'כך מקובלני מבית אבי אבא': מקורותיה ודרכי עיצובה של אגדת יהונתן נכד משה (Hebrew)

The young Levite identified as Yonatan ben Gershom, Moses' grandson, is at the center of the narrative of Micah's Idol (Judges 17-18). One of the greatest midrashic scholars of the Land of Israel - Rabbi Shmuel Bar Nachman - developed the figure of Yonatan in an impressive Talmudic exegetical narrative that provides a rare glimpse into this scholar's methods. Indeed, it reveals how he skillfully employed an exceptional range of Midrashic tools, hidden biblical traditions, early aggadic materials, and even unique phrasing. These traditions served as raw material in the hands of the author of the midrash, who combined them in a complex narrative, endowing them with a new character. The main innovation of the midrash is that it offers an alternative continuation, moving on a path parallel to the life of Yonatan in the Bible. Via this parallel life path, Rabbi Shmuel imagines other options and enriches the one-dimensional biblical presentation. In addition, the Talmudic narrator presents the process of creating the midrash by portraying the discussion between Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, the skillful exegete, and sages who adhere to the written biblical text. The connection between these two levels of the narrative becomes clearer when this midrash is compared to a similar hagiographic story about Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman himself. This parallel reveals Rabbi Shmuel's self-awareness as an exegete, which influenced both the layered manner in which he read the written sources and his resulting complex moral judgement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jerusalem Studies in Hebrew Literature is the property of Hebrew University Magnes Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)