Questions tagged [literalism]
Questions regarding the literal interpretation of Biblical or Rabbinic texts.
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Are there any sources that translate the term "a land flowing with milk and honey", as being literal rather than a metaphor?
The first usage that I can find that refers to Israel as a "land flowing with milk and honey" in Exodus 3:8:
וָאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ ׀ מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ֮
מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ אֶל־...
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Why Pinchas = Eliyahu?
The Midrash says that Pinchas and Eliyahu are the same person. According to most of the Rishonim, I believe, this (as any other Midrash) should not be taken literally.
Which are some of the non-...
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Midrashic non-literalism in the Taz
The Taz writes in his Divrei David (Genesis 1:23) regarding a Midrash:
ואין לנו להפקיע דברי חכמים מפשטן
"We should not remove words of the Sages from their simple interpretations."
Does the Taz ...
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How might one reconcile a non-literal reading of the timespan of creation with literal 7th day Shabbat observance? [duplicate]
I am wondering, in the light of discussions regarding the possibility for non-literal readings of Bereishit, how we are to then understand a quite literal observation of Shabbat on the 7th day.
To ...
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Why do we bring a sin offering on rosh chodesh, given the midrash about changing the size of the moon?
We bring a sin offering as a 'kapara' for hashem for decreasing the size of the moon. The story goes that the moon said we cant have two 'kings' the same size so I want to be bigger. Hashem says no ...
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How literal is the concept of the Throne of Glory?
I am aware of two other questions asked on this site related to the Throne of Glory, but I have a somewhat different question.
The baal haturim, in his commentary to the torah at Bamidbar 2:2-3 ...
user8832
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hints from verses that 6 days of creation is not literal
Are there hints in the verses of Genesis that the 6 "days" of creation are not literal, i.e. not 24 hour periods but rather some kind of "era".
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Does Judaism have a concept of holy text literalism?
Apologies if this is an ignorant, foolish or offensive question. I am not Jewish, and am asking to satisfy my curiosity.
Some time ago, on a political forum online, I was discussing religious ...
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Is belief in Midrashim optional?
The Ramban in Sefer Havikuach (page 32, the bottom of the first column ) asserts with regard to Midrash:
מי שיאמין בו טוב. ומי שלא יאמין בו לא יזיק
Whoever believes in it, good, he who does not ...
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Was Rachav A Harlot (Prostitute)?
It specifically says several times in Yehoshua chapter 2 and chapter 6 that Rachav was a Harlot " וְאֶת רָחָב הַזּוֹנָה". Why is it that it is accepted that she wasn't a harlot but an innkeeper and ...
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Chronology of Shofetim
Where can I find a diagram or timeline showing the chronology of the Shofetim according to different commentators?
For example Rashi on Shofetim 11:26, Ralbag nearby and Abarbanel on Shmuel 1 chapter ...
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Praying for the Moon to "fill the defect"
During Kiddush Levanah, a brief prayer is recited:
וִיהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקי וֵאלֹקי אֲבוֹתַי לְמַלֹּאת פְּגִימַת הַלְּבָנָה וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָּהּ שׁוּם מִעוּט.
וִיהִי אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה ...
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How do we know that we can interpret the torah non-literally beyond what is found in the talmud?
I have often heard "drashot" or homiletic interpretations of many verses in the torah. How do we know that the torah can be explained in a non-literal way beyond the non-literal explanations found in ...
user6641
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Age of Universe and Shabbat
If one believes that our world is billions of years old, i.e. accepting the idea of each day in Sheshis Imei Berieshit (the Six Days of Creation) as eras and not literal days, then how does one ...
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Why did the angels object to the Torah being given to Moshe – what did the angels think?
The well-known Gemoro Shabbos 88b reports the angels protesting against HKB”H giving the Torah to Israel. HKB”H tells Moshe to answer the angels and Moshe shows that the Torah is only applicable to ...
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Rashi and Corporealism
Shemos 7:4-
וְלֹא-יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵכֶם פַּרְעֹה, וְנָתַתִּי אֶת-יָדִי בְּמִצְרָיִם; וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת-צִבְאֹתַי אֶת-עַמִּי בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, בִּשְׁפָטִים, גְּדֹלִים
There, Rashi comments-...
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What are the circumstances of the fulfillment of Ezekiel's vision of the temple?
Ezekiel (Yechezkel) 40 begins a section about a vision of a temple with priests and sacrifices and feasts. The detailed descriptions of this temple seem to indicate that a literal (as opposed to ...
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Plants before the Sun in the Order of Creation
Why does plant life precede the Sun in the order of creation given that plants need the Sun to do photosynthesis?
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Is there any precedent to read the first 11 chapters of Genesis as metaphorical?
I believe this will be related to a similar question about a statement by Rabbi Sacks. Rabbi Jeremy Wieder said in a lecture titled Non Literal Interpretation of Scripture in Jewish Tradition (and ...
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Does Rambam take the 6 days of creation literally?
I was told in this answer to another question: "The Rambam did not take the '6 days' of Bereishis literally, as well as other details." The answer linked to Moreh Nevuchim (link) but I couldn't find ...
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Is it heresy to read the Bible literally?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in this debate with Richard Dawkins says:
Rabbis in the 10th century laid down the following principle: If a biblical narrative is incompatible with established scientific fact,...
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Is the midrash about the moon and sun being the same size intended literally?
The Rambam in his introduction to perek Chelek discusses midrashic literalist, and classifies different approaches of different groups to midrash. He writes:
You should know that as to [...
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Did people ever place actual physical stumbling blocks before the blind?
I know that the prohibition against placing stumbling blocks before the blind has been understood to be a prohibition against misleading or causing people to sin, but the simple meaning of the text is ...
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Non-literal Midrashim [duplicate]
Sometimes I'll hear a Midrash and sometimes people might say, "Well, I don't know if it's meant to be taken literally."
When do we know when Midrashim are speaking metaphorically or when they are ...
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Is there "Torah Inerrancy"?
Is there Torah inerrancy?
In other words, does the Torah contain no factual errors: the Noah flood did occur, Garden of Eden did exist, Adam and Eve did live there and were subsequently expelled, etc ...
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Avot keeping Mitzvot
How are we to understand the tradition that the patriarchs kept all of the mitzvot in the Torah (see for example: the last mishna in Kiddushin (4:14), Rashi on Bereshit 32:5, etc.) in light of the ...
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Does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
Does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
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