Scholar Ronald Hendel wrote a journal article titled, “The Exodus in Biblical Memory.” Exodus is a huge focal point for the religion of the Israelites. Their religious rituals, laws to abide by, and ethics are grounded in the foundation of the experiences and memory of the Exodus (Hendel, 2001). This one event historically provided evidence for the tie and bond between Yahweh and the Israelites (Hendel, 2001). The historical accuracy of the great Exodus has been questioned considerably due to the oral and written passing on of the events; which would eventually all be written down in the Bible.
Cultural and collective memory are one reason that scholars doubt the complete accuracy of the Bible, because it tends to be a combination of actual …show more content…
When looking at the nameless Pharaoh of the story, it could mean that not having a name for him ties the story more emotionally to a lot of the people (Hendel, 2001). Exodus is a huge focal point that ties emotionally to all the slaves that were captured and one day hoped to be let free (Hendel, 2001). It could be that the name was purposefully not written down or it could be that this detail has become part of collective memory, lost through years of translation (Hendel, 2001). The deadly plagues, seen as Yahweh’s signs and wonders also may have been due to collective memory. It is believed that there were illnesses during that time that may have impacted the memories of some of the events labeled the deadly plagues (Hendel, 2001). Some of the “Egyptian diseases” of Exodus may have been combined with the illnesses from the Canaanite people that cause a lot of destruction and death. The impact of such disease can be widespread through memories and stories, becoming part of collective memory of the event of Exodus (Hendel, 2001). Also, it seems that Moses’ life may have been integrated so much in the story, “Everything else about Moses’ life is so interwoven with narrative motifs and religious ideology that it is impossible to disengage the history from the tradition” (Hendel, 2001, p. 615). Since, most of Moses’ life is collective memory and being that …show more content…
I learned that researches use a mnemohistory; such as text, artifacts, and other evidence of cultural discourse about the recalled past top discern how the past has been shaped and formed by the people and what they remember (Hendel, 2001). Also, I learned that in the Bible story of Exodus, the Pharaohs name was never mentioned (Hendel, 2001). This might have been due to collective memory or it was done on purpose to tie an emotional connection to the people and an impactful event meant to be remembered by the people. Lastly, I learned that the Exodus had more impact in the Bible than I expected. The exodus shows the graciousness of Yahweh and it proves the “religious bond” between the Israelites and Yahweh (Hendel, 2001). Hendel ties everything together by referencing the quote from William Faulkner, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past” (as cited in Hendel,
Cultural and collective memory are one reason that scholars doubt the complete accuracy of the Bible, because it tends to be a combination of actual …show more content…
When looking at the nameless Pharaoh of the story, it could mean that not having a name for him ties the story more emotionally to a lot of the people (Hendel, 2001). Exodus is a huge focal point that ties emotionally to all the slaves that were captured and one day hoped to be let free (Hendel, 2001). It could be that the name was purposefully not written down or it could be that this detail has become part of collective memory, lost through years of translation (Hendel, 2001). The deadly plagues, seen as Yahweh’s signs and wonders also may have been due to collective memory. It is believed that there were illnesses during that time that may have impacted the memories of some of the events labeled the deadly plagues (Hendel, 2001). Some of the “Egyptian diseases” of Exodus may have been combined with the illnesses from the Canaanite people that cause a lot of destruction and death. The impact of such disease can be widespread through memories and stories, becoming part of collective memory of the event of Exodus (Hendel, 2001). Also, it seems that Moses’ life may have been integrated so much in the story, “Everything else about Moses’ life is so interwoven with narrative motifs and religious ideology that it is impossible to disengage the history from the tradition” (Hendel, 2001, p. 615). Since, most of Moses’ life is collective memory and being that …show more content…
I learned that researches use a mnemohistory; such as text, artifacts, and other evidence of cultural discourse about the recalled past top discern how the past has been shaped and formed by the people and what they remember (Hendel, 2001). Also, I learned that in the Bible story of Exodus, the Pharaohs name was never mentioned (Hendel, 2001). This might have been due to collective memory or it was done on purpose to tie an emotional connection to the people and an impactful event meant to be remembered by the people. Lastly, I learned that the Exodus had more impact in the Bible than I expected. The exodus shows the graciousness of Yahweh and it proves the “religious bond” between the Israelites and Yahweh (Hendel, 2001). Hendel ties everything together by referencing the quote from William Faulkner, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past” (as cited in Hendel,