[Avodah] Telling All of the Truth About Great Men

[Arie Folger]

R' Levine asked:

> Is it really the Torah approach to "cover up"
> things that do not fit with the conceptions that
> some of how a gadol is supposed to be? I think
> that the answer is a resounding "No!"

R' Doniel Schuman replied:

> Well, how do you explain that Terach's demise was
> conviniently mentioned at the end of Noach, in order
> to fudge the fact that he lived until Avraham was 130
> years old? The correct location would have been
> around Chayei Sarah!
>
> Talk about "cover up".

But the Torah does give us the tools to piece this one back together.

More seriously, the reason for that chronological anomaly is mostly
because of ein muqdam umeu'har baTorah: the Torah is not strictly
chronologically arranged, but puts rather more emphasis on a thematic
arrangement. With the recounting of Tera'h's death, the chapter of
Avr(ah)am's pre-Kenaan times is closed, never to be reopened again.
(See Ramban who argues against Rashi's chronology of Berit Bein
haBetarim. That discussion is illuminating in light of our
discussion).

-- 
Arie Folger,
Recent blog posts on http://ariefolger.wordpress.com/
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