Literary:Redundancy/0

Redundancy In Torah

Heading Followed by Details: כלל ופרט

One example of redundancy in Tanakh is the phenomenon commonly known as  a "כלל ופרט".  Sometimes a narrative mentions an event twice in close proximity, leading to the possible conclusion that the same or similar thing happened twice. Often, though, this is simply a literary phenomenon in which the narrative open with a heading, telling the reader what is to come in general terms, and the following verse/s provide an explanation, backdrop or details, leading back to the original event mentioned. Many examples follow:

• "וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ" (Bereshit 24:29-30) – Bereshit 24:29-30 shares that Lavan ran to the servant, "וַיָּרׇץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ", then speaks of his seeing the jewelry on Rivka, and finally repeats, "וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָאִישׁ".  ShadalBereshit 24:30About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto explains that Lavan did not run twice, but rather verse 29 is a general statement which is explained by verse 30. After seeing the jewellery on Rivka, Lavan decided it was worth greeting the servant.¹
• "וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה" (Bereshit 28:10) – Bereshit 28:10 tells the reader that Yaakov went to Charan ("וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה"), the next verses proceed to speak of his dream in Beit El, and then Bereshit 29:1 repeats that he headed to Charan (וַיֵּלֶךְ אַרְצָה בְנֵי קֶדֶם).  R. Avraham b. HaRambamBereshit 28:10About R. Avraham Maimonides² 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.³
• "וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָעָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר יַם סוּף" (Shemot 13:18) – Shemot 13:8 speaks of Hashem "turning the people around" towards Yam Suf.  It is possible that this, too, is simply a heading for the unit and does not refer to Hashem's leading the people towards Yam Suf at this juncture, but to the later "about-face" described in Shemot 14:2, when He commands, "דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָשֻׁבוּ וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַחִירֹת".  The verses first describe how the nation left Egypt and traveled, only getting to the fact that they were turned around in 14:2.
• "וַיָּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל י״י" (Shemot 19:8-9) – In the description of the preparations for revelation, we are told twice that Moshe relayed the people's words to Hashem, in Shemot 19:8 and 19:9. RashbamShemot 19:8-9Vayikra 9:24Vayikra 10:2About R. Shemuel b. Meir suggests that the repetition is another example of the Torah being "כולל ואחר כך מפרש".‎⁴
• "וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי י״י וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ" (Vayikra 9:24) – Vayikra 9:24 describes a Divine fire consuming Aharon's offerings on the eighth day of the consecration ceremony ("וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי י״י וַתֹּאכַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ"). Vayikra 10:1-2, then speak of the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, where the verse similarly shares, " וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי י״י וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם". According to most commentaors these refer to two distinct events. RashbamShemot 19:8-9Vayikra 9:24Vayikra 10:2About R. Shemuel b. Meir, though, suggests that Vayikra 9:24 is not the conclusion to chapter 9 but the heading of the story of Nadav and Avihu, telling the reader of a fire that is to come in the continuation of the story. ⁵
• Service of Yom Hakippurim (Vayikra 16) – In the description of the cultic service of Yom HaKipurrim in Vayikra 16, there is a dual doubling. Twice the chapter mentions the sacrificing of Aharon's sin-offering of the cow (in verses 6 and 11) and twice it mentions the sacrificing of the nation's sin-offering of the goat (in verses 9 and 15).  It is possible that the offerings are really first sacrificed in verses 11 and 15 and that verses 6-9 are simply an abstract of what is to come.  They introduce the sacrifices and atonement to be achieved and then the verses backtrack to provide the details of the procedure.

• "וַיָּשֶׁב אֶת אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה הַכֶּסֶף לְאִמּוֹ" (Shofetim 17:3-4) – In both Shofetim 17:3 and 17:4 the verses speak of Michah returning the money he stole to his mother. RashbamShemot 19:8-9Vayikra 9:24Vayikra 10:2About R. Shemuel b. Meir suggests that verse 3 is a general statement of what took place, while the following verse backtracks, providing the details.⁶

¹ See R. SaadiaCommentary Bereshit 24:29About R. Saadia Gaon.  Cf. the Tur (long commentary) who brings the alternative possibility that Lavan actually approached the servant twice. He first ran, looking for Rivka, and then when he saw the jewelry on her, he once again approached the servant, this time to welcome him graciously.

² See also R"Y Bekhor ShorBereshit 28:10About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and RadakBereshit 28:10Shofetim 17:3About R. David Kimchi who explain similarly but without the formulation of a "כלל ופרט".

³ Cf. Bavli Sanhedrin 95bSanhedrin 95bAbout the Bavli which chooses not to read Bereshit 28:10 as a heading and instead suggest that Yaakov had indeed gone all the way to Charan and then returned to pray at Beit El, only heading again to Charan in 29:1..

⁴ See Rashi, in contrast who suggests that actually the verses refer to two different responses of the nation. Verse 8 refers to their statement "כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר י״י נַעֲשֶׂה" while verse 9 refers to the nation's desire to hear Hashem directly (a response not mentioned explicitly in the text).

⁵ In other words, the fire which consumes the offerings is identical to the fire which killed Nadav and Avihu. This fire first appeared after they brought the incense, not beforehand.  For elaboration and the ramifications of this reading for understanding the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, see Why Were Nadav and Avihu Killed.

⁶ According to Rashbam, Michah's mother first told him that she had dedicated the moneys to making an idol and only afterwards did he return them. Cf. RadakShofetim 17:3About R. David Kimchi and RalbagShofetim 17:3About R. Levi b. Gershom, in contrast, who understand that Michah returned the monies twice. First he gave them to his mother who then returned them to him to make an idol, but since he did not want to be bothered to deal with the sculptor, he gave them back to his mother so she could take care of the matter.