Difference between revisions of "Literary Devices – Bereshit 43/0"
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<subcategory>Binyamin | <subcategory>Binyamin | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>Binyamin</li> | + | <li>Binyamin – This is the name used by the narrator when referring to Binyamin.</li> |
| − | <li>"Brother" – In Yehuda's speech to his father, he does not refer to Binyamin by name, but rather as "our brother", perhaps reflecting that, in contrast to the sibling's earlier feelings towards Yosef, they felt a brotherly bond with Binyamin.</li> | + | <li>"Brother" – In Yehuda's speech to his father, he does not refer to Binyamin by name, but rather as "our brother", perhaps reflecting that, in contrast to the sibling's earlier feelings towards Yosef, they felt a brotherly bond with Binyamin. Yaakov, too, refers to him as "your brother".</li> |
<li>הַנַּעַר – The other term used by Yehuda to describe Binyamin is "הַנַּעַר", the lad. See "Allusions" above, that this is the same term used to describe Yosef when he is first introduced to the reader, perhaps suggesting that the experience of bringing Binyamin to Egypt is a reenactment of the emotional experience of sending their other brother, the "lad" Yosef to Egypt. </li> | <li>הַנַּעַר – The other term used by Yehuda to describe Binyamin is "הַנַּעַר", the lad. See "Allusions" above, that this is the same term used to describe Yosef when he is first introduced to the reader, perhaps suggesting that the experience of bringing Binyamin to Egypt is a reenactment of the emotional experience of sending their other brother, the "lad" Yosef to Egypt. </li> | ||
<li>בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ – When Binyamin appears before Yosef, he is described as “Binyamin, his brother, the son of his mother”, stressing that they are full siblings and reflecting Yosef’s feelings of closeness to him. </li> | <li>בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ – When Binyamin appears before Yosef, he is described as “Binyamin, his brother, the son of his mother”, stressing that they are full siblings and reflecting Yosef’s feelings of closeness to him. </li> | ||
| − | |||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
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<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li>Yosef – The narrator consistently refers to Yosef by his proper name.</li> | <li>Yosef – The narrator consistently refers to Yosef by his proper name.</li> | ||
| − | <li>"האיש" – When the brothers and Yaakov speak of  Yosef, however, they call him simply "האיש" highlighting their lack of knowledge of the identity of Yosef; in | + | <li>"האיש" – When the brothers and Yaakov speak of  Yosef, however, they call him simply "האיש" highlighting their lack of knowledge of the identity of Yosef; in their eyes the individual with whom they have interacted is simply a powerful and inscrutable man. </li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
<subcategory>The Brothers | <subcategory>The Brothers | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>In contrast to earlier (and later) | + | <li>In contrast to earlier (and later) chapters where the siblings are often identified as "Yosef's brothers" or Yaakov’s sons, throughout the brothers’ journey to Egypt and experience there, they are referred to as “הָאֲנָשִׁים”. This might reflect their lack of awareness of the family dynamics at play as they descend to Egypt, and their unawareness of Yosef’s identity or that their own identity is significant.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
Version as of 06:29, 14 July 2023
Literary Devices – Bereshit 43
Structure
Parallels and Contrasts
Key Words
אִישׁ (man) This alludes to the brothers’ lack of knowledge of the identity of Yosef, who in their eyes is simply a powerful and inscrutable man. The brothers too are referred to as “anashim” rather than being identified as Yosef’s brothers or Yaakov’s sons, reflecting their lack of awareness of the family dynamics at play as they descend to Egypt. The generic identifier of “ish” is used repeatedly for the various characters in the chapter as an expression of their concealed identities. The word “ish” also alludes to the power dynamics in the chapter, as the brothers struggle with Yosef’s bewildering ways of asserting power (“ish” often connotes authority).
Allusions Through the use of allusions, the Torah presents the brothers’ journey to Egypt as a symbolic reenactment (and perhaps corrective) of Yosef’s journey to Egypt after they sold him:
- When trying to convince his father to let them bring Binyamin to Egypt, Yehuda refers to Binyamin as “הַנַּעַר” (verse 8), which is the word with which Yosef is introduced in 37:2.1
- The balsam, spices, and ladanum that Yaakov instructs his sons to bring to Egypt as a gift (verse 11) call to mind the same items that were being carried on the caravan that carried Yosef into slavery (see Bereshit 37:25).2 These are the only two mentions of these three items together in Tanakh, strengthening the allusion.
Character Titles
Binyamin
- Binyamin – This is the name used by the narrator when referring to Binyamin.
- "Brother" – In Yehuda's speech to his father, he does not refer to Binyamin by name, but rather as "our brother", perhaps reflecting that, in contrast to the sibling's earlier feelings towards Yosef, they felt a brotherly bond with Binyamin. Yaakov, too, refers to him as "your brother".
- הַנַּעַר – The other term used by Yehuda to describe Binyamin is "הַנַּעַר", the lad. See "Allusions" above, that this is the same term used to describe Yosef when he is first introduced to the reader, perhaps suggesting that the experience of bringing Binyamin to Egypt is a reenactment of the emotional experience of sending their other brother, the "lad" Yosef to Egypt.
- בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ – When Binyamin appears before Yosef, he is described as “Binyamin, his brother, the son of his mother”, stressing that they are full siblings and reflecting Yosef’s feelings of closeness to him.
Yosef
- Yosef – The narrator consistently refers to Yosef by his proper name.
- "האיש" – When the brothers and Yaakov speak of Yosef, however, they call him simply "האיש" highlighting their lack of knowledge of the identity of Yosef; in their eyes the individual with whom they have interacted is simply a powerful and inscrutable man.
The Brothers
- In contrast to earlier (and later) chapters where the siblings are often identified as "Yosef's brothers" or Yaakov’s sons, throughout the brothers’ journey to Egypt and experience there, they are referred to as “הָאֲנָשִׁים”. This might reflect their lack of awareness of the family dynamics at play as they descend to Egypt, and their unawareness of Yosef’s identity or that their own identity is significant.
Hashem
- Yaakov uses Hashem’s name of El Shaddai when he blesses the brothers before their journey.
- Commentators discuss his use of this name.
- Tanchuma notes that the name contains the word "", enough and that Yaakov is praying "He who said to the Universe, "Enough!", may He say "Enough!" to my troubles.
- Ibn Ezra and Abarbanel suggest that this word means "God Almighty", stressing Hashem’s unlimited power, which Yaakov believes will be necessary to protect his sons.
