Difference between revisions of "Chronological and Thematic Order/2"
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<category name="Technical"> | <category name="Technical"> | ||
Technical Displacement: Minor Details | Technical Displacement: Minor Details | ||
− | <p>In many cases, the majority and core of a given story is recorded in its proper chronological place and it is just one or two secondary components which are displaced. The displaced unit might be moved from elsewhere to join and thereby complete the central story ("להשלים את הענין") or it might be separated from the main narrative so as not to interrupt the story line ("לא להפסיק את הענין") | + | <p>In many cases, the majority and core of a given story is recorded in its proper chronological place and it is just one or two secondary components which are displaced. The displaced unit might be moved from elsewhere to join and thereby complete the central story ("להשלים את הענין") or it might be separated from the main narrative so as not to interrupt the story line ("לא להפסיק את הענין"): </p> |
<opinion name=""להשלים את הענין""> | <opinion name=""להשלים את הענין""> | ||
Preludes and Epilogues: "להשלים את הענין" | Preludes and Epilogues: "להשלים את הענין" | ||
<p>A subordinate component of a story might be moved from its proper chronological place so as to complete a central narrative. This might take the form of a prelude or heading before the main story or an epilogue or summation at the end.</p> | <p>A subordinate component of a story might be moved from its proper chronological place so as to complete a central narrative. This might take the form of a prelude or heading before the main story or an epilogue or summation at the end.</p> | ||
<subopinion>Prelude | <subopinion>Prelude | ||
− | <p>An event which occurred earlier is displaced to serve as an introduction and / or provide necessary background to a later story.</p> | + | <p>An event which occurred earlier is displaced to serve as an introduction and/or provide necessary background to a later story.</p> |
<point><b>Birth of Kayin and Hevel (<a href="Bereshit4-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 4:1</a>)</b> – According to Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Ḥanina in <a href="BavliSanhedrin38b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin</a>,<fn>See also <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah22-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah22-2" data-aht="source">22:2</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit4-1" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit4-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 4:1</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>.</fn> the birth of Kayin and Hevel took place already in the Garden of Eden, before the expulsion.<fn>The past perfect form, "וְהָאָדָם יָדַע" might be an indicator of achronology.  It is not clear, though, if this grammatical form alone is motivating the suggestion of achronology.  It is possible that there are polemical motivations as well.  As Christians suggest that the sin in the Garden of Eden is what led to sexual desire, these sources might want to stress that such desire existed even beforehand.</fn> It is mentioned afterwards, in Chapter 4, only because the fact is necessary to open the Kayin and Hevel story.</point> | <point><b>Birth of Kayin and Hevel (<a href="Bereshit4-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 4:1</a>)</b> – According to Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Ḥanina in <a href="BavliSanhedrin38b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin</a>,<fn>See also <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah22-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah22-2" data-aht="source">22:2</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit4-1" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit4-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 4:1</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>.</fn> the birth of Kayin and Hevel took place already in the Garden of Eden, before the expulsion.<fn>The past perfect form, "וְהָאָדָם יָדַע" might be an indicator of achronology.  It is not clear, though, if this grammatical form alone is motivating the suggestion of achronology.  It is possible that there are polemical motivations as well.  As Christians suggest that the sin in the Garden of Eden is what led to sexual desire, these sources might want to stress that such desire existed even beforehand.</fn> It is mentioned afterwards, in Chapter 4, only because the fact is necessary to open the Kayin and Hevel story.</point> | ||
<point><b>Sarah conceives (<a href="Bereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:1</a>)</b> – According to several commentators,<fn>See, for example, <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:1</a><a href="RashiShemot31-18" data-aht="source">Shemot 31:18</a><a href="RashiBemidbar9-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 9:1</a><a href="RashiYehoshua8-30" data-aht="source">Yehoshua 8:30</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TzerorHaMorBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">R. Avraham Saba</a><a href="TzerorHaMorBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor Bereshit 21:1</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)</a></multilink>, and <multilink><a href="MalbimBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Malbim</a><a href="MalbimBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:1</a><a href="R. Meir Leibush Weiser (Malbim)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Meir Leibush Weiser</a></multilink>. They note that this is hinted to in the text which employs the past perfect form "וַה' <b>פָּקַד</b> אֶת שָׂרָה" rather than the form "ויפקוד ה'".  [None of these commentators, however, offer a literary explanation for the achronology like that suggested here.]</fn> Sarah had conceived before or in the middle of the story of Avimelekh described in Bereshit 20.<fn>These sources suggest that Sarah had conceived enough before the incident with Avimelekh that, when Yitzchak was born, no one could mistake Avimelekh for the father.</fn>  The fact is recorded here, though, so as to introduce the story of Yitzchak's birth and weaning.</point> | <point><b>Sarah conceives (<a href="Bereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:1</a>)</b> – According to several commentators,<fn>See, for example, <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:1</a><a href="RashiShemot31-18" data-aht="source">Shemot 31:18</a><a href="RashiBemidbar9-1" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 9:1</a><a href="RashiYehoshua8-30" data-aht="source">Yehoshua 8:30</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TzerorHaMorBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">R. Avraham Saba</a><a href="TzerorHaMorBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor Bereshit 21:1</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)</a></multilink>, and <multilink><a href="MalbimBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Malbim</a><a href="MalbimBereshit21-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:1</a><a href="R. Meir Leibush Weiser (Malbim)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Meir Leibush Weiser</a></multilink>. They note that this is hinted to in the text which employs the past perfect form "וַה' <b>פָּקַד</b> אֶת שָׂרָה" rather than the form "ויפקוד ה'".  [None of these commentators, however, offer a literary explanation for the achronology like that suggested here.]</fn> Sarah had conceived before or in the middle of the story of Avimelekh described in Bereshit 20.<fn>These sources suggest that Sarah had conceived enough before the incident with Avimelekh that, when Yitzchak was born, no one could mistake Avimelekh for the father.</fn>  The fact is recorded here, though, so as to introduce the story of Yitzchak's birth and weaning.</point> | ||
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</subopinion> | </subopinion> | ||
<subopinion>Headings | <subopinion>Headings | ||
− | <p>An event which is soon to be discussed in the text is mentioned already in the heading of the unit, not because it takes place then, but to let the reader know what is to come.  This phenomenon | + | <p>An event which is soon to be discussed in the text is mentioned already in the heading of the unit, not because it takes place then, but to let the reader know what is to come.  This phenomenon often takes the form of "כלל ופרט", a general formulation followed by details.</p> |
<point><b>"וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ" (<a href="Bereshit24-29-30" data-aht="source">Bereshit 24:29-30</a>)</b> – Bereshit 24:29-30 reads, "וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ... וַיְהִי כִּרְאֹת אֶת הַנֶּזֶם וְאֶת הַצְּמִדִים...  וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָאִישׁ".  <multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit24-29" data-aht="source">R. Saadia</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit24-29" data-aht="source">Commentary Bereshit 24:29</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink> and others claim that, despite the order of the verses,  Lavan only ran after seeing the jewelry on Rivka. <multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit24-30" data-aht="source">Shadal </a><a href="ShadalBereshit24-30" data-aht="source">Bereshit 24:30</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>explains that the verses are not really achronological, but rather verse 29 is a general statement which is explained by verse 30.<fn>The words "וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָאִישׁ" are basically equivalent to "וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ" in the first verse.</fn></point> | <point><b>"וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ" (<a href="Bereshit24-29-30" data-aht="source">Bereshit 24:29-30</a>)</b> – Bereshit 24:29-30 reads, "וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ... וַיְהִי כִּרְאֹת אֶת הַנֶּזֶם וְאֶת הַצְּמִדִים...  וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָאִישׁ".  <multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit24-29" data-aht="source">R. Saadia</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit24-29" data-aht="source">Commentary Bereshit 24:29</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink> and others claim that, despite the order of the verses,  Lavan only ran after seeing the jewelry on Rivka. <multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit24-30" data-aht="source">Shadal </a><a href="ShadalBereshit24-30" data-aht="source">Bereshit 24:30</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>explains that the verses are not really achronological, but rather verse 29 is a general statement which is explained by verse 30.<fn>The words "וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָאִישׁ" are basically equivalent to "וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ" in the first verse.</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>"וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה" (<a href="Bereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a>)</b> – Even though Yaakov does not arrive in Charan until <a href="Bereshit29-1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 29</a>, already in <a href="Bereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a> the reader is told "וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה". <multilink><a href="RAvrahambHaRambamBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">R. Avraham b. HaRambam</a><a href="RAvrahambHaRambamBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a><a href="R. Avraham Maimonides" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Maimonides</a></multilink><fn>See also <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">R"Y Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink> who explain similarly but without the formulation of a "כלל ופרט".</fn> explains that this is a "כלל ופרט"; the story opens with a general heading sharing that Yaakov went from Beer Sheva to Charan, then steps back to explain what happened along the way.<fn>Cf. <a href="BavliSanhedrin95b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin 95b</a> which chooses not to read these words as a heading and instead suggest that Yaakov had indeed gone all the way to Charan and then returned to pray at Beit El.</fn></point> | <point><b>"וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה" (<a href="Bereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a>)</b> – Even though Yaakov does not arrive in Charan until <a href="Bereshit29-1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 29</a>, already in <a href="Bereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a> the reader is told "וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה". <multilink><a href="RAvrahambHaRambamBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">R. Avraham b. HaRambam</a><a href="RAvrahambHaRambamBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a><a href="R. Avraham Maimonides" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Maimonides</a></multilink><fn>See also <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">R"Y Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit28-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 28:10</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink> who explain similarly but without the formulation of a "כלל ופרט".</fn> explains that this is a "כלל ופרט"; the story opens with a general heading sharing that Yaakov went from Beer Sheva to Charan, then steps back to explain what happened along the way.<fn>Cf. <a href="BavliSanhedrin95b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin 95b</a> which chooses not to read these words as a heading and instead suggest that Yaakov had indeed gone all the way to Charan and then returned to pray at Beit El.</fn></point> | ||
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<category name="Thematic"> | <category name="Thematic"> | ||
Thematic Arrangement: Parallel Units | Thematic Arrangement: Parallel Units | ||
− | <p>Tanakh will often prefer thematic ordering over strict chronology, juxtaposing related material even if this means not adhering to a historical timeline.</p> | + | <p>Tanakh will often prefer thematic ordering over strict chronology, juxtaposing related material even if this means not adhering to a historical timeline. In contrast to the above cases, in these instances both the displaced and not displaced components tend to be of equal import.</p> |
<opinion>Overlapping Stories | <opinion>Overlapping Stories | ||
<p>A preference for thematic ordering is often evident when components of two independent stories overlap in time. Tanakh will focus on each story individually, recounting them in parallel units, rather than constantly switching back and forth between the two. As such, the same overall time period might be discussed from different vantage points in the textual equivalent of a split screen, with material grouped by varying protagonists, perspectives, literary genre or other factors.</p> | <p>A preference for thematic ordering is often evident when components of two independent stories overlap in time. Tanakh will focus on each story individually, recounting them in parallel units, rather than constantly switching back and forth between the two. As such, the same overall time period might be discussed from different vantage points in the textual equivalent of a split screen, with material grouped by varying protagonists, perspectives, literary genre or other factors.</p> | ||
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</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
<opinion>Non-overlapping Stories | <opinion>Non-overlapping Stories | ||
− | <p>Even when two stories do not overlap in time, Tanakh might prefer thematic unity over a strict chronological recounting. This might be motivated by a desire to group together | + | <p>Even when two stories do not overlap in time, Tanakh might prefer thematic unity over a strict chronological recounting. This might be motivated by a desire to group together texts which share similar themes, related laws, or content written by the same author.</p> |
<subopinion>Related Events | <subopinion>Related Events | ||
<p>At times, closely related events, even if they took place at different times, might be grouped together.<fn>This is especially true when the events are presented as a list.</fn></p> | <p>At times, closely related events, even if they took place at different times, might be grouped together.<fn>This is especially true when the events are presented as a list.</fn></p> |
Version as of 03:44, 28 November 2019
Chronological and Thematic Order
Exegetical Approaches
Technical Displacement: Minor Details
In many cases, the majority and core of a given story is recorded in its proper chronological place and it is just one or two secondary components which are displaced. The displaced unit might be moved from elsewhere to join and thereby complete the central story ("להשלים את הענין") or it might be separated from the main narrative so as not to interrupt the story line ("לא להפסיק את הענין"):
Preludes and Epilogues: "להשלים את הענין"
A subordinate component of a story might be moved from its proper chronological place so as to complete a central narrative. This might take the form of a prelude or heading before the main story or an epilogue or summation at the end.
Prelude
An event which occurred earlier is displaced to serve as an introduction and/or provide necessary background to a later story.
Epilogue
A component of a story which is only to occur later is moved earlier to provide closure to the main unit.
Headings
An event which is soon to be discussed in the text is mentioned already in the heading of the unit, not because it takes place then, but to let the reader know what is to come. This phenomenon often takes the form of "כלל ופרט", a general formulation followed by details.
Summaries
An episode which occurred and was explicitly mentioned earlier in Tanakh is repeated in order to serve as a summary to a unit.
Prologues and Appendices: "לא להפסיק את הענין"
Secondary narrative components might be moved to form a prologue at the very beginning of a unit or an appendix at the end because setting them in their proper chronological place in the middle of the central unit would otherwise break the flow of the main narrative . The episode or topic which is displaced is either irrelevant to the main theme or message of the unit, of lesser import, or of a different literary character.
Prologues
An event is moved from its correct chronological place later in the text and placed at the very beginning of the unit where it will not disrupt the main topic.
Appendices
An episode is moved from its correct chronological place earlier in the narrative and placed at the very end of the unit where it will not disrupt the main topic.
Thematic Arrangement: Parallel Units
Tanakh will often prefer thematic ordering over strict chronology, juxtaposing related material even if this means not adhering to a historical timeline. In contrast to the above cases, in these instances both the displaced and not displaced components tend to be of equal import.
Overlapping Stories
A preference for thematic ordering is often evident when components of two independent stories overlap in time. Tanakh will focus on each story individually, recounting them in parallel units, rather than constantly switching back and forth between the two. As such, the same overall time period might be discussed from different vantage points in the textual equivalent of a split screen, with material grouped by varying protagonists, perspectives, literary genre or other factors.
Figures
Tanakh will often focus on one individual protagonist at a time, even if this means compromising on chronological order.
Realms of Life
When a protagonist's interactions in two realms of his life (such as the personal / familial realm vs. the political /national realm) overlap, Tanakh will often separate the two strands of the story rather than constantly switching back and forth.
Individual vs. Universal
When an incident has both a universal and individual aspect to it, Tanakh will focus on one at a time.
Literary Genre
Torah often separates material of different genres. Thus, even if a unit of laws was relayed over a period of time and other events occurred simultaneously, Torah might group the legal and narrative material separately. Similarly, when a book contains both prophecies and history, each might be grouped alone even if this creates achronology.
Speech vs. Action
When an action occurs in the middle of a conversation, or an extended conversation occurs in the midst of a list of several actions, Tanakh might distinguish between the two.
Non-overlapping Stories
Even when two stories do not overlap in time, Tanakh might prefer thematic unity over a strict chronological recounting. This might be motivated by a desire to group together texts which share similar themes, related laws, or content written by the same author.
Related Events
At times, closely related events, even if they took place at different times, might be grouped together.69
"לדורות" / "לשעה"
Tanakh might group laws which are relevant only for a specific time period (לשעה) separately from those which are relevant for all future generations (לדורות).
Two Authors
If a book has multiple authors, each author's material might be grouped separately even if this means that some content is relayed achronologically.
Simultaneous Actions
When a unit contains but one element, the entire unit might not just overlap with but actually occur totally simultaneously with another event. In such cases, Tanakh does not have a choice but to tell one event before the other, even though this does not represent the reality.
Homiletical Juxtaposition
Achronology might stem from a desire to relay a message through the juxtaposition of two stories which otherwise would not follow one another. The message might be a lesson in proper behavior, a showcasing of Hashem's attributes, or a means of highlighting a character's strengths or faults.