Literary Devices – Bereshit 12/0
Literary Devices – Bereshit 12
Literary Envelope
A literary envelope marks the opening and closing of a literary unit through the repetition of key phrases, and often implies a sense of harmony and consistency within the unit. The Avraham narratives are framed by such an inclusio, as seen below:
לך לך to לך לך
- The words “לֶךְ לְךָ” (Bereshit 12:1) that introduces Avraham’s first test (leaving his homeland) form a literary envelope with the words “לֶךְ לְךָ” (Bereshit 22:2) that introduce his last test (Akeidat Yitzchak).
- The language of Hashem's initial command, that Avraham go forth “from your land, and from your family, and from your father’s house” is structurally similar to His command to sacrifice Yitzchak: “take your son, your only one, whom you love”. In both, He gradually identifies the cherished place or person that Avraham must sacrifice.
- Finally, the blessings promised to Avraham in 12:2-3 (וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ... וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה) form a literary envelope with those promised to him in 22:17-18 ( כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ... וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ).
This literary envelope both demarcates the Avraham narratives and emphasizes the consistency of Avraham’s faith and devotion to Hashem throughout his many tests.
Sources and Articles
- See Rashi on Bereshit 22:2 who notes the similarity in structure between Bereshit 12:1 and 22:2, explaining how Hashem often will only slowly disclose his full intent to the righteous, so as to increase their reward.
- See R. Meir Lau's short piece, "אל תשלח ידך את הנער" who suggests that the frame of "לך-לך" perhaps marks a progression in the difficulty of Avraham's tests. While in Chapter 12 Hashem asks of Avraham that he forego his past, in Chapter 22 he demands of him to forsake his future.
- For discussion and other examples of literary envelopes, see Structural Devices.
Repetition
In the story of Sarai and Avraham in Egypt, the text employs certain literary techniques involving repetition to enhance the story's suspense.
Anaphora and Epiphora
The text employs the literary devices of anaphora and epiphora (the repetition of words at the beginning or ends of successive clauses) to emphasize the unexpected intrusion of Paroh into the story. In verses 14-15 not only do the Egyptian "see" Sarah, so do Paroh's officers. In verse 15, the threefold repetition of Paroh again emphasizes how Avraham and Sarah are now in a much more precarious position than they had anticipated:1
- ויִּרְאוּ הַמִּצְרים אֶת הָאִשָּׁה כִּי יָפָה הִוא מְאֹד / וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה (Bereshit 12:14-15)
- וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה / וַיְהַלְלוּ אֹתָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה / וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה (Bereshit 12:15)
Articles
- For discussion of these techniques and their application to Bereshit 12, see Epiphora by Professor Yonatan Grossman.
Key Words
Tanakh Lab demonstrates that in the first unit of the chapter (verses 1-9), the roots "ארץ", "הלך" and "ברך" are significant words.
"לֶךְ... מֵאַרְצְךָ... אֶל הָאָרֶץ"
In the first half of the chapter (verses 1-9) the noun "ארץ" appears seven times, and the root "הלך" five times. This reflects the main theme of the unit, Avraham's uprooting himself from his homeland to go to the land promised him by Hashem.
"וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה"
In verses 2-3, the concept of "blessing" appears 5 times (the root "ברך" is mentioned 4 times, and the noun "ברכה" once). The text highlights how Avraham is both blessed and a source of blessing.
Articles
- For discussion of the role played by the root "הלך" in both this unit and the larger Avraham narratives, see י. גרוסמן, אברהם: סיפורו של מסע (תל אביב, 2014):38-39. Y. Grossman suggests that the repetition of the verb "to go" throughout the narrative highlights how Avraham is an active character, an initiator and doer. Moreover, the physical journeying that marks his life is perhaps symbolic of the more important inner spiritual journey.
- For discussion of the key word "ברך", see י. גרוסמן, אברהם:
- For a general overview of the use of key words in the Biblical text, see Martin Buber’s דרכו של מקרא: עיונים בדפוסי-סגנון בתנ”ך. For some online resources with discussion of the various functions and characteristics of key words and many examples, see The Multi-Purpose ‘Leading Word’ and the Problems of Its Usage, by Yairah Amit and Jeffrey M. Green, and Leitwort by Professor Yonatan Grossman.
Character Titles
Sarai
Sarai is referred in three ways in the chapter: a) Sarai, the wife of Avraham, b) in relationship to Avraham, but without mention of her proper name c) as simply "האשה", the woman.
- שָׂרַי – Sarai's proper name is mentioned when she is first introduced to the reader (v. 5), when Avraham speaks to her (v. 11) and when Hashem protects her (vs.17). To both Avraham and Hashem, Sarai is not only Avraham's wife, but an individual in her own right.
- "The wife of Avraham" – In verses 12, 18, 19, and 20, Sarai is referred to solely via her relationship to Avraham. This is perhaps expected, as it is her marital status, rather than her identity as Sarai, that drives the plot.
- "הָאִשָּׁה" – In verses 14-14, when the Egyptians see and take Sarai to Paroh, she is called only "the woman". To the Egyptians, Sarai's personal identity is irrelevant, and they are unaware of her married status, so to them she is simply "the woman".
Type Scene
A type scene is a literary technique in which a basic narrative sequence appears multiple times in Tanakh, each time with modifications that serve the needs of the specific narrative. Paying attention to the deviations from the expected template often reveals the hidden messages of the individual story.
Wife-Sister Stories
- The story of posing one’s wife as one’s sister, is an example of a type-scene, appearing in Bereshit 12, 20 and 26.
Articles
- See Robert Alter’s Biblical Type-Scenes and the Uses of Convention for discussion of this convention and its application to Bereshit 12.
