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orion Genesis Apocryphon



Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 21:18:54 -0500
To: orion@mscc.huji.ac.il
From: David Goldman <davic@pop.erols.com>
Subject: Genesis Apocryphon

I have suggested before that it would be interesting to make a detailed
analysis of the Scrolls in relation to Talmudic and Midrashic sources.
Well, since we are reading about Abraham during the last two weeks, I
noticed that in the Genesis apocryphon there is a reference to the fact
that Sarah lived with Pharoah, but that he could not have relations with
her. Interestingly enough, Rashi brings this same point from Bereshit Rabah
on verse 17!

It is also noteworthy that the GA mentions that Lot informed Pharoah that
Sarah was Abraham's wife. Perhaps there is a midrash that mentions this
too, but it is recorded that Sarah was spared due to the fact that Lot (at
least at the beginning) did not reveal Sarah's identity as Abraham's wife.

I would be interested to know whether there is a midrashic source that
corresponds to GA's statement that it was "evil spirits" that afflicted
Pharoah, or that Pharoah tried to kill Abraham, or that Pharoah's wizards
tried to heal him. 

There is a rabbinic tradition that there were works/books written by the
great figures of the Bible that were lost. I am wondering whether some of
the parabiblical works could have had their sources from those works. I am
also wondering whether some of the additions have their sources in
normative midrashic traditions as the reference to Pharoah shows. Would
this therefore indicate that some of the writings were shared by all Jews
at that time?