Difference between revisions of "Literary Devices – Bereshit 22/0"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
This topic has not yet undergone editorial review
m |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
<aht-xml> | <aht-xml> | ||
| + | |||
<page type="Basic"> | <page type="Basic"> | ||
<h1>Literary Devices – Bereshit 22</h1> | <h1>Literary Devices – Bereshit 22</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> | ||
| − | |||
<category>Literary Envelope | <category>Literary Envelope | ||
<p>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:</p> | <p>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:</p> | ||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
<li>The words “<span style="color: #0000ff;">לֶךְ לְךָ</span>” (Bereshit 12:1) that introduces Avraham’s first test (leaving his homeland) form a literary envelope with the words “<span style="color: #0000ff;">לֶךְ לְךָ</span>” (Bereshit 22:2) that introduce his last test (Akeidat Yitzchak).</li> | <li>The words “<span style="color: #0000ff;">לֶךְ לְךָ</span>” (Bereshit 12:1) that introduces Avraham’s first test (leaving his homeland) form a literary envelope with the words “<span style="color: #0000ff;">לֶךְ לְךָ</span>” (Bereshit 22:2) that introduce his last test (Akeidat Yitzchak).</li> | ||
<li>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.</li> | <li>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.</li> | ||
| + | <li> In both stories Hashem uses similar language to describe Avraham’s destination: in Bereshit 12 He instructs Avraham to travel “to the land that I will show you” and in Bereshit 22 He commands that Avraham offer Yitzchak “on one of the mountains which I will tell you.”  </li> | ||
<li>Finally, the blessings promised to Avraham in 12:2-3 (<span style="color: #ff9900;">וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ</span>...  וְ<span style="color: #ff9900;">נִבְרְכוּ בְךָ</span> כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה) form a literary envelope with those promised to him in 22:17-18 ( כִּי <span style="color: #ff9900;">בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ</span>... <span style="color: #ff9900;">וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ</span> <span style="color: #ff9900;">בְ</span>זַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ).</li> | <li>Finally, the blessings promised to Avraham in 12:2-3 (<span style="color: #ff9900;">וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ</span>...  וְ<span style="color: #ff9900;">נִבְרְכוּ בְךָ</span> כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה) form a literary envelope with those promised to him in 22:17-18 ( כִּי <span style="color: #ff9900;">בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ</span>... <span style="color: #ff9900;">וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ</span> <span style="color: #ff9900;">בְ</span>זַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ).</li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
| Line 21: | Line 22: | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
| − | |||
<category>Parallels and Contrasts | <category>Parallels and Contrasts | ||
| − | + | <p></p> | |
</category> | </category> | ||
| − | |||
<category>Key Words | <category>Key Words | ||
| − | |||
</category> | </category> | ||
| − | |||
<category>Character Titles | <category>Character Titles | ||
| − | |||
</category> | </category> | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> | ||
Version as of 05:21, 3 July 2023
Literary Devices – Bereshit 22
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.
- In both stories Hashem uses similar language to describe Avraham’s destination: in Bereshit 12 He instructs Avraham to travel “to the land that I will show you” and in Bereshit 22 He commands that Avraham offer Yitzchak “on one of the mountains which I will tell you.”
- 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.
