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VERSE: Nu03-08a

RASHIS COVERED: Nu03-08a Dt10-08d
                Dt18-05a Nu03-09a Nu08-16a

======================= Nu03-08a =====================

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
======================================================
ITEM                     DETAIL
======================== =============================
RASHI RULE CLASS:        OTHER VERSES
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      FURTHER DETAILS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #1
SEE BELOW                LIST214a *10
Overview of lists        Levites a)Sing b)Watch c)Help
------------------------ -----------------------------
SEE BELOW                LIST214b
List of verses shows     Levites serve BY SONG
------------------------ -----------------------------
SEE BELOW                LIST214d *1
List of verses shows     Levites serve by HELPING OUT
------------------------ -----------------------------
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      INFER MEANING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #5
SEE BELOW                LIST214c
List of verses shows     SERVICE of GOd done STANDING

NOTES
------
*1 The remaining Levite service (WATCHING TEMPLE) is
   inferred not thru the technique of OTHER VERSES
   but rather thru the technique of ALIGNMENT and
   CHAPTER STRUCTURE.  Therefore see the next
   posting in this digest
   -- http://www.RashiYomi.com/nu03-10b.htm
   for the completion of the review of the derivation
   of the 3 levite services (SONG,TEMPLE GUARD,HELP)

------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------

*10 Both Nu08-16a and Nu03-09a speak about
    ---------------------------------------
    The LEVITES being GIVEN GIVEN to the
    Priests to help in their work
    ---------------------------------------

    Rashi comments as follows
    --------------------------------------
    - They are GIVEN to help GUARD temple
    - They are GIVEN to SING in Temple
    --------------------------------------

    It is very tempting to see Rashi as
    inferring the above from the repetition
    of the word GIVEN. We even have a Rashi
    rule and series about REPEATED WORDS.
    Indeed REPETITION can denote INTENSITY
    and as such it can mean EITHER physically
    GIVEN (Sucy as to help guard) or
    emotionally GIVEN (Such as to help in Song)

    But this is incorrect reasoning!!!

    The proper technique to use here is the
    method of OTHER VERSES. For the method of
    OTHER VERSES simply asks the question
    ----------------------------------
    What do other verses tell us
    about Temple service
    ----------------------------------

    The answer is very simple--The other
    verses brought in the lists of this
    posting and the next posting show
    3 distinct Levite services
    - Singing in temple
    - (Honor) Guarding the temple
    - Helping out in Temple procedures

    Thus the method of other verses
    yields the inference that LEVITES
    GIVEN TO PRIESTS refers to singing
    and guard AND THIS IS TRUE WHETHER
    THE WORD given IS DOUBLED OR NOT

    (After seeing the force of the
    above argument the reader will
    ask---so why is the word GIVEN
    doubled then..to which I answer
    --- I dont know AND ALSO Rashi
    does not comment on this)
===========================================================

=================== LIST214a ==========================

This is an overview list. In this list we review
the 3 services that the Levites do. We list a
list or posting for each service.*10
=======================================================
SERVICE     This service discussed in LIST..
=========== ===========================================
Sing        List214b
Help out    List214d
Guard Tmpl  List314a *1

NOTES
-----
*1 List314a is found in posting
   http://www.Rashiyomi.com/nu10-03b.htm

---------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------

*10 Thus each posting contains many verses
   supporting the thesis that the Levites
   do that particular service

   I have not found a clear statement in Jewish
   law that Levites are obligated to do 3 distinct
   services. The Rambam (See Book of Commandments
   Positive Commandments #22 and #23) seems to
   group HELP and SING as one commandment (Which
   indeed it might be) but nevertheless they are
   two distinct types of service
=======================================================

==================== LIST214b =========================

In this list we bring verses supporting
the thesis that the Levites served God by SINGING
=======================================================
VERSE      TEXT OF VERSE showing Levite service of SONG
========== ============================================
1Ch15-16   David appoints Levites to Sing to God
2Ch07-06   The levites with instruments praising God
2Ch31-02   The levites ...should SERVE THANK & PRAISE
Dt10-08d   Levites separated to serve God...to BLESS*10

------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------

*10 Rashi seems to say differently on this verse
    The verse and Rashi are as follows
    --------------------------------------------
    God separated the Levites to bear the ark;
    to stand-serve before him (RASHI: These
    are the priests who state the priestly
    blessing) and to bless him(RASHI: The
    levites bless in song)
    --------------------------------------------

    I however would first suggest that there
    is no need to see Rashi as uprooting
    a perfectly straightforward verse
    from its grammatical setting.

    The verse in bullet form quite simply states
    -----------------------------------------
    God separated the Levites
    - to bear the ark
    - to stand-serve before him
    - to bless him
    -----------------------------------------

    So the verse is CLEAR---the verse is
    speaking about the LEVITES (not the
    priests) who both stand-serve and bless.

    However Rashi is telling us WHEN
    it is best for the Levites to sing song
    and bless God. The best time is while
    the Priests give their priestly blessing

    At such times the Levites would STAND-SERVE
    as an honor guard. They would then sing
    songs of praise.

    So Rashi was not interpreting the
    different phrases of the verse as
    referring to different groups of
    people (priests levites) but rather
    Rashi simply told us when these events
    happened.

    In fact the PRAISE-BLESSING is
    connected (in time) with the PRIESTLY
    BLESSING showing that in the temple
    the Levite-s singing was connected with
    the priestly blessing. (I however
    have not found an explicit statement
    of my approach in the Jewish Law books)

    The notion of an honor guard for the
    priests during their blessing is
    consistent with the other guard
    duties of the Levites.

    I believe this is the simplest approach
    to Rashi and does not require grammatical
    surgery
====================================================

======================= LIST214c ===================

This list shows us that the word SERVE really
does not occur by itself. Rather the word
SERVE is always connected with STANDING.

Thus we would translate the verses as
---the levites STAND-SERVE before God*10

Rashi states that all SERVICE was done STANDING
(This is consistent with the notion of HONOR
GUARDING)
====================================================
VERSE    TEXT OF VERSE with STAND-SERVE
======== ===========================================
Nu16-09  isnt it enough that you stand serve
Dt10-08  levites separated to stand-serve
Dt17-12  priests who stand-serves*1
Dt18-05a God chose him to stand-serve
-------- -------------------------------------------
Ex28-35  when he comes to serve
Ex28-43  when they come to altar to serve
Ex30-20  serve by altar

NOTES
-----
*1 In the old days all learning (which is what
   the verse speaks about) was done standing

*2 In these verses we only have the word SERVE
   but it is obviously connected with some
   type of standing (eg COME SERVE or ALTAR SERVE
   --etc in both cases STANDING MOTION is implied)

   Also see *10
-------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------

*10 The technical rule is the Rabbi Ishmael rule
    of inferring meaning

    If several verses use the term COLORED BALL
    and one verse uses the term RED-COLORED-BALL
    then we infer that the term COLORED BALL
    means RED

    So too here: Many verses speak about SERVICE
    They we have 4 pivotal verses speak about
    STAND-SERVE. Hence we infer that SERVICE
    means HONORED SERVICE (Service while standing)
===================================================

================= LIST214d =======================================

In this list we bring verses showing that
Levites had a separate task to HELP out
in temple services
==================================================================
VERSE       Text of Verses showing that Levites help in Temple
=========== ======================================================
2Ch30-16:17 Levites help with eg slaughter of sacrifices
Nu08-09     Levites chosen to work in temple and ATONE on JEWS
Nu03-08a    Levites chosen to watch utensils and do WORK OF JEWS*1

NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi inteprets this to refer to the Levite HONOR GUARD
   We in fact DO bring this verse when we discuss the honor
   guard in the lists of the next posting. But in light
   of the other verses an additional simple meaning is that
   Levites help out in procedures (like slaughter of
   sacrifices) that procure atonement for the Jews
==================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 17 Number 24


#*#*#*#*#  (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 17 Number 24