The 6 usages of the word >THE<:#20 of 35
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Apr 3, 2001 #
# Rashis 685-686 Of 7800 (8.8%) #
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SPECIAL TODAY: A RASHI FROM THE
DR HENDEL MEETS DR BONCHECK SERIES
NOTICE
======
The 10 CRUNCHY PASSOVER TORAH NUGGETS
from last year are up and may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
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 examples where
>THE< refers to the >BEST KNOWN< or >SPECIAL<
item of a 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/h9n18.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n19.htm
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
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In the following verses >THE< refers to the BEST & SPECIAL
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EXAMPLE 48: Gn42-27a
====================
BACKGROUND
----------
The Bible is speaking about the journey of Josephs
brothers back to their father Jacob.
Gn42-27a >THE ONE..< RASHI: >THE one< = The LEADER*7
So Rashi would interpret Gn42-27a as
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And the LEADER opened his sack in the inn and found
that his money had been returned to him
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Rashi then explains that >LEADER< refers to Levi
(we see that Levi and Shimon were the leaders in the
retalitory war in Gn34 for the rape of their sister Dinah;
since Shimon wasnt here (he was in prison) therefore the
leader had to be Levi). See footnote *7 for further details
EXAMPLE 49: Nu14-37a
====================
Nu14-37a >THE Plague< RASHI: >THE Plague<=Divine Punishment*8
In other words Rashi interprets Nu14-37a NOT as
>and they died in A plague<
but rather interprets Nu14-37a as
>and they died in THE SPECIAL PLAGUE<
Rashi then explains that >THE SPECIAL PLAGUE< refers to
a plague of Divine Punishment where the sinner is punished
according to his sin.
-------------------------NOTES---------------------------------
*7 If Gn42-27 had said >& one opened his packsacks and found
his money< it would mean that ANYone (we dont know which
one) opened his sack.
But when Gn42-27 says >& THE one opened his packsacks & found
his money< it means that the LEADER opened his packsack. In
other words >THE ONE< means >THE LEADER<
Rashi identifies the >LEADER< as Levi: Rashi seems to infer
this from Gn34 where LEVI-SHIMON initiated the retaliatory-
defensive war against Chivite city that Raped their sister.
Since Shimon wasnt here (he was imprisoned) LEVI was left
alone to lead (It is clear from Gn37-19:27 that Reuven
and Judah had only a secondary place in leadership).
In passing Rabbi Boncheck spoke about this Rashi while
he visited the United States. He pointed out that
Joseph used a birth hierarchy in dealing with leaders
---Joseph imprisoned SHIMON
---Joseph framed LEVI (by placing his money in his sack)
---Joseph forced JUDAH to confront him to get back BINYAMIN
SHIMON-LEVI-JUDAH were the 2nd-3rd-4th son. Joseph left
REUVEN alone because he protested Jospeh being sold.
I have simply supplemented Boncheks idea by emphasizing the
grammatical aspect of the derivation--->THE ONE< means
>THE LEADER<. I have also brought in the explicit
Gn34 to show that Shimon and Levi were the natural leaders
(a stronger proof then Boncheks >order of birth< argument).
As the Rav, (Rabbi Soloveitchick) frequently said
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When learning Chumash it is better to avoid the stormy
waters of philosophic analysis and prefer the placid
waters of grammar
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*8 An ordinary plague simply denotes many people dying.
By contrast the phrase >THE plague< denotes a plague
with Divine retribution. Throughout the Bible, Divine
retribution is identified with people being punished
in a way comparable to the way they sinned. Hence
here also we have the Rashi
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The plague was a punishment for the sin of slander
of the spys who said that God could not help the Jews
conquer the land. Hence, since they sinned with their
tongue their punishment was a plague of elongated tongues
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In understanding this Rashi it is helpful to focus
not on the details of how they got sick but on the general
idea that their sickness mirrored their sin.
For another source that Divine Retribution mirrors sin
see Ex18-11.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*