Difference between revisions of "Literary Devices – Bereshit 18/0"
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<h1>Literary Devices – Bereshit 18</h1> | <h1>Literary Devices – Bereshit 18</h1> | ||
<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> | ||
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<category>Strategic Repetition | <category>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.  | 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.  | ||
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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. | + | <ul> |
+ | <li>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.<fn>The <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Concordance/3381">concordanc</a>e reveals that besides these two instances there is only one other place in Sefer Bereshit where "God descends", when Hashem promises Yaakov that He will go down to Egypt with him (Bereshit 46:4)</fn></li> | ||
+ | </ul> | ||
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− | <category>Type | + | <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. | 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 | + | <subcategory name="Promise of a Child"> |
+ | 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, Shemuel, and the child of the Shunamite woman. | 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, Shemuel, and the child of the Shunamite woman. | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> |
Version as of 07:00, 2 July 2023
Literary Devices – Bereshit 18
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.
Character Titles
Parenthetical statement At times, Tanakh includes parenthetical statement that provides background information important to the narrative. A good example of this device is found in Bereshit 18:11: “And Avraham and Sarah were elderly, coming on in years; Sarah had ceased to have a menstrual flow like women.
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.3