Pardes (exegesis)

The Pardes typology describes four different approaches to Biblical exegesis in rabbinic Judaism (or - simpler - interpretation of text in Torah study). The term, sometimes also spelled PaRDeS, is an acronym formed from the name initials of these four approaches, which are:

• Peshat (פְּשָׁט) — "plain" ("simple") or the direct meaning.
• Remez (רֶמֶז) — "hints" or the deep (allegoric) meaning beyond just the literal sense.
• Derash (דְּרַשׁ) — from Hebrew darash: "inquire" ("seek") — the comparative (midrashic) meaning, as given through similar occurrences.
• Sod (סוֹד) — "secret" ("mystery") or the mystical meaning, as given through inspiration or revelation.

Each type of Pardes interpretation examines the extended meaning of a text. As a general rule, the extended meaning never contradicts the base meaning. The Peshat means the literal interpretation. Remez is the allegorical meaning. Derash includes the metaphorical meaning, and Sod represents the hidden meaning. There is often considerable overlap, for example when legal understandings of a verse are influenced by mystical interpretations or when a "hint" is determined by comparing a word with other instances of the same word.

Some thinkers, such as the Tolaat Yaakov, divide Pardes into Peshat, Remez, Din (law), and Sod. According to this understanding, Drash is divided into the homiletics, which are classified under Remez, and legal interpretations, which are classified under Din.

The Pardes typology is quite similar to the contemporary Christian four-fold allegorical scheme.

Examples

Pshat

{Gen. 1,2) And the earth was empty (tohu) and formless (bohu).
Rashi - The Hebrew word 'tohu' means 'eshtordishon' in French (astonishment in English) and the word 'bohu'means emptyness and next to emptyness. Thus the words mean amazement and desolation. This means that a person would be amazed and astonished at anything that was there.

Association with paradise

The Pardes system is often regarded as mystically linked to the word pardes (Hebrew פָּרְדֵּס), meaning orchard. "Pardes" is cognate with the word "paradise", and probably originally from Persian. It occurs only three times in the Tanakh, namely, in Song of Solomon 4:13, Eccl. 2:5, and Neh. 2:8. In the first of these passages it means "garden"; in the second and third, "park." In the apocalypses and in the Talmud the word is used of the Garden of Eden and its heavenly prototype. From this usage, comes Christianity's denotation of Paradise as the abode of the blessed.

See also

• Pesher
• Jewish Biblical exegesis
• Torah study
• Zohar
• Allegory in the Middle Ages

External links

Jewish Encyclopedia links

• Homiletics
• Aqiva ben-Asher's Alphabet
• Biblical Exegesis (see esp. section on Pardes)
• Mekhilta
• Miðrash Halakha
• Talmud

Other links

• Lamed Academy discussion on PaRDeS
• some christian page that talks about PaRDeS
• Pardes+Exegesis google search