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VERSE: Gn49-08b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn49-06a Gn49-06b Gn49-06e Gn49-06f
Gn49-08b Gn49-09a Gn49-09b Gn49-09c
======================== Gn49-08b =============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals is to explain overall structure
This is particularly true in poetic passages. We have
advocated that the best way to understand a poetic passage
is to
- identify the unifying idea
- review the clauses supporting this unifying idea
- emphasize nuances in these verses
EXAMPLE Gn49-06:09
------------------
These verses contain the BLESSINGS OF JACOB
We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
- The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
- The primary proof of personality is the PAST
(eg Shimon pillages Schem)
- But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
(eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)
In other words Rashi never denies the SIMPLE MEANING of
the text which refers to past events like the kidnapping
of Joseph. However Rashi sees as his job to AUGMENT our
understanding of the blessings by bringing in OTHER EXAMPLES,
sometimes from the future.
Our contribution here is to deny that Rashi exhausted the
meaning of the blessings in these other examples from future
events. Rather Rashi believed that the verses did refer to
past events which are ALSO indicative of other future events.
In Gn49-08:09 Jacob praises Judah for his leadership in the
Joseph affair. (a) His brothers listened to him(not to kill
Joseph) (b) Judah overcame Shimons attempts to kill Jospeh
(c) after a weak beginning Judah took full responsibility
and reunited the family (d) Judah was above mere plundering
and concentrated on essentials.
Rashi points out that all these attributes occured in King
David, Judahs descendant.
(In passing: In explaining the above passage Rashi notes
that the word GO UP can metonomically also mean TO BE REMOVED
AND ABOVE something)
===============================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== ======================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: BULLETS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS BULLETING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #26
SEE BELOW LIST106n
List of Poetic clauses in Gn49-06:09
---------------------- --------------------------------
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS 8 Methods of Naming
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST871d
List of idioms using metonomy(high=removed/above it)
---------------------- --------------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST871g
List of verses where HIGH means REMOVED FROM/ ABOVE IT
===============================================================
========================= LIST871d =============================
List of idioms using metonomy(violent tool=criminal)
================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE METONOMY(ITEM means RELATED ITEM)
======== ============== ========================================
Gn49-09c ABOVE plunder REMOVED from plundering (Above it)*5
Gn49-05b VIOLENT TOOLS Criminal behavior*4
Gn45-18b FAT of land BEST of land
Gn45-08a FATHER to Phrh FRIEND/ADVISOR to Pharoh
Gn43-34a He gave LIFTS LIFTED THEIR SPIRIT-i.e. gifts
Gn41-35b HAND of Pharoh DOMAIN of Pharoh*2
Gn24-18a pitchr on HAND she lowered pitcher on her ARM
Gn37-26b COVER blood CONCEAL murder
Gn37-26b cover BLOOD conceal MURDER
Ex30-13c HOLY coins Coins used in HOLY TEMPLE matters
Dt18-01c FIRES of God SACRIFICES offered on temple Fire
Dt29-19a SMOKING anger Anger that makes person HOT
Gn13-02a Abraham HEAVY Abraham-s assets NUMEROUS
Gn13-02a ABRAHAM heavy ABRAHAM-S ASSETS numerous
NOTES
-----
*1 Many examples in this list come from previous
list in the metonomy series (LIST871a,
LIST871b, LIST871c)
*2 See LIST871e for 6 Rashis mentioning this HAND=DOMAIN
theme
*3 See LIST871f for verses where NSA means GIFT
*4 Rashi citing the Midrash Rabbah states
-------------------------------------
Your violence is something you VIOLATED
from Esauv (You are killing like Esauv)
-------------------------------------
But I see no reason to see this Midrash
as the PRIMARY simple meaning of the
verse. The PRIMARY meaning of the verse
is that Shimon and Levi were criminals
The Midrash is simply adding a pun to this
observation.
*5 See LIST871g for some examples
===============================================================
======================== LIST871g =========================
List of verses where HIGH means REMOVED FROM/ ABOVE IT
===========================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WITH high MEANING removed from/above
======== ==================================================
Nu16-24 REMOVE yourselves from this congregation*1
Gn17-22 God REMOVED HIMSELF from Abraham
Gn49-09c You Judah, are REMOVED from plunder
Ez19-03 One cub REMOVED HERSELF(from cubhood)& became lion
2S23-02 The warrior (David) who was raised ABOVE IT
NOTES
-----
*1 I think there is an added nuance of BE ABOVE IT eg
---------------------------------------------------
Moses---REMOVE YOURSELF from arguing with this
rebellious congregation---be ABOVE the arguments
---------------------------------------------------
This is consistent with Moses' bitterness and
argumentation in previous verses.
==========================================================
========================== LIST106n ===========================
List of Poetic clauses in Gn49-06:09
===============================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE PAST FUTURE
======== ===================================== ======= ========
Gn49-06a My soul will not come in their logic Schem*1 Midyan*1
Gn49-06b My soul: Do not come to their mobs Schem*2 Korach*2
Gn49-06e For they killed people*11 in anger Schem*3 Joseph*3
Gn49-06f For they pillaged/castrated livestock Schem*4 Joseph
Gn49-08b You have a grip on your enemies Shimn*5 David*5
Gn49-09a A cub--A Lion--That is Judah Josph*6 David*6
Gn49-09b You are above (mere)plundering Josph*7 David*7
Gn49-09c You are above (mere)plundering Josph*7 David*7
NOTES
-----
*1 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
- The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
- The primary proof of personality is the PAST
(eg Shimon pillages Schem)
- But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
(eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)
So in this verse the PAST refers to
Gn34-31 Shimon and Levi killed a city because
THEY TREATED OUR SISTER LIKE A HARLOT*10
The FUTURE refers to
Nu26-05 A high ranking Simonian prince
had relations publicly before the whole
congregation. The suggestion was that the
Simonian prince used the following logic
--------------------------------------
If you Moses could marry a Midiyanite
why cant we
--------------------------------------
*2 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
- The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
- The primary proof of personality is the PAST
(eg Shimon pillages Schem)
- But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
(eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)
So in this verse
For PAST: Gn34-25 Shimon and Levi killed a city
For FUTURE: Nu16 -- Shimonites incited a rebellion against Moses
*3 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
- The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
- The primary proof of personality is the PAST
(eg Shimon pillages Schem)
- But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
(eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)
So in this verse
For PAST: Gn34-25 Shimon and Levi killed a whole city
But another good example is the attempted murder of Joseph
See http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn49-05a.htm in
the digest (Volume 20 Number 14) It was Shimon
who tried to kill Joseph (See Gn37-19)
*4 See Gn34-28. It explicitly says that Shimon
and Levi PILLAGED THE CITY.*12
*5 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
- The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
- The primary proof of personality is the PAST
(eg Shimon pillages Schem)
- But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
(eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)
THE PAST: Refers to Judah getting a hand/grip on Shimons
attempt to Kill Joseph and preventing it(Gn37-26)
THE FUTURE: Refers to King David (From the tribe of Judah)
who conquered many nations and brought peace to the Jews
(2S05)
*6 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
- The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
- The primary proof of personality is the PAST
(eg Shimon pillages Schem)
- But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
(eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)
THE PAST: Judah started out as a cub or rookie in saving
Joseph (Gn37-26). He couldnt prevent his sale to Egypt.
But in the end Judah saved the whole family and took
full responsibility when Binyamin was kidnapped(Gn43-08)
THE FUTURE: King David from the tribe of Judah also
started out as a rookie saving Israel and in the end
became King (e.g. 2S05-01:03)
*7 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
- The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
- The primary proof of personality is the PAST
(eg Shimon pillages Schem)
- But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
(eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)
THE PAST: Judah was ABOVE (mere) plundering in the
sale of Joseph. He convinced his brothers not to
murder Joseph if all they wanted to do was get rid
of him
ANOTHER EXAMPLE: Gn38-26 Judah admitted to being wrong in
The Tamar incident (He tied her up--prevented her from being
married; she seduced him; when he tried to kill her he
admitted he was wrong)*13
------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ------------------------
*10 The word Samech-Dalet means SECRET can can be used
to denote (Twisted) logic.
*11 At a simple level Rashi is simply generalizing
everything in the verse. That is, not only were
Shimon and Levi violent in Schem they were also
evil and violent in many other places.
However Rashi is also commenting on the
use of the singular in the verse. Instead of
the verse saying
------------------------------------------
In their anger they killed PEOPLE
When they felt like it they castrated OXEN
------------------------------------------
It instead says
--------------------------------------------
In their anger they killed a PERSON
When they felt like it they castrated the OX
--------------------------------------------
Rashi points out that military victories can
be described either against a PERSON or against
a PEOPLE. However the use of the singular suggests
that Shimon and Levi sinned against a single
person besides a whole city.
*12 Rashi on this verse says CASTRATE AN OX refers to Joseph
We have already explained that Rashi takes the verses
for granted but enriches our understanding by referring
to other events. Since Joseph was the OX that plowed
the fields in the 7 years of plenty and provided food
for Jacob and his family therefore SHIMON TRIED TO CASTRATE
THE OX could refer to his attempt to thwarting Josephs
dreams(The dreams of the OX)
*13 Rashi states
------------------------------------------
Therefore because of Judahs honesty or
avoidance of mere plundering he merited
during the time of Solomon universal
political respect and achieved peace
------------------------------------------
===============================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 20 Number 15
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 20 Number 15