Difference between revisions of "Literary Devices – Bereshit 1/0"
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<div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | <div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | ||
<category>Structure | <category>Structure | ||
| + | Bereshit 1-2:3 can be seen as one major unit, describing the creation of the world.  It is framed by an iclusio, opening "בְּרֵאשִׁית <b>בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים</b>" and concluding "אֲשֶׁר <b>בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים</b> לַעֲשׂוֹת". It may be subdivided into an introduction (or perhaps a heading) in verses 1-2, and then 7 sections, corresponding to the six days of creation and Shabbat. Each of these (excepting the unit dealing with Shabbat) opens with " ...וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי" and closes with "...וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם" | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Repetition | <category>Repetition | ||
| − | <p>In his article, <a href="https://www.etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/studies-tanakh/literary-readings-tanakh/epiphora">Epiphora</a>, Professor Yonatan Grossman has pointed out the numerous literary devices that Tanakh uses to convey the harmonious, orderly nature of creation | + | <p>In his article, <a href="https://www.etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/studies-tanakh/literary-readings-tanakh/epiphora">Epiphora</a>, Professor Yonatan Grossman has pointed out the numerous literary devices that Tanakh uses to convey the harmonious, orderly nature of creation, noting that "the echoing words, consonants, and vowels in this story are connected to the Torah's theme – the Creation of the Universe is an ordered, planned, and organized process": </p> |
<subcategory>Epiphora | <subcategory>Epiphora | ||
<p>Epiphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses: </p> | <p>Epiphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses: </p> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>The creation story is built around the repetition of the phrase | + | <li>The creation story is built around the repetition of the concluding phrase “--- וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם”.  </li> |
| − | < | + | <li>“יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ <span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>הַמָּיִם</b></span> /  וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם <span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>לָמָיִם</b></span>’" ‎(1:6)</li> |
| − | <li>" | + | <li>"וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת <span style="color: #0000ff;"><b>הָרָקִיעַ</b></span> / וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת <span style="color: #0000ff;"><b>לָרָקִיעַ</b></span> / וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל <b><span style="color: #0000ff;">לָרָקִיעַ</span>"</b> ‎(1:7)</li> |
| − | <li>" | + | <li>"וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע <span style="color: #339966;"><b>לְמִינֵהוּ</b></span> / וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בוֹ <span style="color: #339966;"><b>לְמִינֵהוּ</b></span> ” ‎(1:12). </li> |
| − | <li> | + | <li>“ וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ <span style="color: #ff00ff;"><b>לְמִינָהּ</b></span> / וְאֶת הַבְּהֵמָה<span style="color: #ff00ff;"><b> לְמִינָהּ</b></span> / וְאֵת כׇּל רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה <span style="color: #ff00ff;"><b>לְמִינֵהוּ</b></span> .” ‎(1:25)</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
<subcategory>Alliteration: | <subcategory>Alliteration: | ||
| − | <p>The Torah begins with the alliteration of the words | + | <p>The Torah begins with the alliteration of the words “<b><span style="color: #ff9900;">בְּרֵ</span></b>אשִׁית <b><span style="color: #ff9900;">בָּרָ</span></b>א” and "וְ<b><span style="color: #0000ff;">ר</span></b>וּ<span style="color: #0000ff;"><b>חַ</b></span>... מְ<b><span style="color: #0000ff;">רַחֶ</span></b>פֶת".</p> |
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
<subcategory>Assonance | <subcategory>Assonance | ||
| − | <p> | + | <p>Assonance is repetition of the same vowel sounds with different consonants: </p> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li> | + | <li>“תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ” ‎(1:2)</li> |
| − | <li> | + | <li>“פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ” ‎(1:22, 1:28)</li> |
| − | <li> | + | <li>“בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ” ‎(1:26).</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
<subcategory>Concatenation | <subcategory>Concatenation | ||
| − | <p> | + | <p>This device involves the linking together of phrases:</p> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li> | + | <li>אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת <span style="color: #ff00ff;"><b>הָאָרֶץ</b></span>, <span style="color: #ff00ff;"><b>וְהָאָרֶץ</b> </span>הָיְתָה.” ‎(1:1-2).</li> |
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | </subcategory> | ||
| + | <subcategory>Formulaic Pattern | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li>Each section dealing with the days of creation follows a similar pattern, with only slight variations.  It opens with a speech of God that something be made (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי), continues with the fulfillment of that command (וַיְהִי כֵן), an evaluation (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב) and a conclusion וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר)</li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
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</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Character Titles | <category>Character Titles | ||
| − | |||
</category> | </category> | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> | ||
Version as of 23:43, 18 June 2023
Literary Devices – Bereshit 1
Structure Bereshit 1-2:3 can be seen as one major unit, describing the creation of the world. It is framed by an iclusio, opening "בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים" and concluding "אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַעֲשׂוֹת". It may be subdivided into an introduction (or perhaps a heading) in verses 1-2, and then 7 sections, corresponding to the six days of creation and Shabbat. Each of these (excepting the unit dealing with Shabbat) opens with " ...וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי" and closes with "...וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם"
Repetition
In his article, Epiphora, Professor Yonatan Grossman has pointed out the numerous literary devices that Tanakh uses to convey the harmonious, orderly nature of creation, noting that "the echoing words, consonants, and vowels in this story are connected to the Torah's theme – the Creation of the Universe is an ordered, planned, and organized process":
Epiphora
Epiphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses:
- The creation story is built around the repetition of the concluding phrase “--- וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם”.
- “יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם / וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם’" (1:6)
- "וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָרָקִיעַ / וַיַּבְדֵּל בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ / וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ" (1:7)
- "וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע לְמִינֵהוּ / וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בוֹ לְמִינֵהוּ ” (1:12).
- “ וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ / וְאֶת הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ / וְאֵת כׇּל רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ .” (1:25)
Alliteration:
The Torah begins with the alliteration of the words “בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא” and "וְרוּחַ... מְרַחֶפֶת".
Assonance
Assonance is repetition of the same vowel sounds with different consonants:
- “תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ” (1:2)
- “פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ” (1:22, 1:28)
- “בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ” (1:26).
Concatenation
This device involves the linking together of phrases:
- אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה.” (1:1-2).
Formulaic Pattern
- Each section dealing with the days of creation follows a similar pattern, with only slight variations. It opens with a speech of God that something be made (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי), continues with the fulfillment of that command (וַיְהִי כֵן), an evaluation (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב) and a conclusion וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר)
