Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

document.write(''); document.write('\r' + ' Richard Hidary

Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

document.write(''); document.write('\r' + ' Richard Hidary

Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

document.write(''); document.write('\r' + ' Richard Hidary

Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

document.write(''); document.write('\r' + ' Richard Hidary

Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

document.write(''); document.write('\r' + ' Richard Hidary

Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

document.write(''); document.write('\r' + ' Richard Hidary

Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

document.write(''); document.write('\r' + ' Richard Hidary

Richard Hidary

rhidary@merkaz.com

Introduction to Midrash

Judaic Studies 15 – Fall 2007

Mondays 6:20 – 9:00PM

 

This course seeks to answer the fundamental questions, “What is midrash?” and “What does Midrash do?” We will present a survey and analysis of select passages from the Midrash, the major repository of Jewish thought and biblical commentary of the Talmudic Rabbis. We will discuss the historical development of Midrash, the relationship between Halakhah and Aggadah, and medieval and modern literary approaches to the reading of Midrash. Relevant topics are: inner-biblical exegesis, midrash as a replacement for prophecy, omnisignifigance, harmonizing, filling-in gaps, polysemy, indeterminacy and intertextuality.

            Grades will be determined based on a midterm (35%) a final (40%), participation, and assignments/presentations (25%). Students will be expected to prepare primary sources and readings for each class and be ready to discuss them. Lateness and absence will be penalized.

            Office hours will be on Mondays, 10:45-11:45PM in 3111 James or by appointment.

Unit 1 – Origins and Forms of Midrash

1. Monday, August 27th - Books and Methods

Definitions – What is Midrash?

Review of Historical Periods and texts

Two Schools of Midrash & Polysemy in Midrash - handout

Reading: Encyclopedia Judaica: Midrash (HTML) or as PDF

Encyclopedia Judaica: Midreshei Halakhah (HTML) or as PDF

 

Sept. 3 - No Class

2. Monday, Sept. 10th - Polysemy in Midrash, cont.

Reading: Gary Porton, "Midrash," in Anchor Bible Dictionary.

 

3. Monday, Sept. 17th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Narrative: 2 Samuel 24 and 2 Chronicles 21

 

Reading: R. Bloch, "Midrash," in W.S. Greed, ed., Approaches to Ancient Judaism: Theory and Practice (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1978), 26-51.

Suggested Reading:

Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), 231-277.

Michael Fishbane, “Inner Biblical Exegesis: Types and Strategies on Interpretation in Ancient Israel”, in Geoffrey H. Hartman and Sanford Budick ed., Midrash and Literature (Yale University Press, 1986), 19-37.

 

4. Monday, Sept. 24th - Inner-Biblical Exegesis

Law: Early Midrash Halakha

Resolving contradictions - Primary Sources: Cooking Passover - Ex 12:8-9, Dt 16:7, 2Chron 35:13, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael Piskha 6; Passover Animal - Ex 12:5, Dt 16:2, 2Chron 35 7-9, Mekhilta d’R. Ishmael, Pischa 4;

 

Examples of new legal revelations to Moshe in the desert:

    The Daughters of Zelofhad

    Pesah Sheni

 

Reading: Michael Fishbane, "Revelation and Tradition: Aspects of Inner-Biblical Exegesis," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:3 (1980), pp. 343-361.

Suggested Reading: Gary Porton, "Defining Midrash," in Jacob Neusner, ed. The Study of Ancient Judaism (New York, 1981), 1:55-92.

 

5. Monday, Oct. 1st

Exegetical Midrash vs. Homiletical Midrash

Three Year Cycle of Palestinian Torah Reading

Leviticus Rabbah 30

 

The Rebellious Elder

Reading: Richard Hidary, "Rebellious Elder: Tannaitic and Amoraic Transformation of a Biblical Institution."

 

Oct. 8th – No Class, Columbus Day

6. Monday, Oct. 15th

The Petiha Format

Early Exegesis of Gen 12

    Why did God choose Abraham?

    Why did Abraham say "Now I know you are beautiful"?

 

Reading: James Kugel, The Bible as it Was (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997).

 

7. Monday, Oct. 22nd

Midterm

Unit 2 – Literary and Historical Analysis of Midrash

 

8. Monday, Oct. 29th -

a. Rashi’s Use of Midrash, Midrash as “Deep Peshat”

Was Rebecca Three Years Old?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Apostate City

Reading: Moshe Halbertal, "Halakhah and Morality: The Case of the Apostate City," S'vara 3:1 (1993), 67-72.

 

9. Monday, Nov. 5th -

a. Who was Ketura?

 

b. Collective Punishment - Achan

 

10. Monday, Nov. 12th -

a. Yaakov and Esau in the Midrash

 

b. Collective Punishment - War with Midian

        Three things Moshe Taught God - Israel's Defense, Sins of Fathers on Sons, War with Sihon

 

11. Monday, Nov. 19th 

Reuben and Bilhah

 

The Book of Job

 

12. Monday, Nov 26th – Authority of Rabbis

Primary Sources: Tefillin, Slavery, Night and Day, Eye for an Eye, Levirate Marriage, Incline after majority.

Oven of Achnai - Mezia 59a-59b

 

Reading: David Weiss Halivni. Peshat and Derash. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, 3-22.

Eliezer Berkowitz. Not In Heaven: The Nature and Function of Halakha. New York: Ktav, 1983, 47-50.

 

13. Monday, Dec. 3rdMidrash and Mythology

“The Sea Resists”

Mekhilta d’Rebbi Yishmael

Reading: Daniel Boyarin. Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994, 93-104.

 

14. Monday, Dec. 10th - Midrash vs. Peshat in Halakha

Midrash Through the Ages

 

Suggested Reading: Harris, Jay. How Do We Know This?: Midrash and the Fragmentation of Modern Judaism. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Final Review

 

Dec. 17th - Final 6-8PM at James 3111

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