The 6 usages of the word >THE<:#14 of 35
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RULE
====
The words >THE< can be used in 4 ways

--THE can refer to a proper noun


--THE can refer to something that is mentioned nearby

  eg Dt04-32c >Has anyone heard THE GREAT THING-that God
  saved a nation enslaved in another nation with great miracles<

  Thus the phrase >THE GREAT THING< refers to the verse that
  follows >That God saved a nation enslaved in another nation<
  In other words the >GREAT THING< is Gods freeing one nation
  from another.



--THE can refer to a concept, story or thing mentioned
  ELSEWHERE (but not immediately afterwards)

  eg Nu13-33a >We saw there THE Nefilim<
  This refers to the NEFILLIM nation mentined in Gn06-04



--THE can refer to the best known of a class

  eg  Dt01-07e >THE Mount< -- This refers to The Kings Mountain






GOALS:
=====
A person completing this module will be able to correctly
identify the specific usages of >THE< in the Bible.




TODAYS UNIT
===========
In the next few days we bring verses where
>THE< refers to >THE BEST KNOWN IN ITS CLASS<






REFERENCE:
=========
This module comes from the following digest in the
Rashi-is-Simple series


http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n14.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n16.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n17.htm (Up next Sunday)


#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*

---------------------------------------------------------
  In the following verses >THE< refers to the best known
  example of a class.
---------------------------------------------------------


EXAMPLE 31: Gn09-24a
====================

Gn09-24a & Noah woke up and realized what CHAM his MOST
         DESPICABLE son did (The reference being to
         Cham seeing Noachs nakedness while drunk)

RASHI: The Hebrew word >KOTON< can mean
       ---physically small or
       ---spiritually despicable

       When the word >THE< is appended, the word >KOTON< means
       ---the >SMALLEST<
       ---the MOST DESPICABLE *1


EXAMPLES 32,33: Dt07-07a Dt07-07b
==================================

Dt07-07  I (God) could not have chosen the Jews because of
         their greatness*2 since you (Jews) are THE SMALLEST*2
         of all the nations

RASHI: The Hebrew word >MeeAT< means >SMALL<. When >THE<
       is added before this word it means >THE SMALLEST<

       Again the word can refer to PHYSICAL or SPIRITUAL
       SMALLNESS

--------------------------NOTES--------------------------------

*1 In several verses Noahs sons are listed as
   ---Shaym
   ---Cham
   ---Yefeth
   (eg see Gn05-32 or Gn06-10 for this order)

   However when the genealogies are discussed in detail
   in Gn10 the order used is
   ---Yefeth
   ---Cham
   ---Shaym

   Using either order CHAM is not physically the YOUNGEST.
   Hence Gn09-24a, referring to CHAM as youngest must mean
   it in the spiritual sense as the most despicable. (This
   is consistent with the topic of the verses in Gn09
   which discusses how CHAM degraded his father)


*2 Rashi notes the dual meaning of the verse:
   --God chose you despite your physical smallness(Dt07-07)
   --And this physical smallness corresponds to your
     spiritual smallness (ie humility) which in turn
     corresponds to the humility of the Patriarchs which
     is why God chose you.

   Note that the Jews are not necessarily the very smallest
   of nations and hence Rashis reinterpretation of SMALLEST
   as meaning >SPIRITUALLY SMALLEST< (ie humble) fits in.


#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*