A Mashal (Hebrew: משל) is a short parable with a moral lesson or religious allegory, called a Nimshal (Wikipedia) In Visual Midrash, the image is the Mashal, with interpretation possibilities being the Nimshal. The Mashal image of the Ten Commandments below is an old advertisement for Microsoft Word 3, a software version from the early 1980's. The Nimshal that the viewer should buy the software as a way of impressing others. A contemporary Nimshal  is that we should leverage the power of cyberspace to foster spiritual values! 

A Mashal (Hebrew: משל) is a short parable with a moral lesson or religious allegory, called a Nimshal (Wikipedia) In Visual Midrash, the image is the Mashal, with interpretation possibilities being the Nimshal. In Visual Midrash, the image is the Mashal, with interpretation possibilities being the Nimshal. In the Mashal image below, the Apollo space shot circa 1970's is celebrated as mankind's achievement on par with creation. A Nimshal might be our partnership in furthering God's creative power, or our responsibility for Tkkun Olam, our social justice responsibility. OR A marvelous Nimshal was written by Mel Alexenburg: We can read the first word of the Bible B’reshit (In the beginning) as B’reshet (In the network). In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew word et appears twice, before heaven and before earth. “In the beginning God created et the heaven and et the earth.” Since English has no equivalent for the word et that links a verb to a noun, it drops out in translation. et is ...

Traditional Methods of Interpretation: Peshat  – Simple restatement of the obvious elements Remez  – Hints – References to similar elements Drash  – Stories that expand on the elements and themes Sod  – Traditionally secrets, but could be personal insights of the viewer Midrash -Interpreting the Visual Image Peshat – Simple restatement of the obvious elements A young girl is watching a man using a machine to tear down a house in a residential area. Remez – Hints – References to specific or similar elements The girl is holding what looks like a basketball suggesting that she was on her way to play, but stopped fascinated by the tear down activity. And might she have playmate who lived in the house being torn down? The neighborhood is of similar vintage homes, and one wonders if a replacement house would be of a similar design or more modern? Why we might ask, is the house being torn down? Is a neighbor wanting to expand their property? Is there a relationship betwee...

  Traditional Methods of Interpretation: Peshat – Simple restatement of the obvious elements Remez – Hints – References to similar elements Drash – Stories that expand on the elements and themes Sod – Traditionally secrets, but could be personal insights of the viewer The Visual Image: Midrash -Interpreting the Visual Image Peshat – Its all in perspective -The picture taken at a Santa Fe, New Mexico Pride event shows a middle aged gay couple with a cross-dressing transvestite.  Remez – The contrasting perspective was captured using a telephoto lens for the close-up. The metaphor of the lens  pulling back bringing in more of the world into view would include places and people who do not share an openness to LGBT individuals and activities. This would include biblical prohibitions and admonitions such as  Leviticus “If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. T...

Every Seventh is a media introduction to the Sabbath, and was part of my rabbinic thesis from Hebrew Union College in 1971 which was entitled "Jewish Worship as Environment for Encounter" Every 7th https://splitrockstrategies.com/sabbath/