Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ruthy & Baruch Alster" <alster AT bezeqint.net>]

Shalom to all!

It's been a while since I've written to this list, as in the past two months
I have had my share of reserve duty, computer breakdowns and moving.  Now
that we are finally settled in our new home, there are some things I would
like to add to a few discussions, old and new:

First, about the "Isaiah query" thread.  I think it has already been
mentioned that in four books, it is customary to go back and repeat the
penultimate verse in the synagogue: Isaiah, Malachi, Ecclesiastes and
Lamentations.  Jewish Bibles (including JPS) are printed with this in mind.
According to Sephardic custom, however, there is also a fifth book: the Song
of Songs, which ends with the woman telling the man to "run away" (8:14).
The Sephardim (or at least some of them)  repeat the preceding verse when
reading Canticles every Friday evening before accepting the Sabbath, in
order to end on a happier note, especially when taking into account the
allegorical interpretations (both Midrashic and Kabbalistic) given the Song.

Second, to answer Soren's query about Maimonides' view of the sacrifices,
see Guide III:32.

Finally, as to Andre's request for books on Biblical narrative: Sternberg's
_The_Poetics_of_Biblical_ Narrative_ is the most thorough, but also the
hardest to read, unless you have a background in the theory of narrative.
Two other books I would recommend are Robert Alter's
_The_Art_of_Biblical_Narrative_, which is slightly less thorough but much
easier to read, and Jean-Louis Ska's introductory _"Our_Fathers_Have_
Told_Us"_, which refers to many examples of each topic covered, but does not
give an in-depth analysis of the texts.  Also try Adele Berlin's
_Poetics_and_Interpretation_of_Biblical_Narrative_ and Shimon Bar-Efrat's
book which appeared as a JSOT Supplement (I don't remember the English
title).  Hope this helps!

Kol Tuv,
Baruch Alster
Zayit 48
44865 Zufim
Israel
Tel. 09-765-1634