Biblical Parallels Index – Devarim 9/0

Biblical Parallels Index – Devarim 9

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Overview

This index is meant to help the reader explore Biblical parallels, be they two accounts of the same event or law, stories with similar motifs and themes, or units of text which are linguistically similar and perhaps alluding one to the other. The page includes links to tools that aid in comparison, primary sources that touch upon the parallels, and summaries of and links to articles which analyze them in depth.

The Sin of the Calf in Shemot 32 and Devarim 9

The story of the sin of the golden calf is initially told in Shemot 32-34 and recounted by Moshe to the nation in Devarim 9.  Moshe's retelling omits some aspects of the original while emphasizing others, suggesting that he had a specific agenda in presenting the story as he does.

Tools

• Use the Tanakh Lab to compare the two stories, and see an interactive table highlighting the similarities and differences here.

Articles

• See Sin of the Golden Calf in Shemot and Devarim for a comparison of the two accounts.  The article notes Devarim's unique emphasis on Moshe's prayers and how Moshe places the sin in the context of many similar ones, highlighting the nation's consistent rebellious nature. Moshe emphasizes that had it not been for his prayers on their behalf, not only would they not have inherited the land, they would have been completely destroyed. Moshe's goal in his retelling is to impart the message that the people must change their ways in the future since, after they enter the land, Moshe will no long be around to intercede on their behalf.
• See תפילת משה - לפני הירידה מההר או אחריה, by R. Amnon Bazak, who suggests that the two accounts illustrate two different aspects of the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people, one in which the destruction of the entire nation is a real possibility, and one in which it is not. He connects these to two seemingly contradictory prophecies in Yeshayahu 50:1 and Yirmeyahu 3:8, one of which suggests that Hashem might "divorce" the people and the other which suggests that Hashem would never do so.  
• See Ekev: Moshe’s Interpretation of the Sin of the Golden Calf, by Prof. Yonatan Grossman, for a comparison and contrast of the two accounts of the story in Shemot and Devarim.  Prof. Grossman suggests that Shemot presents the sin as one of idolatry, whereas Moshe’s interpretation in Devarim views it as a sin of corporealization of Hashem.  
• Listen to Comparing Chet Ha-Egel in Shemot 32 and Devarim 9, by R. Yoni Zolty, for an analysis of how the two narratives reflect different understandings of the motivation for the sin.  He suggests that in general Shemot and Devarim have different orientations toward how to serve Hashem, and the telling of the sin in each book reflects its particular focus.

Moshe’s Prayer in Shemot 32 and Devarim 9

After the sin of the golden calf, Moshe prays to Hashem for forgiveness.  The prayer is mentioned both in Shemot 32 and in Moshe's recounting of the story in Devarim 9.  In Shemot, Moshe is presented as praying while still on the mountain right after Hashem tells him of the sin, while in Devarim it appears that he prays only after destroying the calf and ascending the mountain a second time.

Tools

• Use the Tanakh Lab to compare the two prayers here.  Both prayers express the same three main arguments, though they differ linguistically..

Sources

• Compare Ibn Ezra and Ramban regarding the relationship between the prayers mentioned in Shemot and Devarim: whether they constitute two different prayers or should be identified, and whether Moshe prayed while still on the mountain, as it appears in Shemot, or only after he destroyed the calf, as it seems from Devarim.

Articles

• See Chronology: Ibn Ezra and Ramban for an interactive module which explores the approaches of these two exegetes to questions of chronology in Torah. The module contains one section devoted tot heir different takes on Moshe's prayer
• See Moshe’s Prayer - Before or After the Sin of the Golden Calf?, by R. Amnon Bazak, for analysis of the differences between Moshe’s prayer as described in Shemot and Devarim. R. Bazak suggests that the two narratives reflect different aspects of the reality of Am Yisrael’s relationship to Hashem in the wake of the sin.  In one recounting, there is an emphasis on Moshe's acting due to a real threat of annihilation; in the other Moshe, cognizant of Hashem's forgiveness, acts out of his own rage at the people.

Israelites’ Complaints

Devarim 9:23-24 alludes to them many complaints of Israel in the wilderness, placing the sin of the calf in this larger context. Other complaints can be found in Shemot 14:10-14, Shemot 15:22-25, Shemot 17:1-7, Bemidbar 11:5-6, Bemidbar 14:2-3, Bemidbar 20:1-6, and Bemidbar 21:4-7.

Tools

• Use Makbilot BaMikra to find links to the many verses which speak of the nation's various complaints, including descriptions of the events in Tehillim.

Articles and Lectures

• Listen to Sefer Bemidbar: From Doubt to Debate, by Atara Snowbell, for an insightful analysis and close reading of the evolution of the Israelites’ complaints from Shemot 15 through Bemidbar 21, questioning: what differentiates the new generation's murmurings from those of the old? She notes that the newer complaints reflect the nation's increasing faith and independence.
• See מסע בעקבות תלונות עם ישראל במדבר, by Dr. Brachi Elitzur, for a nuanced comparison and contrast of the complaints in the desert along six different parameters: the situation that prompted the complaint, the way that the Torah describes the people and their complaint, the content of their request, the way that the nation relates to Egypt, and the consequences of the complaint.