I wrote two papers on this, which I briefly summarize below. I also indicate why I don’t like the current approaches and why the approach I suggest has certain merits. Please feel free to read the papers.
#1) "Genesis 1 Speaks about the Creation of Prophecy, Not the Creation of the World", BOR HATORAH, Vol. 13E, pp. 71-87
See [
www.rashiyomi.com]
#2) "Dreams: The True religion-science conflict"; CCAR: The Reform Jewish Quarterly, Winter 2012, pp. 111-124
See [
www.google.co.il]
Here is the gist of WHAT I say and WHY I say it.
The Torah describes something as happening 6000 years ago. Numerous traditional sources indicate that the world already existed. I contend that what happened 6000 years ago was that for the first time a human being had prophecy. That human being was Adam, who was the first person to speak to God.
Genesis 1 is symbolically speaking about the prerequisites for prophecy. In fact all near eastern religions are not speaking about the creation of the world but the creation of prophecy. Why is it that certain dreams influence human history, that is are prophecies, while others are not?
It is true that symbolic methods are then needed to interpret Genesis I but all interpretations of Gen. 1 use symbolic methods. In this case, the symbols are universal archetypes in the Bible and describe what is necessary to create prophecy. While I am not trying to renew prophecy, I am trying to renew the pre-prophetic culture, what is called the kingdom of priests and the holiness of our nation. For example
1) Monday speaks about the need to separate the heavenly and earthly waters, which symbolically corresponds to separating the spiritual and the physical in our lives. It is the same symbol as below and above the belt in Ezekiel 1. Our wearing the gartle during prayer is one consequence of this
2) Tuesday deals with the plant world, the world of survival, nourishment and reproduction. Like the symbolism of the lulav there are all types – sturdy (lulav/ethrog), beautiful (Ethrog)/ hadas) and worthless (willow). This applies to the economic, social and physical spheres. A prerequisite for prophecy, for us becoming holy and priestly, is for us to unite the physical world for each person, to appreciate the state of others and help each other. This is also the symbolism of the lulav.
What are the merits of such an approach? The merit is Jewish assertiveness. Just read the other accounts of Genesis. The tone is “Science is true and we the Torahites *can live* with it.†Nothing is learned from the Torah. We are happy to just survive with the Torah. The standard of truth is science.
But my approach is Jewishly assertive. I don’t care where the world came from. I care that humans can become prophets and we the Jewish people can become a priestly holy nation. Genesis 1 through the separation on Monday and the plant unity on Tuesday etc. tell us how to become priestly and holy. In other words, Genesis 1 is actually saying something albeit symbolic. The Torah is on the assertive and, as many modern philosophers have noted, are attacking modern man who has no holiness or priestliness.
To achieve this interpretation I have to
1) Show that it is not my interpretation but simply an outgrowth of traditional commentators. I do this in the article. For example, Ramban says that Adam was not the first human but rather the first human with a special soul. I build on this by equating this specialness with prophecy.
2) Show that my interpretation is the simple meaning of the text. I do this using the very deep theories of symbolism of Rabbi Samson Hirsch. Citing R. Hirsch I show that the Torah and Tanakh force us to interpret certain passages symbolically and when it so forces us gives us a key and method to do so.
I strongly believe that this approach has merits both for adults and for K-12 students. Again, the chief merit, is that Genesis 1 is not “just consistent with science†but assertively presenting important Jewish values which are repeated in other commandments and which give us our unique Jewish identity.
I urge readers to read this article and to use it in the classroom. Please write me off line if you want further ideas on how to use this at various age levels.
Respectfully Submitted
Russell Jay Hendel; Ph.D., A.S.A.;
rhendel@towson.edu; www.Rashiyomi.com/
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2016 08:47AM by mlb.
