Ancient Rabbinic Parables

In rabbinic literature, the term mashal (pl., meshalim) becomes a formal term for the rabbinic parable or illustrative fable. Even as the term came to refer more specifically to the parable or fable, it retained its broader earlier biblical meaning, referring to all kinds of figurative rhetoric. In Song of Songs Rabbah 1:1, the rabbis cleverly use a parable to explain that a mashal is a useful rhetorical tool for expressing an idea or making a point by way of a metaphor or analogy. Just as the light of a candle allows one to see, so too does the parable illuminate an idea.

The rabbinic parable takes many forms and does not always identify itself as a mashal. Textual cues that a parable is about to be presented include the introductory phrase “A parable” or the rhetorical question “To what is this similar?” In some instances, though by no means all, the tradition will conclude with a nimshal, a statement that unlocks the meaning of the parable by explaining how it ought to be understood.

Among the most popular types of mashal are those in which the protagonist is a king, introduced by the words “A parable of a king.” While in some instances the king is like any other man or father, many meshalim echo the earlier biblical figuration of God as king or king of kings. In these texts, the king metaphor is a figurative means of talking about God and the people of Israel, who are viewed as God’s children.

The earliest extant Second Temple–era parables are attributed to Jesus and recorded in the Gospels. See “Jesus’ Parables.”