#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
| PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE: Lv19-03b
RASHIS COVERED: Lv19-03b Lv19-04c Lv19-05a Lv19-05b
Lv22-29a Lv22-29b Lv07-16a Lv19-05d
======================= THE ALIGNMENT METHOD ===================
----------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE: ALIGNMENT
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: FURTHER NUANCES
----------------------------------------
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
Many Rashis do NOT focus on an internal analysis of the verse.
There may be nothing bothering Rashi in THAT verse. The words
used may all be normal.
But when the given verse is compared with another verse--that
is, when the two verses are ALIGNED together-- we see blatant
differences.
The ALIGNED verses therefore suggest that these ALIGNED
DIFFERENCES were deliberately placed there to emphasize
certain nuances. The standard example will illustrtae this.
STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
Recall that the Moabite King BALAK was apprehensive about
Israel journeying throught its territory. It wanted Israel
banished. It hired a professional curse-man, Bilam who would
curse the Jews. Bilam however describes his job SLIGHTLY
differently. Here are the verses.
-----------------------------------------------
BALAK: Nu22-06 I will banish Jews FROM THE LAND
BILAM: Nu22-11 ...... banish Jews -------------
-----------------------------------------------
EXERCISE
--------
To fully appreciate Rashi perform the following 2 exercises
- What is the minor difference between the aligned verses?
- What NUANCE do YOU think this implies?
RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
BALAK only wanted Jews away from his land; his goals were
political. By contrast, BILAM wanted them DESTROYED. Hence...
BALAK wanted Jews BANISHED FROM THE LAND. But Bilam wanted
them BANISHED PERIOD (That is destroyed).
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-58.htm
This summary may be a bit too terse. You can browse the
57 postings leading up to by going to
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-1.htm
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-2.htm etc.
Or you can visit the Rashi Yomi Calendar at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/calendar1.htm
This calendar presents a day by day listing of Rashis.
The ALIGNMENT series occurs between 7-28-01 and 10-10-01.
HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use the LISTS referenced above for
school projects. Here is how. If you are a
teacher then you can present the two aligned
verses and ask the students to perform the
following exercises
-- What are the minor differences between the verses
-- What nuances do they imply
The students can then compare their analysis with that
of Rashis. This leads to greater appreciation of Rashi.
TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
We present several examples of alignment. This will be
done over 3 lists covering 3 sets of aligned verses.
1st-We compare the two verses requiring HONOR/FEAR of PARENTS
The order is different. This is one of those cases where
the childs formulation of Rashi will usually be the same
as Rashi himself. We therefore encourage studying
these alignment Rashis.
2nd-We compare several verses prohibiting manufacture of
idols. The grammatical construction and the examples
chosen suggest 3 separate prohibitions: 2a) sculture
2b) customized orders 2c) Manufacture for export
3rd-We compare the sentences in the PEACE and THANK YOU
offering chapters. This is a remarkable comparison
of 2 pairs of 2 chapters which ONLY differ in the added
phrase OFFER IT DESIRABLY which Rashi, following
Chazal, interprets as meaning WITH PROPER INTENTION.
Here is the first list dealing with HONOR/FEAR of parents.
==============================================================
VERSE PHRASE1 PHRASE2
=========== ======== =========================================
Lv19-03b Fear Mother and Father
Ex19-12 Honor Father and Mother
Dt05-16 Honor Father and Mother
Differs *1 *1
NOTES
-----
*1 These sentences differ only*10 in the word order. One Verse
lists the MOTHER before the FATHER while the other verse
lists the FATHER before the MOTHER
Rashi is Simple
The Torah emphasizes what is lacking.
- Fathers are usually demanding, encouraging FEAR while
- Mothers are usually soft, encouraging RESPECT.
Hence
- Children usually fear father--so emphasize fear of mother
- Children usually honor mother--so emphasize honoring father
------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------------
*10 Actually the verb in Lv19-03b comes after the object;
- HONOR your parents vs
- Your parents SHOULD BE FEARED
I frequently omit some word order differences in
aligned verses to hilight more emphatically certain
differences.
Here, I have deviated from the Biblical order to
emphasize the alignment of MOTHER/FATHER. I dont know
why the VERB OBJECT order is different in these 2 verses.
=================================================================
==================== ALIGNMENT: NUANCES =========================
This is LIST 2 in todays posting. We study 3 verses prohibiting
MAKING idols. From subtle nuances of grammar and case studies
we infer 3 nuances of prohibition
=================================================================
VERSE PHRASE1 PHRASE2 PHRASE3
========= =========== ================= =========================
Lv19-04c Dont make for yourselves molten idols
Ex20-03 Dont make for yourself sculptured idols
Ex34-17 Dont make for yourself molten idols
Differ *1 *2 *2
NOTES
-----
*1 This is the same in all 3 verses. They all prohibit
MAKING IDOLS. The question then arises as to what the
word MAKING can refer to.
*2 A brief summary is presented in this footnote. For
a complete derivation see Footnote *10
The Bible prohibits in these 3 verses ANY type of idol
making whether
- you personally sculpture/make it (Ex20-03)
- you have it made for you (Lv19-04c)
- you manufacture it for export.
-------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------------
*10 We defend the above analysis using ideas of Malbim (&
augmented by us). We proceed in 5 stages
- THE POSSIBLE MEANINGS OF make
- SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT FOR THESE MEANINGS
- HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE 3 MEANINGS(Grammar/context)
- DERIVATION OF THE LAWS
- COMMENT ON THE ALIGNMENT METHOD
- THE POSSIBLE MEANINGS OF make
-------------------------------
In most languages the word MAKE can refer to several things
-- It can refer to MAKING an OBJECT
-- It can refer to HAVING SOMETHING made for you
-- It can refer to DIRECTING A MANUFACTURING PROCESS
- SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT FOR THESE MEANINGS
---------------------------------------
The Malbim (to whom we acknowledge most of this analysis)
cleverly finds 1 verse with both nuances (Ex32-35)
---------------------------------
God punished the nation because
THEY MADE the Golden calf
which AARON MADE
---------------------------------
Clearly AARON MADE=SCULPTORED the idol while the
nation MADE=HIRED AARON to make the idol.
Other examples of people DIRECTING an act vs ACTUALLY
doing it may be found in
- Gn50-10 (Joseph DIRECTED a national mourning for Jacob
- Ex37-01 (Bezalel DIRECTED making the ark)
- HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE 3 MEANINGS
-------------------------------
-Ex20-03 refers to SCULPTURED idols and hence refers to
personally making them.
-Lv19-04 uses the PLURAL (MAKE FOR YOURSELVES) while
the other 2 verses use the SINGULAR (MAKE FOR YOURSELF)
Hence Lv19-04 refers to making in the context of a plurality
It refers to HIRING or DIRECTING someone else to make it
for you.
-Ex34-17 which refers to MOLTEN IDOLS necessarily refers
to a MANUFACTURING process (Since individuals dont
make molten objects by themselves--though they do sculpture
themselves).
- DERIVATION OF THE LAWS
------------------------
Note: The laws are NOT derived as a number game. We do NOT
say THERE ARE 3 VERSES and HENCE THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF
PROHIBITIONS. Rather the 3 verses, as just indicated
describe three different types of production
- Ex20-03 prohibits SCULPTURING
- Lv19-04 prohibits HAVING MADE FOR YOU
- Ex34-17 prohibits MANUFACTURE
Thus the law prohibits ANY type of idol production
whether for export, by someone else or by oneself.
- COMMENT ON THE ALIGNMENT METHOD
---------------------------------
Despite the brilliance of the above derivation the reader
may feel I am splitting hairs; the reader may feel that
this is not the simple intended meaning of the text.
To this I would respond that the derivation comes from
the ALIGNMENT. THe fundamental principle of ALIGNMENT
is that by using
- DIFFERENT GRAMMAR (Plural vs SIngular)
- DIFFERENT EXAMPLES (sculptored vs Molten)
the Bible goes out of its way to tell us different
components of the law.
Perhaps then, this example of alignment should be
better classified under the ALIGNMENTS THAT EMPHASIZE
MULTIPLE COMPONENTS.
=================================================================
========================= ALIGNMENT: NUANCES ====================
We present here example 3 in this posting.
We align 4 chapters dealing with Thanksgiving/Thank-You
offerings. These 4 chapters form 2 sets of 2 chapters
There are 2 chapters on THANK YOU OFFERINGS and 2 chapters
on PEACE offerings.
Both chapter sets differ in a DESIRABILITY REQUIREMENT.
Rashi following the Talmud interpreted this to mean
that the offerings require PROPER INTENT at the time
of slaughter or they are invalid. This will be fully
explained in the footnotes.
Here are the 4 chapters which discuss these offering
procedures
=================================================================
Lv07-11:15 Lv22-29:30 Lv07-16:17 Lv19-05:06
================== =============== =================== ==========
If a THANK YOU*1 If a THANK YOU If a PEACE*1 If a PEACE
offer on Matzoh*2
DESIRABLY*3 DESIRABLY
Eat it that day*4 Eat that day*4 Eat that day& next ..day&next
No leftover @ dawn No left @ dawn on 3rd burn left burn on 3
NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi (lv07-16a) uses the principle that
--------------------------------------------
The Bible indicates Paragraph structure by
skillfully using repeated keywords
--------------------------------------------
Thus the structure of Lv07-11:17 is as follows
----------------------------------------------
Lv07-11 These are the PEACE OFFERING LAWS
Lv07-12 IF you offer a THANK YOU OFFERING then...
'
Lv07-16 IF you offer a VOLUNTARY/OBLIGATORY offering
'
----------------------------------------------
The repeated KEYWORD IF indicates TWO SEPARATE
paragraphs. That is there are two types of PEACE
OFFERINGS
- There is the THANK YOU PEACE OFFERING
This is brought when you THANK GOD for being
saved from danger. You only have 1 Day and
night to eat it and it is brought with MATZOH
- There are all other types of PEACE OFFERINGS
whether OBLIGATORY or VOLUNTARY. THese are
eaten for 1 day, 1 night and 1 day and are
not brought with Matzoh.
These differences in detail will be seen in
the footnotes. BUt the FACT of two types of
PEACE OFFERINGS may be inferred from the
repeating KEYWORD, IF
*2 Notice how ONLY the THANK YOU OFFERING has verses
dealing with MATZOH. Hence only the THANK YOU
OFFERING has ACCOMPANYING MATZOHS but not the
ordinary PEACE OFFERING
*3 We have shortened the verse to save space. The
full verse reads as follows
--------------------------------------------------
if you offer these sacrifices then OFFER it DESIRABLY*10
--------------------------------------------------
Note how this REQUIREMENT of DESIRABILITY is
an important difference in the repetition of the
sacrifice chapters. Thus the ALIGNMENT method shows
us that this DESIRABILITY is
REQUIRED.
The SIMPLEST interpretation of this DESIREABLE
requirement is that the offerer of the sacrifice
should see to it that the sacrifice is PLEASING
AND DESIRABLE TO GOD--that is, that the sacrifice
should comply with ALL requirements (eg it should
only be eaten for 1 day and 1 night (or 1 day,
1 night and 1 day etc).*11
*4 These clauses show one principle difference between
the PEACE OFFERING vs the THANK YOU offering.
-- The THANK YOU offering is eaten THAT DAY &
the NEXT NIGHT
-- OTHER PEACE Offerings are eaten that DAY, the
next NIGHT and the following DAY.
So for example if a THANK YOU OFFERING and
PEACE offering were offered on SUNDAY. Then
-- The THANK you offering can be eaten SUNDAY
and SUNDAY NIGHT but not MONDAY MORNING
-- The PEACE OFFERING, by contrast, can be
eaten, SUNDAY, SUNDAY NIGHT and MONDAY BY
DAY (But cannot be eaten MONDAY NIGHT)
---------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -----------------
*10 Some sample verses which give the flavor of this
translation (Resh-Tzade-Hey means DESIRABLE) are
presented by Radack in his book ROOTS
---------------------------------------------------
1Sam29-04 How else can this slave PLEASE his master
2Chr10-07 If you PLEASE this nation ..they will serve you
Dt33-24 May Joseph be DESIRABLE to his brothers
Jr14-12 I dont find their sacrifices DESIRABLE
Lv19-07 it is disgusting & UNDESIRABLE
---------------------------------------------------
PLEASE here is used in the sense of MAKE DESIRABLE
Rashi on Lv19-05d also translates Resh-Tzade-Hey
this way.
*11 Ah...but Rashi doesnt ONLY interpret the verse
in this simple way. After giving this simple
interpretation
--------------------------------------------
This DESIRABLE CLAUSE indicates that when
offering these sacrifices the offerer
should have in mind to comply with all
requirements such as the required time lines
in which the sacrifice is eaten That is
the offerer should intend to become DESIRABLE
to GOD by following His Will
--------------------------------------------
After giving this simple interpretation Rashi
adds
---------------------------------------------
AND our sages have FURTHER interpreted this
DESIRABLE CLAUSE to indicate that if you
offer a sacrifice in a habitual way without
thinking about it then it is invalid
---------------------------------------------
The simplest interpretation of this added
clause in Rashi is that
- Rashi WAS NOT INFERRING this from the verse
- Rashi WAS INFERRING this using GENERALIZATION
In other words, recall that one of the Rabbi
Ishmael principles is that every simple verse
should be generalized. So Dt25-04a states
-----------------------------------------
Dont muzzle an ox while threshing
-----------------------------------------
Because of the Rabbi Ishmael style rule we
interpret this to mean
------------------------------------------
Dont muzzle ANY animal while DOING ITS WORK
------------------------------------------
Similarly for example Ex21-28a describes the
damages payable for torts by oxen. Because
of the Rabbi Ishmael rule this law applies to
damage done by ANY animal.
For a discussion and further examples please revu
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/example4.htm
Returning to our verse we see that the verse,
as a result of alignment, indicates that when
we offer a peace offering we are required to
intend desirability to God and do it the way He
wants.
However Rabbi Ishmaels GENERALIZATION rule then
requires us to GENERALIZE this: ANY lack of
intent (such as doing the sacrifice habitually
without thinking) invalidates it.
In summary
- the verse states OFFER IT DESIRABLY
- the simple meaning is INTEND TO DO AS GOD ASKS
- the GENERALIZED MEANING is to have INTENT on
all aspects of the sacrifice
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: ALIGNMENT
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
The hyperlinks only work on the main website
Volume 13 Number 19
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 13 Number 19