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Commentaries on the Tanach created by Rabbis. The Midrash made use of a distinctive style of [biblical interpretation]?. |
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The Hebrew word midrash has three related meanings: * As a method: Midrash refers to a particular way of reading and interpreting a biblical verse. Thus we may say that the ancient rabbis provided Midrash to the Tanach. :The method was to make a point by juxtaposing Biblical verses. The point may not appear in any one of the verses by themselves, but taken together, in sequence, 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. :Note that interpretation of scripture, in of itself, is not midrash. In fact, most of what people call 'modern midrash' has nothing to do with the classical modes of literary exegesis that guided the rabbis. Commentary is not the same as midrash; fiction is not the same as midrash. Rabbinic midrash uses quotes from scripture to prove a proposition. Anything else should be classified as fiction or biblical commentary. * As a verse: Midrash refers 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]. One could technically say that the method by which this midrash was created is known as "midrash". * As a book: Midrash refers to a book, a compilation of Midrashic teachings. Thus one can say that "Genesis Rabbah" is a book that compiles midrashim on the book of Genesis. Historical origin of the midrash genre |
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A part of these contents, viz., the enactments of the Mosaic Law, made of course directly for the purpose of promoting legal righteousness in Israel; yet, as these laws had been framed in view of concrete circumstances of the past, they had to be explained in a more or less artificial way to make them fit the altered circumstances of Jewish life, or serve as Scriptural basis or support of the various traditional observances which made up the oral law. All such artificial explanations of the terms of the Mosaic legislation are legal, or Halakhic Midrashim. |
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A part of these contents, viz., the enactments of the Mosaic Law, made of course directly for the purpose of promoting legal righteousness in Israel; yet, as these laws had been framed in view of concrete circumstances of the past, they had to be explained in a more or less artificial way to make them fit the altered circumstances of Jewish life, or serve as Scriptural basis or support of the various traditional observances which made up the oral law. All such explanations of the terms of the Mosaic legislation are legal, or Halakhic Midrashim. |
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* (d)Bamidbar Rabba, on Numbers (twelfth century) |
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* (d) Bamidbar Rabba, on Numbers (twelfth century) |
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