I really enjoyed a couple of lectures by Judy Klitsner (last week at Drisha, last night at Hadar). Her basic idea is that many issues and attitudes that we encounter in books of the Tanach (Bible) are not the last word on the subject – rather, they are addressed and argued with by other books in the Tanach. Literary technique is the way that the text indicates that it is taking issue with a different story. Her term for this (and the title of her new book, which I snapped up) is ‘Subversive Sequels’. For example – one gets the idea from Bereisheet – from the Akedah, for example – that the ideal is to come closer and closer to God through obedience, without questioning, even if it means moving farther away from one’s earthly connections to friends and family. The book of Job takes issue with this – she demonstrates how it deliberately links itself linguistically to the story of Abraham, and how it puts forth a different ideal – that one is required to question God, the existence of evil, etc. (while still recognizing one’s place in the universe as mortal, not divine). Very interesting stuff.
