Synoptic Gospels Primer - GLossary: Mashal

A comparison or analogy. The Hebrew word mashal ["it is like"] was classically used by rabbis to introduce a simile or parable to illustrate a point of teaching. Meshalim invoke graphic images with which the original audience was familiar, either from scripture or everyday life. They are scattered throughout rabbinic literature, especially the Babylonian Talmud and midrashim (Bible commentaries).

A mashal can range in length from a few words to a long anecdote. There is a good example of a brief analogy in the Talmud tractate on Passovers:

Our rabbis taught: "A man should always sell all that he has and marry the daughter of a disciple of the sages and marry his daughter to a disciple of the sages. This is like fruit of the vine mixed with fruit of the vine: a fit and acceptable thing. But he should not marry the daughter of worldly people (am ha aretz). This is like fruit of the vine mixed with fruit of the thorn: a foul & unacceptable thing."[Talmud Babli Pesachim folio 49ab]

Longer meshalim were formulated to explain points of rabbinic teaching. In a classic example Judah the Prince, a leading Jewish sage of the 2nd c. CE, composed a fable to defend the doctrine of the last judgment against criticism from the Roman emperor, Antoninus Pius, who was a Stoic philosopher.

Antoninus said to Rabbi [Judah the Prince]: "The body and soul can both escape judgment. How? The body can say: 'It was the soul that sinned; from the day it separated from me I lie still like a stone in the grave.' And the soul can say: 'It was the body that sinned. From the day I separated from it, I speed through the air like a bird.'"

He [Judah the Prince] said to him: "I will propose you an analogy (mashal). To what is the matter like? To a king of flesh & blood who had a beautiful garden & there were fine figs in it. He set two guards in it, the one blind & the other lame. The lame said to the blind: 'I see fine figs in the garden. Come, give me a lift & we will get them to eat.' The lame rode on the back of the blind & they got them & ate. Days later the Lord of the garden came & said to them: 'Where are those fine figs?' The lame said to him: 'Do I have any feet to walk with?' The blind said to him: 'Do I have any eyes to see with?' What did he [the king] do? He lifted the lame onto the back of the blind and judged them both as one. So the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring the soul & place it in the body & judge them both as one." [Talmud Babli Sanhedrin folio 91b]

Rabbinic meshalim often elaborated stock biblical imagery, as in this parable ascribed to the leading 1st c. CE rabbi, Johanan ben Zakkai:

Then Solomon in his wisdom said [Qoheleth 9:8]: "Let your garments be always white & let your head not lack oil."

Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai said: "This may be compared to a king who summoned his servants to a banquet but he did not appoint a time for them. The alert got themselves dressed and sat at the door of the king's house. They said: 'Is anything lacking at the king's house?' The foolish went on with their work. They said: 'Is there any banquet without toil? Suddenly the king summoned his servants. The alert gathered before him all dressed up, while the foolish gathered before him all soiled. The king was pleased with the alert but angry with the foolish. He said: 'Let those who dressed for the banquet sit, eat & drink. But let those who did not dress for this banquet stand & watch.'" [Talmud Babli Shabbath folio 153a]

Parables credited to Jesus sometimes use themes & imagery similar to those found in rabbinic meshalim. But these parallels are more likely to come from a common Jewish environment than from direct influence. The rabbinic meshalim are all later than the gospels & were composed by heirs to the traditions of the Pharisees, who did not recognize the teaching authority of Jesus.

Other On-line resources:

Rabbinic Parables: 12 meshalim from Talmud & midrashim (from Into His Own: Perspective on the World of Jesus).

Mashal (allegory) - more examples of analogies in Jewish works (Wikipedia).

Mark 4: Orthodox Jewish Bible - English paraphrase of Mark's chapter on Jesus' parables using Yiddish and Hasidic terminology (posted by Bible Hub).