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  • From: Bearpecs AT aol.com
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Song of Songs 1000/200
  • Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 04:55:16 EDT

In a message dated 5/26/01 11:08:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
dwashbur AT nyx.net writes:


We know that both
Jewish and Christian interpreters took allegorical approaches (e.g.
Philo) but I'm not sure the Council of Jamnia included the book for
this "main" reason.  Wasn't the principal criterion one of authorship?


No.  Authorship was never a primary consideration.  Neither was divine
inspiration sufficient, as a matter of fact.  The rabbis acknowledged that
the works of many prophets were not transmitted, because although holy they
were not relevant to later generations.
The debate over the Song of Songs was quite contentious.  Rabbi Aqiba
prevailed in accepting it into the canon only on the basis that it
represented the love between G-d and Israel.  
For myself, I don't really understand the relevance of whether they made the
"right" decision for the "right" reasons.  It is what it is.  They fulfilled
their role in the ongoing dialectic of defining and redefining the parameters
within which Israel pursues its collective encounter with G-d.




  • Re: Song of Songs 1000/200, Bearpecs, 06/05/2001

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