Eran Viezel (Hebrew: ערן ויזל; born June 18, 1972) is a full professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, a biblical scholar, and an Israeli author and poet.
Biography Eran Viezel was born in 1972 in Kibbutz Netiv HaLamed-Heh. He holds a PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is a professor in the Department of Bible Studies, Archeology and the Ancient Near East at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Research Viezel researches biblical interpretation throughout its history, with an emphasis on rabbinic exegesis, from the exegesis of the Sages (Chazal), through medieval biblical commentary, to biblical scholarship in the period of the Haskalah and in modern times. He also studies composition of biblical books in Jewish tradition throughout the ages.
Books
Research Books
The Commentary Attributed to Rashi on the Book of Chronicles (Jerusalem: Magnes, 2010)See review of the book: Barry Dov Walfish, ‘Exploring the Place of the Book of Chronicles in the Jewish Tradition’, Hebrew Studies, 53 (2012), pp. 365–371 The Intention of the Torah and the Intention of Its Readers: Episodes of Contention (Jerusalem: Magnes, 2021)See reviews of the book: Ilan Nehem, “How to Interpret a Perfect Text," Makor Rishon, Shabbat supplement, October 2022; Lea Mazor, About Bible, Teaching and Education, May 1, 2022.
Poetry and Prose Books
We Have Come Far Thus Far: Poems (Jerusalem: The Bialik Institute, 2012)See review of the book: Jonathan Berg, “Sharing the Burden", Makor Rishon, Shabbat supplement, January 18, 2013 Awaiting a Wolf: Poems (Tel Aviv: Keshev le-Shira, 2016)See reviews of the book: Eli Hirsh, “Awaiting a Wolf ", Yedioth Ahronoth, 7 Nights supplement, August 12, 2016; and Bekhol Serulai, "Everyday Crimes," Makor Rishon, Shabbat supplement, August 26, 2016. In Praise of Loneliness: A Novel (Tel Aviv: Yedi‘ot Sefarim, 2016)See review of the book: Neta Halperin, “Back to Yourself", Israel Hayom website, October 15, 2016 The Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in Israel Prize (ACUM), 2015 Darom's File: A Novel (Tel Aviv: Yedi‘ot Sefarim, 2018) Introduction to Voxology: A Novel (Tel Aviv: Afarsemon, 2023)
Edited Volumes
Eran Viezel, and Sara Japhet (eds.), ‘To Settle the Plain Meaning of the Verse’: Studies in Biblical Exegesis (Jerusalem: The Bialik Institute, 2011) Eran Viezel, Naphtali S. Meshel, and Baruch J. Schwartz (eds.), SHNATON: An Annual for Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 26 (Jerusalem: Magnes, 2020); Vol. 27 (Jerusalem: Magnes, 2022); Vol. 28 (Jerusalem: Magnes, 2025).
Selected Publications
The Influence of Realia on Biblical Depictions of Childbirth, Vetus Testamentum 61 (2011), pp. 685–689 Isaac Abravanel's Question and Joseph Hayyun's Answer: A New Stage in the Issue of Moses’ Role in the Composition of the Torah, Religious Studies and Theology 35 (2016), pp. 53–72 Radical Jewish Study of the Masoretic Text during the Enlightenment Period: Joshua Heschel Schorr, Abraham Krochmal, and Elimelech Bezredḳi, European Journal of Jewish Studies 10 (2016), pp. 50–78 The Rise and Fall of Jewish Philological Exegesis on the Bible in the Middle Ages: Causes and Effects, Review of Rabbinic Judaism 20 (2017), pp. 48–88 “The Anxiety of Influence”: The Approach of Rashbam to Rashi's Commentary on the Torah, The Journal of the Association for Jewish Studies [AJS Review] 40 (2016), pp. 279–303 The Attitude of Modern Scholarship to the Views of Medieval Jewish Exegetes on the Question of the Authorship of the Biblical Books, Revue des études juives 178 (2019), pp. 179–199 Why Are Jews Forbidden to Eat Meat and Milk Together? The Function of Eating Restrictions in Human Societies, Journal of Theological Studies, 72 (2021), pp. 580–619 Abraham Ibn Ezra's Account of the Composition of the Torah: A Medieval Precedent for Biblical Criticism?, Jewish Studies Quarterly 30 (2023), pp. 184–205 “And Who Wrote Them?” (Bava Batra 14b–15a): The List of Biblical Authors, Its Sources, Principles, and Dating, Hebrew Union College Annual 94 (2024), pp. 49–108
References
External links
Eran Viezel on CRIS Eran Viezel in the catalog of the National Library of Israel Eran Viezel at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Eran Viezel at Magnes Press Eran Viezel at the Israeli Institute for Hebrew Literature Eran Viezel on the Modern Hebrew Literature Lexicon (Heb)