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VERSE: Ex22-24c

RULE: There are 2 Hebrew words meaning WITH YOU.
(a) IMCHaH is the normal word for WITH YOU--IM Denotes
an equal sharing between two parties

(b) ITCHaH means WITH YOU AS A SUBORDINATE*1
The examples below come from both Rashi and the Midrash

EXAMPLES(Many come from Rashi; A few extra from the Midrash are presented)
--------
(1) Ex22-24 "Be WITH (IMChaH) the poor" MIDRASH: Be EMPATHIC
to the poor like the woman who always bought 2 cuts of meat
one for herself and one for the poor

(2) Gn39-10 "Potiperah tried to get Joseph to sleep with her
and BE WITH HER(IM)" RASHI/MIDRASH: She offered to let him kill
her husband, marry her (and be WITH her EVEN in the 'next world
in hell')*2

(3) Lv25-41 "& The slave shall leave, he & his children
WITH HIM (IM)"--(IM is used because the children and slave
BOTH SHARE from the master who must support them)

(4) Dt15-16 "For it is good for the slave WITH YOU" (IM
is used because by law the Master and Slave must SHARE the
same standards of food, shelter, clothing and drink (The Master
must give the slave a COMPARABLE apartment to his own)

(5) Dt22-04 "(If your friends donkey falls) be WITH HIM(IM)
in lifting it up"--(IM is used because you are only obligated
to lift up the donkey PROVIDED the owner is WITH you and helps)

(6) Dt14-27 "Do not forsake the Levite because he has no
inheritance WITH(IM) you"--(The Levite DOES have an inheritance
but the inheritance is not an inheritance of EQUALS (IM)--for
the Levite has no territory and is dependent on the gifts of
others)

(7) Lv19-13 "Do not let tarry the payment of a laborer
WITH YOU(IT not IM)" (You only violate this prohibition
if the laborer is SUBORDINATE (IT not IM) to you. But eg
if you and the laborer agree to a 3rd party payment(so you
are both equally dependent on availability of funds from the
3rd party then) there is no violation for a delayal of payment*3


NOTES
-----
*1 This principle is due to MALBIM


*2 Rashi points some other nuances on Gn39-10: There are
3 languages for intimacy--(a) SLEEP WITH (IM) connotes that
both parties are equal; (b) SLEEP WITH (IT) connotes that one
party is dominant and the other subordinate (as in rape); (c)
SLEEP BY MY SIDE would therefore denote sharing a bed and bodily
warmth together without any further intimacy.

*3 There are many switches between WITH (IM) and WITH (IT)
in the Chapter dealing with Gods orders to Bilam Nu22. I
believe this switching between IM and IT can explain some
of the problems and shifts in tone in the dialogue between
God and Bilam. See the main postings for further details.
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Volume 3 Number 13


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