The 10 Hebrew words for Volume:#5 of 5
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Mar 11, 2001 #
# Rashis 637-637 Of 7800 (8.2%) #
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-- GRAND SUMMARY --
RULE
====
There are 10 basic words denoting measurement. They
are compactly presented in the LIST below. Rashis on
these 10 terms are presented afterwards.
{LIST}
Here are the basic Biblical words denoting measurement
Next to each term we given a ROUGH ENGLISH EQUIVALENT--
for example the BIBLICAL LOG has the volume of 6 eggs
which is about 1 English CUP. The right column gives
the equivalant volume in EGGS, the fundamental unit
of volume in Jewish Law. Footnotes provide more details
==============================================================
WORD ROUGH EQUIVALANT EQUIVALANT # OF EGGS
========= ================ ==============================
Egg TABLESPOON*1 Fundamental Unit of Volume
Log CUP 6 TABLESPOONS
Kav QUART 24 eggs = 4 CUPS
Hin GALLON 72 eggs = 3 QUARTS = 6 Log*2
Seah DOUBLE GALLON 144 eggs= 6 QUARTS = 24 log*2
AyFaH*3*4 CARTON 432 eggs= 3 SEAH= 18 QUARTS
COR TRUCKLOAD 4320 eggs=10 CARTONS=30 Seah*5
NOTES
=====
*1 Teaspoon = 2/11 of an Egg (Rambam Theft 8)
Actually >LADEL< or >FLUID OUNCE< would be a better
translation than >TABLESPOON<
*2 HIN/LOG are usually associated with >Liquid< measure.
Seah/Kav are usually associated with >Dry< measures.
Thus Rashis point on Lv19-36b and Lv19-36c is that
there is a legal obligation to make legal rules for
both >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures. The Rambam notes
that >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures have different
requirements--for example liquid measures will more
frequently have residues from previous measurements
(See Rambam Theft 8:13 and commentaries)
*3 AYFAH(Dry measure) = BATH(Liquid measure) (Ez45-11)
They both hold the same amount of volume (Ez45-11)
*4 the OMER=1 Day of Food=7 Cups=43.2 Eggs=1/10 EYFAH(Ex16-36a)
*5 See Isa05-10 & Ez45-11 for an explicit statement
{END OF LIST}
GOALS:
=====
A person completing this module will be able to correctly
use Biblical words on Measurement. A person completing
this module will also be familiar with typical daily
usages
--how much food is eaten in a day;
--how much oil is burned in a night
--How much is in a teaspoon etc
TODAYS UNIT
===========
In todays unit we present the Grand Summary. We also present
one more Rashi; a LIST compactly presenting all oil and wine
libations in the Temple.
REFERENCE:
=========
This module comes from the following digest in the
Rashi-is-Simple series
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n12.htm
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
-- GRAND SUMMARY --
RASHI MEASUREMENT WHAT THIS MEASURE EQUALS
======== =========== ====================================
Ex16-36a OMER OMER=1/10th EYPAH = 43.2 eggs *1*2
Lv23-10b OMER OMER=1/10th EYPAH*1
Ex29-40a TENTH ONE TENTH=1/10th EYPHAH*3
Ex29-40c HIN 1 HIN = 12 LOG*4
Ex30-24b HIN 1 HIN = 12 LOG*5
Ex30-31b HIN 1 HIN = 12 LOG*6
Lv19-36b LIQUID/DRY HIN,LOG=LIQUID SEAH,KAV=DRY*7
Lv19-36c LIQUID/DRY HIN,LOG=LIQUID SEAH,KAV=DRY*7
Lv23-18b WINE LIBATION Each sacrifice has its own measure*8
-----------------------FOOTNOTES------------------------------
*1 Rashi Defines the OMER= 1/10th of an EYPAH=43.2 eggs=7 Cups
*2 Rashi reviews the definition of several measurements
on Ex16-36a. This is typical of Rashi. He will give one
big OVERVIEW on one Rashi and then give 2-3 word explanations
on many of the other verses
*3 Rashi also explains that the term >ONE TENTH< by itself,
denotes ONE TENTH=ONE TENTH EYPHAH=OMER
However this is not based on tradition but rather
on the fact that although the Torah usually says
a TENTH OF FLOUR (and nothing further) nevertheless
in 2 verses it explicitly states
a TENTH OF AN AYFAH OF FLOUR (eg Nu28-05 vs Nu28-13)
Also see Nu05-15 and Lv14-21
Thus this identifying of ONE TENTH and
ONE TENTH OF AN AYFAH follows the Rabbi Ishmael rule of
---------------------------------------------------
--If there is a general category (eg TENTHS)
--which is unspecified (eg it does not say a TENTH of what);
--but in one case it does specify(eg Nu28-05 states 1/10 AYFAH)
--THEN
--the specified case (which states TENTH=TENTH AYFAH)
--does not apply to only that one case but rather
--applies to all cases(ie ONE TENTH=ONE TENTH AYFAH)
----------------------------------------------------
*4 Hence (Ex29-40c) 1/4 HIN = 3 Log
*5 On Ex30-24b Rashi, besides explaining the measurement,
makes some comments on how they prepared the roots
of certain spices for Temple oils. This need not
concern us now
*6 Finally, my favorite pet peeve--Rashi NEVER USED GEMATRIAHS
Here is the VERSE, the RASHI with a GEMATRIAH and the SIMPLE
explanation(Ex30-31b)
VERSE-->You shall use THIS oil for all generations to annoint<
RASHI-->The word THIS in numerology equals 12. This teaches
that for all generations we must use the 12 LOG oil
SIMPLE EXPLANATION-- The Bible >EXPLICITLY< says that
>The OIL prepared by Moses used 12 LOGS of oil<(Ex30-24)
The Bible then says >And similarly you shall use THIS
oil for all generations<.
So Rashi is Simple: The word THIS refers to the oil
prepared by Moses which had 12 LOGS of oil and that
is the amount always to be used.
And Rashi in his usual punny manner stated this as
a NUMEROLOGY so people should remember it
*7 >HIN/LOG< are usually associated with >LIQUID< measure.
>SEAH/KAV< are usually associated with >DRY< measures.
Thus Rashis point on Lv19-36b and Lv19-36c is that
there is a legal obligation to make legal rules for
both >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures.
The Rambam notes that >DRY< and >LIQUID< measures have
different requirements--for example liquid measures will
more frequently have residues from previous measurements
These residues could distort measurement of future
purchases and this necessitates stricter laws for liquid
measurements.(See Rambam Theft 8:13 and commentaries)
*8 This Rashi uses the technique of OTHER VERSES.
For the verse speaks about >FLOUR and WINE ACCOMPANIMENT
TO EACH SACRIFICE<.
But these ACCOMPANIMENTS are completely specified in
Nu15 the OTHER VERSE. They are as follows
{LIST}
Every animal sacrifice had ACCOMPANYING it, FLOUR, OIL
and WINE libations. The amounts of FLOUR OIL and WINE
depended on the ANIMAL offered. The following LIST
compactly exhibits the required relationships
===========================================================
ANIMAL FLOUR ACCOMPANIMENT OIL WINE
====== =================== ========= ===========
Sheep 1 OMER AyFaH*a 1/4th HIN 1/4th HIN*b
Ram 2 OMER AyFaH 1/3rd HIN 1/3rd HIN
Ox 3 OMER AyFAH 1/2 HIN 1/2 HIN
NOTES
=====
*a Thus the flour accompaniment was the amount of food
needed for one day of meals
*b HIN = 12 Log. Hence
1/4th HIN = 3 Log
Rav Hirsch Points out that that FLOUR accompaniments
are ASCENDING (1,2,3) while the denominators of the OIL
and WINE accompaniments are DESCENDING (1/4th,1/3rd,1/2)
{END OF LIST}
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*