#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
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VERSE: Nu22-01a
RASHIS COVERED: Nu22-01a Nu21-01a
======================= CONSECUTIVE PARAGRAPHS ==================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
There are 4 major ways paragraphs connect: a) CAUSE
b) ENABLING MERIT c) UNIFYING THEME d)CONTRAST
The 2 Rashis in this posting concentrate on
2 paragraph pairs. Nu22-01 explicitly connects Balaks desire
to curse the Jews with the Jewish conquest of 2 nearby kings--
this conquest was A CAUSE of Bilams fear which led him to
want their destruction. Similarly Nu21-01a juxtaposes Aarons
death with the declaration of war by Amalek--Amalek reasoned
that the death of a Righteous person left the nation demoralized
and weak--thus Aarons death ENABLED war.
REFERENCES:
-----------
http://www.RashiYomi.com/nu20-01b.htm
The examples and lists come from the above posting with
these 2 new examples added on. This posting may also be
found at http://www.RashiYomi.com/h6n21.htm
For other examples of rules of style see the main RashiYomi
grammar page at http://www.RashiYomi.com/grammar.htm
TODAYS LISTS
------------
We present 4 lists exhibiting examples of the 4 methods
In this list we present examples of juxtaposition from
CAUSE
==============================================================
# VERSE TOPIC IN 1st CHAPTER TOPIC IN 2nd CHAPTER
==== ======== ==================== ==========================
(01) Nu06-02a Adulterous wife rite Nazaarite from wine*1
(02) Gn38-01a Brothers sell Joseph Judah leaves brothers*1
(03) Gn23-03c Abraham offers Isaac Sarah dies*1
(04) Gn02-20a Adam Eve are Naked Snake gives Eve Apple*2
(13) Nu22-01a Jews win a war Moab concerned about war
NOTES
-----
*1 Thus "whoever see the humiliating Adulterous wife rite"
will be so shocked that he will abstain from wine
Similarly "Judah advised his brothers to sell Joseph"
and so when they regretted it they blaimed him and he
had to "separate from them."
Similarly "Sarah died" from the shock that "Abraham
offered Isaac."
*2 In other words because the snake saw Adam and Eve naked
therefore he became Jealous and wanted Adam killed so
he could marry Eve.
ALthough this sounds a bit wild there is strong supporting
evidence. Gn04-01 uses the past perfect form
"And Adam HAD BEEN FAMILIAR with his wife & they had
a child"
So the sequence of chapters is
"Adam was lonely"
"God makes Eve"
"Adam and Eve are naked"
------------------------"Snake tempts Eve"
"Adam has a child with Eve"
Thus the sequence of chapters (Naked--->child) is
clearly interrupted by the Snake story.
================================================================
=================== ENABLEMENT =================================
In the examples below the topic in the 1st chapter FACILITATED
or ENABLED the topic in the 2nd chapter
================================================================
# VERSE TOPIC IN 1st CHAPTER TOPIC IN 2nd CHAPTER
==== ======== ======================== =========================
(05) Dt20-01a Judicial process Laws of War*1
(07) Nu20-02a Miryams death And there was no water*1
(08) Gn21-01a Egypt had chidren Sarah had a child*2
(14) Nu21-01a Aarons death Amalek attacks Israel*3
NOTES
-----
*1 In the merit of our following "Judicial process" we will
be able to "win wars"
Similarly after Miryams death there was no water. Thus
we have that in the merit of "Miryam" the Jews had water
*2 Again a close examination of the BIblical text shows a
past perfect
"And God punished Avimelech and his household"
"And Abraham prayed for Avimelech & his household"
"But God HAD ALREADY VISITED Sarah with a child"
In other words Sarah had already had a child.
The Bible deliberately juxtaposes "sarah having a child"
with "Abraham praying for Avimelechs household to have a
child" to teach us
"That whoever is a kind person and
prays for others will have their own
needs met first"
*3 Amalek decided that the death of a righteous person
would demoralize the people and make winning a war easier
================================================================
======================== CONTRAST ==============================
The examples in this list show 2 paragraphs that CONTRAST
each other. The key idea is to see the 2nd paragraph
holding DESPITE the event of the 1st paragraph
================================================================
# VERSE TOPIC IN 1st CHAPTER TOPIC IN 2nd CHAPTER
==== ======== ======================== =========================
(09) Lv26-01a Being a slave to Non Jew Prohibition of Idolatry*1
(10) Dt29-12a Curses We are before God*2
(11) Lv19-03c Fear Parents Watch Sabbaths*3
(12) Dt22-12a No Shaatnez Tzitzith*4
NOTES
-----
*1 On a superficial level Rashi seems to be connecting 2
verses.
Avoid idolatry DESPITE your being a slave to a non jew
(who encourages its violation). Do not think "I will
worship idols now and when I am free I will go
back to believing in God" See *10 for a deeper reason
*2 Dt28 gives a long list of curses if the Jews violate
the commandments.
Dt29-12 says "You are all STANDING before God today" In
other words despite the curses for disobediance you are
still here before God(The implication being that no
matter how angry God gets he will not destroy you)
A further support for this theme can come from the
General-particular-General form
Dt28 GENERAL: Curses for disobediance
Dt29-12 PARTICULAR: You are standing here before God
Dt29-19 GENERAL: Curses for disobediance
Thus the General-Particular-General form shows that Gods
curses still allow us to "Stand before him"--in other
words they are educative curses not punitive.
*3 In other words (always) "Observe the Sabbaths"
DESPITE a request to the contrary "By your parents"
This can happen if eg your parents ask you to
desecrate the Sabbath. You must observe the
Sabbath even if your parents request to
the contrary.
And this can be generalized to all Torah laws(that
they take precedence over your parents request)
*4 Wear Tzitzith DESPITE the fact that they may have Shaatnez
Wool and linen together (In the priestly garments made of
Linen the Tzitzith were made of wool--thus the commandment
of Tzitzith OVERRIDES the prohibtion of wearing wool and
linen)
------------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------
*10
On a profound level Rashi sees a unifying theme to this
whole chapter. The chapter encourages observing the
shimitah laws which encourage abstaining from agriculture
once every 7 years so that people can devote themselves
to God and study. If one violates these laws he is
progressively punished. Here is the sequence of
punishments
{LIST} {Paragraphs in BEHAR}
-------------------------------------------------------
VERSE LAW
----------- ------------------------------------------
Lv25-01:12 Observe the 7 and 50 year Land sabbaticals
Lv25-13:24 If not you will have to sell your MOVABLES
Lv25-25:28 If not you will have to sell your LAND
Lv25-29:34 If not you will have to sell your HOUSE
Lv25-35:38 If not you will have to LOAN
Lv25-39:46 If not you will have to become a SLAVE
Lv25-47:54 If not you'll become a NONJEWISH SLAVE
Lv26-01:03 If not you'll be tempted to IDOLATRY
-------------------------------------------------------
Thus Rashi does not merely teach juxtaposition of verses
but he also teaches juxtaposition of ALL paragraphs in
the chapter. As such this example would belong to the
next category
=================================================================
=================== UNIFYING THEME===============================
In this list although Rashi comments on the juxtaposition
of the starred paragraphs the theme of MOSES DEPARTING AS
LEADER applies to all paragraphs.
=================================================================
TOPIC OF PARAGRAPH VERSES
==================================================== ============
Pinchas(not Moses)avenges public non-jewish sex Nu25-11:18
Elazar is to prepare for war with Midyan Nu26-01:51
Laws of division of Israeli land Nu26-52:56
Completion of deaths from sin of Spies Nu26:57-65
Laws of inheritance for girl-only families*1 Nu27-01:11
Moses makes Joshua leader before his death*1 Nu27-12:23
NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi only comments on these paragraphs. But clearly
the unifying theme of Moses departing applies to all
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: GRAMMARr
---------------------------------------------------
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 14 Number 12
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 14 Number 12