Bringing back the Jewish method?

[Harel13]

I read an article on Shabbat about a slowly growing movement that wants to bring back the Jewish mesoratic way of dividing the Tanach - through not chapters but s'darim. Apparently the Christians created more than two times as many chapters than s'darim.
The article stated that there were a number of problems with the Christian method:
1. They make the Nation of Israel look bad, by often opening chapters with Israel sinning.
2. Sometimes the Christian method splits subjects in half.
3. The mesoratic method put an emphasis on certain things by putting them at the beginning of s'darim. The Christian chapter method changed the emphasis.
4. Even if there was nothing wrong with the chapter method, it would still not be okay to use a method created by people who've had a clear Anti-semitic bias for generations.

The article goes on to explain how it came to be the both Jews and non-Jews alike use the Christian method (mostly do to a printing fluke, apparently).

In my opinion, it's cool that they're trying to bring back the mesoratic method, but I'm wondering if they'll manage. The chapter system is comfortable at least in it being shorter.

Thoughts?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

See here as an example of why would dismiss the idea as reflecting an unfortunate sectarianism.

 

[Harel13]

See here as an example of why would dismiss the idea as reflecting an unfortunate sectarianism.

What's the problem exactly? The triennial thing? The idea isn't meant to cancel the annual parsha method. It's just a method to divide the Tanach as a whole for how we learn it.

 

[dybmh]

Maybe this is a silly question, but are later books in the Tanach divided by sidrah?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

What's the problem exactly? The triennial thing? The idea isn't meant to cancel the annual parsha method. It's just a method to divide the Tanach as a whole for how we learn it.

No, the "chapter" thing. One finds it referenced by everything from Hebcal to Brown, Driver and Briggs to Gesenius. It's ubiquitous. To render all of that problematic because of sectarian considerations strikes me as ridiculous.

 

[Harel13]

Maybe this is a silly question, but are later books in the Tanach divided by sidrah?

All books are divided by s'darim - Torah, Neviim, Ketuvim - it's an ancient method of division, part of the Oral Torah.

 

[Harel13]

Hebcal to Brown, Driver and Briggs to Gesenius

Who are these?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Who are these?

Never mind ...

 

[dybmh]

All books are divided by s'darim - Torah, Neviim, Ketuvim - it's an ancient method of division, part of the Oral Torah.

OK! I'm in. Bring'em back...

 

[dybmh]

So...

How does a person find the s'darim of yeshayahu, for instance?

 

[rosends]

What Is the Difference Between a Sidra and a Parshah?

Chumash that is numbered according to Petuchot and Setumot?

 

[Harel13]

No, the "chapter" thing. One finds it referenced by everything from Hebcal to Brown, Driver and Briggs to Gesenius. It's ubiquitous. To render all of that problematic because of sectarian considerations strikes me as ridiculous.

Having looked these things up, I don't see what's wrong with printing new editions?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Having looked these things up, I don't see what's wrong with printing new editions?

You see nothing wrong in prompting the redaction of literally thousands of books and articles? Seriously?

I think letting someone pursue this tail-wagging-the-dog effort is fine so long as the effort is widely ignored as sectarian mishigas.

 

[Harel13]

You see nothing wrong in prompting the redaction of literally thousands of books and articles? Seriously?

I never said it would be easy or that it could happen all at once. But if something is important enough, than you do it, regardless of the costs.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I never said it would be easy or that it could happen all at once. But if something is important enough, than you do it, regardless of the costs.

Yes. and you and I disagree on whether or not this is anywhere near important enough.

 

[Jake1001]

I read an article on Shabbat about a slowly growing movement that wants to bring back the Jewish mesoratic way of dividing the Tanach - through not chapters but s'darim. Apparently the Christians created more than two times as many chapters than s'darim.
The article stated that there were a number of problems with the Christian method:
1. They make the Nation of Israel look bad, by often opening chapters with Israel sinning.
2. Sometimes the Christian method splits subjects in half.
3. The mesoratic method put an emphasis on certain things by putting them at the beginning of s'darim. The Christian chapter method changed the emphasis.
4. Even if there was nothing wrong with the chapter method, it would still not be okay to use a method created by people who've had a clear Anti-semitic bias for generations.

The article goes on to explain how it came to be the both Jews and non-Jews alike use the Christian method (mostly do to a printing fluke, apparently).

In my opinion, it's cool that they're trying to bring back the mesoratic method, but I'm wondering if they'll manage. The chapter system is comfortable at least in it being shorter.

Thoughts?

Interesting post, Harel, I don’t think the formatting matters, I think we should make Torah more fun to read. More pictures, videos, etc. Make the stories more racey and stimulating. Its like science and engineering textbooks, zzzzz. How to engage the reader!!