[NGFP-BookClub] Catching Up / Falling Behind
Tomer
ngfp-bookclub@lists.ngfp.org
Sun, 10 Apr 2005 10:27:42 +1000
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in the weeks leading up to Pesach, I wonder if it's worth considering =
the whole 'art of interpretation' in a different light.
Prof. Kugel pointed out that the ancient interpreters saw Lot as 'all =
good' or 'all bad', which can mean, collectively, they saw him as both. =
Same can be said for the nature of the sin of the people of Sdom. There =
is a difference between the dialectic we find in the tension between =
opposites (the 'pilpul' of the opposing views presented in the Talmud) =
and a 'compromise' (seeing Lot as a 'regular guy', neither wholly good =
nor wholly bad - which could indicate a more modern consciousness). =
Seeing Lot as 'all good' and 'all bad', or the Sodomites as sexually =
corrupt and inhospitable, forces us to look for one inside the other.
Interpretation, in an academic sense, implies some sort of distancing =
from one's subject (shades of the second of the Haggadah's four sons - =
the one who asks 'to you, but not to me'?) But if the ancient =
interpreters read themselves as we often read them, as part of one story =
unfolding, a story in which today's interpreter is as much a protagonist =
as the interpreters of old, (and as the original subjects - Abraham, =
Lot, etc), then the collective history of biblical interpretation, from =
academic excercise, becomes more akin to theraputic process, which is =
more amenable to the concept of looking for light in the tension between =
opposites, as opposed to collapsing 'black' and 'white' into 'grey'. So =
if, for instance, I ask myself 'what of Lot's wife?', I look at her, and =
at her ancient interpreters, as they perhaps did, in search of myself. =
The act of interpretation moves from one of dispassionate observation to =
a non-linear revisiting, re-claiming, and tranforming of one's own =
experience.
I would love to hear other people's thoughts on this (if my ramblings =
are intelligible, that is!),
shavuah tov, chodesh tov,
Debbie
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>in the weeks leading up to Pesach, I =
wonder if it's=20
worth considering the whole 'art of interpretation' in a different=20
light.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Prof. Kugel pointed out that the =
ancient=20
interpreters saw Lot as 'all good' or 'all bad', which can mean, =
collectively,=20
they saw him as both. Same can be said for the nature of the sin of the =
people=20
of Sdom. There is a difference between the dialectic we find =
in the=20
tension between opposites (the 'pilpul' of the opposing views presented =
in=20
the Talmud) and a 'compromise' (seeing Lot as a 'regular guy', =
neither=20
wholly good nor wholly bad - which could indicate a more modern=20
consciousness). Seeing Lot as 'all good' and 'all bad', or the Sodomites =
as=20
sexually corrupt and inhospitable, forces us to look for one =
inside=20
the other.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Interpretation, in an academic sense, =
implies some=20
sort of distancing from one's subject (shades of the second of the =
Haggadah's=20
four sons - the one who asks 'to you, but not to me'?) But if the =
ancient=20
interpreters read themselves as we often read them, as part of one story =
unfolding, a story in which today's interpreter is as much a protagonist =
as the=20
interpreters of old, (and as the original subjects - Abraham, Lot, etc), =
then=20
the collective history of biblical interpretation, from =
academic=20
excercise, becomes more akin to theraputic process, which is more =
amenable=20
to the concept of looking for light in the tension between =
opposites, as=20
opposed to collapsing 'black' and 'white' into 'grey'. So if, for =
instance,=20
I ask myself 'what of Lot's wife?', I look at her, and at her ancient=20
interpreters, as they perhaps did, in search of myself. The act of=20
interpretation moves from one of dispassionate observation to a =
non-linear=20
revisiting, re-claiming, and tranforming of one's own=20
experience.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I would love to hear other people's =
thoughts on=20
this (if my ramblings are intelligible, that is!),</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>shavuah tov, chodesh tov,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Debbie</FONT></DIV>
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