{"id":2598,"date":"2016-12-27T10:51:06","date_gmt":"2016-12-27T18:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/?p=2598"},"modified":"2020-12-07T08:43:18","modified_gmt":"2020-12-07T16:43:18","slug":"mythic-arc-predatory-desire-jewish-legend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/2016\/12\/mythic-arc-predatory-desire-jewish-legend","title":{"rendered":"The Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend: primary sources on the origin and end of predation"},"content":{"rendered":"

In advance of this year’s Hazon Food Conference I’ve prepared a source sheet packet containing text arranged to elucidate what I’ve called the Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend.<\/p>\n

It’s intended to accompany other primary source text studies<\/a> in Jewish Animal Ethics by presenting the legendary material informing Jewish cultural attitudes towards hunting, meat eating, and sexual predation. The vision of the work spans this world and the next, an etiology (origin myth) for creatures consuming one another in the nature of this world, a mytho-theological explanation of tactics used to circumscribe predatory appetite, and an eschatology (myth of the end) describing the birth of a new world where predatory nature is overcome.<\/p>\n

The work is also meant to accompany in-person teaching on the subject, so it is not entirely comprehensive and doesn’t provide thorough explanations for every source text. (For example, it doesn’t really get into the myths and halakhah that object to interbreeding\/mixing, or why specific species of animals were considered kosher while others were not.) Working on it, it’s impossible for me not to consider this a draft to be added to and revised. However, I think it may already be useful in its current condition, especially for those who have sought for the purpose of the eldritch covenants at Mt. Ararat and Mt. Sinai in Jewish literature, and how the rivalry with Amalek and the prophetic dream of a just world might fit in with those.<\/p>\n

As always, I invite comment and feedback.<\/p>\n

PDF<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

A personal note: while I have tried to keep an impartial voice, my personal view is implied in the selection, arrangement, and explanation for the texts. So this should be read less as an academic study and more in line with a religious passion to educate and share sacred teaching.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In advance of this year’s Hazon Food Conference I’ve prepared a source sheet packet containing text arranged to elucidate what I’ve called the Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend. . . . → Continue reading: The Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend: primary sources on the origin and end of predation<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,203,2],"tags":[276,277],"class_list":["post-2598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mythology","category-animal-welfare","category-yiddishkeit","tag-source-texts","tag-source-sheets","odd"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend: primary sources on the origin and end of predation • Aharon's Omphalos<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/2016\/12\/mythic-arc-predatory-desire-jewish-legend\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend: primary sources on the origin and end of predation • Aharon's Omphalos\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In advance of this year's Hazon Food Conference I've prepared a source sheet packet containing text arranged to elucidate what I've called the Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend. . . . → Continue reading: The Mythic Arc of Predatory Desire in Jewish Legend: primary sources on the origin and end of predation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/2016\/12\/mythic-arc-predatory-desire-jewish-legend\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Aharon's Omphalos\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/aharonium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/aharonium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-12-27T18:51:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-12-07T16:43:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/15741044_10154819342360480_551341719499582455_n.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"726\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Aharon N. 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Long-lived community bodies can seem to be just part of the landscape, as old as the mountains and somewhat inscrutable, so it seemed appropriate to me on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Judaica"","block_context":{"text":"Judaica","link":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/category\/yiddishkeit"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/13221168_10154180639698718_4876296485565266344_o.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/13221168_10154180639698718_4876296485565266344_o.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/13221168_10154180639698718_4876296485565266344_o.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/13221168_10154180639698718_4876296485565266344_o.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/13221168_10154180639698718_4876296485565266344_o.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/13221168_10154180639698718_4876296485565266344_o.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2725,"url":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/2017\/04\/on-the-meaning-of-mimouna","url_meta":{"origin":2598,"position":2},"title":"On the Meaning of Mimouna","author":"Aharon N. Varady","date":"April 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2007, Dr. Yigal Bin-Nun wrote a provocative article in Haaretz \u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 on the origins of the Moroccan Jewish post-Passover festival of Mimouna. In the article, Bin-Nun speculates that Mimouna was a Judaized festival originally derived from local customs celebrating gods of Fortune. I wish to present an alternate thesis\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mythology"","block_context":{"text":"Mythology","link":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/category\/yiddishkeit\/mythology"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Praveen-Gupta-DSC04926-CC-BY-SA.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Praveen-Gupta-DSC04926-CC-BY-SA.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Praveen-Gupta-DSC04926-CC-BY-SA.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":135,"url":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/2008\/05\/the-two-lovers","url_meta":{"origin":2598,"position":3},"title":"The Two Lovers","author":"Aharon N. Varady","date":"May 30, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"On this trip, I had the pleasure of sharing a day trip between D.C. and N.Y.C. with a friend of an acquaintance. As it happens, by which I mean, by the tender coincidences blessed upon me in the happenstance of creation, this fellow, Eli K-W, also happens to love Jewish\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mythology"","block_context":{"text":"Mythology","link":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/category\/yiddishkeit\/mythology"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1620,"url":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/2013\/11\/organizational-websites-are-only-as-robust-as-their-sharing-policies","url_meta":{"origin":2598,"position":4},"title":"Teach me your Open Source Torah, on one foot","author":"Aharon N. Varady","date":"November 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"American Jewish World Service does important work, so when a site they built for educators and learners to access Jewish sourcetexts on social justice and other important activities disappeared overnight due to what appeared to be a domain registration lapse, I was motivated to write an essay on how organizations\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Judaica"","block_context":{"text":"Judaica","link":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/category\/yiddishkeit"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/hillel.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/hillel.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/hillel.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1605,"url":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/2013\/10\/making-oneself-into-a-maqom-hefker-an-ownerless-place-on-the-economy-of-sharing-torah-dimus-parrhesia-freely-and-openly","url_meta":{"origin":2598,"position":5},"title":"Making oneself into a Maqom Hefker (an ownerless place): On the Economy of Sharing Torah, Dimus Parrhesia (freely and openly)","author":"Aharon N. Varady","date":"October 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Last year, I was interviewed by Alan Jacobs for the Atlantic Magazine on the potential and promise of an open source Judaism. This year I was privileged to write an essay for the Sova Project, a project that is considering the structures and processes of a sustainable society through the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Judaica"","block_context":{"text":"Judaica","link":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/category\/yiddishkeit"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/100_4062.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/100_4062.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/100_4062.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/100_4062.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/100_4062.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/100_4062.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2598"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3116,"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2598\/revisions\/3116"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aharon.varady.net\/omphalos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}