Rabbi Ishmael Example Method:#10 of 36
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Aug 17, 2000 #
# Rashis 206-208 Of 7800 (2.7%) #
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This module deals with the principle of CLIMAX. We review
Rashis on verses where the motivating interpretive force of
Rashi is the climactic development of verses.
Briefly speaking the rule of CLIMAX states that at certain
times a sequence of 3 or more Biblical phrases will develop
a theme in a CLIMACTIC FASHION.
EXAMPLE: The best example of Climax is the Rashi on Dt19-11
According to Rashi this verse describes MURDER as occuring
in 4 stages:
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--The EMOTIONAL stage---"When a person HATES another person"
--The OBSERVATIONAL stage--"& he spys/STALKS on that person"
--The CONFRONTATION stage--"& he CONFRONTS him"
--MURDER-------------------"& he MURDERS him".
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In other words Rashi uses the CLIMACTIC development of this
verse to show HOW a murder occurs--you don't just get up
and murder somebody. First you hate them; then you spy alot
on them; finally you can pick a fight with them and this
leads to murder.
The principle of CLIMAX is particularly useful for purposes
of OUTREACH. For every climactic development teaches us
HOW to stop something from developing. Thus the best way
to stop murder is to stop the hatred and stalking that
leads to it. Many other useful examples of outreach will
be presented in this module.
We again bring a short but compact example of climax
in one verse
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VERSE: Nu18-19b
VERSE: Nu18-19c
VERSE: Nu18-19d
BACKGROUND: The Bible is talking about establishing a convenant
with Aaron. So the question is "How do you make a convenant or
treaty? What are the essential ingredients"
EXAMPLE 22: Nu18-19b TREATY: Rashi: Intention to keep it
EXAMPLE 23: Nu18-18c SALTED:
RASHI: Salt symbolizes PRESERVING (so as Rav Hirsch
points out salt can be used to mean that TASTE(eg Dt06-06)
is preserved or it can be used to preserve DESTRUCTION
(Dt29-22)).
Hence SALT=PRESERVATION is the 2nd ingredient that a
treaty needs: The capacity to preserve the treaty EVEN
if the unexpected happens.
In other words BESIDES the initial desire to keep the
treaty we also need a desire to keep the treaty EVEN
if new circumstances develop.
EXAMPLE 24: Nu18-18d WORDLY: A good treaty should not only
benefit the 2 parties of the treaty; it
should also benefit other people in the
world.
The benefiting of other people helps put
social pressure on the two parties to keep
the treaty since 'others are benefitting'.
SUMMARY: To keep a treaty we need 3 things
---an intention to keep the treaty
---an intention to keep it even if new events arise
---an intention to benefit others from the treaty.
COMMENT:
Note how Rashi interperted the word WORLDLY literally (it
doesn't just mean FOREVER but it means 'it benefits all
people'--since the Hebrew word OLAN can mean both FOREVER
as well as the WORLD). Rashi chose this literal interpretation
because of the principle of climax which demanded that all 3
terms increase in intensity.
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