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Surfing the Talmudic Seas
(C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2001
Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel
Volume 9 Number 12
Produced March 6, 2001
WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
Verses/Topics Discussed in This Issue with quicky explanations
READER QUESTIONS
================
v9-3-5a
BILL WEISS transmits a question about the spies.
WEEKLY PARSHAH SERIES
=====================
Ex30-24b
A Change of Pace: We show how Rashi gives the
dictionary meanings of all words dealing
with measurements. This may be a bit technical
but we show the measures needed for a day of
food, the amount of oil needed for a night of
learning, the Biblical equivalant of a TEASPOON & more
SPECIAL TREAT: We show the utter simplicitly in Rashis
use of a Gematria in Ex30-31b-pure grammar and logic.fa
For more Rashis on this weeks Parshah visit see
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/parshah.htm
Rashis covered in this issue
----------------------------
VERSE RULE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
======== =============== ===================================
Ex30-24b SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Ex29-40c SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Ex30-31b SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Ex16-36a SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Ex29-40a SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Lv23-10b SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Ex30-31b SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Lv19-36b SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
Lv19-36c SYNONYMS Rashi explains all words on measurements
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#
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, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#
VERSE: v9-3-5a
From: Bill Weiss
To: "'rjhendel@juno.com'"
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 13:16:32 -0500
Subject: a Reform Jew who loves to learn Chumash / Rashi
Dr. Hendel:
While attending a seminar on Technical Communication in
New Orleans recently I had a lengthy conversation with
one of the presenters, a professor of rhetoric who
lectures at a university in Manhattan. Although I am Orthodox
and he is "Reform / Reconstructionist" we spent most of
our time together talking about Judaism rather than talking
shop. I was surprised to discover that he takes great
pleasure in learning Torah and that his favourite type of
Orthodoxy is the Torah U'madoh brand. In particular, I was
surprised to discover that he loves to learn chumash with
Rashi's commentary. He takes it very seriously. It has to
make sense to him.
In our 2 hour talk, his passion for Judaism came through
very strongly. In his own way he is a very proud Jew.
During our conversation he took issue with Rashi's interpretation
of the incident re: the spies in the land of Canaan.
In particular, he couldn't understand why / how / where
Rashi was able to derive that the spies saw the people of
the land burying so many of their dead and therefore a great
fear fell over them. The good professor was incredulous that
Rashi could say such a thing.
I would dearly love to explain to him why Rashi felt the
need to offer such an interpretation on the posuk. I
think appealing to his intellectual side would go a long
way in developing a kesher with this proud (albeit
misdirected) Jew. Can you please help me?
Bill (Binyomin Ze'ev) Weiss
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Ex30-24b
RASHIS COVERED: Ex30-24b Ex29-40c Ex30-31b Ex16-36a
Ex29-40a Lv23-10b Ex30-24b Ex29-40c
Ex30-31b Lv19-36b Lv19-36c
RULE
====
There are 10 basic words denoting measurement. They
are compactly presented in the LIST below. Rashis on
these 10 terms are presented afterwards.
{LIST}
Here are the basic Biblical words denoting measurement
Next to each term we given a ROUGH ENGLISH EQUIVALENT--
for example the BIBLICAL LOG has the volume of 6 eggs
which is about 1 English CUP. The right column gives
the equivalant volume in EGGS, the fundamental unit
of volume in Jewish Law. Footnotes provide more details
==============================================================
WORD ROUGH EQUIVALANT EQUIVALANT # OF EGGS
========= ================ ==============================
Egg TABLESPOON*1 Fundamental Unit of Volume
Log CUP 6 TABLESPOONS
Kav QUART 24 eggs = 4 CUPS
Hin GALLON 72 eggs = 3 QUARTS = 6 Log*2
Seah DOUBLE GALLON 144 eggs= 6 QUARTS = 24 log*2
AYFaH*3*4 CARTON 432 eggs= 3 SEAH= 18 QUARTS
COR TRUCKLOAD 4320 eggs=10 CARTONS=30 Seah*5
NOTES
=====
*1 Teaspoon = 2/11 of an Egg (Rambam Theft 8)
Actually >LADEL< or >FLUID OUNCE< would be a better
translation than >TABLESPOON<
*2 HIN/LOG are usually associated with >Liquid< measure.
Seah/Kav are usually associated with >Dry< measures.
Thus Rashis point on Lv19-36b and Lv19-36c is that
there is a legal obligation to make legal rules for
both >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures. The Rambam notes
that >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures have different
requirements--for example liquid measures will more
frequently have residues from previous measurements
(See Rambam Theft 8:13 and commentaries)
*3 AYFAH(Dry measure) = BATH(Liquid measure) (Ez45-11)
They both hold the same amount of volume (Ez45-11)
*4 the OMER=1 Day of Food=7 Cups=43.2 Eggs=1/10 EYFAH(Ex16-36a)
*5 See Isa05-10 & Ez45-11 for an explicit statement
{END OF LIST}
REVIEW OF RASHIS ON MEASUREMENTS
================================
Ex16-36a Ex29-40a Lv23-10b--OMER = 1/10th EYPAH
===============================================
* Rashi Defines the OMER= 1/10th of an EYPAH=43.2 eggs=7 Cups
* Rashi reviews the definition of several measurements
on Ex16-36a. This is typical of Rashi. He will give one
big OVERVIEW on one Rashi and then give 2-3 word explanations
on many of the other verses
* Rashi also explains that the term >ONE TENTH< by itself,
denotes ONE TENTH=ONE TENTH EYPHAH=OMER
However this is not based on tradition but rather
on the fact that although the Torah usually says
a TENTH OF FLOUR (and nothing further) nevertheless
in 2 verses it explicitly states
a TENTH OF AN AYFAH OF FLOUR (eg Nu28-05 vs Nu28-13)
Also see Nu05-15 and Lv14-21
Thus this identifying of ONE TENTH and
ONE TENTH OF AN AYFAH follows the Rabbi Ishmael rule of
---------------------------------------------------
--If there is a general category (eg TENTHS)
--which is unspecified (eg it does not say a TENTH of what);
--but in one case it does specify(eg Nu28-05 states 1/10 AYFAH)
--THEN
--the specified case (which states TENTH=TENTH AYFAH)
--does not apply to only that one case but rather
--applies to all cases(ie ONE TENTH=ONE TENTH AYFAH)
----------------------------------------------------
Ex30-24b Ex29-40c Ex30-31b HIN = 12 LOG
=======================================
* HIN = 12 LOG
* Hence (Ex29-40c) 1/4 HIN = 3 Log
* On Ex30-24b Rashi, besides explaining the measurement,
makes some comments on how they prepared the roots
of certain spices for Temple oils. This need not
concern us now
* Finally, my favorite pet peeve--Rashi NEVER USED GEMATRIAHS
Here is the VERSE, the RASHI with a GEMATRIAH and the SIMPLE
explanation
VERSE-->You shall use THIS oil for all generations to annoint<
RASHI-->The word THIS in numerology equals 12. This teaches
that for all generations we must use the 12 LOG oil
SIMPLE EXPLANATION-- The Bible >EXPLICITLY< says that
>The OIL prepared by Moses used 12 LOGS of oil<(Ex30-24)
The Bible then says >And similarly you shall use THIS
oil for all generations<.
So Rashi is Simple: The word THIS refers to the oil
prepared by Moses which had 12 LOGS of oil and that
is the amount always to be used.
And Rashi in his usual punny manner stated this as
a NUMEROLOGY so people should remember it
Lv19-36b Lv19-36c
=================
HIN/LOG are usually associated with >Liquid< measure.
Seah/Kav are usually associated with >Dry< measures.
Thus Rashis point on Lv19-36b and Lv19-36c is that
there is a legal obligation to make legal rules for
both >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures. The Rambam notes
that >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures have different
requirements--for example liquid measures will more
frequently have residues from previous measurements
(See Rambam Theft 8:13 and commentaries)
Lv23-18b
========
This Rashi uses the technique of OTHER VERSES.
For the verse speaks about >FLOUR and WINE ACCOMPANIMENT
TO EACH SACRIFICE<.
But these ACCOMPANIMENTS are completely specified in
Nu15 the OTHER VERSE. They are as follows
{LIST}
Every animal sacrifice had ACCOMPANYING it, FLOUR, OIL
and WINE libations. The amounts of FLOUR OIL and WINE
depended on the ANIMAL offered. The following LIST
compactly exhibits the required relationships
===========================================================
ANIMAL FLOUR ACCOMPANIMENT OIL WINE
====== =================== ========= ===========
Sheep 1 OMER AyFaH*1 1/4th HIN 1/4th HIN*2
Ram 2 OMER AyFaH 1/3rd HIN 1/3rd HIN
Ox 3 OMER AyFAH 1/2 HIN 1/2 HIN
NOTES
=====
*1 Thus the flour accompaniment was the amount of food
needed for one day of meals
*2 HIN = 12 Log. Hence
1/4th HIN = 3 Log
Rav Hirsch Points out that that FLOUR accompaniments
are ASCENDING (1,2,3) while the denominators of the OIL
and WINE accompaniments are DESCENDING (1/4th,1/3rd,1/2)
{END OF LIST}
Lv24-03b Ex27-21a BURNING RATE OF OIL
======================================
* Those who use oil in their Chanukah menorahs know that
about 1 teaspoon will burn an hour.
* Now 1 teaspoon = about 1/5th of an Egg Volume
* Hence if 1 teaspoon= 1 hour
* then 1 egg = 5 teaspoons = 5 hours
* and 3 eggs= 15 teaspoons = 15 hours
We conclude that HALF A LOG or 3 EGGS of oil will
burn 15 hours which as Rashi points out >are the
number of hours in the longest winter nights<
We have left to explain why HALF A LOG (about half a
glass) of oil was used every night (not just on winter
nights). The verses state that
----------------------------------------------------
you shall prepare IT for being lit from eve to dawn
----------------------------------------------------
Such a verse can have two meanings:
--1-Put enough oil EACH PARTICULAR night for that night
--2-Put enough oil each night for ANY NIGHT
Thus the 2nd interpretation would require us to place
a HALF LOG (3 cups) of oil every night.
The reason we follow the 2nd interpretation, is, as
Rashi says explicitly on Lv24-03b
--------------------------------------------------
because of the use of the pronoun >IT<. There are
in fact two forms of the pronoun
---YaARChayHU--with a >SUFFIX< VAV -- PREPARE IT
---VaAROCH OTHO--with the >WORD< OTHO--PREPARE IT
--------------------------------------------------
A general principle of the MALBIM states that whenever
the WORD is used vs the SUFFIX it creates an emphasis
that there is so to speak only one case with no
exceptions. So here too, we have one FIXED MEASURE
of oil the whole year without distinctions.
For a LIST of examples of these 2 uses of pronouns
see http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn45-27a.htm
COMMENT
=======
Notice Rashis treatment of words for measurements
* One Rashi gives a >BIG OVERVIEW< of several basic words
* Several other Rashis give >APPLICATIONS< of these basic words
* Rashi also gives tidbits on >TYPICAL AMOUNTS NEEDED< --eg
how much food is needed for a day--how much oil is needed
for burning a night etc.
RASHI RULE USED: SYNONYMS
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#
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
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*