VERSE: Dt28-06a

RASHIS COVERED: Dt28-06a Dt28-05a Dt28-05b 4 STAGES OF BLESSINGS

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Some Rashis are not based on dictionary meaning or even grammar.
Rather they are based on the PERCEIVED CLIMACTIC STRUCTURE of
the verses. Reviewing the blessings of Dt28-02:06 we see
the following climax
- GENERAL STATEMENT: God will bless you
- 1st STAGE: Blessings in city/field------Blessings in PLACE
- 2nd STAGE: Blessings in fruit,children--Blessings in LIFE
- 3rd STAGE: Blessings in storage---------Blessings in TIME
- 4th STAGE: Blessings in this-next world-Blessings in EXISTENCE
It is the overall climactic structure that reshapes meaning

----------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:       CLIMAX
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE:    CLIMAX
----------------------------------------

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
Briefly speaking the CLIMAX rule applies when
the Bible repeats an idea in similar language
3 or more times. The CLIMAX rule views these
repeating phrases as forming a Biblical PARAGRAPH.

The CLIMAX rule first identifies the UNIFYING TOPIC
idea of this paragraph.

The CLIMAX rule then shows how this basic TOPIC idea
is DEVELOPED over a series of STAGES.

The CLIMAX rule justifies its assertions, not by
grammar or meaning, but rather by the EXPECTATION
THAT A PARAGRAPH OF REPEATING PHRASES MUST BE SHOWING
DEVELOPMENT. The grammar and meaning are at most
supportive - they are never proofs. The standard example
illustrate this.


STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
The clearest example of a CLIMAX RASHI is Dt19-11
---------------------------------------
When a person HATES his friend
and he AMBUSHES him
and CONFRONTS him
and he LETHALLY HITS HIM and he dies
...then the murderer will be tried and dies
---------------------------------------


STUDENT EXERCISES
-----------------
- Find the TOPIC IDEA (or the UNIFYING idea) in
the above 4 phrases

- Show how the list of CAPPED verbs describes
HOW IT HAPPENS--that is it shows a progression
of STAGES that naturally leads to murder.

- In describing this succession of stages you
may have to stretch the meaning of some words.
Justify this using CLIMAX

RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS:
- The TOPIC IDEA is MURDER. The above paragraph
is describing a MURDER

- The 3 stages that naturally lead to murder are
-- HATRED
-- PARANOIA-noticing every action of the hated person
-- CONFRONTATION-disagreeing with actions of the hated

When you have such a setup: Continual confrontation
coupled with a lack of privacy rooted in hatred--there
eventually erupts a fight which can lead to death.

COMMENTS: Note how we re-translate the word AMBUSH
to refer to a general atmosphere of SPYING AND NOTICING
the hated person. But AMBUSH does NOT mean SPYING and
NOTICING. That is Rashi has used POETIC LICENSE--he
has STRETCHED the meaning of the word AMBUSH to include
all spying and noticing.


The justification for this stretch of meaning is the
CLIMAX prinicple which allows and even requires us to
stretch some meanings in repeated Biblical
phrases in order that the paragraph conform to a succession
of stages. In other words, CLIMAX takes precedence over
dictionary meaning and even grammar---the need to see the
paragraph unified and developed justifies these
reinterpretations.

The understanding of this principle--that CLIMAX, not
the dictionary, justifies poetic license will help
clarify the simplicity in many Rashis.

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
A standard reference for Rashis using climax may
be found at http://www.RashiYomi.com/example9.htm

Also visit the Rashi calendar at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/calendar1.htm
The CLIMAX series was presented from Mid August 2000
to Mid September (Xampl-1 thru Xampl-22 on the
calendar).(Or directly go to
http://www.RashiYomi.com/xampl-1.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.com/xampl-2.htm....

It is summarized at Xampl-36.
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/xampl-36.htm

(NOTE: We there regard CLIMAX as an example of the
Rabbi Ishmael DETAIL-GENERAL principle. The Topic
sentence becomes the GENERAL STATEMENT (MURDER).
The phrases preceding this general statement are seen
as the DETAILS of murder (HATE, AMBUSH, CONFRONTATION).

The Rabbi Ishmael style rules require us to GENERALIZE
these details. Hence the word AMBUSH which has a
specific meaning is generalized by Rashi to refer to
any SPYING and persistent noticing. Thus Rabbi Ishmael
justifies the POETIC LICENSE used by Rashi. These are
two different perspectives describing the same thing.)

HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use the LISTS referenced above for
school projects. Here is how. If you are a
teacher then you can use the above resources
to display verses with repeating phrases.

You can then have the students do the 3 exercises
listed above:
(a) Find the Topic sentence
(b) Describe the Development in stages
(c) List deviations from standard meanings.

The students can then compare their analysis with that
of Rashis. This leads to greater appreciation of Rashi.

TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
We present the CLIMACTIC list in Dt28-02:06. Footnotes further
clarify the nature of the climax. It is the climactic nature
that justifies Rashis nuances of meaning--Rashi did not derive
these meanings from other verses or grammar--Rather Rashi
asserted these meanings because CLIMAX required them.