The Power of Equivocation: Complex Readers and Readings of the Hebrew Bible

There’s no singular correct interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, suggests Jewish Theological Seminary professor Kalmanofsky (Sexual Violence and Sacred Texts) in this novel exploration of scripture. Through close readings of Torah stories about women, the author argues that “the Bible intends to be polyvalent and welcomes inconsistencies and employs minimal verbosity in order to be expansive in meaning.” Kalmanofsky contends that though Potiphar’s wife is traditionally regarded as nefarious for making sexual advances on her servant Joseph, some readings assert that Potiphar was a eunuch who may have brought Joseph into his home to father a child with his wife, which, for Kalmanofsky, makes Potiphar’s wife “treacherous” but “not the villain.” The author posits that Esther and Mordecai both have a claim to be considered the protagonist of the Book of Esther, and she notes that adopting this view illuminates how the pair can be interpreted as representing assimilation (Esther) versus maintaining a distinct cultural identity (Mordecai). Kalmanofsky also brings her sharp analysis to bear on stories about Samuel’s mother, Hannah; the medium from Endor; Tamar; and Bathsheba, constructing a convincing argument that complexity and ambiguity are integral to the Torah’s narratives. Readers will find the unorthodox interpretations eye-opening. (Sept.)