####################################################### # 12 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # Sept 8th 2003 # # Rashis 2193-2200 Of 7700 (28.6%) # # # # VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES # # ----------------------------- # # http://www.RashiYomi.Com/calendar.htm # # # # Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, # # (c) 1999-2002, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President # # Permission to reprint with this header PROVIDED # # it is not printed for profit # # # # WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS# # # #######################################################

#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2003, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#

VERSE: Gn30-27a

RASHIS COVERED: Gn30-27a Gn44-15a Nu23-23a Nu24-01c Dt18-10d

Ex13-05c Ex12-05c

Gn30-27a (C) Dr Hendel, Jan-03
SUCCINCT SUMMARY ---------------- One of Rashis 6 main goals is to explain the meaning of words the same way the dictionary explains meaning. Rashi had a variety of vehicles to explain meaning. A famous punchy method of describing items is using PERSONIFICATION -- that is the activity or attribute is named by a person or animal that is distinguished in that regard. PERSONIFICATION itself is part of a general trend of language to identify the whole with its parts This is called SYNECDOCHE(Whole and parts). EXAMPLES OF SYNECDOCHE ---------------------- - HONEY means anything SWEET - BREAD means any FOOD - LAMB means any DOCILE YOUNG creature (LAMB,GOAT) - LAND FLOWING WITH MILK OF HONEY means - PRODUCE OF LAND FLOWS WITH MILK AND HONEY - (GOATS of land produce milk; etc) EXAMPLES OF PERSONIFICATION --------------------------- Hence we have - LION meaning COURAGEOUS, - PIG meaning glutonous etc. Today we explore SNAKE - SNAKE=JUMPY (Cf English JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS) Hence the Talmud interprets DONT SNAKE as DONT JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS (eg a cat crossed my path and hence I will have a bad day) Snake can refer to SUPERSTITIONS, JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS or to COINCIDENCES
ITEM	DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS:	WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS	8 METHODS OF NAMING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE	#7
SEE BELOW	LIST817a
List of words	Named by GOOD EXAMPLE
------------------------	-------------------------------
SEE BELOW	LIST817b
List of verses where	TO SNAKE=TO JUMP to conclusions

LIST817b (C) Dr Hendel, Jan-03
Verses where TO SNAKE means to JUMP to CONCLUSIONS (eg a cat crossed my path hence I will have bad luck) SNAKE can also refer to COINCIDENCES
VERSE	TEXT OF VERSE
Dt18-10d	Dont SNAKE	Jump to conclusions *1
Nu23-23a	SNAKERS	Soothsayers;Superstitious1 10
-------	-----------------	-------------------------------
Nu24-01c	God will SNAKE me	NonJewish prophecy*2
-------	-----------------	-------------------------------
Gn30-27a	I SNAKE the theft	You came-then goblet disappeared*3
Gn44-15a	I SNAKE blessings	You came-then I had sons*4

COMMENTS
1 eg a cat crossed my path; HENCE I will have bad luck The SNAKERS are simply professionally superstitious people who infer coincidences for gullible people 2 Bilam looks on prophecy as a SNAKE (something that happens by COINCIDENCE--something that JUMPS at a person). Nu23-03 describes nonJewish prophecy as ---------------------------------- Mabye God will COINCIDENCE me ---------------------------------- So prophecy is described as COINCIDENCE and SNAKE (Rashi notes that Jewish prophecy by contrast involves preparation and formal invitation--no surprises) 3 In other words - you came - my Goblet disappeared HENCE I assume you stole it This is an example of SNAKING and is no different then saying a cat crossed my path and hence bad luck This also illustrates WHY the Torah prohibited SNAKING (It leads to false accusations and fights) 4 In Other words - you came - and only then did I have male children Hence I assume you CAUSE the blessing of male children Again this is an example of SNAKING and is no different then saying a cat crossed my path*11
LONGER FOOTNOTES
10 Actually the structure of the chapter is illuminating --------------- Nu23-20:21 ---------------------------- - CLAUSE 1 I will bless the Jewish people - CLAUSE 1a Because there is no sin in them - CLAUSE 1a1 Hence (because no sin) God is with them ------------------------------------------------------- In other words - the Jewish lack of sin CAUSES - God to be with them which in turn CAUSES me - to BLESS them (How can I fight God) Then in Nu23-22:23 Bilam explains why there is no sin among the Jews --------- SUPPORT OF NO JEWISH SIN ------------- - God took them out of Egypt the land of sin - Hence the Jews arent superstitious like Egyptians (They base their rejections on reality and hence are respected) ------------------------------------------------ 11 Rashi (Following a Midrash Rabbah) cites support for the contention that Laban only had sons after Jacob came (Rashi here uses the technique of OTHER VERSES) - When Jacob first came to Laban We find that Rachel was a shepardess (a mans job) Apparently Laban did not yet have male children - When Jacob left however Laban had male children So Rashi was simply making a good guess about WHAT coincidence Laban was thanking Jacob for (Laban was trying to butter up Jacob so he shouldnt leave). There are adult connotations here...the whole verse was stated tongue and cheek by Laban. We in fact can combine this with another more explicit Midrash about the Jacob-Rachel romance ----------------------------------------- Jacob did not experience any arousal during the 7 years he worked for Rachel ----------------------------------------- (Yet another Midrash explains that women give birth to boys when their husbands control themselves enough so that the woman is satisfied first---again the idea of no unnecessary arousal brought about by the modest manner of Jacob and his wives) Thus it is clear that Jacob Rachel and Leah created a mature environment which enabled Laban (who didnt know of such things) to have male children. Laban therefore says tongue and cheek...You (Jacob) must be the cause.

#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc.2003, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#