Reading the Biblical Text, Conscious and Unconscious Meaning, Diagnosing Jonah: Reply to Commentaries

Abstract

In responding to discussions of my paper “Jonah: A Fantasy of Flight” by Fishman, Salberg, and Shulman, I focus on some of my critical assumptions in reading this or any other biblical text. Prominent among these is the need to relinquish the stance of “already knowing” the meaning of the text. This irreducibly enigmatic book demands close, informed, and literary reading. Within the context of a sustained reflection on the methodology and spirit of my enterprise, I discuss the main points of difference or disagreement that arise in the papers of my discussants, as well as celebrating the places of accord and enrichment.

Notes

¹Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki (1040–1105), lived in Troyes, France, foremost commentary on the Torah.