Empty No Water In It (Trump’s Mouth)

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Apropos the recognition of Jerusalem, like the pit into which Joseph was thrown by his brothers, President Trump’s mouth is “empty; there [is[ no water in it” (Gen. 37:24).  The rabbis interpret the apparent redundancy (“’empty” and “no water”) to conclude that the pit was full of snakes and scorpions, also not unlike Trump’s mouth.

“R. Kahana also said, R. Nathan b. Minyomi expounded in R. Tanhum’s name: Why is it written, and the pit was empty, there was no water in it? From the implication of what is said, ‘and the pit was empty’, do I not know that there was no water in it; what then is taught by, ‘there was no water in it’? There was no water, yet there were snakes and scorpions in it” (Shabbat 22a).

About zjb

Zachary Braiterman is Professor of Religion in the Department of Religion at Syracuse University. His specialization is modern Jewish thought and philosophical aesthetics. http://religion.syr.edu
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