B026275 - HEBREW LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Italian

1. Introduction to Judaism and Jewish literature.
2. Critical introduction to the book of Genesis.

Required reading:
Part 1 (6 CFU):
- topics covered in class.
- an introduction to the Hebrew Bible to be chosen amongst Collins's, Rendtorff's, Soggin's and Rofé 2015 ("Introduction to the Hebrew Bible" section below);
- Emanuel Tov, The (Proto-)Masoretic Text: A Ten-Part Series, TheTorah.com (2017). <https://www.thetorah.com/series/proto-masoretic-text>
- one book to be chosen from the list below.

Part 2 (6 CFU):
- reading, translation and analysis of chapters 1-3 and 6-9 from the book of Genesis (Hebrew text in BHQ or BHS)
- introduction + sections about chapters 1-3 and 6-9 from Genesis: Ephraim A. Speiser, Genesis, New Haven (CT)-London, Yale University Press 2008 [1964].
- James Barr, the Garden of Eden and the Hope of Immortality, London, SCM Press 1992.


Suggested Readings — 1st Part

Text of the Hebrew Bible

- BHS = Karl Elliger, Wilhelm Rudolph, Adrian Schenker (eds), Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, Stuttgart, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft 1997(5).
- BHQ = Robert Althann, Aharon Dotan, Adrian Schenker (eds), Biblia Ebraica Quinta, 8 voll., Stuttgart, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft 2004-.
- Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, Pheme Perkins (eds), The New Oxford Annotated Bible. New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha, Oxford-New York, Oxford University Press.
- William R. Scott, A Simplified Guide BHS. Critical Apparatus, Masora, Accents, Unusual Letters & Other Markings, Berkeley (CA), BIBAL Press 2007 (4).
- Paolo Sacchi, Rassegna di studi di storia del testo del Vecchio Testamento ebraico, «Rivista di Storia e Letteratura religiosa» 2 (1966), pp. 257–324.

Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

- Emanuel Tov, The (Proto-)Masoretic Text: A Ten-Part Series, TheTorah.com (2017). <https://www.thetorah.com/series/proto-masoretic-text>
- John Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, Fortress Press 2018 (3).
- Alexander Rofé, Introduzione alla letteratura della Bibbia ebraica, 2 vol., Paideia, Brescia 2015(2).
- Jan Alberto Soggin, Introduzione all’Antico Testamento, Brescia, Paideia 1987(4).
- Joel S. Baden, The Composition of the Pentateuch: Renewing the Documentary Hypothesis, New Haven, Yale University Press, 2012.
- Timothy H. Lim, The Formation of the Jewish Canon, New Haven (CT), Yale University Press 2013.
- Rolf Rendtorff, Introduzione all’Antico Testamento. Storia, vita sociale e letteratura d’Israele in epoca biblica, Torino, Claudiana, 2001(3).
- Joseph Blenkinsopp, Il Pentateuco. Introduzione ai primi cinque libri della Bibbia, Brescia, Queriniana 2002.
- Alexander Rofé, La composizione del Pentateuco. Un’introduzione, Bologna, Edizioni Dehoniane 1999.
- Jean Louis Ska, Introduzione alla lettura del Pentateuco. Chiavi per l’interpretazione dei primi cinque libri della Bibbia, Bologna, EDB 2000.

Critica biblica

- Norman Habel, Literary Criticism of the Old Testament, Philadelphia, Fortress Press 1971.
- J. Cheryl Exum, David J. A. Clines (a cura di), The New Literary Criticism and the Hebrew Bible, Sheffield, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Press 1993.
- Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe, Jacqueline E. Lapsey (a cura di), Women’s Bible Commentary, Louisville (KY), Westminster John Knox Press 2012(3).
- Sara Parks, Women and Gender in the Apocrypha, in Gerbern S. Oegema (a cura di), The Oxford Handbook of the Apocrypha, Oxford, Oxford University Press 2021. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190689643.013.24, <https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190689643.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780190689643-e-24?utm_campaign=oupac-campaign:1349492882086837711&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=post:1376558084575419842&utm_term=OUPReligion#__prclt=EQPczyJ1>
- Liv Ingeborg Lied, Hugo Lundhaug, Studying Snapshots: On Manuscript Culture, Textual Fluidity, and New Philology, in Ei. (a cura di), Snapshots of Evolving Traditions. Jewish and Christian Manuscript Culture, Textual Fluidity, and New Philology, Berlin, de Gruyter 2017, pp. 1–19.
- Eva Mroczek, The Literary Imagination in Jewish Antiquity, Oxford, Oxford University Press 2016 (Introduction).
- Corrado Martone, Textual Plurality and Textual Reconstructions: A Cautionary Tale, «Revue De Qumrân» 30/2 (2018), pp. 131–141.
- Hindy Najman, The Vitality of Scripture Within and Beyond the “Canon”, «Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period» 43/4–5 (2012), pp. 497–518.

Letteratura del Secondo Tempio

- Corrado Martone, Il Giudaismo Antico (538 a.e.v.-70 e.v.), Roma, Carocci 2008.
- Id., Scritti di Qumran, 2 voll., Brescia, Paideia 2014–2016.
- Discoveries in the Judean Desert, 40 voll., Oxford, Clarendon Press 1951–2011.
- James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Garden City (NY), Doubleday 1983.
- Loren T. Stuckenbruck, Daniel M. Gurtner, T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism, London, T&T Clark 2020.

Storia di Israele

- James Maxwell Miller, John H. Hayes, A History of Ancient Israel and Judah, Louisville (KY), Westminster John Knox Press 2006.
- Jan Alberto Soggin, Storia di Israele, Brescia, Paideia 2002(2).
- Israel Finkelstein, Neil A. Silberman, Sulle tracce di Mosè, Roma, Carocci, 2002.
- Israel Finkelstein, ‌The Forgotten Kingdom. The Archaeology and History of Northern Israel, Atlanta, Society of Biblical Literature 2013.
- Ida Oggiano, Dal terreno al divino. Archeologia del culto nella Palestina del primo millennio, Roma, Carocci 2005.
- Mario Liverani, Antico Oriente. Storia società economia, Roma, Laterza 2011(2), capp. XIX.XXII-XXIII.
- Id., Oltre la Bibbia. Storia antica di Israele, Bari, Laterza 2003.
- Alexander Rofé, Libri e problemi. Storia d’Israele e critica biblica, «Henoch» 25 (2003), pp. 361–371.

Ebraismo rabbinico

- Günter Stemberger, Il giudaismo classico: cultura e storia del tempo rabbinico dal 70 al 1040, Roma, Città Nuova 1991.
- Id., Introduzione al Talmud e al Midrash, Roma, Città Nuova 1995.
- Id., Il Talmud. Introduzione, testi, commenti, Bologna, EDB 2008.
- Id., Il Midrash. Uso rabbinico della Bibbia. Introduzione, testi, commenti, Bologna, EDB 2006.

Storia della religione ebraica

- Giovanni Filoramo (a cura di), Ebraismo, Bari, Laterza 1999.
- Nicholas de Lange, Judaism, Oxford, University Press 1987.
- Jan Alberto Soggin, Israele in epoca biblica. Istituzioni, feste, cerimonie, rituali, Torino, Claudiana, 2001(2).
- William D. Davies, Louis Finkelstein (a cura di), The Cambridge History of Judaism, 8 voll., Cambridge, Cambridge University Press 1984–2021.
- Norman Solomon, Ebraismo (ed. italiana a cura di Alberto Cavaglion), Torino, Einaudi 1999.

Testi di riferimento — 2º modulo

- Abraham Tal (a cura di), Genesis, Stuttgart, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft 2015 (BHQ).
- Ronald S. Hendel, The Text of Genesis 1–11. Textual Studies and Critical Edition, New York, Oxford University Press 1998. <https://www.academia.edu/837451/The_Text_of_Genesis_1_11_Textual_Studies_and_Critical_Edition>
- Ephraim A. Speiser, Genesis, New Haven (CT)-London, Yale University Press 2008 [1964].
- Walter Brueggemann, Genesi, Torino, Claudiana 2002.
- Gerhard von Rad, Genesi, Brescia, Paideia 1978.
- Emanuele Testa, Genesi, Cinisello Balsamo, San Paolo 2005(10).

Critica

- James Barr, the Garden of Eden and the Hope of Immortality, London, SCM Press 1992.
- Elaine Pagels, Adam, Eve and the Serpent. Sex and Politics in Early Christianity, Vintage 1989.
- Richard S. Hess and David Toshio Tsumura, "I Studied Inscriptions from before the Flood". Ancient Near Eastern, Literary, and Linguistic Approaches to Genesis 1-11, Winona Lake (IN), Eisenbrauns 1994.
- Craig A. Evans, Joel N. Lohr, David L. Petersen (a cura di), The Book of Genesis. Composition, Reception, and Interpretation, Leiden-Boston, Brill 2012.
- Jacques T. A. G. M. van Ruiten, Primaeval History Interpreted the Rewriting of Genesis 1–11 in the Book of Jubilees, Leiden-Boston-Köln, Brill 2000 («Supplements to The Journal for the Study of Judaism» 66).

Grammatiche e dizionari

- BDB = Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver, Charles Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, with an appendix containing the Biblical Aramaic, Oxford, Clarendon Press 1951(2).
- HALOT = Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner, Johann J. Stamm, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, 5 voll., Leiden, Brill 1994–2000.
- David J. A. Clines (a cura di), The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew, 8 voll., Sheffield, Sheffield Academic Press 1993–2011.
- Paul Joüon, Takamitsu Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew, Roma, Gregorian & Biblical Press 2011(2). [Onesearch]
- John F. A. Sawyer, A Modern Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, Stocksfield, London-Henley on Thames-Boston, Oriel Press 1976.
- Hans P. Stähli, Bruno Chiesa, Corso di Ebraico Biblico, 2 voll., Brescia, Paideia 1986.

Storia della lingua ebraica

- Mireille Hadas Lebel, Storia della lingua ebraica, Firenze, Giuntina 1994.
- Chaim Rabin, Hebrew, in Thomas A. Sebeok (a cura di), Current Trends in Linguistics, vol. 6, The Hague, Paris, Mouton 1970, pp. 304–346.
- Angel Sáenz-Badillos, Storia della lingua ebraica, Brescia, Paideia 2007.
- Eduard Y. Kutscher, A History of the Hebrew Language, Jerusalem-Leiden, Magnes Press-Brill 1982.

The course will provide students with:
1. the basics of ancient Hebrew literature;
2. an outlook of the relevant social and cultural context;
3. knowledge of some of the methodological frameworks applied within biblical criticism (textual criticism, source criticism, form criticism, redaction criticism and canonical criticism).

Knowledge of a modern European language.

Classes will be taught remotely and in person simultaneously. Students who wish to attend in person may do so by booking a seat on Kairos. Students who wish to join classes remotely may do so on Moodle ("Lezioni online con Webex").
Some time will be devoted to practice reading skills on some of the Hebrew text assigned for the course.

Classes will start on 13 September 2021. The course will be taught jointly by Prof. Vergari (12 hours) and Prof. Legnaioli (60 hours).

Exams will take place after the end of the course and will be held remotely, following the instructions that can be found on the University website. Examinations will be oral and will consist of three parts:

1. question on required reading assignments;
2. question on chosen readings.
3. reading, translation and critical analysis of a selection of passages amongst those discussed in class (only Part 2).

The candidates will be tested on what follows:
1. knowledge of the basics of the history of ancient Hebrew literature and biblical criticism;
2. the ability to read, translate and critically evaluate primary texts, using proper terminology (only Part 2);
3. conciseness and clarity of expression.

1. Introduction to Ancient Hebrew Literature
Part 1 of the course will introduce students to biblical literature in its social and historical context. Special attention will be devoted to the origins of the Jewish people and of Judaism. Students will be introduced to the Bible and to its critical study — biblical criticism (textual, source, form, redaction and canonical criticism).

2. Narratives About the Origin of the World: the Book of Genesis
In Part 2 of the course an introduction to the first book of the Bible will be given, outlining its textual and literary problems. Special attention will be devoted to the stories of creation and to the story of the flood.

Goal 10 - Reduced Inequalities

By introducing to the critical study of Jewish literature and culture, the course provides students with the necessary tools to counter the specific form of anti-Jewish bias that has plagued Christian biblical interpretation, namely supersessionism. Supersessionism denied any validity and independence to Jewish interpretation, by erasing the Jewish roots not only of the Bible, but of Christianity itself.