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VERSE: Gn50-14a
RASHIS COVERED: Gn50-14a Gn50-10a
========================== Gn50-14a =============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals is to resolve contradiction between
two verses that contradict each other. This process of resolution
is called the Rashi rule of CONTRADICTION.
Rashi had 4 methods of resolving contradiction.
Sometimes Rashi will resolve a contradiction by looking at
the two verses as two stages of one process. We call this the
Rashi subrule of TWO-STAGES.
EXAMPLE Gn50-10a Gn50-10
------------------------
Gn50-10a records two contradictory facts
----------------------------------------------------
- The funeral procession came to the THORNED GRANARY
- They made there a very big and heavy EULOGY
----------------------------------------------------
Rashi, paraphrased, states
--------------------------------------------------
- THORNS are a symbol and sign of contempt
- big heavy eulogies are signs of respect
Recall that Egypt had a famine for seven years,
everyone was starving, but Joseph-s granaries had
enough food to feed Egypt (Cf. Gn42-55:57). It therefore
seems reasonable that the THORNED GRANARY was one of the
former granaries that turned dry during the
famine years---but the people were fed by Joseph.
When the coffin of Jacob, Josephs father, came to the
THORNED GRANARY, they gave great respect to Jacob since
his interpretation of Joseph-s dreams saved them
----------------------------------------------------
Actually Rashi does not quite say this but gives an
elaborate Agaddic homily. We explain this Agaddic homily
in the LONGER FOOTNOTES section below. We believe that
the explanation that we have just given is correct.
LIST530a below presents other contradictions resolved by
2 stages.
Rashi supports this interpretation--that People gave Jacob
respect because of the favors that Joseph did--by using
the ALIGNMENT rule. The ALIGNMENT rule makes inferences
from the alignment of almost identical verses or phrases.
When the inferences are NUANCES that are implied by the
minor differences in the aligned verses we say that Rashi
is using the subrule of NUANCES.
EXAMPLE Gn50-14a Gn50-07:08
---------------------------
Note the list order in the following verses
------------------------------------------------------
- Gn50-07:08 The funeral procession had
JOSEPH, EGYPTIAN ELDERS, JOSEPHS BROTHERS
- Gn50-14a The funeral procession returned:
JOSEPH, JOSEPHS BROTHERS, EGYPTIAN ELDERS
------------------------------------------------------
Rashi comments on the reversal of order
---------------------------------------------------
When they went up Egypt did not respect Josephs brothers
that much (and hence they are mentioned last in the list)
But after seeing the great honor given to Jacob in the
THORNED GRANARY they changed their mind. Hence JOSEPHS
BROTHERS (who are JACOBS CHILDREN) are mentioned after
JOSEPH on the way back since the EGYPTIAN ELDERS now
respected them.
----------------------------------------------------
LIST308L below compactly summarizes this ALIGNMENT.
=============================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: CONTRADICTION
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS TWO-STAGES
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #15
SEE BELOW LIST530a
Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
----------------------- --------------------
RASHI RULE CLASS: ALIGNMENT
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS NUANCES
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #11
SEE BELOW LIST308L
List of verses of parties in funeral procession of Jacob
==================================================================
======================== LIST530a ===================================
Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
=====================================================================
VERSE-1 VERSE-2 HOW THE TWO TEXTS ARE COMBINED
======= ======== ====================================================
Gn50-10 Gn50-10 GRANARY was THORNED;but Joe saved them:HonorJacob*14
Gn37-36 Gn39-01 Joe sold 4 times:Arabs to Midian to Arab to Egypt*13
Nu05-08 Nu05-08d Tithes/Terumah to GOD; GOD gives them to PRIEST
Ex14-27 Ex14-30a Egypt drowns IN sea; then thrown ON sea-shore
Ex15-01 Ex15-04 Egyptians THROWN UP;THEN SHOT down to sea
Ex16-13 Nu11-09 1st Dew bed; then MANNA; THEN dew blanket
Nu08-24 Nu04-03 Levites LEARN Temple at 25;THEN serve at 30
Nu16-32 Nu26-11a Korach sons 1st punished; then repented*1
Nu26-54 Nu26-55a Children inherit units;Parents give equally*10
Lv21-10 Lv16-32c Priesthood succession: Lineage 1st;Merit 2nd*2
NOTES
-----
*1 Nu16-32 and Nu16-33 together imply that KORACH AND ALL FOLLOWING
HIM DIED ALIVE BY FIRE AND EARTHQUAKE This contradicts Nu26-11
that the sons of Korach did not die
Note that Psalms 45-49 were written by the SONS OF KORACH
showing that they repented
*2 In other words if one of the high priests sons is
qualified for the position he is chosen. If not
a non-descendant (who is qualified) is taken.
Lv16-32c presents this SON-MERIT rule for priests
Dt17-20c generalizes this SON-MERIT rule for Kings.
This interpretation of the text is further
clarified by the ALIGNMENT method.*11
Some further technicalities are noted in note *12
--------------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ------------------------
*10 Here is a simple numerical example
Assume 3 people in Egypt
- Bob
- Dan and David Brothers
Assume
- Bob has 1 child
- Dan has 1 child
- David has 2 children
So GENERATION1(GEN1) has 3 units (Bob,Dan David)
And GEN2 has 4 units (1+1+2)
We now have 3 stages
STAGE 1
-------
Each GEN2 person gets same number of units (Say 2 units)
So Bobs child --2 units
-- Dans child --2 units
-- Davids-------4 units to 2 children
STAGE 2
-------
Now the units are coalesced at the family (GEN1) level
- Bob has 2 units(Since he has one child with 2 units)
- Dan-David has 6 units (Dans child 2 units and Davids 4)
STAGE 3
-------
- Bob gives his 2 units back to his child
- Dan-David give there 6 units equally to children so
-- Dans child receives 3 units
-- Davids 2 children receive 1.5 units each (Total of 3)
Here is a time map
--------------------------------------------------------------
EGYPT(GEN1) CHILDREN STAGE1 STAGE2 STAGE3
-------------- ---------- ----------- ------------ ------------
Bob 1 child 2/8 2/8 2/8 @child
Dan-brother 1 child 2/8 6/8 brothers 3/8 @child
David-brother 2 child 4/8 6/8 Brothers 3/8 @2 child
---------------------------------------------------------------
Although this may seem complicated it fulfills the 2 verses
- The actual exodus people from Egypt inherit
- The descendants determine inheritance
*11 We align Lv21-10 Lv16-32 as follows
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The priest --------------- ...annointed ...trained replace father
The priest who is advanced ...annointed ...trained --------------
*a *b *c *d *b
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As the double #b clearly shows there are two criteria
- priest is advanced (bigger than his brothers)
- priest replaces father
These conflicting criteria are resolved using
the RabbiIshmael method of 2 STAGES
- if the son is qualified pick him
- if not pick a qualified non-descendant
*12 Interestingly heridatary appointment is mentioned by
- Slaves (Lv25-41)
- Kings (Dt17-20)
- Priests (Dt18-05)
- Levites (1C23-13)
The Bible EXPLICITLY advances a LINEAGE-MERIT duality
for priests (As shown above by the alignment presented
in footnote #11).
We generalize this to Kings (Rashi Dt17-20c).
We do not apply this to slaves since merit is not involved
We also do not generalize this to Levites since
the Bible explicitly states that they replace the
first-born and hence merit is no longer relevant
(A qualified 1st born could NOT function as a
Levite because the Bible states explicitly that
they were replaced (See eg Nu03-40:43)
*13 There are 4 texts involved as follows
----------------------------------------
Gn37-27 states idea of sale to ARabs
Gn37-28 states Midianites passed but Joe sold to Arabas
Gn37-36 states Midianites sold Joe to Potifar
Gn39-01 states Arabs sold Joe to Potifar
-----------------------------------------
Rashi (Gn37-28a Gn38-28b) resolves these contradictions by
assuming 4 stages of sale:
- Brothers to Arabs (Gn37-27)
- Arabs to Midianites (Hinted at in Gn37-28)
- Midianites to ARabs (resolving Gn37-36, Gn39-01)
- Arabs to Egypt (Gn39-01)
*14 Gn50-10a. Rashi cites an Agaddah from the Talmud. We explain this
Talmudic agaddah here. However we preface our explanation with
the explanation given above
- Recall that Joseph saved the world from famine
- Granaries dried up and GREW THORNS except for Josephs
- Joseph gave food to these people and saved their lives
- One granary that dried up was called the THORNED GRANARY
- The people gave respect to Jacob since it was his belief
- in Josephs dreams which gave Joseph his greatness
The Talmudic Agaddah states
-----------------------------------------------------------
All the kings came and took off their crowns and hung them
on Josephs coffin
-----------------------------------------------------------
We interpret this to mean
---------------------------------------
The kings TOOK OFF THEIR HATS TO JOSEPH
---------------------------------------
This is a familiar English idiom.
The Agaddah states
----------------------------------------------------------
The Arabs and canaanites came to wage war with Josephs
brothers but could not because of Jacobs merit
----------------------------------------------------------
We need not interpret this literally. Very often Agaddah
uses the technique of EXAGGERATION. Recall that
--------------------------------------------------------
Jacobs two sons destroyed an entire Canaanite city;
Also recall that their attempt to murder Joseph led to
selling him to Arabs who brought him to Egypt
There were natural ill feelings.
However when the Arabs and Canaanites saw the greatness
of Jacob---that because he believed in the dream of the
bratty immature Joseph, who was a teenage tattletale and
hung out with rif-rafs, and then had a severe prison term
-- because Jacob believed in the dream, Joseph, despite
his past, grew to greatness and saved the world--
-- When the Arabs and Canaanites saw the greatness of
Jacobian prophecy, they TOOK OFF THEIR HATS TO HIM..since
they realized there was something higher in life..something
that could redeem them from their own low life to a
higher life
----------------------------------------------------------
In summary the Agaddah uses exaggeration -- WANTED TO DECLARE
WAR -- to indicate ill feelings. The Agaddah used metaphor--
TOOK OFF THEIR HATS--to indicate respect. All this is based
on the fact that Jacobs belief in Josephs dreams made him
what he became.
======================================================================
========================= LIST308L ======================================
List of verses of Blessings to 3 Patriarchs
=========================================================================
VERSE POINT IN TIME ORDER OF FUNERAL PROCESSION*1
========== ==================== =========================================
Gn50-07:08 Before Jacobs eulogy JOSEPH, EGYPTIAN ELDERS, JOSEPHS BROTHERS
Gn50-14a After Jacobs eulogy JOSEPH, JOSEPHS BROTHERS, EGYPTIAN ELDERS
NOTES
-----
*1 In LIST530a we have seen how
-- When the Jacob funeral procession came to the THORNED GRANARY
-- they made a great eulogy for Jacob. The THORNED GRANARY was
-- a former granary that GREW THORNS during the famine years
-- when there was no food---Joseph however saved the people
-- of that town by given them food. Therefore at the THORNED
-- GRANARY they gave Jacob, who believed in Josephs dreams,
-- great respect.
Rashi therefore argues that
-- BEFORE THE GREAT EULOGY: Josephs brothers were not recognized
by the Egyptians and are therefore listed 3rd in the list
-- AFTER THE GREAT EULORY: The whole world recognized Jacobs
greatness and therefore Josephs brothers are mentioned 2nd
because the Egyptian elders now respected them.
======================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 24 Number 11
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 24 Number 11