Rabbi Ishmael Example Method:#30 of 36
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Sep 10, 2000 #
# Rashis 258-258 Of 7800 (3.3%) #
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BACKGROUND EXAMPLE
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Dt25-04a Dont muzzle an OX while threshing:
RASHI: Dont muzzle ANY ANIMAL
Lv01-02c Offer ANIMALS--Offer OXEN SHEEP
RASHI: You can **ONLY** offer OXEN and SHEEP
Dt18-03b These are the laws for those who offer sacrifices
Whether from Oxen or Sheep
RASHI: So these laws only apply to OXEN and SHEEP not to
beasts and birds
Why the difference? Why in one verse do we generalize OXEN to any
animal, while in the other verse we restrict the law to ONLY oxen
OVERVIEW
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This module (which we have called CLIMAX) deals with the rules
governing the interpretation of Biblical examples. If the Torah
for example said "Eat apple pies" how should this be interpretd?
--Should we say "Eat apple pies" means **ONLY** eat apple pies
--Should we say "Eat apple pies" means eat ANYTHING TASTY
--Should we say "Eat apple pies" means eat FRUIT pies
In other words, how do we interpret the Biblical EXAMPLE
apple pie. Here are the rules governing interpretation
of Biblical EXAMPLES---the EXAMPLES summarizing the past
month will follow.
-GRAND SUMMARY PART 2-
-IN METHOD 1 WE GENERALIZE-
METHOD 1: GENERALIZE
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EXAMPLES METHOD OF INTERPRETATION
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Eat APPLE PIES CONCLUSION: Eat ANY FOOD TREAT
Dt25-04 Dont muzzle an ox CONCLUSION: Dont muzzle ANY ANIMAL
RULE:
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Every Biblical example of a law SHOULD be generalized
(unless otherwise indicated).*1
EXAMPLES
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(1) Ex21-28a When an OX gores..then pay damages
RASHI: The law applies when ANY animal gores
The Bible used 'OX' since that was a typical animal owned
(2) Ex21-17a A FEMALE witch should not be allowed to live
RASHI: The law applies to ANY witch--male or female
The Bible used 'FEMALE' witch since most witches were
women
(3) Ex22-21a If you hurt an ORPHAN or WIDOW I(God)will punish you
RASHI: God will punish you if you cause anguish to ANY person
The Torah used 'ORPHAN/WIDOW' since these people are usually
picked on.
(4) Ex22-30b A DISEASED ANIMAL in a FIELD should not be eaten
RASHI: ALL DISEASED ANIMALS should not be eaten. The
Torah used 'diseased animals in a FIELD' because that
is typically where they are typically found
(5) Dt22-23a '..& he found her IN THE CITY & raped her...'
RASHI:The laws of rape apply even if he raped her in the
HOUSE. The Torah used 'in the CITY' because that is where
rapes typically happen
(6) Dt23-11a 'A man who is Not Pure from a NOCTURNAL emission'
RASHI: These laws apply to ANYONE who has an emission.
The Torah used 'NOCTURNAL emission' because that is the
typical time they occur.
(7) Dt13-07f When someone seduces you IN PRIVATE to worship idols
RASHI: These laws apply even if the seduction was in public
The Torah used 'IN PRIVATE' because that is the normal way
seduction takes place (steathily)
(8) Dt15-19b Don't WORK with 1stborn of OX,
Don't SHEAR 1stborn SHEEP
RASHI:It is also prohibited to WORK with the 1stborn of SHEEP
or to SHEAR the hide of an OX. But the Torah used 'WORK..OX'
and 'SHEAR..SHEEP' because this is the typical usage.
(9) Dt25-04a Don't muzzle an OX while it works
RASHI: It is prohibited to muzzle ANY ANIMAL while it works
The Torah used 'OX' because this is the typical animal owned
NOTES
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*1 This rule appears strange and contradicts the usual notion
that every 'letter and word' in the Bible has SOME meaning
Actually though Rabbi Ishmael had a dictum that
the Bible uses human style--it prefers a good example, like
"ox" to an abstract concept like "animal".
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