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  |      Rashi is Simple Version 2.0                         |
  |      (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000                          |
  |       http://www.RashiYomi.Com                           |
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VERSE: Dt11-26a


RASHIS COVERED: Dt11-26a Dt11-28a Dt06-06a Gn02-08a
                Ex01-11b Lv03-09a Lv01-02c


RULE: In Volume 7 Number 4 we enunciated the following rule
about Biblical style. First an example:
a) "Don't muzzle an OX"--RASHI: Don't muzzle ANY ANIMAL
b) "Offer sacrifices from ANIMALS--from CATTLE-SHEEP"
    RASHI: **ONLY** cattle and sheep(no other animals)
           can be brought for sacrifices

Why is it that "OX" is generalized to ANY animal while
CATTLE and SHEEP are taken exclusively--ONLY cattle and
sheep can be offered--no other animal? Here is the rule:

a1) If the Bible gives only an example then it SHOULD be
    generalized(Thus "Dont muzzle an OX" is generalized
    to ANY animal)
b1) If the Bible gives first a GENERAL statement and then
    an example then the example SHOULD NOT be generalized
    Thus "Offer sacrifices from animals--from cattle and
    sheep"--but not from other animals.

An alternative formulation of case "b" is that the Bible
may first give a "headline"--a brief chapter heading--and
then give details.
eg (HEADLINE) "YOU CAN OFFER ANIMAL SACRIFICES"
   (DETAILS) "Sacrifices are being accepted from cattle/sheep"

EXAMPLES: (Many come from Volume 7 Number 4)
--------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------
  In the following examples two verses function
  as a HEADLINE-STORY or CHAPTER-HEADING vs CONTENTS
----------------------------------------------------


1) Dt11-26a (HEADLINE) I give you today BLESSINGS,CURSES
   Dt11-27  (DETAILS) The blessing: if you listen to God..
   Dt11-28  (DETAILS) The curse: If you don't listen..

NOTE: As the sifsay chachamim points out the Details are
scattered throughout the Bible


2)   Gn02-08a
     Gn01-27 And God created Man
     Gn02-07:09 And God created man FROM earth and placed
             him in the Garden of Eden and placed their trees

     RASHI: It **looks** like there are two stories of creation
        The 1st creation in Gn01-27 and the 2nd creation in
        Gn02-07:09.

        Actually however, following Rabbi Eliezers
        (Son of Rabbi Yosi the Galileean) who had 32 styles
        by which to interpret the Bible we see Gn01-27 as a
        sort of HEADLINE that HYPERLINKS to Gn02-07 which gives
        the story in complete detail (How God made him--where
         he put him etc


-------------------------------------------------------------
  In the following example Rashi explains the 2nd of a
  repeated sentence by inserting the words "THAT IS". In
  other words the the 2nd repetition EXPLAINS and CLARIFIES
  the 1st statement
-------------------------------------------------------------




(3) Dt06-06a You should love your Lord God (BY)
             placing the Torah on your heart and making
             sharp summaries

    RASHI: In other words the ONLY way to love God is by
           placing the Torah on your heart and making
           sharp summaries *1


NOTES
-----
*1 This Rashi (and the corresonding Rambam Foundations of
   Torah 2:1) are sometimes seen as homiletic and not the
   simple meaning of the text. But in reality they are
   the simple meaning of the text--for this paragraph has
   a GENERAL-PARTICULAR form: Love thy Lord thy God BY learning



(4) Ex01-11b The Egyptians placed TAXES on the Jews...:
             (THAT IS) They built cities*2
    RASHI: Thus the taxes consisted of labor to build cities
    (ie the taxes and cities are NOT 2 items but one and
    the same)


 NOTES
-----
*2 Rashi also explains the word TAXES (this word is well known)


(5) Lv03-09a Offer Its "fat"--THAT IS The tail


(6) Lv01-02c If you offer sacrifices then offer them from
             the Animals--THAT IS, from Cattle and sheep
    RASHI: Thus the only animals that can be offered for
	sacrifices are cattle and sheep


(7) Dt11-28a "If you don't listen to Gods commandments"
             "and you deviate from Gods path"
             "to serve other gods and worship them"

    RASHI: Thus "Deviate from Gods path" (or "Don't
    listen to commandments" are like headlines. The
    details are "worshiping other Gods." In other
    words the only way to violate **ALL** of Gods
    commandments is to worship idolatry.




AN ALTERNATIVE DERIVATION
-------------------------
I have already explained the principle of CLIMAX--a set of 3
or more Biblical phrases **should** be interpreted as
climactically developing towards a Goal. I have also
explained that this principle of CLIMAX corresponds to
the Rabbi Ishmael prinicple of DETAILS-GENERAL---that is
we view the first few phrases as DETAILS leading to a climax

So an alternative explanation of Dt11-28a is


a) First you don't listen to Gods commandments
b) Then you deviate FROM Gods path(you don't do some Mitzvh)
c) Then you get involved with other religions.


RASHI: Part (c), Worshiping idols is deviating from ALL of
Gods path. Part (b) deals with deviating FROM Gods path.

Even though we have presented 2 interpretations of this Rashi
my own personal opinion is that there is too much
of a jump from (b) to (c)---you don't violate a few
commandments and then worship idols. So I prefer the 1st
explanation given above.


RULE USED: RabbiIshmael
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
The hyperlinks only work on the main website

Volume 7 Number 9


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