Biblical Hermeneutics

PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL HERMENETICS ; M. M. NINAN
Linguistically, the term Peshat finds its root in the Biblical Hebrew term meaning "to flatten
out," or "to extend." In the Talmudic Era, this definition was expanded to mean "to
propound."
P’shat literally means “to make a road.”
It is the simplest level of interpreting Scripture: What it says is what it means.
Shabbat tractate of Talmud defines Peshat as מקרא יוצא מידי פשוטו"‏ ‏",אין or, "a text cannot be taken
from the meaning of its peshat."
Thus Peshat interpretation of a particular passage is "the teaching recognized by the public as
obviously authoritative, since familiar and traditional," or "the usual accepted traditional
meaning as it was generally taught." Based on the definitions provided by Talmud, it may be
inferred that Peshat is solely a literal exegetical method.
The Pashat is the literal meaning. It is similar to what Protestant hermeneutics calls
“Grammatical Historical Exogesis” and also similar to what Protestant Hermeneutics calls “The
Literal Principle.”
The Pashat is the plain, simple meaning of the text and the first thing we look for is the literal
meaning. There are certains simple rules to see whether the direct Pashat rule can be
applied or not. The following are the obvious ones.
• When an inanimate object is used to describe a living being, the statement is
figurative. (Example: Prov. 18:10)
• When life and action are attributed to an inanimate object the statement is figurative.
(Example: same example Prov. 18:10)
• When an expression is out of character with the thing described, the statement is
figurative. (Example: Ps. 17:8)
Since the scripture is meant to be understood and since God speak the language of Man for
that purpose, Pashat is the basic interpretive method to be used. Talmud twice warns us:
“No passage loses its PASHAT” (b.Shab. 63a; b.Yeb. 24a).
There are others who extend this to go beyond the literal meaning to include what can be
understood with deep study. Thus Peshat is understood to refer to the meaning of a text as
was commonly taught and accepted, including, but not limited to, a literal interpretation.
As an example here is Rashi's explanation of Gen 1:2
֖ שְֶׁך עַל־פְּנֵ֣י ֑ תְה ‏ֹום וְר֣‏ וּחַ‏ ֔ אֱֹלהִים מְרַ‏ חֶ֖‏ פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּ‏ ‏ֽיִם׃ (1:2 (Gen.
38
֔ הוּ וְח ֹ
֗ הָאָ‏ רֶ‏ ץ הָיְתָ֥ה ת ֹ ‏֙הוּ֙‏ וָב ֹ
Now the earth was formless (tohu) and empty (Bohu), darkness was over the surface of the
deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Tohu wa bohu ֹ ֔ הוּ)‏ ‏(ת is a Biblical Hebrew phrase found in the Book of Genesis 1:2. It is
usually translated "waste and void," "formless and empty," The Hebrew word 'tohu' also
means astonishment in English and the word 'bohu' means emptiness and next to emptiness.
‏֙הוּ֙‏ וָב ֹ