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  • From: Yigal Levin <Yigal-Levin AT utc.edu>
  • To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: The OT?
  • Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 09:51:51 -0400


At 11:26 AM 8/25/2002 -0400, Moshe Shulman wrote:
>I am not sure that Liz meant that seriously. (I sort of doubt it.)

Why?

However
>the issue of what terms to use in discussion is important. It is like the
>BCE/BC discussion. I think her point was that in a University setting,
>where 'scholarship' is supposed to be going on using OT, when refering to
>the Hebrew text,is not accurate. Words like Tenach/OT have more of a
>religious context, and are non-neutral. On the other hand when in a Jewish
>context to refer to the 'OT' is not just insulting, but in a sense
>meaningless.
>

This is an important point (and to Shoshana as well...). Those of us who
are both "academics" and people of (whichever) faith must constantly walk
the not-so fine line between what their faith and the traditions they
subscribe to teach them and what is accepted in current academic
scholarship. Just as I'd never use the Tetragrammaton in a "religious"
context the way I do here, I would (and do) take for granted when speaking
in such a context that "Bible" means "Tanakh". Even when writing for a
forum that deals with "HB/OT", I can use the term "biblical" without fear
that anyone would think I mean I meant the NT. Even on this list, "Biblical
Hebrew" means "OT Hebrew", not the Hebrew of the Mishnah, which is closer
in time the NT. To my Jewish mind, ancient history is divided neatly into
"biblical" and "Second Temple, Mishna and Talmidic", with the Restoration
being a sort of transition. But when speaking/writing/posting in a
predominantly Christian world, I have to be aware that "biblical" includes
the Hasmoneans, Herod and the Roman world. Since the whole purpose of
language is to get one's thoughts across to others, we all must "adapt"
ourselves to the terminology most easily understood by our audiences. THEN
we can begin to "educate" them.


Yigal






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