Understanding Midrash: A Jewish Method of Biblical Interpretation - Prof. Rodney P. Frey, Study notes of Education Planning And Management

Download Understanding Midrash: A Jewish Method of Biblical Interpretation - Prof. Rodney P. Frey and more Study notes Education Planning And Management in PDF only on Docsity! Midrash (Some notes CORE 166) Midrash (pl. Midrashim) is a Hebrew word referring to a method of interpreting Biblical text. The term can be used in one of three interrelated ways: First: "Midrash" can be used as a verb; i.e. as a way of interpreting a biblical verse. A common way of doing this is by juxtaposing Biblical verses. The point may not appear in any one of the verses by themselves, but taken together the point is implicit. When the rabbis had a specific proposition in mind, they would first write about the general idea, often implicitly instead of explicitly. Then they would cite the biblical verses, knowing that the careful reader would perceive the common elements, and be lead to the desired conclusion. (All forms of scriptural interpretation are not necessarily midrash. Much of what has been termed "modern midrash" has little to do with the classical modes of literary exegesis that guided the rabbis. Rabbinic midrash uses quotes from scripture to prove a proposition.) Second: "Midrash" can be used as a noun; in this sense it can refer to a particular verse and its interpretation. Thus one can say that "The Midrash on the verse Genesis 1:1 really means that . . . [and some Midrashic interpretation of the verse would go here]. Third: The term "midrash" also can refer to a book, a compilation of Midrashic teachings, in the form of legal, exegetical or homiletical commentaries on the Tanakh. Thus Genesis Rabbah is a book that compiles midrashim on the book of Genesis. The following examples of shorter midrashim on Biblical verses. Verse: "And God saw all that He had made, and found it very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day." (Genesis 1:31) Midrash: Rabbi Nahman said in Rabbi Samuel's name: "Behold, it was very good" refers to the Good Desire. But "And behold, it was very good" can also refers to the Evil Desire. Can then the Evil Desire be very good? That would be extraordinary! But without the Evil Desire, however, no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children. It is a tradition of interpretation akin to the methods used by both Christian and Muslim theological scholars. The Muslim equivalent process is known as Tafsir. Interpretation of the Qur'an takes on three forms: 1. As the Qu'ran is the word of Almighty Allah (God) and