Fertility and Women in the Literary-Ideological Shaping of Israel's Origins in Egypt: A Literary-Ideological Study of Exodus 1-2
Dr. Lea Mazor, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Introduction
No nation can forge a self-identity without a memory community—that is, without a public that shares a consciousness of a common past. In shaping this past, the period of origins holds a special status. This is the period when the founding events occurred, events that determined the nation's character, its meaning, and the justification for its existence. Many societies choose to fashion their origin memories in the form of a story (in Greek: 'myth'). This allows them to focus on specific events and heroes, to select and organize details, create causal links, evoke thoughts, feelings, and passions, and convey both overt and subtle messages. The biblical stories about the nascent formation of the people of Israel in Egypt and the emergence of Moses, their leader, are such origin myths. They fulfill a vital, identity-forming role in the historical consciousness of the people of Israel.
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