[Avodah] Distinguishing Peshat from Derash

[saul mashbaum]

RYHenkin quotes from his book "Equality Lost," chapter three on the subject of peshat and derash.

The subject of midrashic literature and its relationship to the biblical text is extensively treated in "Learning to Read Midrash" by listmember Simi Peters [Urim Publications, 2004]. Of particular interest is her discussion of this topic on pp 13-15, where she distinguishes between parshanut (interpretation) and darshanut (homiletics). Chapter 8 "Understanding the Narrative Expansion" particularly pp 99-103 examines the kind of textual difficulties midrashic narratives (harchavot sippur) help to resolve. In a section titled "Interpreation, Not Extension" she notes that many midrashim "could be ... accurately understood as Hazal's commentary on the Tanach"; the interpretion the biblical text authors of the midrash is in many ways similar to that of the classic biblical commentators.

IMO, this work is literally a must read for anyone interested in this subject.

Saul Mashbaum