List of Boxes ix List of Tables xi List of Figures xii Abbreviations xv Preface xvii Acknowledgements xxii 1 Ritualized Text: The Pentateuch as a Scripture 1 Torah and Pentateuch 2 Scripture and Ritual 3 The Three Dimensions of Written Texts 6 Ritualizing Scriptures in Three Dimensions 8 The Pentateuch in Three Dimensions 10 Scripturalizing Torah in the Time of Ezra 13 Reading the Pentateuch as a Scripture 17 2 Textual Rhetoric: The Persuasive Shaping of the Pentateuch 19 The Pentateuch as Literature 20 The Pentateuch as Rhetoric 23 Logos: The StoryÂ]ListÂ]Sanction Rhetorical Strategy 25 Ethos and Pathos in Pentateuchal Rhetoric 59 3 Scroll, Tablet, and Codex: Ritualizing the Pentateuch's Iconic Dimension 68 The Iconic Dimension of Scriptures 69 The Pentateuch's Iconic Dimension After Ezra 70 The Pentateuch's Iconic Dimension Before Ezra 108 4 Reading, Performance, and Art: Ritualizing the Pentateuch's Performative Dimension 123 The Performative Dimension of Scriptures 124 The Pentateuch's Performative Dimension After Ezra 126 The Pentateuch's Performative Dimension Before Ezra 155 5 Textual Interpretation: Ritualizing the Pentateuch's Semantic Dimension 175 The Semantic Dimension of Scriptures 176 The Pentateuch's Semantic Dimension After Ezra 177 The Pentateuch's Semantic Dimension Before Ezra 224 6 Scriptures: From Torah to Bible 251 Scripturalization and Canonization 251 In the Time of Judah Maccabee 253 Understanding the Tanak as a Scripture 255 In the Time of Judah HaÂ]Nasi 260 In the Time of Irenaeus 262 Understanding the Bible as a Scripture 265 Cited Works and Further Reading 268 Index of Quotations and Citations of Biblical and Rabbinic Texts 286 Index of Subjects and Authors 291.