<li>Malakhi with Mordechai or Ezra – <multilink><a href="YalkutShimoniMalakhi1-1" data-aht="source">Yalkut Shimoni Malakhi 1:1</a><a href="YalkutShimoniMalakhi1-1" data-aht="source">Malakhi 1:1</a><a href="Yalkut Shimoni" data-aht="parshan">About Yalkut Shimoni</a></multilink></li>
<li>Malakhi with Mordechai or Ezra – <multilink><a href="YalkutShimoniMalakhi1-1" data-aht="source">Yalkut Shimoni Malakhi 1:1</a><a href="YalkutShimoniMalakhi1-1" data-aht="source">Malakhi 1:1</a><a href="Yalkut Shimoni" data-aht="parshan">About Yalkut Shimoni</a></multilink></li>
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<li>Memukhan with Haman – <multilink><a href="BavliMegillah12b" data-aht="source">Bavli Megillah</a><a href="BavliMegillah12b" data-aht="source">Megillah 12b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="IbnEzraEstherFirstCommentary3-1" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraEstherFirstCommentary3-1" data-aht="source">Esther First Commentary 3:1</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><b>III. Identification of characters with the same or similar names as the same person:</b></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><b>III. Identification of characters with the same or similar names as the same person:</b></p>
Line 62:
Line 63:
<li>Zipporah as the Cushite whom Moshe married – <multilink><a href="SifreBemidbar12-1" data-aht="source">Sifre Bemidbar</a><a href="SifreBemidbar12-1" data-aht="source">12:1</a><a href="Sifre Bemidbar" data-aht="parshan">About Sifre Bemidbar</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TanchumaTzav13" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaTzav13" data-aht="source">Tzav 13</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer53" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer53" data-aht="source">53</a><a href="Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer" data-aht="parshan">About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a></multilink>.  See also: <a href="Miryam's Critique of Moshe and his Cushite Marriage" data-aht="page">Miryam's Critique of Moshe and his Cushite Marriage</a></li>
<li>Zipporah as the Cushite whom Moshe married – <multilink><a href="SifreBemidbar12-1" data-aht="source">Sifre Bemidbar</a><a href="SifreBemidbar12-1" data-aht="source">12:1</a><a href="Sifre Bemidbar" data-aht="parshan">About Sifre Bemidbar</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TanchumaTzav13" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaTzav13" data-aht="source">Tzav 13</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer53" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer53" data-aht="source">53</a><a href="Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer" data-aht="parshan">About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a></multilink>.  See also: <a href="Miryam's Critique of Moshe and his Cushite Marriage" data-aht="page">Miryam's Critique of Moshe and his Cushite Marriage</a></li>
<li>Calev and Pinchas as Yehoshua's spies – <multilink><a href="TanchumaBuberShelach1" data-aht="source">Tanchuma Buber Shelach 1</a><a href="TanchumaBuberShelach1" data-aht="source">Shelach 1</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink></li>
<li>Calev and Pinchas as Yehoshua's spies – <multilink><a href="TanchumaBuberShelach1" data-aht="source">Tanchuma Buber Shelach 1</a><a href="TanchumaBuberShelach1" data-aht="source">Shelach 1</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink></li>
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<li>Yonah as the boy brought back to life by Eliyahu – <a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer33" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 33</a>. See <a href="Eliyahu and Yonah" data-aht="page">Eliyahu and Yonah</a> for other connections between the two figures.</li>
<li><b>Omnisignificance</b> – As Midrash views every word in Torah as significant, it finds the presence of anonymous or unknown figures who play no other role elsewhere troubling.  By identifying such figures with known characters, it can explain why such details are mentioned – See <multilink><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Ramban Shemot 6:23</a><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:23</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>.</li>
<li><b>Omnisignificance</b> – As Midrash views every word in Torah as significant, it finds the presence of anonymous or unknown figures who play no other role elsewhere troubling.  By identifying such figures with known characters, it can explain why such details are mentioned – See <multilink><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Ramban Shemot 6:23</a><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:23</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>.</li>
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<li><b>Textual links</b> – Often, textual links and content parallels<fn>See, for instance, the identifictaion between Eliyahu and Pinechas or Lavan and Bilam.</fn> between stories will motivate a certain identification.  People with similar or identical names<fn>See the list above.</fn> or those who play similar roles in different stories will be connected.  Uncommon words<fn>See, for example, mention of the place Rephaim in connection to both Og and the story of the four and five kings, leading (in part) to the identification of Og as the refugee who spoke to Avraham.</fn> shared by two stories might lead to other associations.</li>
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<li><b>Textual links</b> – Often, textual links and content parallels<fn>See, for instance, the identification between Eliyahu and Pinechas or Lavan and Bilam.</fn> between stories will motivate a certain identification.  People with similar or identical names<fn>See the list above.</fn> or those who play similar roles in different stories will be connected.  Uncommon words<fn>See, for example, mention of the place Rephaim in connection to both Og and the story of the four and five kings, leading (in part) to the identification of Og as the refugee who spoke to Avraham.</fn> shared by two stories might lead to other associations.</li>
<li><b>Solve exegetical problems</b> – At times, an identification serves to solve exegetical difficulties. See, for example, <multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit11-29" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalBereshit11-29" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:29</a><a href="ShadalBereshit11-29_2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:29</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>'s discussion of the Midrashic identification of Sarah as Yiskah and the discussion of <a href="Yitro – Names" data-aht="page">Yitro's names</a> in Shemot 18.</li>
<li><b>Solve exegetical problems</b> – At times, an identification serves to solve exegetical difficulties. See, for example, <multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit11-29" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalBereshit11-29" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:29</a><a href="ShadalBereshit11-29_2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 11:29</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>'s discussion of the Midrashic identification of Sarah as Yiskah and the discussion of <a href="Yitro – Names" data-aht="page">Yitro's names</a> in Shemot 18.</li>
One of the techniques often employed by Midrash is the identification of different Biblical characters one with another, a method which can be termed the "Law of Conservation of Biblical Characters".
In many cases, an anonymous or lesser known character (or even objects, places, and dates) is identified with a named and more famous figure. In other instances, two well-known personalities are identified as one and the same person. Sometimes, a person might even be connected to numerous other figures.
The method stems from the Midrashic belief in the omnisignificance of Torah, leading it to develop the identities of unknown figures whose presence in the text is otherwise not understandable.
The technique is often employed to resolve exegetical or theological questions, to amplify the merits of the righteous and the faults of villainous figures or to mitigate seeming sins of the Patriarchs, and to demonstrate historical continuity.
Often, textual links and contextual parallels further motivate and / or bolster the identifications.
Consolidation of Characters
Below are many examples of character consolidation with sources and links for further discussion.
I. Identification of three or more different names as the same person:
Yaakov and Yehudah's staff with Moshe's staff – Yalkut Shimoni Chukat 763
II. Identification of places:
Beit El and Yerushalayim –
III. Identification of unknown dates with known ones:
Angel's visit to Lot – 15 Nisan
Giving of the Decalogue – 6 Sivan
Moshe's descent with the 1st Tablets – 17 Tammuz
Moshe's descent with the 2nd Tablets – 10 Tishrei
Night of the return of the spies – 9 Av
Analysis
I. Why does the Midrash identify characters?
Omnisignificance – As Midrash views every word in Torah as significant, it finds the presence of anonymous or unknown figures who play no other role elsewhere troubling. By identifying such figures with known characters, it can explain why such details are mentioned – See Ramban Shemot 6:23Shemot 6:23About R. Moshe b. Nachman.
Textual links – Often, textual links and content parallels2 between stories will motivate a certain identification. People with similar or identical names3 or those who play similar roles in different stories will be connected. Uncommon words4 shared by two stories might lead to other associations.
Apparent misdeeds of the righteous – Giving a Jewish identity to an idolator or Canaanite can obviate problems of apparent "intermarriages" or other undesirable unions. See, for instance, the identification of Shimon's Canaanite wife with Dina at Did Yaakov's Sons Marry Canaanites or the identification of the Cushite whom Moshe married with Zipporah at Miryam's Critique of Moshe and his Cushite Marriage.
Demonstrate reward and punishment – Nechama Leibowitz5 suggests that in certain instances, such as the identification of the officers whipped in Egypt with the seventy elders, the technique serves to demonstrate Divine providence and how good deeds are rewarded and suffering compensated.6
Character development – Identifying villains with other wicked individuals or the worthy with similarly righteous people serves to further blacken or whiten their characters. This fits the Midrashic tendency to augment the faults of evil characters and amplify the merits of righteous figures. See, for example, the identification of Shifra and Puah with Miryam and Yocheved at Who are the Midwives.7
Bridge history – When Midrash connects figures who live centuries apart, its goal might be to bridge history and show continuity over the generations, similar to the concept of מעשה אבות סימן לבנים.
II. Difficulties with method:
Why would Tanakh use different names in different places?