Recently I was writing an essay on genre which led me to reflect on how the reading of Scripture on the level of the four senses can be connected to the four temperaments. Both Judaism and Catholicism teach that there are four main levels to exegeting and reading Scripture. Those four ar the peshat (literal historical), the remetz (the allegorical), the drash (the moral homiletical) and the sod (mystical anagogical).
The acronym of these four levels in Hebrew is פרדס (PaRDeS) and Pardes is a Persian word meaning Garden. The Jewish tradition in order to teach about these four levels tells a story about four rabbis who ascend spiritually to the mystical Garden. In a sense this is an allegory based on Genesis 2:10-14 where a river waters the Garden of Eden and then divided into four headwaters (rashim) once they go out from Eden. The original story is referring to Noah and his three sons as representative of these four levels and temperaments. This is then applied to the story of the four rabbis of the Talmudic era.
Shimon ben Azzai and Noah are the melancholic ones (symbolised by earth) who are masters of peshat and love to examine the smallest details and value truth (the plain and simple truth) but when they ascend to the mystical Garden it burns them and Ben Azzai dies of shock and Noah gets drunk. They are focused on knowledge (daat) and physical sciences. Their questions are "How does it work?" and "How is it made?""I want the unvarnished facts nothing but the facts." They can be symbolised by the Mole. For them the Scientists are the elite.
Shimon ben Zoma and Japheth are the phlegmatic ones (symbolised by water) who are masters of remetz and love a diversity of opinions and are in love with beauty but when they ascend Ben Zoma goes insane and Japheth remains aloof. They are focused on understanding (binah) and the liberal arts or humanities. Their questions is "What do you think?"and their response "You make an interesting point let me think about that." They can be symbolised by the cat. For them the peacemakers are the elite if one has to have an elite.
Elisha ben Abuyah (Acher) and Ham are the choleric ones (symbolised by fire) who are totally passionate and stubborn and unforgiving and love to moralise and preach to others and are focused on justice and good deeds who when they ascend Ben Abuyah falls into heresy of dualism and Ham sexual impurity. They are focused on the martial and practical arts and Wisdom (Hokhmah). They are action men. Their question is "what needs to be done?" and their response "I will do it myself" and "Get out of my way!""Nothing will stop me." They are symbolised by the bull. The warriors are the elite.
Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef and Shem are the sanguine ones (symbolised by air) who love to discuss mysteries and secrets in the form of story telling and are in love with love and value mercy and compassion who when they ascend Akiva does so safely and then returns to share the experience with others and Shem ponders the mystery of the Promise and the rainbow and writes it down to share with others. They are fascinated by the poetic, dramatic and fine arts and mysticism. They seek the inner meanings with the intellect (sekhel) and the big picture. Their question is "What does it all mean?" and their response "and now I will tell you what it all means, and you will find it as fascinating as I do.""I think I will write a poem, a book, create a dance, stage a play, sing a song to express the unexpressible.""Everyone knows you don't let the facts get in the way of a good story." They can be symbolised by the soaring eagle and the leaping stag. For them the artists, philosophers and theologians are the elite or anyone who is colourful and interesting.
The dominant melancholic temperament are those who favour the peshat when it comes to Scripture and are deeply thoughtful and sensitive introverted observers and researchers. The Choleric (who are deeply passionate and unforgiving extroverted leaders and warriors) are inclined to the drash. The Phlegmatic, who are open-minded introverted dreamers and peacemakers, are drawn to the remetz (allegorical). The Sanguine, who are enthusiastic, forgiving and emotional extroverted story-tellers and teachers,are drawn to the sod.
Thus someone who is a melancholic-choleric (their logic will temper their passion) is drawn firstly to the peshat and secondly to the drash. Thus their literal or historical understanding will affect their morality and ethics, whereas the choleric-melancholic (their passion will inform or affect (temper) their logic) is drawn firstly to the drash and secondly to the peshat. Thus their morality and ethics will affect their historical and societal viewpoints.
For the sanguine-choleric their emotional-spiritual feelings (sod) will affect their morality and ethics (drash) whereas the choleric-sanguine’s morality and ethics (drash) will affect their emotions and spirituality (sod). And so on. There will be differences depending how strongly one has each temperament so that some one who is 75% sanguine and 20% choleric and 5% Phlegmatic and 5% melancholic will express their sanguine-choleric temperament differently than a sanguine-choleric who is 50% sanguine 40 % choleric and 10% the other two temperaments.
Learning and experiences can develop those traits which one doesn't have by nature. For example, the sanguine -choleric who has little melancholic traits may developed them through suffering. They may develop more phlegmatic traits by religious surrender to the Will of God. The melancholic-phlegmatic may develop more choleric and sanguine traits through learning and supportive encouragement.
The Choleric may be drawn to crush the open-mindedness of the Phlegmatic seeing it as indecisiveness, to ride rough shod over the sensitive melancholic who they think should toughen up, and tolerate the sanguine who they see as fun but not focused enough.
The melancholic, for example, may perceive the Choleric as a bossy and oppressive, the phlegmatic as pleasant but lacking order and focus, the sanguine as a total liar and fantasist.
The phlegmatic will be happy to listen to the stories of the sanguine, they will be passively resist the pushiness of the Choleric and will feel secure with the melancholic.
The Sanguine will love the phlegmatic for listening to him, he will appreciate the strength of the Choleric and not mind if the Choleric loving rebuke them, and he will not understand the melancholic but feel the urge to cheer them up all the time.
The best friend for the Choleric is the Sanguine as the Choleric will perceive strength in the Sanguine due to their extroverted personality and the sanguine will be able to get the Choleric to lighten up through humour and fun. The Sanguine loves to be the centre of attention and thus this suits the phlegmatic who likes to be hidden and unnoticed in a large group and happy to let the sanguine shine.