The Loud Silence

While Israel stayed in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine; and Israel heard. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve in number. Genesis 35:22 New JPS

Now – Dr. Shani Tzoref’s article, “Did Rueben Lie with Bilhah?”[1] points out that in this verse there is an extra letter, a Pey, that follows the words vayyishma (“and heard”) yisrael (“Israel”). This letter stands by itself. It is not attached to any other word and it has no vowel pointing. Inexplicably, the Hebrew text of Logos does not include this letter, but it is found in the JPS Hebrew text. Dr. Tzoref notes that this is a case of “‘pisqa be’emsa passuq’ (a break in the middle of a verse),” for the purpose of creating a necessary pause. We have examined this idea in the discussion of “Black Fire/White Fire,” where the spaces in the liturgical scroll are invitations to meditate on the presence of the Lord. In other words, in a hand-copied scroll, there are intentional indications of the divine background of the text, but since they are literally empty spaces, they are untranslatable. Furthermore, they almost never show up in printed texts because printers do not desire to leave empty spaces. Such is the case with this unusual use of the letter Pey. Because it seems superfluous, it is simply left out. But what a mistake! Now the disjointed thoughts of this verse no longer have the striking impact they should have. Now it seems as if Reuben’s infraction is simply shoved to the side, as if it had no real consequence. But as Dr. Tzoref’s analysis demonstrates, subtle references to this event continue to show up in the Tanakh and subsequent Jewish literature, and it is the reason for Jacob’s decision to remove the first-born birthright from Rueben. Rueben attempts to prematurely usurp the head of the clan position by bedding his father’s woman. This is sexual politics. The result creates further family schism. Eventually it means Rueben is removed from the expected position of power.

Centuries later Adonijah attempts the same sexual political move with Abishag. Solomon recognizes the politics for what it is—a claim to the throne—and executes Adonijah for treason. There is no extra Pey in Solomon’s story. Instead, there is the immediate death penalty.

Perhaps we might think that this is only of historical interest. Kings and rivals are often embroiled in treason and execution. But there is another “tiny” lesson here, an exegetical one. When we no longer include the extra Pey or the empty spaces in our translations, we subtly alter the text. The alteration has larger consequences.

To me, this seems to be a primary purpose of biblical narratives—to transmit a common lore of tradition to serve as a basis for discussions about what really matters. What “really happened” is less important for a religious reader than the lessons to be learned, and the conversations about these lessons. In such “trigger” texts, gaps are an important part of the story, generating valuable theological and moral discussion. The literal gap in the Reuben and Bilhah story–the pisqa be’emsa passuq– serves to remind us that our role as readers and transmitters is to fully engage the text and its possibilities, to pay attention to what is there, and what is not, and to consider together how we might fill in what is missing.[2]

Do you think it is possible to read your Bible as a disengaged spectator? Do you think your Bible is theology written in story form? Or is the Bible an invitation to engage in dialogue, debate and decision—to become a member of the cast in the great play of God?

Do you “read” the spaces and the extra letters as significant parts of the text?

Topical Index: now, Pey, pisqa be’emsa passuq, spaces, Genesis 35:22, Reuben

[1] http://thetorah.com/did-reuben-lie-with-bilhah/

[2] Ibid.