<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><b> I. Why does the Midrash identify characters?</b> </p>
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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><b> I. Why does the Midrash identify characters?</b></p>
<ul style="padding-left: 30px;">
<ul style="padding-left: 30px;">
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<li>Omnisignificance – As Midrash views every word in Torah as significant, it finds the presence of anonymous or unknown figures who play no other role elsewhere troubling.  By identifying such figures with known characters, it can explain why such details are mentioned – See <multilink><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Ramban Shemot 6:23</a><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:23</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>.</li>
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<li><b>Omnisignificance</b> – As Midrash views every word in Torah as significant, it finds the presence of anonymous or unknown figures who play no other role elsewhere troubling.  By identifying such figures with known characters, it can explain why such details are mentioned – See <multilink><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Ramban Shemot 6:23</a><a href="RambanShemot6-23" data-aht="source">Shemot 6:23</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>.</li>
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<li>Solve exegetical problems – At times, the identification serves to solve exegetical difficulties. See, for example, Shadal's discussion of the Midrashic identification of Sarah as Yiskah and the discussion of <a href="Yitro – Names" data-aht="page">Yitro's names</a> in Shemot 18.</li>
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<li><b>Solve exegetical problems</b> – At times, an identification serves to solve exegetical difficulties. See, for example, Shadal's discussion of the Midrashic identification of Sarah as Yiskah and the discussion of <a href="Yitro – Names" data-aht="page">Yitro's names</a> in Shemot 18.</li>
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<li>Avoiding theological problems –</li>
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<li><b>Addressing apparent misdeeds of the righteous</b> – Giving a Jewish identity to an idolator or Canaanite can obviate problems of apparent "intermarriages". See, for instance, the identification of Shimon's Canaanite wife with Dina.</li>
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<li>Demonstrate reward and punishment – See Nechama Leibowitz in עיונים בספר במדבר pp.95-96.</li>
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<li><b>Demonstrate reward and punishment</b> – Nechama Leibowitz<fn>See her</fn>.</li>
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<li>Character development and embellishment – </li>
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<li><b>Character development</b> – Identifying villains with other wicked individuals (or the worthy with meritorious people) serves to further blacken (or whiten) their characters.  This fits the Midrashic tendency to augment the faults of evil characters and amplify the merits of righteous figures.</li>
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<li>Textual or Content Parallels –</li>
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<li><b>Bridge history</b> – when Midrash connects figures who live centuries apart, its goal might be to bridge history and show continuity over the generations, similar to the concept of מעשה אבות סימן לבנים</li>
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<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><b>II. Difficulties with method:</b></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><b>II. Difficulties with method:</b></p>
Yaakov and Yehudah's staff with Moshe's staff – Yalkut Shimoni Chukat 763
II. Identification of places:
Beit El and Yerushalayim –
III. Identification of unknown dates with known ones:
Angel's visit to Lot – 15 Nisan
Giving of the Decalogue – 6 Sivan
Moshe's descent with the 1st Tablets – 17 Tammuz
Moshe's descent with the 2nd Tablets – 10 Tishrei
Night of the return of the spies – 9 Av
Analysis
I. Why does the Midrash identify characters?
Omnisignificance – As Midrash views every word in Torah as significant, it finds the presence of anonymous or unknown figures who play no other role elsewhere troubling. By identifying such figures with known characters, it can explain why such details are mentioned – See Ramban Shemot 6:23Shemot 6:23About R. Moshe b. Nachman.
Solve exegetical problems – At times, an identification serves to solve exegetical difficulties. See, for example, Shadal's discussion of the Midrashic identification of Sarah as Yiskah and the discussion of Yitro's names in Shemot 18.
Addressing apparent misdeeds of the righteous – Giving a Jewish identity to an idolator or Canaanite can obviate problems of apparent "intermarriages". See, for instance, the identification of Shimon's Canaanite wife with Dina.
Demonstrate reward and punishment – Nechama Leibowitz2.
Character development – Identifying villains with other wicked individuals (or the worthy with meritorious people) serves to further blacken (or whiten) their characters. This fits the Midrashic tendency to augment the faults of evil characters and amplify the merits of righteous figures.
Bridge history – when Midrash connects figures who live centuries apart, its goal might be to bridge history and show continuity over the generations, similar to the concept of מעשה אבות סימן לבנים
II. Difficulties with method:
Why would Tanakh use different names in different places?