>IF< can sometimes mean >WHEN<:#2 of 4
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OVERVIEW:
========
The following module will focus on the fact that the word
>IF< can sometimes mean >WHEN<. >IF< makes the sentence
sound OPTIONAL while >WHEN< makes it sound OBLIGATORY
Examples are brought below



REFERENCES:
==========
The following references contain the material covered

http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h7n24.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ex21-30a.htm


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EXAMPLE 4:
=========
Nu36-04a   says >IF< the Jubillee comes
Lv25-08:12 says that you **must** call a Jubillee every 50 years

Hence a preferable interpretation is

Nu36-04a >WHEN< the Jubillee comes

   Actually Rashi states >Since the Bible literally says >IF the
  Jubilee comes< we infer that the Jubilee would eventually cease
   from Israel. But implicit in this Rashi is the fact that the
   verse means >WHEN the Jubilee comes then such and such could
   happen<

   We have already pointed out yesterday the difference between
   >IF< and >WHEN<. >WHEN< denotes >INEVITABILITY< while >IF<
   denotes >POSSIBILITY<. Therefore if the Bible uses >IF< in
   a situation (eg the Jubillee) when the event **must**
   happen then a) we should translate the verse as >WHEN<
   (Since it must happen) b) we should seek some possibility
   of non-occurence (This is what Rashi does...he points
   out that the Jubillee will eventually stop because
   of our sins).

   In my Shomrey Emunah Rashi class I offered a more
   complicated explanation of why the word >IF< occurs
   based on the fact that the verse is an
   >IF< statement with a compound hypothesis. But the
   above should suffice for now.




EXAMPLE 5
=========
Gn28-20a  says >IF<  God is with me
Gn28-15   says I (God) >will< be with you

Hence a preferable interpretation is

Gn28-20a  >WHEN< God is with me

 It would appear that Jacob used the phrase >IF< God
 will be with me vs >WHEN< God will be with me as
 an expression of >HUMILITY<...in other words he
 spoke in a submissive tone (It however cannot
 be imagined that he doubted God since God had
 told him only 5 verses earlier that He will be
 with him---this explanation resolves the problems
 raised by the Ramban)

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