Difference between revisions of "Literary Devices – Bereshit 18/0"
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<category>Allusions | <category>Allusions | ||
Hashem’s statement that He will descend to check the corruption of Sedom alludes to the one previous context in which Hashem “descends,” in the story of The Tower of Babel (11:5, 7). In both places Hashem intervenes to undermine or destroy a society gone astray.  One can click on the word “erdah” (18:21) to see the other instances of this verb in Tanakh.   | Hashem’s statement that He will descend to check the corruption of Sedom alludes to the one previous context in which Hashem “descends,” in the story of The Tower of Babel (11:5, 7). In both places Hashem intervenes to undermine or destroy a society gone astray.  One can click on the word “erdah” (18:21) to see the other instances of this verb in Tanakh.   | ||
+ | </category> | ||
+ | <category>Type scene | ||
+ | Robert Alter has identified Biblical type-scenes in which multiple characters have similar experiences, with these experiences being told with a similar formula.  The deviations from the expected formula often illustrate the unique personalities and experiences of each. | ||
+ | <subcategory>Divine Promise of a Child | ||
+ | One such type scene is the annunciation type-scene, in which a childless parent is given a divine promise of a child. <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Biblical_Parallels/Bereshit/18.1#m5e2n6">Makbilot BaMikra</a> notes that this occurs in the stories of the births of Yitzchak, Yaakov and Esav, Shimshon, Shmuel, and the child of the Shunamite woman. | ||
+ | </subcategory> | ||
+ | <subcategory>Articles | ||
+ | For analysis of this type-scene, see How Convention Helps Us Read: The Case of the Bible’s Annunciation Type-Scene by Robert Alter. | ||
+ | </subcategory> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
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Version as of 06:51, 2 July 2023
Literary Devices – Bereshit 18
Structure
Strategic Repetition Tanakh is often strategic about how it repeats information or dialogue. In verses 13-14, Hashem repeats Sarah’s words to Avraham, but leaves out her reference to Avraham’s advanced age and to her having withered. As Rashi points out, Hashem leaves out her mention of Avraham’s old age to preserve peace between them, and one might add that perhaps He leaves out her description of her being withered out of respect for her.
Key Words
צחק (to laugh)
- Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the root “צחק” is the word that appears with the greatest frequency in this chapter relative to the rest of Tanakh. This word is associated strongly with the narrative of Yitzchak, in this chapter as well as in Chapters 17 and 21.
- For analysis of the significance of laughter in Yitzchak’s narrative and legacy, see Parshat Vayera - Laughter and Isaac by R. Alex Israel.
מהר (to hurry)
- Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the root "מהר” (to hurry) is the word that appears with third greatest frequency in this chapter relative to the rest of Tanakh. This root is accompanied by two appearances of the root "רוץ" (to run). Together they connote the enthusiasm of Avraham in greeting and serving his guests.
- Interestingly, according to the Tanakh Lab1, the chapter most linguistically similar to this chapter is Bereshit 24, discussing Rivka’s hospitality, in which the same two roots appear.2 Rivka, too, rushes and runs to provide hospitality.