Difference between revisions of "Deconstructing Migdal Bavel/2/en"
(Original Author: Yehuda Novetsky, Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
(Original Author: Yehuda Novetsky, Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
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<h1>Deconstructing Migdal Bavel</h1> | <h1>Deconstructing Migdal Bavel</h1> | ||
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<h2>Overview</h2> | <h2>Overview</h2> | ||
<p>Commentators present a spectrum of approaches to understanding what happened at Migdal Bavel and why the Torah opts to share the story with us. Many Midrashim (and some modern commentaries) interpret it as a tale of human rebellion against Hashem which is recounted in order to mock pagan beliefs and lay the backdrop for the selection of Avraham. Alternatively, several early medieval commentators view the narrative as simply a historical account of how the world was repopulated after the Flood and how God prevented man from committing the error of settling all in the same place. Finally, some later medieval and modern exegetes focus on the moral dangers inherent in centralized government or urban society, and they understand the text to be attempting to inculcate proper values.</p> | <p>Commentators present a spectrum of approaches to understanding what happened at Migdal Bavel and why the Torah opts to share the story with us. Many Midrashim (and some modern commentaries) interpret it as a tale of human rebellion against Hashem which is recounted in order to mock pagan beliefs and lay the backdrop for the selection of Avraham. Alternatively, several early medieval commentators view the narrative as simply a historical account of how the world was repopulated after the Flood and how God prevented man from committing the error of settling all in the same place. Finally, some later medieval and modern exegetes focus on the moral dangers inherent in centralized government or urban society, and they understand the text to be attempting to inculcate proper values.</p> | ||
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<category name="">A Polemic against Paganism | <category name="">A Polemic against Paganism | ||
<p>Migdal Bavel was built as a pagan shrine and as a direct challenge to God's authority. Hashem's foiling of the Babylonian aspirations and claims of superiority set the stage for His selection of Avraham and his descendants as his chosen nation.</p> | <p>Migdal Bavel was built as a pagan shrine and as a direct challenge to God's authority. Hashem's foiling of the Babylonian aspirations and claims of superiority set the stage for His selection of Avraham and his descendants as his chosen nation.</p> | ||
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<multilink><aht source="ElitzurBereshit11">Y. Elitzur</aht><aht source="ElitzurBereshit11">Article in Sefer Gevaryahu</aht><aht parshan="Prof. Yehuda Elitzur" /></multilink> | <multilink><aht source="ElitzurBereshit11">Y. Elitzur</aht><aht source="ElitzurBereshit11">Article in Sefer Gevaryahu</aht><aht parshan="Prof. Yehuda Elitzur" /></multilink> | ||
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<a href="Media/1Bereshit/11/Ur Ziqqurat.jpg"><img src="Media/1Bereshit/11/Ur Ziqqurat.jpg"/></a> | <a href="Media/1Bereshit/11/Ur Ziqqurat.jpg"><img src="Media/1Bereshit/11/Ur Ziqqurat.jpg"/></a> | ||
<figcaption>(<a href="Media/1Bereshit/11/Ur Ziqqurat.jpg">US soldiers climbing the Ziqqurat at Ur in 2010</a>)</figcaption> | <figcaption>(<a href="Media/1Bereshit/11/Ur Ziqqurat.jpg">US soldiers climbing the Ziqqurat at Ur in 2010</a>)</figcaption> | ||
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<point><b>Man's motivation for building the city / tower</b> – The various Targumim and Midrashim focus on the tower as the source of the problem, viewing it as a platform for the worship of idolatry and waging battle against Hashem. Cassuto and others note that this fits with what we know about Mesopotamian ziqqurats,<fn>The Akkadian term literally means "to rise up high".</fn> stepped pyramidal shaped temple complexes built from bricks. These were located in each city, with a particularly massive one in the ancient city of Bavel.<fn>In contrast to later medieval European commentators, Rabbinic sages of the Talmudic era were closer both geographically and chronologically to the Babylonian temples and were aware of their existence. This is clear from the eye-witness accounts in <multilink><aht source="BavliSanhedrin109a">Bavli Sanhedrin</aht><aht source="BavliSanhedrin109a">Sanhedrin 109a</aht><aht parshan="Talmud Bavli">About the Bavli</aht></multilink> and <multilink><aht source="BereshitRabbah38-6">Bereshit Rabbah</aht><aht source="BereshitRabbah38-6">38:6-9</aht><aht parshan="Bereshit Rabbah" /></multilink>.</fn></point> | <point><b>Man's motivation for building the city / tower</b> – The various Targumim and Midrashim focus on the tower as the source of the problem, viewing it as a platform for the worship of idolatry and waging battle against Hashem. Cassuto and others note that this fits with what we know about Mesopotamian ziqqurats,<fn>The Akkadian term literally means "to rise up high".</fn> stepped pyramidal shaped temple complexes built from bricks. These were located in each city, with a particularly massive one in the ancient city of Bavel.<fn>In contrast to later medieval European commentators, Rabbinic sages of the Talmudic era were closer both geographically and chronologically to the Babylonian temples and were aware of their existence. This is clear from the eye-witness accounts in <multilink><aht source="BavliSanhedrin109a">Bavli Sanhedrin</aht><aht source="BavliSanhedrin109a">Sanhedrin 109a</aht><aht parshan="Talmud Bavli">About the Bavli</aht></multilink> and <multilink><aht source="BereshitRabbah38-6">Bereshit Rabbah</aht><aht source="BereshitRabbah38-6">38:6-9</aht><aht parshan="Bereshit Rabbah" /></multilink>.</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>Who participated in the construction?</b> Rashi, following Chazal,<fn>See Bavli Eiruvin 53a, Chulin 89a, Bereshit Rabbah 38:8, and in much expanded form in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer.</fn> states that the builders were the descendants of Cham under the leadership of Nimrod.<fn>Even earlier sources for the involvement of Nimrod may be found in the writings of Philo and Josephus. The textual basis for this tradition lies in the linguistic parallels between the description of Nimrod in Bereshit 10 ("הֵחֵל", "עַל כֵּן", "בָּבֶל", "שִׁנְעָר", "וַיִּבֶן", "הָעִיר הַגְּדֹלָה") and the story of the tower in Bereshit 11 ("הַחִלָּם", "עַל כֵּן", "בָּבֶל", "שִׁנְעָר", "נִבְנֶה", "עִיר וּמִגְדָּל"). A dissenting tradition which has Nimrod not wanting to participate in the building of the tower is preserved in Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Bereshit 10:11.</fn> This position may assume that the more righteous offspring of Shem would not have been involved in a rebellion against God.<fn>See the note above for sources regarding Avraham's opposition to the construction. Cf. Ibn Ezra, Ralbag, and Abarbanel below who assume that Noach and Shem (and possibly even Avraham) participated in the building of the city, and thus argue that idolatry could not have been involved.</fn></point> | <point><b>Who participated in the construction?</b> Rashi, following Chazal,<fn>See Bavli Eiruvin 53a, Chulin 89a, Bereshit Rabbah 38:8, and in much expanded form in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer.</fn> states that the builders were the descendants of Cham under the leadership of Nimrod.<fn>Even earlier sources for the involvement of Nimrod may be found in the writings of Philo and Josephus. The textual basis for this tradition lies in the linguistic parallels between the description of Nimrod in Bereshit 10 ("הֵחֵל", "עַל כֵּן", "בָּבֶל", "שִׁנְעָר", "וַיִּבֶן", "הָעִיר הַגְּדֹלָה") and the story of the tower in Bereshit 11 ("הַחִלָּם", "עַל כֵּן", "בָּבֶל", "שִׁנְעָר", "נִבְנֶה", "עִיר וּמִגְדָּל"). A dissenting tradition which has Nimrod not wanting to participate in the building of the tower is preserved in Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Bereshit 10:11.</fn> This position may assume that the more righteous offspring of Shem would not have been involved in a rebellion against God.<fn>See the note above for sources regarding Avraham's opposition to the construction. Cf. Ibn Ezra, Ralbag, and Abarbanel below who assume that Noach and Shem (and possibly even Avraham) participated in the building of the city, and thus argue that idolatry could not have been involved.</fn></point> | ||
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<point><b>Time frame of the story</b> – This approach would likely understand that the punishment was a miraculous process which happened very quickly.</point> | <point><b>Time frame of the story</b> – This approach would likely understand that the punishment was a miraculous process which happened very quickly.</point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
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<category name="">A History of the Resettlement of the World | <category name="">A History of the Resettlement of the World | ||
<p>When mankind attempted to settle together in one city, Hashem dispersed them in accordance with his plan that humans populate the entire world. The story thus comes to provide an account of how Noach's descendants ultimately spread out throughout the world.</p> | <p>When mankind attempted to settle together in one city, Hashem dispersed them in accordance with his plan that humans populate the entire world. The story thus comes to provide an account of how Noach's descendants ultimately spread out throughout the world.</p> | ||
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<category name="">Guidelines for a Moral Civilization | <category name="">Guidelines for a Moral Civilization | ||
<p>The building of the city was not a direct challenge to God or a violation of a specific commandment of His, but was rather undesirable because of the dangers of centralized power and urban civilization. The story thus comes to inculcate moral and political lessons and promote the healthier functioning of society. This position subdivides:</p> | <p>The building of the city was not a direct challenge to God or a violation of a specific commandment of His, but was rather undesirable because of the dangers of centralized power and urban civilization. The story thus comes to inculcate moral and political lessons and promote the healthier functioning of society. This position subdivides:</p> | ||
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<opinion name="">Curbing Material Pursuits | <opinion name="">Curbing Material Pursuits | ||
<p>The story of Migdal Bavel is about man's chase after physical rather than spiritual rewards.</p> | <p>The story of Migdal Bavel is about man's chase after physical rather than spiritual rewards.</p> | ||
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Version as of 02:48, 26 June 2014
Deconstructing Migdal Bavel
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Commentators present a spectrum of approaches to understanding what happened at Migdal Bavel and why the Torah opts to share the story with us. Many Midrashim (and some modern commentaries) interpret it as a tale of human rebellion against Hashem which is recounted in order to mock pagan beliefs and lay the backdrop for the selection of Avraham. Alternatively, several early medieval commentators view the narrative as simply a historical account of how the world was repopulated after the Flood and how God prevented man from committing the error of settling all in the same place. Finally, some later medieval and modern exegetes focus on the moral dangers inherent in centralized government or urban society, and they understand the text to be attempting to inculcate proper values.
A Polemic against Paganism
Migdal Bavel was built as a pagan shrine and as a direct challenge to God's authority. Hashem's foiling of the Babylonian aspirations and claims of superiority set the stage for His selection of Avraham and his descendants as his chosen nation.
![](http://media.alhatorah.org/1Bereshit/11/Ur%20Ziqqurat.jpg)
A History of the Resettlement of the World
When mankind attempted to settle together in one city, Hashem dispersed them in accordance with his plan that humans populate the entire world. The story thus comes to provide an account of how Noach's descendants ultimately spread out throughout the world.
Guidelines for a Moral Civilization
The building of the city was not a direct challenge to God or a violation of a specific commandment of His, but was rather undesirable because of the dangers of centralized power and urban civilization. The story thus comes to inculcate moral and political lessons and promote the healthier functioning of society. This position subdivides:
Insuring a Balance of Power
The story of Migdal Bavel is about the potential for abuse of power that uniformity and central control bring.
Curbing Material Pursuits
The story of Migdal Bavel is about man's chase after physical rather than spiritual rewards.