Loanwords in the Fiery Furnace
In: Journal for the Study of JudaismMartin Buber Society of Fellows, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
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Abstract
This article is a discussion of two Greek loanwords found in the Rabbinic text Song of Songs Rabbah. It shows that these words are best identified and explained through a comparison with a Stoic theory of fire, described and refuted by Philo of Alexandria. That these words, both hapax legomena in Rabbinic literature, are used in the Midrash show that at least some rabbis were conversant in Greek scientific terminology—and perhaps specifically with a version of this Stoic dispute. The uses to which these terms were put show that the rabbis deployed their vast, specialized knowledge where it was most important to them: interpreting the scriptures.
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Loanwords in the Fiery Furnace
In: Journal for the Study of JudaismMartin Buber Society of Fellows, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
Search for other papers by Amit Gvaryahu in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
This article is a discussion of two Greek loanwords found in the Rabbinic text Song of Songs Rabbah. It shows that these words are best identified and explained through a comparison with a Stoic theory of fire, described and refuted by Philo of Alexandria. That these words, both hapax legomena in Rabbinic literature, are used in the Midrash show that at least some rabbis were conversant in Greek scientific terminology—and perhaps specifically with a version of this Stoic dispute. The uses to which these terms were put show that the rabbis deployed their vast, specialized knowledge where it was most important to them: interpreting the scriptures.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 410 | 86 | 12 |
| Full Text Views | 55 | 11 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 190 | 24 | 0 |
