Discourse strategies ofmaxzirim bitshuva: The case of a repentance preacher in Israel

Abstract

This study deals with special discourse strategies used to lead Jewish mass audiences to repent and return to the faith. The characteristic shared by all these audiences is their desire to embrace religious observance. The function of the speaker is to encourage them to do just that. The examples presented in this article were taken from live appearances made by Rabbi Amnon Itzhak, one of the most famous maxzirim bitshuva (the Jewish equivalent of revivalist preachers) in Israel. The preacher is familiar with the cultural background of his audience, and he skillfully wields this knowledge when choosing his rhetorical means of persuasion. By doing so, he adapts himself not only to the audience, but also to other persons or entities-especially the media-and tries to convince them of his view. One of his strategies is presenting quasi-scientific arguments as facts that seemingly lead to unequivocal conclusions. An additional technique is denying the legitimacy of explanations given to the same phenomena by scientists and secular people. In order to reinforce his arguments, Rabbi Itzhak ridicules those representing an opposing viewpoint. Among other linguistic means, he makes intensive use of word plays and prosodic devices, namely special intonation and stress, rhyme, and alliteration.