犹太释经传统及思维方式探究

The Jewish Exegetical Tradition and Way of Thinking

圣经时代结束后,犹太教进入拉比时期,释经传统随之形成。《密西纳》虽然是独立于《圣经》的口传律法书,但就其讨论的问题和内容而言,实际上是《圣经》的注解和疏义,其后的《革玛拉》更是直接或间接地诠释《密西纳》和《圣经》。其他的拉比文献如《托赛夫塔》和《密德拉什》等,也是这个释经传统的组成部分。犹太教的释经方法和规则甚多,其中早期拉比以实玛利的13条规则颇具代表性。犹太教的释经传统反映出拉比们信经而不唯经的态度和他们的逻辑思维、具体思维、求异思维和多元思维等不同思维方式。犹太教的释经传统和思维方式不仅属于历史上的拉比犹太教,而且是现代犹太智慧的根源。

Following biblical Judaism, rabbinic Judaism emerged and gradually formed an exegetical tradition. Though Mishnah is the collection of Oral Law, it is in effect commentaries on the Bible. The Talmud （Gemara）, Midrash and Tosefta are also direct or indirect commentaries on Mishnah and the Bible. While the early rabbis interpreted the Law, they followed some principles, among which R. Ishmael＇s thirteen rules were the most influential. From the Jewish exegetic tradition, we can abstract such basic ways of thinking as logic, concreteness, distinctiveness and pluralism, as well as the spirit of ＂believing, but critically. ＂ The rabbinic ways of thinking have considerably affected the Jewish life and are important sources of Jewish wisdom.