Introductory Remarks

Hypertext is the technical mechanism behind the links found on the World Wide Web and in a great deal of modern computer software. These links allow software designers to make connections: a user can click with a mouse on a visual representation of a link, whereupon a different display of data, possibly (in the case of the World Wide Web) residing in a file on a different computer thousands of miles away, is brought onto the screen.

For purposes of our discussion, what's important about hypertext is making connections. It is my unresearched belief that this crucial feature of modern computer software originated thousands of years ago in the study of Torah and Tanach; hence the sages of Israel have a much stronger claim than Al Gore to having invented the World Wide Web. The technique of hypertext - of making connections - between verses of Tanach, is an ancient technique of Torah study. Midrash, Nachmanides, the Vilna Gaon, and today's cyber-commentators, all make extensive use of this technique, by which a question that arises in B'reishit (Genesis) may be explained by a verse in Psalms, or a verse in Eishet Chayil (A Woman of Valor, from Proverbs) is linked with a verse concerning forbidden mixtures of clothing fabrics in D'vorim (Deuteronomy) in order to comment on another Biblical issue.

Consider the words of Elie Wiesel, in a profile of Shimon ben Azzai, a great scholar and student of the legendary Rabbi Akiba who lived during the second century CE [Wiesel] (see also [Midrash, Song of Songs I. 10, 2]):

One legend depicts ... ben Azzai surrounded by his disciples, discoursing on the secrets of the Torah. Suddenly a flame descended from the sky and enveloped the group. Ben Azzai was asked, "Did this occur because you study the fiery mystery of the Merkavah [the chariot in the vision of Ezekiel]?" That would have explained the fire, since G-d is in the fire, too. "Not at all," answered ben Azzai. "I pursue quite ordinary studies. I link the words of the Torah to those of the prophets [N'vi'im], and those of the prophets to the written words [K'tuvim - the Wisdom Literature of the Tanach] - and it is the words themselves that have started to dance and to rejoice, as they did on the day when, lit by the divine flame, the law was given on Sinai. The words are the same and so are the flames."

Consider the conclusions we can draw from this legend:

• Ben Azzai considered it "quite ordinary" to study Tanach via the technique of hypertext. Likely, then, the technique predated him considerably.

• Study of Tanach via the hypertext technique brings divine fire into the world, making the text dance and rejoice, recalling the revelation at Sinai.

How do we look for connections that can help us understand a verse of Tanach? Common means of making connections include similarity of language (particularly, unusual language) - this includes but is not limited to quotes and paraphrases; contrasting use of language; similar or related subject matter.

Lecture Notes

• Our Rabbis Invent the World Wide Web (October 5, 1999): examples of the use of the hypertext method in studying Torah

• L'cho Dodi - Sex, Violence, and the Messiah (October 12, 1999): an interpretation based on quotes and paraphrases from (mostly) Isaiah in the Erev Shabbat (Friday evening) prayer

• Megilla Marvels (October 19, 1999): connecting the "Scrolls" to the Torah

Glossary:

• K'tuvim - literally, Scriptures. Sometimes known as the "Wisdom Literature," this term covers the 5 Megillot (see Megilla) and other Biblical works including Psalms (T'hilim), Proverbs (Mishlei), Job, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemia, Chronicles (I and II).

• Megilla (plural: Megillot) - literally, Scroll(s). A term covering the following works of Scriptures: Song of Songs (Shir haShirim), Ruth, Lamentations (Eicha), Ecclesiastes (Kohellet), and Esther.

• N'vi'im - Prophets; used for the writings of the Biblical prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel (I and II), Kings (I and II), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

• Tanach - a Hebrew acronym for Torah, N'vi'im, K'tuvim, which together make up the Jewish Bible.

• Torah - usually refers to the Five Books of Moses; sometimes more broadly to the Jewish Bible (Tanach), or even more broadly to all works of Jewish law and tradition. The Five Books of Moses are B'reishit (Genesis), Shmot (Exodus), Vayikra (Leviticus), Bamidbar (Numbers), and D'vorim (Deuteronomy).

Acknowledgments:

Thanks to Harvey Horowitz and Rabbi Akiba Lubow for suggestions used in these pages.

References:

[Midrash] Midrash Rabbah (often called Midrash, although there are other commentaries also called Midrash): Early commentary on the Tanach. See The Midrash, Soncino Press, London

[Wiesel] Wiesel, Elie, Sages and Dreamers, Summit Books, New York, 1991