JS 561: METHODS IN JEWISH STUDIES

 

 

Emory University
W 7:30 -10:00 
Fall 1998
at the Blumenthals
Professor David R. Blumenthal (7-7545; 634-3833; reldrb@emory.edu )

Content:

Jewish Studies is a data field; it is not a discipline. Hence, Jewish Studies can be, and is, studied in many disciplines. This course is intended to display various methods for studying the data of Jewish studies: historical, philological, exegetical, literary, theological, feminist, artistic, legal, and social scientific. We will, therefore, begin by examining several texts through which to demonstrate these methods, with special attention to the Akeda (Genesis 22). This will be followed by an orientation in library sources. The main part of the course will be devoted to reading in each of the methods and applying the basic tools of that discipline to various texts. At the end, we will reconsider what we have done and, then, apply our learning to a topic for a final paper. Students completing this course will have a good idea of the range of methods in Jewish studies and those wishing to go on to doctoral work will be able to intelligently choose one of these disciplines.

Texts:

  • The Tanakh and translation.
  • D. Blumenthal, Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest.
  • S. Spiegel, The Last Trial.
  • D. J. Clines, Telling Queen Michal's Story.

Recommended:

  • P. Trible, Texts of Terror.
  • J. Plaskow, Standing Again at Sinai.
  • J. Woocher, Sacred Survival.
  • R. Adler, Engendering Judaism.

Particulars:

  • We will read the assigned texts carefully.
  • Students are expected to have study-partners and to work with those partners.
  • Grading will be based on class participation and a final paper.
  • How to study -- take a whole day if you can; at least, half a day
  • follow "cf's."

Reserve, books:

  • D. Boyarin, Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash (exegesis).
  • H. Fisch, Poetry with a Purpose (literary).
  • D. Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, vol. 2. (theology).
  • J. Plaskow, Standing at Sinai (feminist).
  • R. Adler, EngenderingJudaism (feminist).
  • P. Trible, Texts of Terror (feminist).
  • M. Bal, Lethal Love (feminist).
  • C. Newsome, The Women's Bible Commentary (feminist).
  • J. Woocher, Sacred Survival (social scientific).
  • C. Liebman and E. Don-Yehiya, Civil Religion in Israel (social scientific).
  • D. J. Clines, Telling Queen Michal's Story (summary).

Reserve, articles:

  • N. Sarna, "The Binding of Isaac" (historical).
  • review of J. Levenson, Creation and the Persistence of Evil (historical).
  • D. Blumenthal, "Eastern Tradition" (historical).
  • review of D. Boyarin, Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash (exegesis).
  • R. G. Bowman, "The Fortune of King David / The Fate of Queen Michal" (literary).
  • E. Wiesel, Messengers of God, 69-97 (theology).
  • L. Eron, ""Abraham said, `No'" (theology)
  • N. Graetz, "The Haftarah Tradition" (feminist).
  • B. Scolnic, "Bible Battering" (feminist).
  • D. Blumenthal, "Who is Battering Whom" (feminist).
  • E. Umansky, "Re-Visioning Sarah" (feminist).
  • C. Thompson, "Imagining Sarah"(feminist).
  • B. Rosenblit, "David, Bat Sheva, ..." (feminist).
  • D. Lopez, "Psalm 22..." (feminist).
  • N. Schor, "Feminist and Gender Studies" (feminist).
  • J. Flax, "Multiples" (feminist).
  • J. Witte, "Law, Religion, and Human Rights" (law).
  • M. Broyde, materials on abortion in Jewish law (law).
  • J. Woocher, "Civil Judaism" (social scientific).
  • "Population Survey: 1990" (social scientific).
  • J. Leavy, Creating Community (social scientific).
  • J. Wertheimer, Conservative Synagogues and Their Members (social scientific).
  • L. Blum, Synagogue and Young Adult Affiliation Study (social scientific).
  • Association for Jewish Studies Program, 1996 (social scientific).
  • D. Blumenthal, Judaic Studies: An Exercise in the Humanities (summary).
  • D. Blumenthal, "Where Does Jewish Studies Belong?" (summary)
  • D. Blumenthal, "Jewish Studies and Religious Studies" (summary)

 

SYLLABUS

 

ORIENTING OURSELVES

Introduction -- 9/2

  • Read the Akeda in Hebrew and English; list possible questions and group them.
  • Read the Atlanta Jewish Times; list possible questions and group them.
  • Look at Rembrandt's Akeda; list possible questions.
  • Consider the Shoah; list possible questions.
  • How are all these "texts"?
  • What is the difference between "texts / data" and "method / discipline"?
  • How is xxx a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does an xxx "read" a "text"?
  • What does an xxx look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Find and identify: the two indexes of articles on Jewish subjects; four Hebrew dictionaries; concordances; the LC numbers for Judaica
  • Find and identify Jewish sources on the Web

Library Resources -- 9/9 -- We will meet at the Library!! -- guest guide.

  • Print sources
  • Electronic sources
  • Web sources

Assn.:

  • Find and browse through Graetz, Dubnow, and Baron.
  • What is the LC number for Jewish history?
  • What are the differences in purpose between these three historians?
  • What are "periodization" and "hegemonic centers"?
  • What is the difference between a "typology" and a "chronology"?
  • E.g.: What happens to philosophy after the death of Maimonides? (DRB, "Eastern")
  • What is the place of Jewish mysticism in these historians?
  • What makes the Golden Age of Spain "Golden"?
  • How does Jewish history replace religion as souce of identity?
  • What is "secularization"?
  • Application:
    • Read Sarna; review of Levenson
    • What is the historical dimension of the Akeda?
NINE "METHODS / DISCIPLINES" FOR STUDYING "TEXTS / DATA"

History as Method -- 9/16

  • What is the LC number for Jewish history?
  • What are the differences in purpose between Graetz, Dubnow, and Baron?
  • Distribute and go over Dubnow on autonomy.
  • What are "periodization" and "hegemonic centers"?
  • What is the difference between a "typology" and a "chronology"?
  • E.g.: What happens to philosophy after the death of Maimonides?
  • What is the place of Jewish mysticism in these historians?
  • What makes the Golden Age of Spain "Golden"?
  • How does Jewish history replace religion as souce of identity?
  • What is "secularization"?

Application:

  • What is the historical dimension of the Akeda?
  • How is history a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does a historian "read" a "text"?
  • What does a historian look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Find and use Brown, Driver, Briggs; Ben Iehouda; Gesenius, Grammar;; various concordances, esp., Mandelkern's Concordance.
  • Application:
    • Prepare the first four sentences of the Hebrew text of the Akeda thoroughly.
    • Compare Ex. 20: 2-14 and Dt. 5: 6-18. How would you create "the" text?

Philology as Method -- 9/23

  • Identify BDB, Ben Iehouda, Gesenius, and the Concordance.
  • Application:
  • Go over the Akeda text, vv. 1-4.
  • Compare Ex. 20: 2-14 and Dt. 5: 6-18. How would you create "the" text?
  • How is philology a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does a philologist "read" a "text"?
  • What does a philologist look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Find M. Kasher, Torah Shelemah / Biblical Encyclopedia, esp. the Akeda.
  • Read D. Boyarin, Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash and the review of it.
  • Read the two midrashim on the Akeda in the original.
  • Read Spiegel
  • What is "rabbinization"?
  • What would "peshat" be?
  • Application:
    • What does midrash "do" to the Akeda?

(9/30 Yom Kippur -- no class)

Rabbinic Exegesis as Method -- 10/7

  • What is midrash? (Boyarin).
  • Discuss "rabbinization" of biblical theology.
  • What would "peshat" be?

Application:

  • Go over the Akeda midrashim looking for literary structure.
  • How is rabbinic exegesis a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does a rabbinic exegete "read" a "text"?
  • What does a rabbinic exegete look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Read R. Bowman, "The Fortune of King David / The Fate of Queen Michal"
  • Read H. Fisch, Poetry with a Purpose.
  • Find modern Jewish stories that embody the Akeda theme
  • (Find and use the Fiction Catalogue and Short Story Index ).
  • Application:
    • Reread the Akeda looking for literary structure and fault lines.
    • What is "literature / literary criticism"? How is it a method and discipline?

Literature / Literary Criticism as Method -- 10/14 -- guest discussant

  • Go over Fisch, Bowman

Application:

  • Do a literary critical analysis of the Akeda.
  • Review modern renderings of the Akeda.
  • How is literature / literary criticism a "method" and a "discipline"?
  • How does an author / literary critic "read" a "text"?
  • What does an author / literary critic look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Read Facing, 3-54, 235-9 on theological method; (Heschel).
  • Read Understanding Jewish Mysticism, vol. 2, 89-110; "Creating Zohar"
  • Application:
    • Reread the Akeda. What is the theology of the Akeda?
    • Reread Spiegel. What is the rabbinic theology of the Akeda?
    • Read Wiesel and Eron. What do they add theologically?
    • What is "theology"? How is it a method or discipline?

Theology as Method -- 10/21

  • Go over Facing on theological method.
  • Use creating hasidic stories and zoharic texts as example.

Application:

  • Go over the theological approaches, biblical and rabbinic, to the Akeda.
  • How is theology a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does a theologian "read" a "text"?
  • What does a theologian look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Read Judith Plaskow.
  • Read Rachel Adler.
  • Read P. Trible, Texts of Terror with a Bible in hand.
  • Examine M. Bal, Lethal Love with a Bible in hand.
  • Examine C. Newsome, The Women's Bible Commentary.
  • Read the articles by Graetz, Scolnic, and Blumenthal.
  • Read Rosenblit's interpretation of Psalm 51.
  • Read Lopez on Psalm 22.
  • Read Schor and Flax.
  • Application:
    • Read Umansky and Thompson on the Akeda.
    • Find other feminist midrashim on this.
    • What is the nature and purpose of the feminist perspective?
    • List three disputes within feminist studies on the method and purpose of the method.

Feminism as Method -- 10/28

  • Go over Plaskow and Adler.
  • Discuss feminist method, including differences on the nature and purpose of the method.
  • Go over Trible with the texts she cites and her ending.
  • (Go over Bal with the texts.)
  • Discuss Newsome.

Application:

  • Discuss the Akeda from the perspective of feminist method.
  • How is feminism a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does a feminist "read" a "text"?
  • What does a feminist look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Read prepared materials on art and religion as a method.
  • Application: Read on art and music and the Akeda.

Art as a Method -- 11/4 -- guest discussant

Application:

  • Presentation by guest: the Akeda in art and music.
  • How is art a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does an artist "read" a "text"?
  • What does an artist look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Read the essay on law and religion by John Witte.
  • Read the legal materials on abortion.
  • What is law? Why is it a category of study and being?

Law as Method -- 11/11 -- guest discussant (Professor M. Broyde)

Application:

  • Go over the legal materials on abortion.
  • How is law a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does a lawyer "read" a "text"?
  • What does a lawyer look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Read J. Woocher, Sacred Survival (esp. ch. 3,5).
  • Read C. Liebman, Civil Religion in Israel (esp. ch. 2, 4-6).
  • Read Creating Community, Conservative Synagogues, and Affiliation Study.
  • Read Atlanta Jewish Times and Federation Annual Report.
  • What do you see not using any of our previous methods?
  • Application:
    • What is the canon of American Jewish civil religion?
    • What is marginal? excluded (taboo)?

Social Science as Method -- 11/18

  • What are the "texts" here?
  • What kinds of questions are being asked here?

Application:

  • Go over Woocher and Liebman.
  • What is "civil religion"?
  • How is social science a "method" or "discipline"?
  • How does a social scientist "read" a "text"?
  • What does a social scientist look for in interpreting a "text"?

Assn.:

  • Read Telling Queen Michal's Story
  • Consider how one might reconceive the methods studied?
  • Consider the overlap of methods.

(11/25 Thanksgiving -- no class)

LOOKING AT THE WHOLE

An Overview -- 12/2 -- guest discussant

  • Discuss Telling Queen Michal's Story
  • How might the multidisciplinarity of this book apply to the Akeda?
  • How would the multidisciplinarity of this book apply to the Haggada?
  • Discuss other ways to group the methods studied.
  • Discuss the overlap of the methods studied.

Final paper due -- as soon as you can.

Assn.:

  • D. Blumenthal, three articles on the role and place of Judaic /Jewish Studies

 

PLEASE ORDER THE FOLLOWING BOOKS (paperback where possible):
  • D. Blumenthal, Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest -- Westminster, 066-425-4640
  • S. Spiegel, The Last Trial -- Jewish Lights, 187-904-529X
  • P. Trible, Texts of Terror -- Augsburg, 080-061-5379
  • J. Plaskin, Standing Again at Sinai -- Harper, 006-066-6846
  • J. Woocher, Sacred Survival -- Indiana, 025-335-0417
  • D. J. Clines, Telling Queen Michal's Story -- Ithaca, 185-075-3016
  • R. Adler, Engendering Judaism -- Jewish Publication, 082-760-5846
PLEASE PLACE THE FOLLOWING ON RESERVE:

Reserve, books:

  • D. Boyarin, Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash (exegesis) -- BM 517. M43. B69
  • H. Fisch, Poetry with a Purpose (literary) -- BS1405.2. F57
  • D. Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, vol. 2. (theology) -- BM 526. U5. vol. 2
  • J. Plaskow, Standing Again at Sinai (feminist) -- BM729. W6. P55
  • R. Adler, EngenderingJudaism (feminist) -- BM729. W6. A29
  • P. Trible, Texts of Terror (feminist) -- BS575. T74
  • M. Bal, Lethal Love (feminist) -- BS575. B2913
  • C. Newsome, The Women's Bible Commentary (feminist) -- BS491.2. W66
  • J. Woocher, Sacred Survival (social scientific) -- E184. JS. W8819
  • C. Liebman and E. Don-Yehiya, Civil Religion in Israel (social scientific) -- DS112. L65
  • D. J. Clines, Telling Queen Michal's Story (summary) -- BS1171.2. C46

Reserve, articles (to be provided by Professor Blumenthal)

  • N. Sarna, "The Binding of Isaac" (historical).
  • review of J. Levenson, Creation and the Persistence of Evil (historical).
  • D. Blumenthal, "Eastern Tradition" (historical).
  • review of D. Boyarin, Intertextuality and the Reading of Midrash (exegesis).
  • R. G. Bowman, "The Fortune of King David / The Fate of Queen Michal" (literary).
  • E. Wiesel, Messengers of God, 69-97 (theology).
  • L. Eron, ""Abraham said, `No'" (theology)
  • N. Graetz, "The Haftarah Tradition" (feminist).
  • B. Scolnic, "Bible Battering" (feminist).
  • D. Blumenthal, "Who is Battering Whom" (feminist).
  • E. Umansky, "Re-Visioning Sarah" (feminist).
  • C. Thompson, "Imagining Sarah"(feminist).
  • B. Rosenblit, "David, Bat Sheva, ..." (feminist).
  • D. Lopez, "Psalm 22..." (feminist).
  • N. Schor, "Feminist and Gender Studies" (feminist).
  • J. Flax, "Multiples" (feminist).
  • J. Witte, "Law, Religion, and Human Rights" (law).
  • M. Broyde, materials on abortion in Jewish law (law).
  • J. Woocher, "Civil Judaism" (social scientific).
  • "Population Survey: 1990" (social scientific).
  • J. Leavy, Creating Community (social scientific).
  • J. Wertheimer, Conservative Synagogues and Their Members (social scientific).
  • L. Blum, Synagogue and Young Adult Affiliation Study (social scientific).
  • Association for Jewish Studies Program, 1996 (social scientific).
  • D. Blumenthal, Judaic Studies: An Exercise in the Humanities (summary).
  • D. Blumenthal, "Where Does Jewish Studies Belong?" (summary)
  • D. Blumenthal, "Jewish Studies and Religious Studies" (summary)

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