#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
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VERSE: Ex20-01c
==================== REFRAIN TEACHING METHOD ===================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Most introductory verses to BIblical chapters begin
GOD SPOKE TO MOSES IN ORDER TO SAY. However a few
BIblical chapters begin with GOD SPOKE TO MOSES without
the extra phrase IN ORDER TO SAY. The emphasis in the
phrase IN ORDER TO SAY indicates a REFRAIN TEACHING METHOD
Moses would recite the Parshah and the listeners would
either repeat it or say Affirmative. Biblical precedents
for these two REFRAIN METHODS (repetition and affirmative)
are shown. Several rare paragraphs which do NOT have
a refrain method are found and examined.
----------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE: ALIGNMENT
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: FURTHER NUANCES
----------------------------------------
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
Many Rashis do NOT focus on an internal analysis of the verse.
There may be nothing bothering Rashi in THAT verse. The words
used may all be normal.
But when the given verse is compared with another verse--that
is, when the two verses are ALIGNED together-- we see blatant
differences.
The ALIGNED verses therefore suggest that these ALIGNED
DIFFERENCES were deliberately placed there to emphasize
certain nuances. The standard example will illustrtae this.
STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
Recall that the Moabite King BALAK was apprehensive about
Israel journeying throught its territory. It wanted Israel
banished. It hired a professional curse-man, Bilam who would
curse the Jews. Bilam however describes his job SLIGHTLY
differently. Here are the verses.
-----------------------------------------------
BALAK: Nu22-06 I will banish Jews FROM THE LAND
BILAM: Nu22-11 ...... banish Jews -------------
-----------------------------------------------
EXERCISE
--------
To fully appreciate Rashi perform the following 2 exercises
- What is the minor difference between the aligned verses?
- What NUANCE do YOU think this implies?
RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
BALAK only wanted Jews away from his land; his goals were
political. By contrast, BILAM wanted them DESTROYED. Hence...
BALAK wanted Jews BANISHED FROM THE LAND. But Bilam wanted
them BANISHED PERIOD (That is destroyed).
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-58.htm
This summary may be a bit too terse. You can browse the
57 postings leading up to by going to
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-1.htm
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-2.htm etc.
Or you can visit the Rashi Yomi Calendar at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/calendar1.htm
This calendar presents a day by day listing of Rashis.
The ALIGNMENT series occurs between 7-28-01 and 10-10-01.
HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use the LISTS referenced above for
school projects. Here is how. If you are a
teacher then you can present the two aligned
verses and ask the students to perform the
following exercises
-- What are the minor differences between the verses
-- What nuances do they imply
The students can then compare their analysis with that
of Rashis. This leads to greater appreciation of Rashi.
TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
We examine introductory verses to Biblical chapters
presenting commandments. Most of these chapters
begin with the phrase AND GOD SPOKE TO MOSE IN ORDER
TO BE SAID(A few rare chapters do not have the phrase
IN ORDER TO BE SAID). This extra phrase IN ORDER
TO BE SAID suggests a REFRAIN TEACHING METHOD in which
Moses would recite the chapter and people would repeat
it in refrain
=======================================================
VERSE PHRASE1 PHRASE2
======= ===================== =======================
Nu18-01 And God said to Aaron ---------
Nu18-08 And God said to Aaron ---------
Nu07-16 And God said to Aaron in order to be said
Lv09-08 And God said to Aaron in order to be said
Differs *1 *2
NOTES
-----
*1 These phrases are the same
*2 Note the contrast--some introductions EXPLICITLY state
that these commandments were stated in order to be said.
Thus the phrase IN ORDER TO BE SAID which occurs
explicitly by most introductory commandment paragraphs
apparently refers to a REFRAIN type delivery in
which commandments are stated and the listeners repeat
them *10
------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------------
*10 Examples of such REFRAIN deliveries occur explicitly
in the Bible. For example cf Ex24-03 and Ex15-02.
(This uses the Rashi method of OTHER VERSES).
This apparently is also the basis of the Talmudic
Agaddic statement that Moses would recite the parshas
from God and then the listeners
(elders, priests, nation) would repeat them.
This seems to be the simple meaning of the phrase
IN ORDER TO BE SAID. Rashi adds another possibility:
The listeners could simply say AFFIRMATIVE(instead
of repeating the whole verse). There is an OTHER
VERSE for this alternate refrain delivery method
(See Dt27-11:26)
Note the absence of this REFRAIN delivery in Nu18-01
and Nu18-08. But these chapters deal with the special
privileges of the priests and this specialness aroused
the jealousy of Korach and caused a rebellion. Hence
IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE (and only in this instance)
there was no desire to use a refrain method...rather
the methd was kept quiet.
Thus this list illustrates the power of alignment
when studying Rashi. Rashi only comments on the
words IN ORDER TO BE SAID. By finding verses where
this phrase does not occur we enrich our appreciation
of Rashi since we see both positive and negative
examples of the principles he mentions.
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: ALIGNMENT
---------------------------------------------------
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 14 Number 1
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 14 Number 1