Warp and Weft
My new friend Moshe Kline has put together these brilliant presentations on the literary structure of the Torah. He deals with the Creation week in a way I was familiar with: aligning Days 1, 2 and 3 with Days 4, 5 and 6, like the columns and rows in an Excel worksheet or on a train timetable.
But wait and see what he does with the 10 Plagues and the 10 Words.
He disputes the breakup of the Commandments that we are familiar with, and I believe there is sufficient support for this in the structure as it is presented here.
Did you notice that the final chart corresponds to the five-point Covenant model?
Also, with this particular breakup of the passage into ten, the odd-numbered commandments are Adamic (house forming) and the even-numbered commandments are Bridal (house filling). Adam is singular and Eve is plural.
This is also a fractal. We have two tablets. Stepping out, and we have the Law given twice, the first Adamic tablets broken. Stepping out again and we have the Law given on Sinai, broken, and then re-given in Deuteronomy. Again, we have the Mosaic Tabernacle broken up and the “bridal” Davidic Tabernacle. Again, we have the Former Days, then Israel broken up in exile, then the Latter Days (Jeremiah’s New Covenant). And finally, of course, we have the Old Testament and the New.
For more detail on the break up of the Ten, see here. I would add that combining the traditional 1 and 2 produces a complete matrix pattern. Also, notice that the central point (“Ethics”) for Adam is a prohibition of murder, and the central point (“Ethics”) for Eve is a prohibition of harlotry. So:
Adam……………….Eve.
I………………………II
III…………….IV
V……….VI
VII…………VIII
IX…………………….X
Adam is the warp, the vertical, the structure. Eve is the weft, the horizontal, the glory.
January 8th, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Jared has pointed out that Meredith Kline makes a strong case for each tablet being written on both sides, a position followed by Jordan. Moshe’s view would still apply, but to each tablet as a complete witness. A Covenant lawsuit requires a minimum of two witnesses (Matthew 18:20).
January 9th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
A couple more observations:
1. Given the “weave” of the creation week it needs to be kept in mind that this structure does not lend itself to understanding the days of creation merely, or even primarily, as literary devices (a la the framework hypothesis). This would give precedence (or primacy) to the non-linear way of reading the text and Moshe seems to indicate that this non-linear approach is to append, not define, the linear approach.
2. Given my philosophical background (my B.A. is in philosophy) another feature of this warp and weft structure leaps out at me. Moshe notes that the weave pattern gives rise to three tiers in each of his example texts: (1) above, (2) middle and (3) below. These tiers can correspond with the three traditional divisions of philosophy: (1) epistemology, (2) axiology (3) metaphysics. Or, for those who are not philosophically minded: (1) knowing (knowledge), (2) doing (values and ethics) and (3) being (existence). Of course these can be related to the persons of the Trinity also: (1) Father (knowing), (2) Son (doing) and (3) Spirit (being). You can bring “science” into the game too, if you want: (1) space, (2) time and (3) matter. What’s interesting about these divisions is that they are inseparably connected, i.e. none of them can exist independently.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Excellent.
I do have one issue with his breakdown of the (combined) first Word. It bungs a lot into the last section. Breaking it up into the matrix, the “heavens, Land and under-Land” are at the point where the Tabernacle is constructed. At Ascension, the Adam FORMS the three-level house. The commandment forbids the house being FILLED with false glory (which supports its unity).