#*#*#*#*# (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: Nu03-32a
RASHIS COVERED: Nu03-32a Nu03-32b Nu04-16a
Nu04-16c Nu04-27a Nu04-28a
========== OVERALL PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE OF Nu03 and Nu04 ========
A review of Nu03 and Nu04 shows an overall structure
First: The GENERAL theme of recounting the appointments
of the Levites and their 3 main tribes, is mentioned
Next: The job responsibilities of each of the 3 main
Levite tribes is mentioned in a separate paragraph.
Finally: The details of these job responsibilities
of the 3 main Levite tribes is described again with
attention to the Liason from the Priests that oversees
each Levite tribe
The list below describes these 3 levels of paragraphs
with their content, verses and level number. The indentation
tries to mirror the structure of the entire set of verses.
Note that in modern notation we would indicate this using
Paragraph headers and section headings with spaces.
Further focus is provided in the footnotes
=================================================================
# VERSES VERSES Theme of Pagagraph
== ========== ========== =======================================
1a Nu03-15 ---------- Count/Appoint the Levites
1b Nu03-17 ---------- Levite tribe has 3 branches:Gayrshon..
1c Nu03-18:20 ---------- Subclasses of Gayrshon, Khath, Merari
2a ---------- Nu03-21:26 Gayrshons Appointment in the Temple
2b1 ---------- Nu03-27:31 Kehaths Appointment in the Temple
2b2 ---------- Nu03-32:32 Elazar appointed over Levites*1
2c ---------- Nu03-33:37 Merraris Appointment
3a ---------- Nu04-01:20 Details of Kehath-Elazar functions*1
3b ---------- Nu04-21:28 Details of Gayrshon-Ithamar functions*1
3c ---------- Nu04-29:33 Details of Merrari-Ithama functions*1
NOTES
=====
*1 Notice how Nu03-32 (level 2b2) seems to be out of place
here. The paragraphs are telling us the job responsibilities
of each of the Levite tribes.
It doesnt make (stylistic) sense to include a verse that
Elazar was appointed over all Levites in the MIDDLE of
an enumeration of Levite responsibilites.
Therefore the STRUCTURE of the chapter suggests that
this verse be reinterpreted. It seems natural to combine
Nu03-32 (level 2b2) with Nu03-27:31 (level 2b1) .
Thus all together Nu03-27:32 states that THE KEHATITES
UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF ELAZAR WORKED ON CARRYING THE
TEMPLE UTENSILS.
In other words the verse ELAZAR WAS THE PRINCE OF THE
LEVITES is reinterpreted to mean ELAZAR WAS THE PRINCE
OF THAT BRANCH OF THE LEVITES JUST DISCUSSED, THE KEHATITES
This reinterpretation is SUGGESTED (But not yet proved)
by both the structure of the paragraphs as well as the
parallel structure of level 3 which lists LEVITE-PRIEST
liasons in general and the KEHATITE-ELAZAR connection.
We will examine other confirming proofs in
another LIST immediately following.
================================================================
==== VERSES DESCRIBING PRIEST SUPERVISION OF LEVITE TRIBES =====
A variety of verses list specific or general priests who were
appointed over certain of the 3 Levite subtribes.
7 Verses are presented below making such descriptions.
Some of the verses are accepted as is. For example the
first verse, Nu04-28 says that Ithamar was appointed on
the Levite subtribe of Gayrshon. And this verse is
accepted as is.
But other verses are reinterpreted. For example the bottom
verse, Nu03-32 states that ELAZAR WAS THE PRINCE OF LEVITES
Rashi reinterprets this verse to mean that ELAZAR WAS THE
PRINCE OF THE KEHAT LEVITE SUBTRIBE (But not the prince of
all Levites).
The reasons for reinterpreting these verses is precisely
outlined in the footnotes. It is presented in stages
and STEPS. Here is the list of 7 verses.
================================================================
VERSE WHO WAS APPOINTED ON WHOM REINTERPRET
======= ======= ============= ============= ===========
Nu04-28 Ithamar Appointed on Gayrshon As is
Nu04-33 Ithamar Appointed on Merrari As is
Nu04-05 PRIESTS Appointed on Kehath Elazar
Nu04-15 PRIESTS Appointed on Kehath Elazar
Nu04-19 PRIESTS Appointed on Kehath Elazar
Nu04-16 Elazar Appointed on WHOLE MISHKAN Kehat
Nu03-32 Elazar Appointed on ALL LEVITES Kehat
NOTES
=====
The following is a precise argument for why we reinterpret
some verses. The defense precedes in self contained steps.
In step 1 we use a Rashi which focuses on what Rabbi Ishmael
called the GENERAL-PARTICULAR form. For a full discussion
of this form see http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example5.htm
STEP 1
------
Nu04-27a GENERAL: Gayrshon appointed under Priests
Nu04-28a PARTICULAR: Gayrshon worked under Ithamar
Following Rabbi Ishamel we interpret this GENERAL-PARTICULAR pair
as follows:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From all priests ONLY Ithamar will be appointed over Gayrshon
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rashi explicitly states in the 2 Rashis Nu04-27a and Nu04-28a
that only the priest Ithamar was appointed over Gayrshon.
This follows the rules governing interpretation of the
GENERAL-PARTICULAR form.
STEP 2
------
Nu04-05:15 GENERAL: Priests come to help Kehat
Nu04-16 PARTICULAR: Elazar helps on Mishkan
We interpret these vereses to mean that only Elazar helps
on those parts of Mishkan that Kehat is appointed over.
Note: We transfer the Rashi from Nu04-27:28 which deals
with a GENERAL-PARTICULAR structure to Nu04 which has
a similar (though not identical) GENERAL-PARTICULAR
structure.
While Rashi does not explicitly state the GENERAL-PARTICULAR
structure he does state that
--------------------------------------------------------
Nu04-16a Elazar was appointed over the Kehatites
Nu04-16c Elazar was not appointed over all Levites since
we see from Nu04-28 and Nu04-33 that Ithamar
was appointed over Gayrshon and Merari.
---------------------------------------------------------
To understand Rashi note that from the verses
it is still possible that Elazar was appointed over
BOTH the Gayrshonites, Merrarites and Kehatites while
Ithamar was only appointed over the Gayrshonites and
Merarites.
The refutation of this possibility is accomplished by
the GENERAL-PARTICULAR form in Nu04-27:28. The rules
governing the GENERAL-PARTICULAR form assure us that
-----------------------------------------------------
of all the priests (GENERAL) only Ithamar(PARTICULAR)
was appointed over the Gayrshonites
-----------------------------------------------------
That is the GENERAL-PARTICULAR form is always interpreted
to mean that ONLY THOSE PARTICULAR ITEMS are allowed
Hence Elazar could not have been appointed over the
Gayrshonites. Therefore we must reinterpret Nu04-01:20
to mean that Elazar (not all Priests) helped the Kehatites.
STEP 3
------
The actual verses state
------------------------------------------------------------
Nu03-27:31 Kehatites appointed over Mishkan Utensils
Nu03-32 Elazar is Prince of Levites appointed over temple
------------------------------------------------------------
IF I hadnt seen the other verses cited above then I would
interpret these verses as follows
Nu03-32a The prince of the Levites was Elazar
---------------------------------
RASHI: Appointed over all of them
---------------------------------
Nu03-32b Appointed over the temple
---------------------------------------------------
RASHI: He is responsible for all appointments
---------------------------------------------------
However because I have seen the other verses I interpret
ELAZAR PRINCE OF LEVITES to refer not to all Levites
but rather to the Kehatites which had been discussed
in the immediately previous verses. Similarly because
I know (from the immediately preceding verse Nu03-31)
that the Kehatites were not appointed over the whole
Mishkan, but rather over the Mishkan utensils like the
Menorah and Shulchan, therefore I reinterpret Nu03-32
to refer only to the Mishkan utensils and not to the
ENTIRE Mishkan
But why doesnt Rashi simply say this? Why does Rashi say
that Elazar was APPOINTED OVER ALL OF THEM which seems
to include all Levites, an interpretation which we know
not to be true since it contradicts the GENERAL-PARTICULAR
form on Nu04-27:28, which says that of all Priests only
Ithamar is to help the Gayrshonites?
In my opinion this is the difference between SIMPLE MEANING
and HOMILETIC meaning (PESHAT & DRASH). For SIMPLE MEANING
refers to the MEANING OF THE VERSE WHEN VIEWED BY ITSELF.
By itself the verse says that Elazar is appointed over
ALL Levites and over ALL temple utensils.
By HOMILETIC MEANING we refer to the MEANING OF THE VERSE
IN CONTEXT. In the context of nearby chapters and verses
we must reinterpret Nu03-32 to mean that Elazar was
not the prince of ALL LEVITES but rather of the LEVITES
BEING DISCUSSED---the Kehatites; furthermore in light of
Nu03-31 we cannot say that Elazar was appointed over the
WHOLE temple; rather we must say that he was appointed over
those parts of the temple being discussed and listed in
Nu03-31 (i.e. the temple utensils).
Notice how both the HOMILETIC and SIMPLE meaning are TRUE.
A true student of the Bible must learn both of them. The
Homiletic meaning is true because it reads a verse in context
OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IS WHY THE HOMILETIC MEANING IS CALLED
HOMILETIC. IT IS NOT CALLED HOMILETIC BECAUSE IT IS NOT TRUE.
ON THE CONTRARY THE HOMILETIC MEANING IS TRUE. FURTHERMORE IT
IS NOT CALLED HOMILETIC BECAUSE IT IS NOT SIMPLY DERIVED. ON
THE CONTRARY THE HOMILETIC MEANING IS SIMPLY DERIVED. RATHER
THE HOMILETIC MEANING IS CALLED HOMILETIC BECAUSE IT IS A
MEANING DERIVED FROM CONTEXT WHILE BY CONTRAST THE SIMPLE
MEANING REVIEWS THE MEANING OF A PHRASE OR VERSE BY ITSELF.
This is a basic principle in learning Rashi and Tenach. Rashi
on Nu03-31 was telling us the simple meaning of verse when
viewed by itself EVEN THOUGH Rashi knew there were other verses
which suggested reinterpretation. By doing this Rashi emphasized
what each verse meant by itself and hence helped us
appreciate that it was the simultaniety of verses that confers
a demand for reinterpretation.
================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: OVERALL STRUCTURE
---------------------------------------------------
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 10 Number 8
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 10 Number 8