Scholars often distinguish between two different modalities of interpretation, rewriting and commentary, frequently associating the former with the Second Temple period and the latter with the rabbis. However, as I argue in this paper, both modalities coexist in each era and, more importantly, we find evidence of a blurring of the line between these interpretative approaches at Qumran, in tannaitic sources, and in the Talmudim. I begin by examining how 4Q252 employs both modalities – coupling rewriting with distinct comments. I then move to tannaitic sources, drawing upon Steven Fraade’s gesture towards deconstructing the rewriting/commentary binary and introducing insights from the work of Azzan Yadin-Israel and Assaf Rosen-Zvi. Turning to the Talmudim, I argue that the Bavli frequently rewrites earlier rabbinic material and blurs the lines between rewriting and reinterpretation through several mechanisms. Juxtaposing the different ways through which these various works blur the line between rewriting and commentary will hopefully allow us to eventually identify shifts in the self-understanding of what it means to transmit and interpret traditions from the Dead Sea Scrolls through the Bavli.
