Separation in the Hebrew bible and early Jewish literature: a post-Jungian perspective

Freeman, Helen (2023). Separation in the Hebrew bible and early Jewish literature: a post-Jungian perspective. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis develops a dual approach to texts from the Hebrew Bible and from selected Rule Texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls where verbs of separation are used. The detailed textual study examines the particular verb used in each case and its significance. In addition to that, the thesis considers particular postmodern approaches that may broaden and deepen the understanding of incidences of separation that are characterized by particular Hebrew verbs. The modalities chosen for this process are a Bakhtinian awareness of the dialogic nature of the texts, in conjunction with the psychotherapeutic insights offered by Julia Kristeva's definition of 'abjection'. The core approach is the post-Jungian one attributed to Christopher Hauke and others, that combines classical Jungian understandings of the individuation process and the 'shadow', as the negative side of the human psyche, with an awareness that these terms have to be used with caution in a post-Jungian approach that is consciously aware of cultural complexes. The thesis will make a comparison between the separation of an individual from its mother or caretakes and the separation of a sectarian group from the surrounding environment. It will show that projections of the 'shadow' enable the sectarians to distance themselves from problematic content. The process of splitting and projection allowed the separations to be made, and to avoid the 'blurring of boundaries'. The different verbs of separation will be shown to perform different functions, of achieving clarity, of division, of making conscious distinctions and of enabling the text to describe the process of turning or returning. A development will be shown from the texts of Ezra-Nehemiah, through Jubilees to the Dead Sea Scrolls that demonstrates the importance attributed to avoiding 'blurring the boundaries'. the texts examined from the Dead Sea Scrolls corpus that engage with verbs of separation will focus on 1QS and 4QS, the Damascus Document and 4QMMT. In addition, there will be an excursus to examine the 1QH texts that use a verb of separation to describe the importance of making divisions. The use of a detailed examination of the chosen texts through a post-Jungian lens allows this dual modality to deepen our understanding of the ancient texts.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):