Dura Europos Synagogue
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Contas UMI diredly to order. 8811 & Hdllnformatian and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann A-, Ml 48106-1346 USA READING MIDRASH AS GRAPHIC ARTISTIC ACTIVITY: THE COMPlLATIONS OF MIDRASH RABBA H AS POSSIBLE INFLUENCES ON EARLY JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN ART Elana Dascal Department of Jewish Studies McGill University, Montreal November 1997 A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1+1 ,,nad, du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue WeUington Ottawa ON KiA ON4 O&awaON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une Licence non exclusive licence ailowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or seîi reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retauis ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation, (c) Copyright - Elana Dascal. 1997 ABSTRACT Midrash is a genre of rabbinic Bible exegesis, composed by various authors and cornpiled in anthologies during the first seven centuries of the Common Era. This thesis explores the reading of Midrash and its possible influence on early artistic activity. Examples of early Jewish and Christian biblical representations that display some degree of midrashic impact, are presented in order to establish the existence of a relationship beween Midrash and art Finally. by a systematic reading of the corpus of midrashic literature found in Midrash Rabbah. Midrashim that suggest graphic representation, but which have not yet to been found among early an formç, are categorized and analyzed. Le Midrash est un genre d1ex6g8se biblique qui &ait compose par divers auteurs, et qui était compile dans des anthologies pendant les sept premiers sibcles de l'Époque Commune. Cette thèse explore l'étude du Midrash et son infleunce sur l'activité artistique déjà au premier siecle. Pour qu'on puisse 6tablir 116xistence d'un rapport entre le Midrash et l'art, on presente plusiers exemples des Bibles illustrées. des juives et des Chrétiens, qui exhibent un certain degré de l'impact du Midrash. Finalement, par une revue systdmatique de la littératur& du Midrash dans le texte Midrash Rabbah, on arrange en catégories et on analyse ces paragraphes du Midrash qui sugg6rent une représentation graphique. mais qu'on n'en a pas encore trouve dans l'art. TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Preface.. .......................................................................................................................... .~II Chapter One - Introduction............................................................................................ 1 Character of Rabbinic Midrash Midrash as Exegetical Activity Midrash as Theological Activity Midrash as Literary Activity Midrash as Artistic Activity Chapter Two - Midrashand Art.. ....... .. ...... .., ... .... ................................ 17 Part One: Jewish Art--..................................................................................... -17 Dura Europos Synagogue.. ................................................................ -18 Moses and the Miraculous Well The Crossing of the Sea Moses' lnfancy The Sacrifice of Isaac Elijah and the Prophets of Ba'al Mordecai and Esther Abraham with Grey Hair Conciusions about Dura Part Two: Early Christian Art. ........................................................................ -28 Joseph and Potiphar Joseph's Departure Joseph in Prison B. Via LatinaCatacom b.. ..................................................................... -30 Jacob's Dream Moses' lnfancy Zimri and Cozbi lmpaled on Pinchasr Lanœ Why Midrash Rabbah A. Objects B. Animals C. People. Category Two: Extra Elernents.. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... ... .... .. .. .. .. ... .. ..... ... .. .... ... -42 A. People, Animals and Objects B. New Scenes Category Four: God Dimension.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..49 Category Five: Esther.. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. -51 Chapter Four - Condusions.. .. ... .. .. .-. .. .. .. .. .... .. .- .. .. .. -55 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 wish to acknowledge Professor B. Barry Levy whose help and support has guided me through most of my university years. Without him I would never have taken on this project, nor ever considerd completing a masters in Parshanut- To my friends and colleagues who always have an ear to spare: Bena and Debbie, thank you for always being there to answer my questions whether I was around the corner or cities away, not to mention always making sure I had a much to sleep on; Amanda and Naomi, thank you for understanding and sticking by me even when you never knew whether I was coming or going. A special word of appreciation to my grandparents who I cm always trust will be proud of me. To my sister, Rena, who kept me on my toes and pushed me to finish even if she did have ulterior motkes. Finally, to rny parents, for without whom I could not have started or finished. Knowing they did not always understand what I was doing or why made their support even more valuable. I would never have reached this point without them and Ït is to them that I dedicate this paper. PREFACE Midrash is a genre of rabbinic literature that was composed by various authors and compiled in anthologies during the first seven centuries of the Common Era (and later). It has been widely documented that Midrash has influenced and ptayed an active role in both early Jewish and Christian art. mepurpose of this paper is to focus on the use of Midrash as graphic interpretation, parallel to that produced by artists who portrayed Biblical scenes as visual images. Much has been written about the influence of early Jewish pictorial sources on early Christian Bible interpretation, but these Jewish pictorial sources, of which so little is actually known, were influenced by the tradition of Midrashim and perhaps aven the existence of illustrated midrashic texts. Many writers have pointed to the ethical, educational, inspirational. legal, exegetical and other dimensions of Midrash. I wish to demonstrate that one under- discussed but important purpose of midrashic literature was to provide Jews with a written text which would evoke mental images backed with textual support. Midrash was the process that the rabbis of the first centuries of the Common €fa used to interpret the Bible. In chapter one, I define Midrash and its origins. As Midrash is multi-faceted and difficutt to define, its many purposes whether they be exegetical, theological . f iterary or artistic have been presented and discussed. In chapter two, I present images, both Christian and Jewish, that have already been discovered by scholars as having some degree of midrashic impact. Though this impact spans al1 of midrashic and targumic literature. the focus here has been restricted to the corpus of rnidrashic literature known as Midrash Rabbah. ln the study of the history of art, one generally begins with an image and then investigates the artists' sources and influences in an attempt to understand their intentions. In the case of Bible representations one would first determine what biblical account was being represented. Once it has been determined how closely the artist followed the Bible text any additional elements. such as people. animals and objects. that appear in the image but can not be supported by text would become apparent. Wherever an image deviates from text. questions need to be raised as to why they appear and where they originate. In chapter three I compile a list of Midrashim which seem to lend themselves to graphic representation but have yet to be found in early artistic representations (similar to those found in chapter two). This has been accomplished by a systematic reading of the corpus of midrashic literature found in Midrash Rabbah and studying their potential relevance to artistic representation. Midrash Rabbah was chosen as my sample of literature because it is not a unitary text. but is instead a collection of Midrashim from different