Rabbi Ishmael Example Method:#17 of 36
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Aug 26, 2000 #
# Rashis 226-229 Of 7800 (2.9%) #
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# Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, #
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REFERENCE:
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Todays module is extracted from Rashi is SImple volume 5
Number 17. To see the whole issue visit
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h5n17.htm
THIS MODULE
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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.
WHAT IS THE RULE OF CLIMAX
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a) 3 or more consecutive similar phrases **should**
be interpreted as developing CLIMACTICALLY. 1st step one,
then step 2, then step 3 etc
EXAMPLE: The verse Dt19-11 describes murder using 4 phrases
--------
--When a person HATES somebody
--and he STALKS him
--and CONFRONTS him
--and HITS HIM LETHALLY so that he dies.
We **could** interpret this to mean "When someone murders
someone". But because of the principle of CLIMAX we interpret
the 4 phrases as CLIMACTICALLY leading to MURDER. Murder
happens in 4 stages
a) EMOTIONAL: You HATE the person
b) OBSERVATIONAL: You OBSERVE the person CONSTANTLY(obsession)
c) SOCIAL: You CONFRONT the person
The above 3 will naturally lead to murder.
CLIMAX WITHOUT GRAMMAR
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b) This principle of CLIMAX, **by itself** can be used to decide
the meaning of ambiguous phrases(even if nothing else besides
CLIMAX supports the decision)
EXAMPLE: In the above example from Dt19-11 I could have
interpreted RISE UP ON HIM to **either** mean KILL or
CONFRONT. For the verb to RISE UP does mean both.
The only reason I chose CONFRONT vs KILL is that the
principle of CLIMAX requires a CLIMACTIC development.
CLIMAX vs SIMPLE MEANING OF THE TEXT
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c) Note that it is legitimate to hold the position that
"These 3 or 4 phrases all say the **same** thing and this is
common in poetry;but BECAUSE of the principle of CLIMAX I
am justified in assuming that each phrase has a distinct
meaning and that the 3 or 4 phrases build up to a CLIMAX."
EXAMPLE: There is nothing wrong in Dt19-13 in stating that
"The Bible is simply talking about murder and is using
a conversational style. However the principle of CLIMAX
additionally teaches me HOW murders take place."
In general the principle of CLIMAX can be vigorously used
to teach outreach. For each example of CLIMAX, by
teaching us HOW something happens can be reversed and show
us how to stop it.
CLIMAX & RABBI ISHMAEL'S PRINCIPLES
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d) The principle of climax is associated with the RabbiIshmael
principle of the DETAIL-GENERAL style.
EXAMPLE: The last phrase in Dt19-13 is MURDER,
something GENERAL. The other phrases---HATRED, STALKING,
CONFRONTATION are DETAILS associated with murder.
The RabbiIshmael Rule of DETAIL-GENERAL requires a broad
interpretation of the DETAILS to be consistent with the
GENERAL principle---and this is exactly what the principle
of CLIMAX teaches---that the DETAILS lead up to the GENERAL
Todays posting deals with the "ideal lecture" and shows the
4 stages needed by a good teacher.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#
Dt32-02a Moses teaching Torah is compared to Heaven raining water
Dt32-02c DEW everyone likes;RAIN not liked by people on journey
Dt32-02d SAR=Windy Mist. Mist grows grass::Torah grows students
Dt32-02e RVV = Rain (From RVH KSHATH=Archer=Forceful-drop-rain)
(Examples 46-49)
Dt32-02--THE TEXT (Please read with COURIER 10 Fixed width font)
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My TEACHINGS will BREAKOUT like RAIN
My SAYINGS will DRIP like DEW
like MIST on a MEADOW
like STORMS on GRASS
*1 *2 *3 *4
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Nuances to emphasize
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Note the following nuances
*1 Teachings<---->Sayings
*2 Breakout<----->Drip
*3 Rain<---->Dew<---->Mist<---->Storms
*4 Meadow<------>Grass
The Symbol
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The text clearly compares "my TEACHINGS and SAYINGS"
to TYPES OF RAIN
The Ideal Lecture
-----------------
An Ideal Lecture (Shiur), Sermon, or Family rap has
four stages.
Stage 1: A "Lecture stage" (or a "Sermon stage")
Stage 2: A pithy "Summary" or "(Sharp) Sayings" stage at the end
of the lecture, sermon or rap which summarizes everything
Stage 3: A (student)"Dialogue stage" in which students debate
the pros and cons of the lecture(or Congregants debate
the pros and cons of the sermon; or children debate
the pros and cons of the parent rap)
Stage 4: The "Application" Stage in which students "understand"
and apply what they have learned (or congregants apply
what they learn; or children apply what they have
learned and live up to the expectations of parents
The Analogy
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Using the "rain analogy" (water droplets=words) we have
Stage 1: The Lecture=A sudden outbreak of words/water
In other words, the STORM OUTBREAK
Stage 2: The Summary=Pithy Short Sayings summarizing everything
In other words "Dew DROPS(vs a storm)
Stage 3: Student dialogue = "Chatty exchanges by students on
the lecture" = the MIST
Stage 4: Understanding And Application--Students become
proficient and can apply ideas---The HEAVY STORM
Summary
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So we have 4 stages of rain/teaching
1: Sudden outbreak of words/drops--Lecture:Outbreak
2: Short terse summary: Sayings: Dew
3: Chatty dialogue: Dialogue-review:Mist
4: Mature Application: Application: Heavy Storm
CLIMAX
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Thus the verse climactically develops the ideal lecture
and uses a rain metaphor to illustrate its ideas.
There is a certain nostalgia here---Moses the father of
all Teachers, spent 40 years teaching 600,000 adults
Torah---at the end of his life he summarized his methods
for good teaching in one verse! (Sort of reminds you of
the book on the Lubavticher Rebbe, "40 Years, One hour")
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT:
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There are actually 7 Rashis. We have only developed 4.
The remaining Rashis discuss the MEANINGS of words. We
will present these tomorrow.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#