Genres and Themes of Biblical Literature II Bible 502B Hebrew College Mekorot Year, Spring 2014 Syllabus 502b (Draft)

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1 Genres and Themes f Biblical Literature II Bible 502B Hebrew Cllege Mekrt Year, Spring 2014 Syllabus 502b (Draft) Instructr: Rachel Adelman, Ph.D. Hebrew University f Jerusalem Adjunct Prfessr in Hebrew Bible at Hebrew Cllege (Research Assciate in Wmen s Studies Prgram, Harvard Divinity Schl) Cntact: adelmanr@gmail.cm Office: TBD Hurs: Mnday 1:00-2:00 pm, r by appintment at ther times. Phne: SPRING SEMESTER : Class meets n Mndays, 11:30 am-1:00 pm. Pre-requisite: Hebrew V Descriptin f Curse: This curse entails an intrductin t the full cmplement f Biblical petry, in its literary and histrical cntext, and t mdes f petic interpretatin and analysis. The curse will cver selectins frm the Trah, Psalms, Prverbs, and the Bk f Jb, as well as selectins frm the Prphets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. We will discuss petry within narrative, genres f Prphetic writings, apcalyptic revelatins, and wisdm literature. Gals f the Curse: Attain a basic familiarity with the cntent, dating, themes, and cannizatin f petic selectins in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Expsure t different genres in the Tanakh, including csmlgical histry, histrical narrative, legal cdes, nvella, and curt tales. (We will lk at prphetic racles, biblical petry, wisdm literature, and apcalyptic writings in the secnd semester). Acquire a basic familiarity with the methds f critical biblical schlarship and be able t apply them t the reading f biblical texts. Enable students t becme mre adept at reading the Tanakh in the riginal Hebrew. This will be accmplished by intrducing/reviewing sme salient features f Biblical Hebrew phnlgy, mrphlgy, and syntax, and thrugh the usage f the cncrdance, B.D.B., and grammar resurces. Required Texts: Any Hebrew Bible. Recmmended: The bilingual JPS Tanakh r the bilingual Kren editin (preferred!). The Jewish Study Bible, ed. Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler (New Yrk and Oxfrd: Oxfrd University Press, 2004). An unparalleled ne-vlume Jewish Bible cmmentary and handbk. [frm heren JSB]

2 Other selected articles and readings will be tgether as a Cuse Reader (frm heren Reader ). Highly recmmended reference wrks: The BDB (Francis Brwn, S.R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicn f the Old Testament), republished recently by Hendricksn [title: Brwn-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicn]. Avraham Even-Shshan, New Cncrdance f the Bible [Hebrew] (Jerusalem: Kiryat Sefer, 1985). Paul S. Jün, S.J., A Grammar f Biblical Hebrew, transl. and revised by T. Muraka. 2 vls. (paperback) Rme: Editrice Pntifici Istitut Biblic, There is a mre recent ne vlume versin: Rma : Editrice Pntifici Istitut biblic, It is technical and expensive, but yu wn t utgrw it. Gesenius-Kautsch-Cwley Gesenius Hebrew Grammar, edited and enlarged by K. Kautsch, 2nd English editin by A. E. Cwley, Oxfrd: Clarendn, 1910, and reprints. Als technical and challenging t the beginner, but very wrthwhile. Thmas O. Lambdin s textbk, Intrductin t Biblical Hebrew, can serve as a rugh and ready simplified reference grammar, and is therefre highly recmmended fr students withut extensive experience reading Biblical Hebrew. Sáenz-Badills, Angel, A Histry f the Hebrew Language (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1993). Curse Requirements and Evaluatin: 1. Participatin (10%). Attendance and active invlvement in discussin is critical t prgress in this curse. Typical preparatin cnsists f clse reading f an individual pem r petic unit, in Hebrew, during Beit Midrash perids; bulk reading f Biblical and extra- Biblical primary surces in English, supplemented by secndary readings. 2. Three Shrt Assignments (20% each): 1) n Characteristics f Ancient Biblical Petry, due March 10 th ; 2) n Wisdm Literature due April 7 th ; 3) n The Prphets due May 5 th. 3. Final exam (30%). The final exam will be cumulative and may address any f the readings and class discussins. It will be dne in class, OPEN BOOK, n the last day f the semester, Mnday, May 19 th, 11 am- 1 pm. Unit 1: Biblical Petry (4 classes) 1. Feb. 3 rd Intrductin t the Art f Biblical Petry Primary Reading: Genesis 9:6, 4: Secndary Reading: Adele Berlin, Reading Biblical Petry, in The Jewish Study Bible (ed. Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler), ; Benjamin Hrushvski, Prsdy, Hebrew, Encyclpedia Judaica, 13, cl ( Sme Principles

3 f Hebrew Verse ) upladed t Schlgy;.als recmmended: Rbert Alter, The Characteristics f Ancient Hebrew Petry, in The Literary Guide t the Bible, (ed. Rbert Alter and Frank Kermde), upladed t Schlgy. 2. Feb. 10 th, Petry in the Pentateuch The Characteristics f Ancient Biblical Petry Primary Reading: Exdus 15. Secndary Reading: James L. Kugel, The Great Pems f the Bible, upladed t Schlgy; Jeffrey H. Tigay, cmmentary t Exdus 15, in The Jewish Study Bible, Hand-ut Assignment # 1 Characteristics f Ancient Biblical Petry, due March 10 th N Class n Feb. 17 th President s Day 3. Feb. 24 th, The Psalms f David Primary Reading: Psalm 1 Secndary Reading: James Kugel, Hw t Read the Bible, ch. 26, The Psalms f David, (upladed t Schlgy); Rbert Alter, The Art f Biblical Petry, [Recmmended: pp ] (upladed t Schlgy); Als recmmended: Nahum M. Sarna, Sngs f the Heart: An Intrductin t the Bk f Psalms (republished as: On the Bk f Psalms: Explring the Prayers f Ancient Israel), Intrductin, 3-23, and ch. 1, Psalm 1: The Mral Individual The Immral Sciety, ] [upladed t Schlgy] N Class n March 3 rd, Cmmunity Day f Learning with ANTS 4. March 10 th, Psalms in Liturgy & Assignment #1 Due! Primary Reading: Psalm 145 Secndary Reading: Len J. Liebreich, Psalms 34 and 145 in the Light f their Key Wrds, Hebrew Unin Cllege Annual [HUCA], 27 (1956), pp , ; Jnathan Magnet, A Rabbi Reads the Psalms, [frm ch. 3, David Sings the Blues On Cncentric Psalms: Psalms 145 and 92 ]; Adele Berlin, The Rhetric f Psalm 145, in Biblical and Other Studies Presented t Samuel Iwry (ed. Ann Krt and Sctt Mrschauser), 17-22, upladed t Schlgy. [Recmmended: Reuven Kimelman, An Interpretatin f the Ashrei Prayer, available nline at MyJewishLearning.cm: < Unit 2: Wisdm Literature (3 classes) 5. March 17 th, The Bk f Jb Part I The Prlgue and First Lament Primary Reading: Jb chs. 1-3

4 Secndary Reading: Secndary Reading: Mshe Greenberg, Jb, The Literary Guide t the Bible, ed. Rbert Alter and Frank Kermde (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1987), ; Harld Fisch Tragedy is nt Enugh, chapter 3 f Petry with a Purpse, [upladed t Schlgy] 6. March 24 th, The Bk f Jb Part II The Revelatin in the Whirlwind Primary Reading: Jb chs (this is very difficult petry s cver as much as yu can; ch. 42 is the denuement read that in English). Secndary Reading: Rbert Alter, Truth and Petry in the Bk f Jb, in The Art f Biblical Petry, [upladed t Schlgy]. Hand-ut Assignment # 2 Wisdm Literature Prverbs, due April 7 th 7. March 31 st Prverbs and Sirach (f the Apcrypha) n The Evil Wman/Gd Wife Primary Reading: Prverbs 7:4-23 and 31 (in Hebrew); Sirach (r Ecclesiasticus) 25:13-23 and 26:1-18 (in English). Secndary Reading: Alter, ch. 7: The Petry f Wit, in The Art f Biblical Petry, ; Kugel, Hw t Read the Bible, [frm ch. 28, Slmn s Wisdm ]; James G. Williams, Prverbs and Ecclesiastes, in The Literary Guide t the Bible, (especially , Wisdm as a Way f Lking at the Wrld). [upladed t Schlgy] Unit 3: Biblical Prphecy (5 classes) 8. April 7 th What is Biblical Prphecy? The Initiatin int Service **Assignment #2 n Wisdm Literature due tday! Primary Reading: Exd. ch. 3; Isaiah ch.1 & 6; Jeremiah ch. 1; Ezekiel chs.2-3. Secndary Reading: Intrductin t Isaiah by Benjamin Smmer in JSB, pp ; Selectins frm Abraham Heschel, The Prphets, OPTIONAL: Rbert Alter, ch. 6, Prphecy and Petry, in The Art f Biblical Petry, ; Michael Fishbane "Biblical Prphecy as a Religius Phenmenn," (upladed t Schlgy). N Classes n April 14 th and 21 st, Passver 9. April 28 th The Prphet as Intercessr Primary Reading: Jeremiah in the Ptters Huse (Jer.18:1-23). Secndary Reading: Ychanan Muffs, Wh Will Stand in the Breach, frm Lve and Jy, 9-48 (upladed t Schlgy). Assignment 3 Biblical Prphecy, due May 1 st 10. May 5 th The Prphet s Lament, Third Assignment Due! Primary Reading: Isaiah ch.1, Deut. 32

5 Secndary Reading: Harld Fisch, The Sng f Mses: Pastral in Reverse, in Petry with a Purpse, (upladed t Schlgy) 11. May 12 th Zechariah: Addressing the Cmmunities in Exile; Primary Reading: Zechariah 1:1-5:1 (fcus n ch. 3) Secndary Reading: Michael Fishbane, The JPS Bible Cmmentary: Haftart, and May 19 th, Final Exam (in class), 11 am-1:00 pm Bibligraphy (Preliminary) Rbert Alter, The Characteristics f Ancient Hebrew Petry, in The Literary Guide t the Bible, ed. Rbert Alter and Frank Kermde, (Lndn: Cllins 1987). Rbert Alter, The Art f Biblical Petry (New Yrk: Basic Bks 1985). Rbert Alter, The Wisdm Bks, (New Yrk : W.W. Nrtn & C., 2010). Adele Berlin, The Rhetric f Psalm 145, in Biblical and Related Studies Presented t Samuel Iwry ed. Ann Krt and Sctt Mrschauser, (Winna Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1985). Elias Bickerman, Fur Strange Bks f the Bible, New Yrk : Schcken Bks, Harld Fisch, Petry with a Purpse, Blmingtn : Indiana University Press, J. P. Fkkelman, Reading Biblical Petry An Intrductry Guide, (Luisville, KY : Westminster Jhn Knx Press, 2001). [1st ed.] Abraham J. Heschel, The Prphets (New Yrk and Evanstn: Harper & Rw, 1962) Benjamin Hrushvski, Prsdy, Hebrew, Encyclpedia Judaica, 13, cl ( Sme Principles f Hebrew Verse ). James L. Kugel, The Great Pems f the Bible, (New Yrk : Free Press, 1999). James L. Kugel, The Idea f Biblical Petry, (New Haven : Yale University Press, 1981); als (Baltimre : Jhns Hpkins University Press, 1998). James Kugel, Hw t Read the Bible, (New Yrk : W.W. Nrtn & C., 2007). Jnathan Magnet, A Rabbi Reads the Psalms, (Lndn : SCM, 2004). [2nd ed.] Ychanan Muffs, Lve and Jy, (New Yrk, N.Y. and Cambridge, Ma.: Jewish Thelgical Seminary f America ; Distributed by Harvard University Press, 1992). Nahum M. Sarna, Sngs f the Heart: An Intrductin t the Bk f Psalms (republished as: On the Bk f Psalms: Explring the Prayers f Ancient Israel) (New Yrk : Schcken Bks, 1993). [1st ed.]

6 James G. Williams, Prverbs and Ecclesiastes, in The Literary Guide t the Bible, ed. Rbert Alter and Frank Kermde, (Lndn: Cllins 1987), pp