronological Events

Chapter 15 comprises two distinct prophecies.  The vision described in the first six verses of the chapter is in chronological order and took place after the battle of the five kings, while the rest of the chapter recounts a separate prophecy (ברית בין הבתרים) which happened earlier when Avraham was 70.

400 or 430 years? The motivation for this approach is the discrepancy in the account of the length of the Egyptian exile in Bereshit 15:13 (400 years) and Shemot 12:40-41 (430 years). This position maintains that the 400 years started from the birth of Yitzchak, while the 430 count began thirty years earlier, at the Covenant of the Pieces.  Since Avraham was 100 when Yitzchak was born, the Covenant must have occurred when he was 70.2
Achronology – As Bereshit 12 is explicitly dated to the 75th year of Avraham's life, this approach is forced to say that the Covenant of the Pieces is written out of order. Rashbam, Chizkuni, and Tosafot point out that, nonetheless, the first part of the chapter is in its chronological place, as both the phrase "אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" and Avraham's fear3 serve to connect it to the war of the five kings in the previous chapter.
Chronology of Bereshit 12-14
  • Chronological – This position works best if one assumes that Chapters 12-14 follow chronologically and occurred at some point after Avraham was 75. This appears to be the way Seder Olam Rabbah reads the verses, as he suggests that Avraham's arrival in Canaan, the famine, and the war all took place in the same year, when Avraham was 75.4
  • Achronological – Rashi, Rashbam,5 Baalei HaTosafot [Ms. Oxford 271/1], and Tosafot Shabbat 10b,6 though, assume that the war of the five kings took place when Avraham was 74.7
    • This dating is extremely difficult as it suggests that Avraham was in Canaan not only at 70 for the Covenant, but also at 74 for the war.8  Such a reading, though, is not compatible with the verses which present the events of Chapters 12-15:6 as causal and sequential.9 If one dates the war to Avraham's 74th year, one must similarly date Chapters 12-13 earlier, which creates total chronological havoc in the chapters.10
"וְאַבְרָם בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן" – Bereshit 12:4 suggests that Avraham first left to Canaan at 75.   As such, this position must assume either that the Covenant took place out of Israel, or, as Seder Olam Rabbah asserts, that Avraham went to Israel at 70 but then returned to live in Charan for five years.11  Each assumption is difficult:
  • Occurred out of Israel – Chizkuni points out that the phrase, "לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת" assumes that the Covenant is taking place in Israel rather than outside.‎12
  • Returned to Charan – Ralbag questions this on several grounds. He finds it unfathomable that once Avraham was in Israel and was promised the land, that he would have left unless he found himself in dire circumstances (such as famine).13 In addition, he points out that Bereshit 11:31 suggests that Avraham went from Ur Kasdim (rather than Canaan) to Charan.14
Why write the story achronologically? This position must explain why the Torah did not write about the Covenant in its chronological place. Rashbam and Chizkuni suggest that the story is written out of order in order to juxtapose the promise of land with the promise of progeny mentioned in the first part of Chapter 15.  This suggestion, though, is unsatisfying as there are multiple places where Hashem promises Avraham land or seed, and not always together.
Why make a covenant now? This approach would suggest that as this is the first time that Hashem is promising Avraham the land, He accompanies the promise with a covenant thereby both strengthening and explaining the conditions of the promise.
Night or day? Rashbam points out that the difference in time between the two halves of the chapter is easily explained if one posits that the two are distinct prophecies, occurring years apart.
Introductory formula – "אֲנִי ה'‏" – Since verse 6 is the beginning of a new prophecy, rather than the continuation of Hashem's words from verse 1, Hashem's introduction makes sense.15  Moreover, if the Covenant took place when Avraham was 70, it is possible that this was the first time that Hashem spoke with Avraham, making such an introduction even more understandable.
"וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו" – The language of "וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו" at the beginning of the Covenant of the Pieces is difficult for this approach as it appears to indicate that this story continues from where the preceding narrative left off. Were it an opening of a separate story, one would have expected the standard opening formula of ויאמר ה' אל אברהם to identify the participants in the conversation.
Avraham's doubts – "הֵן לִי לֹא נָתַתָּה זָרַע" – Chizkuni suggests that even though Avraham believed Hashem's earlier promises that he would have a child, he feared that due to his old age and presumed imminent death, the child would be raised by Eliezer and, as such, it would really be Eliezer who inherited.
Avraham's doubts – "בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה" – Chizkuni asserts that according to this chronology, since Hashem had just promised Avraham land, but had not yet promised him progeny, Avraham's question is a legitimate one.  He is merely asking that if he dies barren, how is the land to be his inheritance?16 Moreover, according to this position, this is the first (not the third) promise of land, and so it is logical that questioning comes here rather than elsewhere.
Belief versus doubt – The inconsistency of tone between verse 6 where the text relates that Avraham "believed in Hashem" and verse 8 where Avraham questions Hashem is not problematic for this position since there is no continuity in time between the verses.  The doubting does not follow belief, but rather precedes it by several years.
Vision vs. sleep – This position might suggest that the two different prophecies were relayed in different ways.  The first was a vision while the second began as a series of active actions and ended with sleep.

One Chronological Event

The events of the entire chapter are connected and are found in their chronological place, after the war of the five kings.

"וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו" – The lack of named speaker and audience in this phrase suggest that the verse is a continuation of what came before and not introducing a new event.  As such, the entire chapter should be viewed as one episode occurring at one point in time.  Since the opening words of the chapter "אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" clearly connect it to the previous one, the entire chapter must have occurred after the battle of the kings.
Introductory formula – "אֲנִי ה'‏"
  • Language of oath – Radak asserts that in this verse Hashem was not trying to introduce himself to Avraham, to whom He had already been speaking, but rather He was strengthening His promise of land by stating it in His name.  Radak sees this as comparable to Hashem taking an oath in His own name.
  • Special introduction for Covenant – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, these words do constitute a new opening, since, in his opinion, verse 7 begins a new prophecy (albeit one given within a day of the previous one -see next point).  As such, the introductory formula is not problematic.17  Moreover, since Hashem is about to make a covenant with Avraham, an elaborate opening is warranted.
Vision vs. sleep – These sources disagree regarding the nature of the prophecy received by Avraham and thus differ in the way they explain this issue:
  • All one vision – According to R"Y Bekhor Shor, Radak, Ralbag, and Hoil Moshe the entire chapter occurs in one long vision, including the various actions done by Avraham such as leaving his tent to view the stars or cutting the animals in half.18  They suggest that in the middle of this vision, from the power of the prophecy, sleep fell upon Avraham.19
  • Periods of Wakefulness and Prophecy – Ibn Ezra and Abarbanel, in contrast, assume that the chapter alternates between periods in which Avraham was awake and those in which he was sleeping. Thus, after receiving the first part of the prophecy in a vision, Avraham awoke, cut the animals, and only afterwards fell back asleep to receive further prophecy.
  • Two prophecies – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, the chapter consists of two separate, but consecutive prophecies, with verses 1-6 occurring at night and the rest of the chapter taking place the following day.  Thus, Avraham does not fall asleep mid-vision, but rather for a second revelation.
Night or day?
  • Part of vision – According to R"Y Bekhor Shor, Radak, Ralbag, and Hoil Moshe, the seeming passage of time was not real but only part of the vision.20 Radak explains that the particular time frames served as analogies to reinforce the prophetic message. The stars emphasized both the multitudes of Avraham's future progeny and their everlasting light, while the setting of the sun symbolized the darkness of exile.
  • Distinct days – According to Ibn Ezra and R. D"Z Hoffman, Hashem really did appear to Avraham over a period of a night and  the next day.
Avraham's doubts – "הֵן לִי לֹא נָתַתָּה זָרַע" – These commentators agree that Avraham's words did not stem from doubt in Hashem's earlier promises, but disagree regarding what they maintain he was thinking instead:
  • Lest he sinned - Radak and Ramban suggest that Avraham thought that maybe he had sinned and no longer deserved Hashem's promise of progeny.21
  • Eliezer included in "זַרְעֲךָ" – R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and Radak posit that maybe Avraham thought that Eliezer was included in Hashem's earlier promise "לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת" and thus asked that a real son inherit. R. Yosef Bekhor Shor suggests that maybe Eliezer was a relative and thus included in the term "‎‏לְזַרְעֲךָ",‎22 while Radak suggests that Avraham thought the term included important members of his household.23
Avraham's doubts – "בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה" – Most of these commentators maintain that this question, too, is not an expression of doubt, as the previous verse just attested to Avraham's belief.  They differ, though, in how they understand Avraham's words:
  • What if sin interferes?  – Radak, Ramban, and Ralbag maintain that Avraham feared lest his children lose their inheritance due to sins ("שמו יגרום החטא").  Ramban asserts that Hashem responded by making the inheritance unconditional through the covenant.
  • How will I inherit? – R. Yosef Bekhor Shor reinterprets the phrase to mean, "how will I inherit the land".  According to him, Avraham was asking when and by what means would the promise come to fruition.24
  • Part of the vision – Hoil Moshe asserts that these words of Avraham are simply part of the vision that Hashem constructed, and don't represent Avraham's thoughts at all. Hashem only put the question into his mouth as a means of revealing to him the exile.
"וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה" – These sources disagree regarding who is the subject of this phrase:
  • Hashem – According to Radak and R. D"Z Hoffmann it is Hashem who thinks that Avraham's belief was meritorious. At such an old age and after so many years of waiting for the promise to be fulfilled, it was no easy feat to maintain faith. R. Hoffmann, in fact, claims that it is as a reward for this faith that Hashem then makes the covenant with him.
  • Avraham – R. Y"B Shor, Ramban, Ralbag and Abarbanel disagree, claiming that it should be expected that Avraham will have belief.25  Rather, the verse must mean that Avraham viewed Hashem's act as an act of "‎‏צדק".‎26
When was the Covenant? Though all these commentators agree that the covenant took place after the war, as the opening, connecting phase "אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" would suggest, they disagree regarding the specific year:27 
  • Eighty – According to Ramban, Avraham was 80 at the Covenant.  This is midway between the two ages mentioned in the surrounding chapters (75 in Chapter 12 and 85 in Chapter 16).
  • Eighty-five – Bereshit Rabbah and Ralbag set it at 85,28 the age given for Avraham in the very next chapter.29 
Why now? It is not clear why it should be first at this point that Hashem decides to make a covenant with Avraham regarding the future inheritance, as until now He had sufficed with promises: 
  • Reward – R. D"Z Hoffmann suggests that Hashem was originally simply responding to Avraham's fears post the war, and then, as a reward for the great faith that Avraham expressed ("וְהֶאֱמִן בַּי"י וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה"), Hashem decided to seal His promise with a covenant.
  • Reassurance – Ramban suggests that after the war, Avraham feared that the kings would retaliate and he would be killed before Hashem's promises came to fruition.  Hashem, thus, reconfirmed the blessings, and by making a covenant, He further reassured Avraham that the blessing was unconditional.
  • Explanation – One might posit instead, that after conquering the four kings, Avraham felt that he was beginning to realize the promise of inheriting the land.  Hashem thus needed to reveal to him that in reality, the promise was not to be fulfilled until after 400 years of exile and slavery.30
400 vs. 430 – These commentators resolve the discrepancy in a variety of ways, none of which require rearranging the chronology of Bereshit 15:31
  • Varying starting points – According to R. Saadia Gaon, Ibn Ezra and R"Y Bekhor Shor, the 430 years begins from Avraham's departure from Charan at age 70,32 while the 400 starts with Yitzchak's birth (since this verse specifies "זַרְעֲךָ").
  • Change of plan– According to both Ramban and Ralbag,33 in contrast, the 430 years begins from the covenant, which took place at 80 (Ramban) or 85 (Ralbag). Ramban suggests that the original decree was for 400 years, but an extra 30 years of exile were added later due to the nation's sins.  Ralbag, instead, claims that the 400 years begins with Yaakov's birth, but later Hashem decided to shorten the decree by 45 years.
  • Round number – Both Abarbanel34 and Hoil Moshe resolve the discrepancy by suggesting that 400 is simply a round number.35