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Surfing the Talmudic Seas
(C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2000
Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel
Volume 8 Number 14
Produced Dec 14, 2000
WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
Verses/Topics Discussed in This Issue with quicky explanations
WEEKLY PARSHAH
--------------
Gn37-03b Rashi the Magician! Rashi suggests that the word
MULTI STRIPPED garment has a hidden meaning: The
letters of the word MULTI-STRIPPED refer to incidents
in Josephs life (eg >I< for Ishmaelites(he was sold)
and T for Travelling salesman (he was sold). See a
logical simple explanation for this exotic Rashi comment
Gn37-02b See a beautiful essay on the pschopathology of
immaturity All derived from the Chumash.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ex10-05b Continuation of Rashis focusing on MISSING SENTENCE
parts started in Volume 8 Number 12
Rashis covered in this issue
----------------------------
VERSE RULE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
======== ============== ================================
Gn37-02b EXAMPLE9 Rashi describes pschology of immaturity
Gn37-02c EXAMPLE9 Rashi describes pschology of immaturity
Gn37-02d EXAMPLE9 Rashi describes pschology of immaturity
Gn37-03b WORD MEANINGS Rashi explains meaning of MULTI STRIPPED
Ex10-05b GRAMMAR Sometimes a sentence is missing a word
Ex10-11c GRAMMAR Sometimes a sentence is missing a word
Ex22-22a GRAMMAR Sometimes a sentence is missing a word
Ex32-32a GRAMMAR Sometimes a sentence is missing a word
Ex32-32b GRAMMAR Sometimes a sentence is missing a word
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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/
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VERSE: Gn37-02b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn37-02b Gn37-02c Gn37-02d
RULE
====
Rashi frequently makes derivations from either
--->GRAMMAR< or the
--->MEANING< of words.
However Rashi can equally make derivations from the
--->CLIMACTIC DEVELOPMENT< of a sequence of phrases.
In such a case the proper approach to Rashi is to identify his
derivation as coming from the sequence of phrases. (It is
wrong in such a case to seek a derivation based on meaning
and or grammar)
APPLICATION
===========
{LIST}
The Bible in Gn37-02 describes Joseph as an immature person.
The Bible clearly identifies the 4 stages of immaturity.
They are compactly presented in the following LIST
================================================================
VERSE SYMPTOMS OF IMMATURITY OTHER SYMPTOMS
=================== ========================= ==================
17 years old
shepard("the gang") Sees the world as cliques Wild party life*1
Behaves like a kid Fixs hair up constantly*2 Sees world racially
with Bilhah Zilpah Low self esteem*3 Sees world sexually
NOTES
=====
*1 Shepards are typically LONERS who hang around in cliques.
The immature person has no self esteem and hides his
inadequacy by BELONGING to a gang. One of the characteristics
of the gang is the >WILD PARTY< life. (Rashi exaggerates this
and speaks about eating live animals but as the sifsay
chachamim, a commentator on Rashi explains, it refers to
eating slaughtered animals at barbeques before the animals
were totally dead---so it refers to the wild party life)
*2 >Behaves like a teenager< usually refers at the least to
flirtatious behavior.
Furthermore the teenager sees the world as composed
of cliques; the teenager is not yet aware of >talent<
because (s)he has not developed any. Hence the teenager
sees the world as based on WHO you know rather than
WHAT you know.
*3 Immature people frequently have low esteem. They therefore
hang out with >slave people< since they expect rejection
from others. Furthermore because they have no accomplishments
in their life immature people frequently see the world
sexually--they think all actions have sexual goals.
{END LIST}
We can now answer the question that all the commentators ask.
Where did Rashi derive that Joseph was slandering people by
---saying they were interested in sex
---eating animals before they are completely dead
---making fun of slaves
Rashi is Simple! Rashi was simply following the Biblical
development of the description of Josephs immaturity.
---Joseph behaved like a kid and saw the world sexually
Favors were done primaraly for sexual reasons and
do not have intrinsic value
---Joseph hung out with (gangs of) shepards and saw the
world order as based on CLIQUES and not on merit
---Joseph hung out with slaves--because of his low
self esteem and lack of accomplishment he could not
see the world as based on merit--rather he saw all
rejection as based on >CLASS<
---Joseph hung out with Gangs (of Shepards) and lived
the wild party life.
Rashi is Simple! Rashi was simply following the Biblical
development of the description of Josephs immaturity.
The above basically defends the Rashi--In summary Rashi
was following the Biblical description of Immaturity.
Rashi simply gave typical examples of immature people
In closing we point out that the ultimate goal of the
Bible was to show how this immature person, Joseph,
rose above his immaturities and became Vice President
of the most powerful empire in his world
RASHI RULE USED: EXAMPLE9
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VERSE: Gn37-03b
RULE:
=====
The Hebrew word >PAS< refers to a >STRIP<
APPLICATION
===========
Hence the >STRIPED GARMENT OF JOSEPH< refers to a multi-colored
multi-stripped garment (Such garments were difficult to produce
and were a sign of royalty).
INTERPRETATION 2
================
After the above Rashi should have stopped. After all he had
accomplished his goal of explaining the verse. But out of
nowhere Rashi seems to give a fanciful second explanation.
He explains the meaning of the word STRIPED by linking the
letters of STRIP with 4 incidents of Josephs life
{LIST}
The LIST below shows how key letters in the word MULTI STRIPPED
refer to incidents in Josephs life. Thus the >I< in MultI
Stripped begins the word >ISHMAEL< and indeed Joseph was sold
to the Ishmaelites, or the Arabs. The question remains how
Rashi could present such an outrageous explanation?!
===============================================================
LETTER OF STRIP INCIDENT IN JOSEPHS LIFE WORD
=============== ======================== ======
M Joseph was sold to Midianites Midian
u
l
t
i
S
T Joseph was sold to Travelling merchants Travel
R
I Joseph was sold to Ishmaelites(Arabs) Ishmael
P Joseph was sold to Potiphera Potiphra
{END LIST}
COMMENT
=======
As everyone on this EMAIL LIST knows I explain all Rashis
grammatically Gematrias are opposed on this EMAIL LIST. And
indeed part of writing this EMAIL LIST is to perform MAGIC and
get out of difficult passages.
SUGGESTED EXPLANATION
=====================
I would say quite simply that just as Josephs coat was MULTI
COLORED so too was Josephs life MULTI-COLORED. Joseph went
thru various STAGES in life, each one different than the other
---he was IMMATURE as a teenager
---he was DOUBLE CROSSED by his brothers (Sold into slavery)
---he was SOLD AS A SLAVE several times
---he was SOLD TO EGYPT
---he was DOUBLE CROSSED by his bosses wife
---he was PRISON HEAD
---he was VICE PRESIDENT OF LIFE
So Rashi is Simple. The multi-colored coat that Jacob gave Joseph
symbolized the multi-colored life he lead.
In summary, all Rashis are grammatical and based on logic. There
are no Rashis based on Gematrias
Praised be He Who chose the sages of Israel & their learning
RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
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VERSE: Ex10-05b
RASHIS COVERED: Ex10-05b Ex10-11c Ex22-22a Ex32-32a Ex32-32b
COMMENT: We continue the thread of Rashi exposing MISSING
sentence parts. This will probably be completed in a week
or two. It was begun in http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h8n12.htm
Here is a recap of the rule used.
RULE:
=====
Most sentences have at a minimum
--an ACTIVITY (the verb) and
some COMPLEMENT to that activity such as
--a SUBJECT (who did it),
--INDIRECT OBJECT (Where it was done),
--OBJECT (To what was it done).
a) Sometimes however a sentence is MISSING some part.
b) Or equivalantly, a pronoun is used whose reference is absurd
In such cases it is logic not grammar that dictates how the
sentence is read
---------------------------------------------------------------
The traditional method of identifying the SUBJECT of a
sentence (WHO did the activity) is to use the last mentioned
person. So for example if the verse says >As HE(=Joseph)
interpreted so it happens; and HE returned me< then the
grammatically proper way to interpret this verse would be
to suggest that JOSEPH returned them
But there is a second alternative method for interpreting
Biblical verses and that is to use the OBVIOUS SUBJECT, the
person CAPABLE of doing the activities. Thus if it says
that >HE RETURNED ME TO MY JOB but HE HUNG THE OTHER PERSON<
then it must be referring to PHAROH who was in charge and
capable of doing such things.
----------------------------------------------------------------
EXAMPLES (Continued from Volume 8 Number 12)
========
First we present some Rashis pointing out Missing subjects
9) Ex10-05b says
-----------------------------------------------
I will bring LOCUSTS tomorrow
And THEY(the locusts) will cover the ground
and THEY WILL NOT be able to see the ground
------------------------------------------------
RASHI: It sounds like the LOCUSTS cant see the ground
Actually it is people who cant see the ground
10) Ex10-11c says
--------------------------------------------------------
And HE (Pharoh) said..this is not so;only adults may go;
And HE banished them
--------------------------------------------------------
RASHI: It sounds like PHAROH banished them
Actually his staff BANISHED them
(Not necessarily Pharoh)
Next we point out Rashis showing MACHO language. Recall the
example we gave last time: You might prohibit something and
conclude >IF YOU DARE DO THIS<. Notice how this sentence is
missing a component (eg IF YOU DARE DO THIS THEN I WILL
PUNISH YOU). Such a MISSING SENTENCE HALF (>IF YOU DARE DO
THIS<) is evocative---it evokes in the listener his/her worst
fair (since the listener completes the sentence). Let us
examine two examples from Rashi
11) Ex22-22a
---------------------------------------------------------
Dont torture orphans and widows!
(If you dare tease an orphan at all!)
For If they cry out to me I will hear.
---------------------------------------------------------
RASHI: There are two IFS in the verse
The second IF is normal:>IF they pray I will answer them<
The first IF uses the missing-sentence-half-technique
>IF you dare torture them<
12) Ex32-32a
13) Ex32-32b says
--------------------------------------------------
Please forgive the Jews for making the golden calf
IF you forgive them
ElseIf Not erase me from the Torah
---------------------------------------------------
RASHI: The first part of the verse uses the technique
of an IF WITH A MISSING COMPONENT
>IF you forgive them<
By which Moses meant, IF ONLY YOU FORGIVE THEM
HOW WONDERFUL IT WOULD BE
The second half is normal and shows how upset
Moses was.
Rashi adds that Moses wanted to
be erased from the Torah if God didnt forgive
the Jews since he regarded the not forgiving
the JEWS as a failure on HIS part(and he
didnt want to be embarassed)
Rashi did not invent the idea that Moses was worried about
his embarassment. Rather Rashi derived it from an explicit
OTHER VERSE: Nu10-15
>And if this is the way You (God) treat me (Moses) then
please Kill me if You will do me one last favor; so that
I will not see my failure<
So indeed Rashi is Simple
RASHI RULE USED: GRAMMAR
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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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