[Avodah] Gan Eden

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On 2016-10-28 8:07 am, Simon Montagu wrote:
> This is exactly what I mean when I say that the early chapters of
> Bereshit are myths. I know you don't like that expression, and it's indeed
> problematic because one has to immediately add disclaimers: "not in the
> sense that they are false but in the sense of narratives which convey deep
> messages central to a culture beneath the surface" etc. etc. etc, but it's
> what I believe: HKBH chose to reveal the beginning of the world as myths.

No need for "and" -- I don't like the expression because it's misleading
without the disclaimers.

That said, my point is slightly different. Not that "HKBH chose to reveal
the beginning of the world as myths". People could only relate to the text
on a mythical level. The point I am making is in what people can take
away from the communication, not in what He chose to communicate. Which
means that it could well be a literal but incomprehensible-to-human
description of the history of creation, for all we know. And likely is.

Usually we have the "myth" discussion about aggadic stories. Because the
rabbis who wrote them either didn't care about historicity and scientific
precision or were WAY our of sync with their times on topics that don't
aid their mission. So there, I think they were written as myth (in the
technical sense).

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Man is a drop of intellect drowning in a sea
micha at aishdas.org        of instincts.
http://www.aishdas.org                         - Rav Yisrael Salanter
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