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Surfing the Talmudic Seas
(C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2000
Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel
Volume 8 Number 10
Produced Dec 2, 2000
WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
Verses/Topics Discussed in This Issue with quicky explanations
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS FROM READERS
===============================
My Shomrey Emunah class members contributed significant
improvements to Volume 8 Number 8, Ex13-05a. Ruth Shain
requested an analytic formulation of the Rashi on Ex13-05
which adds insight. Dr Howard Klein actually suggested
an explanation to the question implicitly raised by Rashi
on Ex13-05 but not answered!
WEEKLY PARSHAH SERIES
=====================
Gn28-10a Everyone know that when a Righteous person leaves
a city, he takes its luster and brilliance. We
give an interesting Database confirmation
Gn28-10b We show another Rashi using the concept that the
Bible indicates paragraphs with the ABA form
Gn35-11a We review all verses that use the Name >SHADDAI<
for God.
Rashis covered in this issue
----------------------------
VERSE RULE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
======== ============== ================================
Gn35-11a UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES
Gn43-14b UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES
Gn49-25b UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES
Gn28-03a UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES
Gn17-01a UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES
Gn28-10a OVERALL STRCTR Bible indicates paragraph using ABA form
Gn28-10b DOUBLE PARSHAS LEAVING-COMING only mentioned thrice
Gn31-53a WORD MEANINGS ELOHIM can mean >god< or >God<
Gn31-53b WORD MEANINGS ELOHIM can mean >god< or >God<
Gn31-53c WORD MEANINGS ELOHIM can mean >god< or >God<
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RASHI IS SIMPLE
GOALS: To grammatically defend all 8000 Rashis on Chumash.
METHOD:Rashis are defended with LISTS of comparable cases
INTENDED AUDIENCE: Laymen, Academicians, Yeshiva world
COMMENTS,QUESTIONS: EMail to address below
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:If you want to ask anonymously please ask
(UN)SUBSCRIBE: Email to addresses below with "(UN)subscribe"
JOURNAL REFERENCE: Pshat & Drash,TRADITION, Win 1980,R Hendel
NOTATION: eg Gn01-02a refers to Rashi "a" on Genesis 1:2
SPECIALS:...on Parshah,Rambam,Ramban,Pedagogy,Symbolism
RASHI-IS-SIMPLE RULES Complete set of rules on bottom
EMAIL: RJHendel@Juno.Com, rashi-is-simple@shamash.org,
WEB: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: v9-w-2a
The following insightful comments were made by members of my
Shomrey Emunah Rashi class on the comments I made in Volume
8 Number 8, Ex13-05a.
1) First some verse references were mistaken (there is not
Ex12-05a) or missing. This has been corrected and can
be found on the website version
2) --Ruth Shain asked for an analytic formulation of Rashis
treatment of Ex13-05. I responded with the following
analogy. The word NY can refer either to the >CITY<
of NY or to the >STATE< of NY. Thus in the following
sentence >I travelled to NY, ALBANY, BINGHAMTON...<
the word >NY< refers to the >CITY<. But in the following
sentence >I am Governor of NY and ALBANY< the word >NY<
refers to the >STATE< of NY (of which Albany is the
capital). Hence Rashis analytic point is that CANAAN
in this sentence doesnt mean the >STATE< of Canaan
but rather the whole >CANAANITE COUNTRY<
3) --Dr Howard Klein pointed out that Stone also cites
4) my cross reference to Gn10-15. Finally Dr Klein
actually advanced an explanation for why only
these 5 nations are mentioned in Ex13-05: Only
these 5 nations are actual descendants of
Canaan as listed in the genealogies of Noach
in Gn10-15 and surrounding verses.
I immediately caught on and suggested that this
was sort of a poetic hint by God: >Just as I
just took you out of one tribal nation (Egypt)
so too I will bring you to another tribal
nation and conquer it--to Canaan and his 4
sons< This would explain why the emphasis
in Ex13-05 is only on those of the 7 nations
that were direct descendants of Canaan.
Finally I pointed out to Dr Klein that Rashi
only advances explanations that can be backed
by lists. Since this explanation (that God
took us out of one tribal nation and will
bring us to another) is a one-time explanation that
cannot be backed by a LIST, Rashi did not bring it.
These comments have been added to the web version of
Volume 8 Number 8 which will be up tomorrow night.
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VERSE: Gn35-11a
RASHIS COVERED: Gn35-11a Gn43-14b Gn49-25b Gn28-03a Gn17-01a
RULE
====
{LIST}
God has many names in the Bible. Each name has a different
nuance and emphasis. For example: the name >ADONAI< means
>LORD< and refers to God in His capacity as our OWNER. The
name >SHADAI< refers to God as being >CAPABLE OF KEEPING
ANY PROMISE<. This name of God is used very rarely; Only
nine times in the Torah*1. It is only used when there is
great danger as shown in the following examples*2
===========================================================
VERSE EVENT WHERE THE NAME >SHADAI< IS USED
===== ================================================
Gn17-01a God invites Abraham to walk before him*2
Gn28-03a Isaac invites Jacob to to to Aram to get a wife
Gn35-11a God blesses Jacob that he will inherit Israel
Gn43-14b Jacob sends Benjamin down to Egypt
Gn49-25b Joseph abstained from seductions of his master*3
NOTES
=====
*1 The name of God, >SHADAI< occurs very rarely in the Bible
In the Torah itself it only occurs 9 times.
--It occurs the 5 times mentioned in the above table
--It occurs in Ex06-03 and Gn48-02 as a >CROSS REFERENCE<
eg Ex06-03 says >I appeared to the Patriarchs as SHADAI<
Similarly Gn48-02 says >Shaddai appeared to me(Jacob)<
which cross references Gn35-11
--It occurs twice by the evil prophet Bilam in Nu24-04,Nu24-16
My hunch is that Rashi did not want to emphasize God being
all powerful by Bilam since he succeeded in recommending
actions against the Jews which resulted in the death of
24000 people.
*2 The danger in the 5 examples presented should be obvious
--In Gn28-03 and Gn43-14 perilous journeys were being made
--Gn17-01 and Gn35-11 promises the military conquest of Israel
--In Gn49-25 Joseph refuses his master's wife & gets thrown
into Jail
*3 Actually all the verse says is >And God(SHADAI) is with you<
However, consistent with the other 4 verses where the word
>SHADAI< occurs, Rashi interprets this verse as referring
to God as being all powerful---hence, it refers to Josephs
refusal to be seduced by Potipherahs wife, a refusal which
required enormous help and protection (Since he got thrown
into jail)
{END OF LIST}
COMMENT
=======
The above LIST defends the meaning of >SHADAI< by >USAGE<
In other words we infer its meaning from the way it is
>USED< in Tnach.
This defense by >USAGE< can be supplemented with some
popular etymologies. One such etymology says that
>SHADAI< refers to God in his capacity >THAT<(Sh)
He has >SUFFICIENT(DAI)< force.
The above etymology is given by the Midrash. I would
prefer an etymology based on other meanings of the
root >Shin-Dalet-Yud<. This root also refers to >BREAST<
in its capacity to meet all nourishment requirements
of the infant. Hence >SHADAI< would look at God as
>NURSING (Shadai=breast)< us (where we are perceived
as infants before Him).
In any event (if you dont like any of the above
etymologies) you can always resort to the fact
that the above meaning is consistent with Biblical
>USAGE<
RASHI RULE USED: UNIFIED MEANING
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VERSE: Ex06-03b
RASHIS COVERED: Ex06-03b Ex06-04b
RULE:
====
Rashi will sometimes simply confirm a >CROSS REFERENCE< in a
Biblical citation. He will do this using the technique of
using >OTHER VERSES<
EXAMPLES
========
(1) Ex06-03
=======
BACKGROUND
----------
God is recounting how he made promises to the patriarchs
which had not yet been fulfilled (and which would be
fulfilled now)
Ex06-03b says >And I APPEARED to the patriarchs as >SHADAI<
The capped words >APPEARED AS SHADDAI< cross references
the following verses where God >APPEARED AS SHADAI<
Gn17-01a >God(SHADAI) invites Abraham to walk before him<
Gn35-11a >God(SHADAI)blesses Jacob that he will inherit Israel<
(2) Ex06-04b
============
Ex06-04 states >And I promised to give the patriarchs Israel<
This promise is made in the following verses
-Gn17-01:08 >God (SHADDAI) appears to Abraham and promises to
give him Israel<
-Gn35-11 >God(SHADDAI) blesses Jacob that he will be fruitful
and inherit Israel
-Gn26-03 >God promises Isaac that He will give him Israel and
fulfill the promises He made to Abraham<
Note how the above 3 verses cited by Rashi cover all 3 patriarchs
RASHI RULE USED: OTHER VERSES
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VERSE: Gn28-10a
RASHIS COVERED: Gn28-10a
RULE
====
Recall the rule we have laid down in Volume 8 Number 3, which
can be found at http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h8n3.htm that the
Bible can indicate a paragraph using an ABA form which in
Midrashic lingo is known as the GENERAL-PARTICUALR-GENERAL
form (or using modern composition theory it would be in
TOPIC-SENTENCE---DEVELOPMENT---TOPIC-SENTENCE form)
EXAMPLE
=======
BACKGROUND:
----------
The Bible relates how Isaac did not want Jacob marrying a
Canaanite 3rd world nation. He therefore sent him to Aram
to marry Rachel. When Esauv saw how detestable such people
were to his parents as in-laws he went and married a proper
wife. The Bible describes this in Gn28-06:09:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-Gn28-06 And ESAUV SAW THAT ISAAC BLESSED JACOB
---------------he sent him to Aram to get a wife
---------------when he blessed him he said dont marry a Canaanite
---------------and Jacob also listened to his father(went to Aram
-Gn28-08 & ESAUV SAW THAT THE CANAANITES WERE BAD to his parents
-Gn28-09 So Esauv went to Ishmael(Arabs) (& Married Machalath)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Rashis point is that the Gn28-06:08 forms a paragraph.
The topic sentence is >ESAUV SAW THE CANAANITES WERE BAD<
This topic sentence is developed using 3 items
--Isaac sent Jacob to Aram
--Isaac prohibited him from marrying a Canaanite
--Jacob listened to Isaac
(The point of the last item is that children dont always listen
to their parents. So the emphasis is that Isaac didnt want it
and Jacob agreed).
As a consequence of ESAUV SEEING THAT THE CANAANITES WERE BAD
Esauv went and married an Arab (A non third world nation).
COMMENT
=======
Rashi has a secondary point that the two almost identical
sentences
--Gn28-07 >Jacob went to Aram(for a wife)<
--Gn28-10 >Jacob left Beer Sheva and went to Charan<
these 2 sentences have different >FUNCTIONS<.
The purpose of Gn28-07 is to show how Jacob going to Aram PROVED
to Esauv that his father really did not like the local Canaanite
women. The purpose of Gn28-10 is to introduce the STORY (in all
its details) of Jacobs travels to Aram.
RASHI RULE USED: OVERALL STRUCTURE
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VERSE: Gn28-10b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn28-10b
RULE:
====
The normal style for indicating travelling to a place is
>SO AND SO WENT TO SUCH AND SUCH A PLACE<
By contrast the rarer style (occuring only 3 times in the Bible)-
>SO AND SO LEFT SUCH AND SUCH AND WENT TO SUCH AND SUCH<
emphasizes both the LEAVING and COMING.
EXAMPLES--the 3 verses where GOING and COMING is mentioned
========
(1) 2Kings3-4:7
===========
BACKGROUND
----------
The Moabites had been paying heavy taxes to the Israelite Kingdom
When Achav died Moab rebelled against Israel. Israel in turn
called up the army and invited the Judaean Kingdom to go to join
them in the war effort. We have the following verses
2King3-6 >And the Israelite King LEFT and called up the army<
2King3-7 >And he WENT/SENT to the Judaeam King to join him<
Thus both the >LEAVING< and >COMING< are emphasized since the
>LEAVING< corresponded to an army callup while the >COMING<
corresponded to an invitation for the Judaeam kingdom to Join
(2) Jud19-27
========
BACKGROUND
----------
Recall that the people of Givah herd-raped a guests wife till
morning. The man then summoned all of Israel and this resulted
in a bloody civil war. The verses describe the mans leaving
Givah.
Jud19-27 >And her husband woke up in the morning and opened
the door and HE LEFT to go on his way and behold
his wife the concubine had fallen on the door of the
house and her hands were on the doorpost. And he
said to her GET UP AND WE WILL GO but there was
no answer and he took her on the donkey and the man
arose and HE WENT TO HIS PLACE<
Thus both the leaving and coming are emphasized. The >LEAVING<
emphasized that he discovered her dead >BEFORE THE TRIP< while
the >GOING< emphasized (as is later described in the chapter)
that he did not fight with the city people but decided to ask
for a declaration of war.
(3) Gn28-10
=======
BACKGROUND
----------
Isaac did not want Jacob marrying a 3rd world Canaanite wife.
So he sent Jacob to Aram to marry Rachel. The verse describes
his leaving as follows
Gn28-10 >And Jacob LEFT Beer Sheva and WENT to Charan<
We now understand Rashis point >The verse could have just said
HE WENT TO CHARAN<. For Rashi, was NOT, as is popularly taught,
trying to conserve Biblical words. It did not bother him that
there was an extra phrase or sentence.
Rather Rashi responded TO THE RARE STYLE. Rashi commented because
in THE REST OF THE BIBLE IT ONLY MENTIONS >LEAVING AND COMING< 3
times. In summary, it is not the EXTRA WORDS but rather the RARE
STYLE that motivated Rashis comments.
Hence Rashis conclusion >This teaches that BOTH the LEAVING and
COMING are emphasized<.
>We infer that when a Righteous person leaves a city that it
leaves a mark on the city<
RASHI RULE USED: DOUBLE PARSHAS
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VERSE: Gn31-53a
RASHIS COVERED: Gn31-53a Gn31-53b Gn31-53c
RULE
====
The Hebrew word >ELOHIM< fundamentally means >HEAD, LEADER<
and can have any of 5 specific meanings:
(1) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean GOD:
----------------------
Gn01-01 >In the Beginning GOD created the heaven and earth<
(2) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean gOD
----------------------
Ex12-12 >Against all the gODS of Egypt I will do justice<
(3) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean JUDGES
-------------------------
(3d) Ex07-01a "You(Moses) will be a JUDGE to Pharoh"
(4) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean LEADERS
--------------------------
(4b) Ex04-16c >And you(Moses) will be to him(Aaron) a LEADER<
(5) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean PROPHET
--------------------------
2Sam07-23 >..A Nation should have PROPHET/ANGELS redeem them<
REFERENCE:
=========
See http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn04-28a.htm for a full discussion
Hence sometimes the word >ELOHIM< can refer to a pagan god while
at other times it can refer to the one God. In Gn31-53 Rashi
clarifies whether the proper translation is >god< or >God<
BACKGROUND
==========
Recall that Jacob had fled from Laban because of his unfair
employment practices. Laban finally caught up with him and made
a treaty. Gn31-53 mentions that they took oaths to seal
the treaty. The actual verse states
>The God of Abraham, the god of Nachor will judge between us
The God of their fathers---Jacob swore by the Fearful one
of Isaac his father<
{LIST}
Rashi is simple. He simply identifies for each occurence of
God/god whether it is >Big G< or >small G<. Here is the
classification and why Rashi selects >Big G< or >small G<
=============================================================
Gn31-53 Big/Small Why
======= ========= ===
God of Abraham God Abraham believed in the one God *1
god of nachor god Abrahams family was idolatrous *1
god of family*2 god Abrahams family was idolatrous *1
NOTES
=====
*1 See Jos24-2:3 for an explicit statement of this
*2 >god of their fathers< refers to the god of Terach the
father of Abraham and nachor---according to Jos24-2:3
Terach was originally an idolater.
{END OF LIST}
NOTE: The determination of whether the translation should
be >god< or >God< is not dependent on tradition but rather
on logical argument (See Gn18-02)
In the above example Rashi determines the meaning of God/god
using the >CONTEXT< of the verse. Rashi finds support for
his ideas in explicit statements in other verses (Jos24-2:3)
Finally note that Rashis point is possibly strengthened by
alignment of the two verses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Gn28-07 And Jacob listened & WENT TO ARAM
Gn28-10 And Jacob LEFT BEER SHEVA & WENT TO CHRAN
*a
--------------------------------------------------------------
NOTES
-----
*a So only Gn28-10 mentions Jacob leaving Beer Sheva. But
Notwithstanding the above comparison the real point comes
from the fact that not only in Gn28-07 is the phrase
>LEFT< missing, but also in >ALMOST ALL BIBLICAL VERSES<
is this phrase missing. The real point is that only in 3
verses is the style >LEFT-CAME< mentioned and in all of
them there is an emphasis BOTH on the LEAVING and COMING.
RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
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THE 2 DOZEN RASHI-IS-SIMPLE RASHI RULES
=======================================
I: RASHI gives MEANING
======================
A: NEW MEANINGS--(eg)"on the face of"=during the lifetime
Volume 2 Number 9, http://www.rashiyomi.Com/Nu04-04a.htm
B: SPECIAL WORDS--(eg)ACH=USUALLY;USUALLY observe shabbath!
Rashi Yomi Summaries,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ach-6.htm
C: SYNONYMS--(eg)AMR=to speak; DBR=to cite or to quote;
Volume 2 Number 1, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Lv20-02a.htm
D: WORD MEANINGS-Thermos(TzNTzNTh)=doubly(TZN TZN) Cold(TZN)
Volume 1 Number 9,23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex31-15a.htm
E: UNIFIED MEANINGS-PAAM=Repeated action:To Ring,Hammer,Step
Volume 1 Number 3,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn41-08a.htm
II: RASHI teaches GRAMMAR/STYLE
===============================
F: CLASSICAL GRAMMAR--(eg)QUESTION = HEY+CHATAF PATACH
Volume 3 Number 22,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn04-09z.htm
G: USAGE(NEW GRAMMAR)--(eg)INFINITIVE="be involved in";
Volume 5 Number 24,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex13-03a.htm
H: ROOT+PREPOSITION--(eg)ChZK B="to hold";ChZK M="overpower"
Volume 1 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex04-04a.htm
I: THE SENTENCE--2 verses can make 1 sentence-eg Dt02-16:17
Volume 3 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt19-06a.htm
J: STYLE--REPETITION denotes Endearment;eg 'Jacob Jacob'
Volume 1 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn46-02a.htm
K: DOUBLE NOUNS--(eg)"GIVE GIVE";if not CHARITY then LOAN
Double Noun page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/DN.htm
L: PRONOUNS-(eg)IMCHAH=with you; ITCHAH=Accompanying you;
Volume 3 Number 13,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex22-24c.htm
III: OVERALL TEXTUAL STRUCTURE
==============================
M: OTHER VERSES--Aaron SAW(Ex32-05)...the brawl(Ex32-18)
OTHER VERSE page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ov.htm
N: EXTRA SENTENCES-eg[GIVE HIM][WHAT HE NEEDS](Not if rich)
Volume 2 Number 20,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt15-08c.htm
O: DOUBLE PARSHAS-'he WILL pray'-'he WON'T pray';So Optional
Volume 3 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt24-14a.htm
P: CLIMAX-(eg Dt19-11)(a)Hate, (b)spy, (c)confront,(d)Murder
Climax Page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Climax.htm
Q: OVERALL STRUCTURE-growing nails=despisement(from context)
Volume 3 Number 8,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt21-11a.htm
R: SPREADSHEETS-What is the marriage loophole in inheritance
Volume 2 Number 23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu36-03a.htm
IV: BEYOND THE TEXT
===================
S: MORAL LESSONS/REASONS-God explains BEFORE punishing;
Volume 2 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu12-09a.htm
T: RabbiIshmael-(eg)"When an OX gores";(Or ANY animal gores)
Volume 4 Number 21,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt25-04a.htm
End of Rashi-Is-Simple Digest
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