#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| 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 |
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VERSE: Nu14-37a
RASHIS COVERED: Nu14-37a Lv16-18a Gn27-07a Gn17-18b
Gn17-01b Ex18-12d Dt19-17c Gn10-09b
======================= BEFORE GOD =============================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
-------------------
One of Rashis 6 main Goals is to explain the meaning of words
the same way a dictionary explains the meaning of words. But
Rashis doesnt just explain words--he also explains phrases. A
PHRASE is a collection of words, EACH of which is understood,
but TOGETHER has a NEW MEANING totally different from each of
the words. In todays and tomorrows posting Rashi explains the
phrase BEFORE GOD which means RELIGIOUSLY. It is used in 4 ways
It can denote a) Gods Temple, b) a DESERVED & JUST act, c) a
GODLY RELIGIOUS life, and d) ARROGANTLY defying God.
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TODAYS RASHI RULE: WORD MEANINGS
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: NEW MEANINGS
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BRIED DESCRIPTION OF RULE and SUBRULE
-------------------------------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals was to function like a dictionary
and present the meanings of WORDS. Rashi also explains the
meaning of PHRASES. The difference between a WORD and PHRASE
is as follows: A PHRASE is a collection of INDIVIDUAL words
EACH of which is understood but together forms a new unit
which has a DIFFERENT MEANING.
STANDARD EXAMPLE FOR TODAYS RULE
--------------------------------
Consider the 3 words
- on
- the
- face.
Each of these words has a clear distinct meaning. But what
does the phrase ON THE FACE OF mean when used with connection
of people
RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
The phrase ON THE FACE OF means DURING the lifetime.
The phrase ON THE FACE OF referring to humans only
occurs 5 times in the Bible. A list may be found at
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt05-07a.htm
4 of the 5 verses are Nu03-04a Gn11-28a Ex20-03c Dt05-07a
As an example: Nu03-04a AARONS CHILDREN DIED ON HIS FACE means
AARONS CHILDREN DIED DURING HIS LIFETIME. The interested reader
can look up the other examples there.
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm
(The RashiYomi dictionary)
http://www.RashiYomi.com/naming-8.htm
(8 methods for naming objects)
http://www.RashiYomi.com/means-32.htm
(13 methods for Proving a meaning)
Note these two postings are related but distinct. In
retrospect however there is much overlap which is why I
am bringing them together.
HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use these lists of new meanings for school projects
Here is a simple example
You can tell your students that BEFORE GOD means
-- connected with the Temple, Gods house
-- connected with a Godly religious way
You can then ask the students to apply this idea to verses
with the phrase BEFORE GOD.
The students can then compare their lists with either
the lists I provide or with lists of Rashis based on this
technique. Such comparisons lead to a more mature
appreciation of Rashi.
TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
The first list yesterday(& repeated below for convenience)
shows verses where BEFORE GOD refers
to some aspect of the TEMPLE, Gods home.
The additions today show that BEFORE GOD can mean
- JUST
- DESERVED
- RELIGIOUSLY
There is also one verse with a connotation of ARROGANTLY
BEFORE GOD
================================================================
VERSE BEFORE phrase Meaning of BEFORE GOD
======== ============================ ==========================
Dt12-18a Eat Tithes BEFORE GOD In JERUSALEM*1
Lv14-11a sprinkle BEFORE GOd EASTERN Gate*2
Nu05-18c stand her BEFORE GOD EASTERN GATE*2
Ex16-33b Place Manna BEFORE GOD In TEMPLE*3
Lv01-03e Bring it BEFORE God To TEMPLE*3
Lv01-11a slaughter in North BEFORE In TEMPLE*3
Lv06-07c Bring Minchah BEFORE GOD On WESTERN side*4
Lv16-12b Take coals from BEFORE GOD On WESTERN SIDE*4
Lv14-16a Sprinkle blood BEFORE GOD Toward HOLY OF HOLIES*4
Lv16-18a the Altar BEFORE GOD The GOLDEN ALTAR*4
-------- ---------------------------- ---------------------------
Nu14-37a THE Plague BEFORE GOD a DESERVED plague *5
Gn27-07a Isaac blesses BEFORE GOD a DESERVED blessing *5
Gn17-18b Ishmael lives BEFORE God RELIGIOUS life *6
Gn17-01b Abrahahm walks BEFORE God RELIGIOUS life *6
Dt19-17c litigants stand BEFORE God JUDGES=RELIGIOUS setting*7
Ex18-12d Eat BEFORE GOD with prophets PROPHETS=RELIGIOUS setting
-------- ---------------------------- ---------------------------
Gn10-09b Nimrod,a warrior BEFORE GOD HATED God
NOTES
-----
*1 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
The verse explicitly states
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Dont eat Tithes in your cities; rather eat it before God
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Furthermore using the technique of OTHER VERSES we see from
Dt14-22:27 that Tithes were eaten in Jerusalem.
Thus the explicit contrast- CITIES--BEFORE GOD and the OTHER
VERSE show that in this particular verse BEFORE GOD means
JERUSALEM
*2 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
Nu05-01:04 explicitly prohibits ritually impure people from
coming inside the Temple. Hence BEFORE GOD in this verse,
which refers to sprinkling on the ritually impure leper must
at most mean: TO THE EASTERN GATE the Temple Entrance
Similarly Nu17-27:18-08 shows that at most Levites and Priests
can enter the Sanctuary, not women. Hence here too it refers
to the EASTER GATE of the temple (Which was its entrance)
*3 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
BEFORE GOD in these verses refers to the Temple, Gods home.
In the Lv verses there is an added nuance
--------------------------
slaughter the sacrifice
- on the NORTH
- and BEFORE God=by TEMPLE
--------------------------
Thus NORTH goes with the TEMPLE (You dont slaughter in
the NORTH on private altars (which eventually became
prohibited anyway))
*4 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
In these verses the OFFERING PRIEST is ALREADY in the Temple
Hence BEFORE GOD means TO THE HOLIEST PART OF THE TEMPLE
This refers to the HOLY OF HOLIES in the WESTERN PART OF
THE TEMPLE---The GOLDEN ALTAR WAS THERE.
*5 On Nu14-37 Rashi explains that
In addition to explaining that
--------------------
BEFORE GOD = JUSTLY
--------------------
Rashi ILLUSTRATES HOW the plague was DESERVED (The spies
sinned by slandering God/Israel and they were therefore
punished with an attack on their tongue).
Rashi also brings a support from the use of the word THE
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They died in THE plague (vs A plague) BEFORE GOD
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THE has 6 usages in the Bible one of which is DISTINGUISHED
(See http://www.RashiYomi.com/)
On Gn27-07 Rashi states
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God will agree with my blessing
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This is simply a poetic way of saying DESERVED
*6 I think this -- BEFORE GOD=RELIGIOUSLY -- clear
*7 In both these verses BEFORE GOD refers to a RELIGIOUS SETTING
- Thus litigants stand BEFORE GOD endows the otherwise
secular court with a RELIGIOUS AURA
- The participants in the meal BEFORE GOD endows that meal--
with Prophets and scholars with a RELIGIOUS AURA
(Rashi expresses this with a poetic statement--
---------------------------------------------
Whoever eats with scholars is as if he ate
in the presence of God
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RASHI RULE USED: NEW MEANINGS
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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 15 Number 19
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 15 Number 19