Memory and Covenant: The Role of Israel's and God's memory in Sustaining the Deuteronomic and Priestly Covenants

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The covenant depends upon the memory of God— Memory and Covenant Ellman Memory and Covenant applies new insights into the meaning and function of social memory to analyze the priestly and deuteronomic sources of the Pentateuch. Both these traditions regard memory as a vital element of religious practice and as the principal instrument of covenant fidelity—but in very different ways. Barat Ellman shows that for the deuteronomic tradition, memory is a means for keeping Israel faithful to its God and God’s commandments, even when Israelites are far from the temple and its worship. The pre-exilic priestly tradition, however, understands that the covenant depends on God’s memory, which must be aroused by the sensory stimuli of the temple cult. The exilic priestly tradition (the literature of the Holiness school) incorporates the theme of transcendence put forth by Deuteronomy and reconceives of the cult in symbolic terms rather than as literally an appeal to God’s memory. Praise for Memory and Covenant “Barat Ellman’s book explores the meanings and functions of memory in biblical religion with theoretical sophistication and literary sensitivity. In this book, memory is seen as integral to the religion of the Torah and its major themes. Though focused on the religious worldviews of the priestly and deuteronomic schools, the book takes virtually the entire Hebrew Bible into account. Memory and Covenant is a very significant contribution to the study of biblical literature and religion.” Edward L. Greenstein | Bar-Ilan University “Barat Ellman’s Memory and Covenant offers a superb analysis of key differences between priestly and deuteronomic traditions in the Pentateuch. Focusing on the understanding and role of memory in each tradition, she helps make sense of the place of ritual, intellect, and sense perception in each. Ellman’s work will lead readers to a deeper understanding of biblical religions and theologies in their complexity and diversity.” David Kraemer | Jewish Theological Seminary “Dr. Ellman’s groundbreaking approach combines detailed linguistic and literary analysis with broad synthetic models drawn from anthropology and psychology to penetrate the thought realm of biblical religion in a deeper manner than has hitherto been the case. She lucidly examines a key concept , memory, in terms of its functions and relationships in the entire theological structure of the Pentateuch. The contrast between the deuteronomic and priestly traditions sharpens the distinction between the types of theological patterning they represent. The result is a sophisticated modern understanding of biblical religion. This is an important work in the fields of history of religions, comparative religion, and biblical thought, which can serve as a model for similar studies in the future.” Stephen A. Geller | Jewish Theological Seminary Barat Ellman is an ordained rabbi and adjunct assistant professor of the Bible and its interpretation at Jewish Theological Seminary. She completed her dissertation at Jewish Theological Seminary under the direction of Stephen Geller. Religion / Old Testament e m e r g i n g s c h o l a r s Memory and Covenant The Role of Israel’s and God’s Memory in Sustaining the Deuteronomic and Priestly Covenants Barat Ellman ...