Methods of interpretation - Old Testament by IainDavie Lyrics
Concerning the Mystery it is important to understand the Jewish method of understanding the Old Testament:
The teachings of Kabbalah were restricted to a chosen few whose saintliness matched their scholarship, and who had mastered the strict prerequisites. [See Zohar Chadash, Bereshit, 6d “One must not reveal the mysteries of the Torah except to a person that is wise and studied Scripture and Talmund, whose studies endure and he is God fearing, and erudite in everything”
“The whole science of Kabbalah has been concealed from all scholars except for a select few – and even that was in a mode of “walking secretly” and not publicly as mentioned in Gemara, until 1490 CE, after which is was given only to highly selected people solely on the basis of merit.
Talmud Torah — is Bible Study
Pnimiyut haTorah — are inner aspects of the Torah
The Four Levels of the Torah are as follows:
Peshat — Simple meaning
Remez – Allusion
Derush — Hermeneutics
Sod – Mysteries and Secrets
The Mystery in part is this:
1 Power of Creation
2 Natrual response
3 Difficult beginings
4 Inexperience
5 Calculated waiting
6 Conflict
7 Collective force
8 Unity
9 Restrained
10 Conduct
11 Prospering
12 Stagnation
13 Community
14 Sovereignty
15 Moderation
16 Harmonise
17 Adapating
18 Repair
19 Promotion
20 Contemplating
21 Reform
22 Grace
23 Detrioration
24 Repeating
25 Innocence
26 Potential energy
27 Nourishing
28 Critical mass
29 Danger
30 Synergy
31 Attraction
32 Continuing
33 Retreat
34 Great power
35 Progress
36 Censorship
37 Family
38 Contradiction
39 Obstacles
40 Liberation
41 Decline
42 Benefit
43 Resolution
44 Temptation
45 Assembling
46 Advancement
47 Adversity
48 The source
49 Changing
50 Cosmic order
51 Shocking
52 Meditation
53 Developing
54 Subordinate
55 Zenith
56 Travelling
57 Pentrating
58 Encouraging
59 Reuniting
60 Limitations
61 Insight
62 Conscientiousness
63 After the end
64 Before the end
Each refers to a passage of ancient text which describes the nature of the topic, the probability of outcomes, and the benefits or consequences of such actions.
Sets of vocabulary of which in this part there are 8 as set out below, but also include body parts, metals, directions, time of year, time of day and so on compute together. Some examples of the sets are below:
1 heaven creative
sky strong
Gold light of day
Sun firmness
force
fertilising seed
circular
positive spirit
2 thunder arousing
activity
excitement
growth
expanding
coming into manifestation
sudden movement
3 water dangerous
cloud difficult
rain profound
spring anxiety
depth
river mysterious
general misfortune
trapped in matter
4 mountain tranquil
immobile
stillness
persevering
waiting
calm
stubborn
resting
stand-still
inert
5 earth weak
cave yielding
dark
nourishing
responsive
adaptive
devoted
receptivity
vessel
matter
yeilding
square
6 wind gentle
wood penetrating
gradual
honest
simple
soft
7 fire clarity
sun conscious
lightening intelligent
dependent
illuminating
light giving
8 Lake satisfaction
Sea fullness
Marsh excess
Body of water openness
pleasure
joyous
serene
To understand what is hidden one uses the above words and a range of others as mentioned and that produces a alternative syntax [ there in more than just this, there are other syntaxes, and other reference topic, there are another 81 topics].
Set one pairs with sets 1-8 as follows where for ease we will use simple “attribute” words from the sets as follows:
1 = heaven [but is also God, spirit, strong, father etc]
2 = thunder [but also growth, foot expanding etc]
3 = cloud [but also rain, water, river etc]
4 = mountain [ but also tranquil, immobile etc]
5 = Earth [ also weak, dark etc]
6 = Wood or Wind [ also gentle, penetrating, a ship etc]
7 = Fire or Sun [ also clarity,light, intelligence etc]
8 = Sea [or lake, openness, excess etc].
Thus some examples of the computation process [which I can explain later to anyone interest as it will distract from here, but its basically a computation look up table] pairing examples as follows:
Set 1 with Set 1
Our Father which art in heaven = father:heaven
= 1. The power of creation [at the top of the post]
Set 1 with Set 2
and the LORD sent thunder = heaven:thunder
= 34. Great power
Set 1 with Set 3
up to heaven in a cloud = heaven:cloud
= 5. Calculated waiting
Set 1 with Set 4
strong holds, and remained in a mountain = heaven:mountain
= 26. Potential energy
Set 1 with Set 5
heaven and earth
= 11. Prosperity
Set 1 with Set 6
Lord must not strive; but be gentle= heaven: Wood/wind
= 9. Restrained
Set 1 with Set 7
LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light= heaven:light
= 14 Sovereignty
Set 1 with Set 8
called he Seas = heaven:sea
= 43. Resolution
Thus the words pair, and compute additional meanings. In the era, where concepts and notions of aspects of life were not understood as well as today, this would have been very enlightening, and illumination to those that were taught such.
Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
The conceits mentioned refers to literary conceit.
Conceit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In literature, a conceit is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem. By juxtaposing, usurping and manipulating images and ideas in surprising ways, a conceit invites the reader into a more sophisticated understanding of an object of comparison.
The complex logic of the conceit I have explained above.
Thus:
Proverbs 26:1
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
Snow [Set3] Summer [Set 6], Rain [Set3] harvest [autumn Set 5]
gives 3:6 = 59.Reuniting, 3:5 = 7. Collective force; a fool is someone that does not understand this, or perhaps there is little point in honouring someone who does not understand.
Proverbs 26:16
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Refers to the advantage of understanding the conceit, and the reality that it makes life easy.
Proverbs 26 is an example of a chapter that is full of literary conceits that compute out in the manner explained above.
Further:
In the study of Torah, the sages formulated and followed various logical and hermeneutical principles. According to David Stern, all Rabbinic hermeneutics rest on two basic axioms:
first, the belief in the omnisignificance of Scripture, in the meaningfulness of its every word, letter, even (according to one famous report) scribal flourish;
second, the claim of the essential unity of Scripture as the expression of the single divine will.
These two principles make possible a great variety of interpretations. According to the Talmud –
A single verse has several meanings, but no two verses hold the same meaning. It was taught in the school of R. Ishmael: ‘Behold, My word is like fire—declares the Lord—and like a hammer that shatters rock’ (Jer 23:29).
Just as this hammer produces many sparks (when it strikes the rock), so a single verse has several meanings.“ (Talmud Sanhedrin 34a).
The teachings of Kabbalah were restricted to a chosen few whose saintliness matched their scholarship, and who had mastered the strict prerequisites. [See Zohar Chadash, Bereshit, 6d “One must not reveal the mysteries of the Torah except to a person that is wise and studied Scripture and Talmund, whose studies endure and he is God fearing, and erudite in everything”
“The whole science of Kabbalah has been concealed from all scholars except for a select few – and even that was in a mode of “walking secretly” and not publicly as mentioned in Gemara, until 1490 CE, after which is was given only to highly selected people solely on the basis of merit.
Talmud Torah — is Bible Study
Pnimiyut haTorah — are inner aspects of the Torah
The Four Levels of the Torah are as follows:
Peshat — Simple meaning
Remez – Allusion
Derush — Hermeneutics
Sod – Mysteries and Secrets
The Mystery in part is this:
1 Power of Creation
2 Natrual response
3 Difficult beginings
4 Inexperience
5 Calculated waiting
6 Conflict
7 Collective force
8 Unity
9 Restrained
10 Conduct
11 Prospering
12 Stagnation
13 Community
14 Sovereignty
15 Moderation
16 Harmonise
17 Adapating
18 Repair
19 Promotion
20 Contemplating
21 Reform
22 Grace
23 Detrioration
24 Repeating
25 Innocence
26 Potential energy
27 Nourishing
28 Critical mass
29 Danger
30 Synergy
31 Attraction
32 Continuing
33 Retreat
34 Great power
35 Progress
36 Censorship
37 Family
38 Contradiction
39 Obstacles
40 Liberation
41 Decline
42 Benefit
43 Resolution
44 Temptation
45 Assembling
46 Advancement
47 Adversity
48 The source
49 Changing
50 Cosmic order
51 Shocking
52 Meditation
53 Developing
54 Subordinate
55 Zenith
56 Travelling
57 Pentrating
58 Encouraging
59 Reuniting
60 Limitations
61 Insight
62 Conscientiousness
63 After the end
64 Before the end
Each refers to a passage of ancient text which describes the nature of the topic, the probability of outcomes, and the benefits or consequences of such actions.
Sets of vocabulary of which in this part there are 8 as set out below, but also include body parts, metals, directions, time of year, time of day and so on compute together. Some examples of the sets are below:
1 heaven creative
sky strong
Gold light of day
Sun firmness
force
fertilising seed
circular
positive spirit
2 thunder arousing
activity
excitement
growth
expanding
coming into manifestation
sudden movement
3 water dangerous
cloud difficult
rain profound
spring anxiety
depth
river mysterious
general misfortune
trapped in matter
4 mountain tranquil
immobile
stillness
persevering
waiting
calm
stubborn
resting
stand-still
inert
5 earth weak
cave yielding
dark
nourishing
responsive
adaptive
devoted
receptivity
vessel
matter
yeilding
square
6 wind gentle
wood penetrating
gradual
honest
simple
soft
7 fire clarity
sun conscious
lightening intelligent
dependent
illuminating
light giving
8 Lake satisfaction
Sea fullness
Marsh excess
Body of water openness
pleasure
joyous
serene
To understand what is hidden one uses the above words and a range of others as mentioned and that produces a alternative syntax [ there in more than just this, there are other syntaxes, and other reference topic, there are another 81 topics].
Set one pairs with sets 1-8 as follows where for ease we will use simple “attribute” words from the sets as follows:
1 = heaven [but is also God, spirit, strong, father etc]
2 = thunder [but also growth, foot expanding etc]
3 = cloud [but also rain, water, river etc]
4 = mountain [ but also tranquil, immobile etc]
5 = Earth [ also weak, dark etc]
6 = Wood or Wind [ also gentle, penetrating, a ship etc]
7 = Fire or Sun [ also clarity,light, intelligence etc]
8 = Sea [or lake, openness, excess etc].
Thus some examples of the computation process [which I can explain later to anyone interest as it will distract from here, but its basically a computation look up table] pairing examples as follows:
Set 1 with Set 1
Our Father which art in heaven = father:heaven
= 1. The power of creation [at the top of the post]
Set 1 with Set 2
and the LORD sent thunder = heaven:thunder
= 34. Great power
Set 1 with Set 3
up to heaven in a cloud = heaven:cloud
= 5. Calculated waiting
Set 1 with Set 4
strong holds, and remained in a mountain = heaven:mountain
= 26. Potential energy
Set 1 with Set 5
heaven and earth
= 11. Prosperity
Set 1 with Set 6
Lord must not strive; but be gentle= heaven: Wood/wind
= 9. Restrained
Set 1 with Set 7
LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light= heaven:light
= 14 Sovereignty
Set 1 with Set 8
called he Seas = heaven:sea
= 43. Resolution
Thus the words pair, and compute additional meanings. In the era, where concepts and notions of aspects of life were not understood as well as today, this would have been very enlightening, and illumination to those that were taught such.
Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
The conceits mentioned refers to literary conceit.
Conceit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In literature, a conceit is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem. By juxtaposing, usurping and manipulating images and ideas in surprising ways, a conceit invites the reader into a more sophisticated understanding of an object of comparison.
The complex logic of the conceit I have explained above.
Thus:
Proverbs 26:1
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
Snow [Set3] Summer [Set 6], Rain [Set3] harvest [autumn Set 5]
gives 3:6 = 59.Reuniting, 3:5 = 7. Collective force; a fool is someone that does not understand this, or perhaps there is little point in honouring someone who does not understand.
Proverbs 26:16
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
Refers to the advantage of understanding the conceit, and the reality that it makes life easy.
Proverbs 26 is an example of a chapter that is full of literary conceits that compute out in the manner explained above.
Further:
In the study of Torah, the sages formulated and followed various logical and hermeneutical principles. According to David Stern, all Rabbinic hermeneutics rest on two basic axioms:
first, the belief in the omnisignificance of Scripture, in the meaningfulness of its every word, letter, even (according to one famous report) scribal flourish;
second, the claim of the essential unity of Scripture as the expression of the single divine will.
These two principles make possible a great variety of interpretations. According to the Talmud –
A single verse has several meanings, but no two verses hold the same meaning. It was taught in the school of R. Ishmael: ‘Behold, My word is like fire—declares the Lord—and like a hammer that shatters rock’ (Jer 23:29).
Just as this hammer produces many sparks (when it strikes the rock), so a single verse has several meanings.“ (Talmud Sanhedrin 34a).