First of all, Ben-Zion Spitz deserves a big yasher koach on both his post as well as all his efforts. Without detracting at all from the benefits of his efforts and those of others, permit me the following observation.
In Israel, within the religious zionist community, another war is being waged under the banner of Tanach begova ha-eynayim. The main issue revolves around the legitimacy of treating Tanach as stories with characters that take place within the human realm, with all the accompanying complexities and imperfections. The catalyst for the current outbreak of hostilities, was a new appointment of the education ministry in charge of Biblical education. The person appointed, Miri Schlissel, saw the sorry state of Tanach education, even in Religious schools and felt that a change in agenda was needed. Her sense was that Tanach would be more popular (at least the
narrative sections) if the student would study it directly rather that memorize commentary.
From a broader prospective, the return of Israel to its land and the rebirth of Ivrit as a spoken language, has offered the student of Tanach the exciting possibility to study Tanach, the infinite word of Hashem, directly. On the one hand, this creates challenges regarding the place of commentary, especially when it seems to contradict pshat. On the other hand, it offers tremendous opportunity. This dilemma is the root of the controversy.
Personally, I feel that the attack on direct Tanach study is anachronistic and doesn't take into account the new reality facing the student of Tanach in Israel. For example, Herzog's study days in Tanach, attended by around 6,000 people, many taking off from work and some arriving especially from abroad, is a vivid expression of this reality and of the potential inherent in direct Tanach study.
Biblical fiction is another indirect way of getting the student interested in dvar Hashem. Therefore, before translating these works into Hebrew, I would give Miri Schlissel a chance. Moreover, I would prefer placing more emphasis on teaching Hebrew and opening up direct Tanach study to foreign students as well. But until that is done, Biblical fiction may provide a very important tool.
bvracha,
R. Yair
