In conclusion, the similarities between secular myths and Midrashic stories are intriguing. They highlight the universal themes and motifs that transcend cultural boundaries. Whether it is the parable of the fox and the vineyard or the story of Choni Hameâagel, these tales serve to teach important lessons and provide insight into the human condition. By exploring these similarities, we can gain a deeper understanding of the shared human experience and the timeless wisdom contained in these ancient stories.
He is so horrified by the overwhelming feelings of pride in his own handsome looks that he takes immediate action to abstain from hedonistic pleasures, and becomes a nazir in order to tame his lust and arrogance. Compare this to the story of Narcissus:
Once, during the summer, Narcissus was getting thirsty after hunting, and the goddess lured him to a pool where he leaned upon the water and saw himself in the bloom of youth. Narcissus did not realize it was merely his own reflection and fell deeply in love with it, as if it were somebody else. Unable to leave the allure of his image, he eventually realized that his love could not be reciprocated and he melted away from the fire of passion burning inside him, eventually turning into a gold and white flower.
As another example, consider the origin myth of the Roman Empire: Romulus and Remus, two brothers who were abandoned as infants and suckled by a she-wolf, are considered by both the Greeks and the Jews as the founders of Rome (Dionysius, vol. 1 p. 72). This myth is also mentioned in Esther Rabbah 3 and Midrash Tehillim 17.
My good friend Yaakov Shapiro also showed me the Greek myth of Procrustes, who had a bed in which he invited every passer-by to spend the night, and where he set to work on them with his smith’s hammer to stretch them to fit. If the guest proved too tall, Procrustes would amputate the excess length; nobody ever fitted the bed exactly. Compare this to the midrash about the famous “hospitality” of the people of Sodom described in Sanhedrin (109b), “They had beds on which they would lay their guests; when a guest was longer than the bed they would cut him, and when a guest was shorter than the bed they would stretch him.”
And finally, we have Talmudic references to the she-demon, Lilith, who seems similar to the Greek Medusa, both of whom have hair made up of snakes (see Niddah 24b and Eiruvin 100b).
What are we to make of the similarities between the Midrashic or Talmudic stories and the Greek myths? There are various approaches to Midrashic stories, with some Rishonim taking a position that the stories all must be taken as literal, historical fact, while others see them as parables. There are variations on these points of view, such as those who believe the stories are true literally and also have deeper meanings, as well as those who take the stories to be true accounts but experienced in a dream or trance-like state. Finally, there are those who combine approaches and advocate using common sense to understand which midrash is a metaphor and which is literal. For a good discussion of the viewpoints on this, see the various introductions to aggadah found in the printed Vilna edition of Ein Yaakov.
If we consider the Choni story and the story about the nazir as historical fact, the fact that they are repeated in other cultures, mythologies, and traditions does not detract from their validity. One could simply say the stories were copied from us. Or if these stories are parables, then each culture might independently tap into unconscious psychological motifs. It is notable that in both the Greek version of Epimenides and the Choni story, each has a person entering into a cave, which is obviously symbolic for entering into a state of spiritual seclusion and depth. The fox symbolizes a crafty, sneaky person in many cultures, including the Gemara (see Berachos 61b). Therefore, the fox motif in both parables reflects a human truth about arrogance and trying to “have it all” when you cannot. It is a cute extra bit in Aesop’s version that the weasel (who is often a victim of the fox) mocks the fox from a safe distance.
We also might consider that our sages were aware of prior Greek versions of legends, such as Narcissus or Romulus and Remus, and without being concerned of their actual veracity, used the ideas and popularity of the basic themes for their own parables and lessons. The idea of plagiarism or historical accuracy did not exist in the way it does today. Stories were repeated as folklore, and each person who told the story understood it was borrowed. The rabbis may have told these stories with their own Jewish twist, much as we see in modern Jewish culture secular pop songs converted to Jewish verses, or even Savta Simcha’s obvious Hebraization of Mary Poppins.
Regenerate means to restore or renew something, typically in a physical or biological sense. It can also refer to the process of growth and renewal in a spiritual or emotional context.
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