Commentators:Character Consolidation/1

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Character Consolidation

Introduction

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Interactive Module

Consolidation of Characters

 I. Identification of three or more different names as the same person:

II. Identification of two characters with different names as the same person:

III. Identification of characters with the same or similar names as the same person:

IV. Identification of anonymous people with known personalities:

V.  Identification of one anonymous person with another:

Consolidation of Objects

I. Identification of objects with other objects:

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 suggests that in certain instances, such as the identification of the officers whipped in wgypt with the later princes, the technique serves to demonstrate how good deeds are rewarded and suffering compensated..
  • 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?