Methodological Issues in the Creation of an Edition of Rabbinic Meshalim

This paper discusses some issues I am facing and decisions I have to make in the process of making my annotated edition of tannaitic meshalim (Vol. 1: The Mekhiltot, Mohr Siebeck, 2017).

‘Method’ is a term that covers a variety of things. Moreover, an annotated edition involves two different sides: the edition, and the commentary. Each involve their own approaches and decisions. As to the edition, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a synoptic rather than eclectic of diplomatic edition, keeping in mind the fact that this ‘edition’ covers only selected passages of the rabbinic works. Further, the way textual witnesses, notably genizah fragments and other manuscripts, are weighed and used requires specific choices. As to the commentary, relevant issues are the question: ‘what is a parable?’, which is directly related to the question which texts to include and which not. Further, there is the decision how much (co-) text to include before and after each parable. Relevant issues also pertain to my views on the function of the mashal as a form of midrash, and on the role of the individual parts of the mashal in this.