Biblical Myth And Rabbinic Mythmaking

This is a comprehensive study of myth in the Hebrew Bible and myth and mythmaking in classical rabbinic literature (Midrash and Talmud) and in the classical work of medieval Jewish mysticism (the book of Zohar). Michael Fishbane provides a close study of

Michael Fishbane is Nathan Cummings Professor of Jewish Studies and Chair of the Committee on Jewish Studies at the University of Chicago

Abbreviations

xi

Introduction

1

(30)

I. Biblical Myth

Introduction

31

(6)

Combat Myths and Divine Actions: Prayers and Prophecies of Divine Might

37

(21)

In the Psalms

37

(11)

In Prophetic Literature

48

(10)

Personalization and Historicization of the Combat Motif: In Prayer and Prophecy

58

(5)

Conclusions and Other Considerations

63

(32)

Mythic Combat in Ancient Israel

63

(6)

The Mythic Hierarchy of Ancient Israel

69

(12)

Myth and Metaphor

81

(1)

Myth and Tradition

82

(13)

II. Rabbinic Myth and Mythmaking

Introduction

95

(17)

The Phenomenon: Topics and Techniques

95

(13)

Myth and Scripture

108

(2)

Delimiting the Focus

110

(2)

God and the Primordial Waters

112

(20)

Divine Combat and the Primordial Waters

112

(12)

The Waters of Tehom and the Temple

124

(8)

Myths of Participation and Pathos

132

(28)

Myths of Divine Participation: Egyptian Servitude and Other Events

134

(12)

Exilic Servitude and Divine Redemption

146

(14)

Myths of Divinity

160

(31)

Divine Pathos and Personality

160

(13)

Human Acts and Divine Activation

173

(18)

Conclusions and Other Considerations

191

(62)

Myth and Tradition

193

(27)

Myth and Language

220

(9)

Myth and the Morphologies of God

229

(24)

III. Jewish Myth and Mythmaking in the Middle Ages

Introduction

253

(20)

Some Reception-Histories of Myth

253

(14)

The Manifestation and Mystery of the Zohar

267

(6)

The Primordial Serpent and the Secrets of Creation

273

(20)

Serpent Myths and the Mystery of Evil

275

(10)

Excursus on Comparative Types

285

(8)

Divine Sorrow and the Rupture of Exile

293

(8)

Destruction of the Temple

293

(3)

Longing for Reunion

296

(5)

Conclusions

301

(5)

Final Conclusions

306

(9)

Appendix 1: Translations from Talmudic and Zoharic Sources

315

(10)

Appendix 2: The Term kivyakhol and its Uses

325

(77)

Special Abbreviations for Appendix 2

402

(3)

Select Bibliography

405

(14)

General Index

419

(13)

Index of Scriptural and Other Sources

432

(27)

Selected Hebrew Terms

459

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Biblical Myth And Rabbinic Mythmaking

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials