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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
VERSE: Nu22-29b
RASHIS COVERED: Nu22-29b Nu22-34b Nu22-04a Nu22-22b
Nu22-29b
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


One of Rashis 10 major methods is the CONTRADICTION method.
Rashi had 3 methods to resolve CONTRADICTORY BIBLICAL TEXTS
- the two texts reflect 2 STAGES on 1 process
- the two texts reflect 2 ASPECTS of 1 state
- the two texts use BROAD-LITERAL interpretation

EXAMPLE 1: Nu22-04a MOAB enemies of MIDYAN
-------------------------------------------
Nu22-04a states that
----------------------------------
Moab sent emissaries to Midyan to request help
from what they perceived as a Jewish threat
----------------------------------

But Gn36-35 speaks about the
------------------------
WAR in the field of MOAB
------------------------

Rashi resolves this using the principle of STAGES
1) Initially MOAB and MIDYAN were enemies
2) To combat the Jews they overcame their hatred


EXAMPLE 2: Nu22-22b HARASS to PROTECT
-------------------------------------
Nu22-22 states
-----------------------------------
The Angel went down to HARASS him
because he was going to curse with
Moab to curse the Jews
-----------------------------------


But Nu22-33:34 states
---------------------------------
Bilam stated I didnt know an Angel
opposed me; if it is wrong to curse
the Jews I will not go
---------------------------------

Rashi resolves this also using the
principle of stages
1) Initially the Angel HARASSED him
2) His goal was to HARASS him to
prevent him from going to SIN

So even though he used harassment as
an instrument his goal was MERCY(prevention
of sin)

EXAMPLE 3: Nu22-34a KNOWS GOD (LIAR!)
-------------------------------------
In Nu22-34a Bilam states
-----------------------------------
I didnt know you (Angel) were in
the path (But my donkey did know)
-----------------------------------

But Comically, in Nu24-16 Bilam states
--------------------------------------
The person who knows the thoughts of God
--------------------------------------

Rashi comments on this comic contrast
- He knows the thoughts of God
- But doesnt know what his donkey knows!

In other words Rashi resolves this contradiction
thru interpreting the two texts with different
degrees of literal-broadness
- Nu22-34 Bilam didnt know is interpreted literally
- Nu24-16 Bilam knows God is interpreted as a lie

This resolves the contradiction. A more technical
description of this contradiction is IRONY which
is a common literary technique.

EXAMPLE 4: Nu22-29b HIRED TO KILL BY CURSE!
-------------------------------------------
A similar interpretation by irony resolves
the following two contradictory verses

- In Nu22-05:06 Balak requests Bilam to
kill the JEWS BY CURSE
----------------------------------
Please curse this nation this nation
that I may expel them from my land
----------------------------------

- But in Nu22-29 Bilam states, while
angry at his donkey
-------------------------------------
You (Donkey) sported with me;
if I had a sword I would kill you
-------------------------------------

Rashi comments on the irony
-------------------------------------
- His donkey he can only kill with a sword
- but he is hired to kill the Jewish people
by curse
-------------------------------------

Again the irony is resolved using stages
- we give a literal interpretation to the
statement that (only) if he had a sword
he would kill his donkey
- we give a wishful interpretation to
the desire to kill the Jews by cursing.

LIST530a gives examples of CONTRADICTIONS resolved thru 2 stages
LIST520a gives examples of CONTRADICTIONS resolved thru BROAD
LITERAL
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: CONTRADICTION
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS TWO-STAGES
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #15
SEE BELOW LIST530a
Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
---------------------- ---------------------------------
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS BROAD-LITERAL
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #17
SEE BELOW LIST520a
A list of verse pairs with BROAD-LITERAL usage
LIST520a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

A list of verse pairs    with BROAD-LITERAL usage
VERSE-1 VERSE-2 HOW THE TWO TEXTS ARE COMBINED
Nu22-34a Nu24-16 Claimed to know God but donkey knew more*4
Nu22-29b Nu22-05 Asked to curse Jews but cant kill donkey*3
Lv07-19c Dt12-27 All PURE PEOPLE whom the owner DESIGNATESeat
Lv06-22a Lv06-19 All MALE PRIESTS who COULD OFFER may eat*2
Ex21-06 Lv25-10 Slave works FOREVER = Till 50th Jubilee year
Ex11-08a Ex12-30 Your SERVANTS=ROYAL PRESENCE shall expel me
Ex12-19a Ex13-07 Prohibits bread in your HOUSE/BORDERS=DOMAIN
Dt15-17 Lv25-10 Slaves work FOREVER=A LONG TIME=TILL JUBILEE
Lv07-09 Lv07-10 The PRIEST=DIVSION OF PRIEST,gets sacrifice
Lv04-03 Lv04-03 A Young ADULT Bullock = BEGINNING ADULTHOOD
Lv10-02 Lv10-05 Died from FIRE=SPIRITUAL FIRE*1
COMMENTS
*1 Hence the fire did not burn their clothes
The idea that the FIRES mentioned in Dt05
or Ex20 was the FIRE OF PROPHECY vs REAL
FIRE is supported by many verses and
themes (Dt05-21). There are other Biblical
supports for this idea but this will suffice
for now.*10

*2 Also echoed in Rashi Lv07-07b (OFFERING PRIEST
means PRIESTS WHO COULD OFFER)

*3 Thus the request to kill the Jews is seen as a WISH
(BROAD interpretation)not as something real

*4 That Bilam didnt know what his donkey knew is
interpreted literally. That he claimed to know
Gods thoughts is considered a LIE(Broad, non-
literal interpretation).

LONGER FOOTNOTES
*10 It does not detract from the greatness of the
miracle of revelation that the FIRE means FIRE
OF PROPHECY.

For Judaism does not view Gods greatness in His
ability to make a mountain smoke with Fire.

Rather Judaism views Gods greatness in His
ability to make people burn with Spiritual Prophecy

#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#