Literary Devices – Bereshit 35/0

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Literary Devices – Bereshit 35

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Envelope Structure Tanakh Lab1 demonstrates that one of the chapters most similar to Bereshit 35, describing Yaakov's return to Israel, is Bereshit 28, which narrates Yaakov’s journey from his father’s house.  There are a number of parallels in plot and language (see here), including: Hashem’s blessings, the establishment of stone monuments (מצבות), the location and naming of Beit El, and the name El Sha-ddai, with which Yitzchak blesses Yaakov in Bereshit 28 and Hashem identifies Himself in Bereshit 35.  The two chapters thus serve as bookends for Yaakov's journey and give a sense of closure and harmony to Yaakov’s narrative, as in coming chapters the Torah will focus on the story of his sons.

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