Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 25/0

Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 25

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Infertility

Tools

• Makbilot Bamikra points out that the story of Yitzchak and Rivka’s difficulties in having a child parallels the narratives of many other prominent couples in Tanakh.

Articles

• See Barren Women for an exploration of the parallels between the various Biblical narratives of barren women who give birth to leaders of the Children of Israel, and the possible reasons they were given this challenge.

Tension Between Brothers

The story of the struggles between Yaakov and Esav is one of many stories of tension between brothers in Sefer Bereshit.

Tools

• Makbilot Bamikra points out that Esav’s expressed intent to kill Yaakov in Bereshit 27:41 is parallel to the brothers’ plan to kill Yosef in Bereshit 37:19-21.
• Tanakh Lab – Compare the linguistic parallels between the two stories in the Tanakh Lab. The "לְאַחֶיךָ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ" / "וְאַחֶיךָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺת לְךָ" might belie what lies at the heart of the various stories of jealousy throughout the book - struggles over who will be the "chosen" one, to whom others will bow and pay homage.

Articles  / Lectures

• In קנאת אחים בספר בראשית, R. Shlomo Brin explores the pattern of jealousy between brothers in Sefer Bereshit, beginning with the narrative of Kayin and Hevel.
• See וישב: מרבית אחים by Dr. Esti Rosenberg and Dr. Yosefa Wruble for a discussion of the meaning behind the tense relationships between brothers in Sefer Bereshit, culminating in the relationship of Yosef and his brothers.