LIST070a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-03
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This whole list and set
---------------- of principles is due to MALBIM
whose teachings on the simplicity of Biblical
exegesis are profound and everlasting. OUr modest
contribution is to present HIS list in tabular
FORMAT.
The list below presents verses which mix SINGULAR
and PLURAL. Here are some rough rules
RULE 1
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SINGULR(V) SINGULAR(S)--eg EACH PERSON HE MOUNTS
SINGULAR SINGULAR is used to indicate NO
commonality (Every person does it his own way)
SIMILARLY: EACH PERSON, THEY SHOULD NOT FOOL AROUND SEXUALLY
(RASHI: The verse prohibits BOTH male-fooling and
female-fooling around)
RULE 2
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PLURAL(V) SINGULAR(S) SINGULAR(DO)-eg
-- each person RETURNS to HIS inheritance
PLURAL SINGULAR SINGULAR indicates
---- a COMMON act
---- but INDIVIDUALLY done
RULE 3
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PLURAL(V) PLURAL (S)--eg THEY offer THEIR sacrifices
PLURAL PLURAL indicates a COMMUNAL act done
by the community as a whole.
There are more rules but this will suffice for now
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SINGULAR S
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PLURAL Verb
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SINGULAR OBJECT
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VERSE
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Each person
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no-fool around
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Lv18-06
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Each person
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revere parents
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Lv19-03
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Each person
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unloaded*1
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his sack
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Gn44-11
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Each person
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dreamed*1
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his dream
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Gn40-05
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Each person
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sold *1
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his field
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Gn47-20
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Each person
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gleaned*1
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his needs
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Gn16-16
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Each person
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opened *1
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his sack
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Gn44-11
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Each person
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returns*1
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to his inheritance
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Lv25-13
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-----------
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--------------
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------------------
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-------
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each person
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won-t withold
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his burial plot*2
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Gn23-06
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Each person
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if he suspects
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his wife *2
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Nu05-12
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Each person
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if he redeems
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his tenth *2
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Lv27-31
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let them
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make tzitzith
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for themselves*3
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Nu15-38
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------------------
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-------
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each person
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was blessed
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by his blessing *4
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Gn49-28c
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each person
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took
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his sword *4
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Gn34-25
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each person
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took
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his incensor*4
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Lv10-01
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------------------
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-------
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each person
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HE mounted
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his donkey *5
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Gn44-13
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------------------
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-------
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each person
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who offers
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a sacrifice
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Lv01-02
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they will
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offer
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their sacrifices*6
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Lv01-02
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------------------
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-------
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where they
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they slaughter
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the UP Offering
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Lv07-01
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(there..)
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they slaughter
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the GUILT offering
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Lv07-01
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its blood
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he spills*7
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on the altar
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Lv07-01
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COMMENTS
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*1 This PLURAL-SINGULAR is rather normal usage.
So eg EACH PERSON THEY UNLOADED THEIR SACKS
means that
- they unloaded TOGETHER (eg at the same time
or helping each other)
- but they each unloaded their individual
sacks
SEE RULE 2: The PLURAL-SINGULAR indicates
a common scope with individual differences
Hence, eg Lv18-06 EACH PERSON, THEY SHOULDNT
FOOL AROUND SEXUALLY--includes in scope
both MALE and FEMALE fooling around
*2 Note the IF and NOT. The SINGULAR SINGULAR
is appropriate. Eg IF SOMEONE SUSPECTS
HIS WIFE (It doesnt necessarily apply to
the whole group)!
Similarly NO INDIVIDUAL PERSON WILL DENY
HIS BURIAL PLOT TO YOU means that
no particular person will so deny.
*3 Malbim suggests that COMMANDS can be
stated in the plural when they apply
to everybody (that is everybody has to
make Tzitzith)
*4 So we see elements of COMMONALITY (PLURAL) and
INDIVIDUALITY (SINGULAR) in these verses.
- Each person THEY took HIS incensor
RASHI: They didnt do it as a group
The didnt consult each other
- Each person THEY took HIS sword
RASHI: They didnt do it as group
They didnt consult each other
- Each person THEY WERE BLESSED
according to THEIR blessing
RASHI: So although the blessings
were individual (eg Judah was a lion
and Naftali was a Gazelle) nevertheless
their was a commonality--that is Jacob
bless all of them as a group with
the blessings and benefits of each
individual member.
- Each person THEY should not fool around sexually
RASHI: The plural singular implies that both
male and female playing around are included*10
- Each person THEY should revere their parents
RASHI: Both MALE and FEMALE reverance are included*10
*5 Note the SINGULAR SINGULAR form---the brothers were
upset at Benjamin being framed and hence they
didnt think of each other---they EACH MOUNTED
IN THEIR OWN WAY WITHOUT ANY UNISON
*6 So the first part of the verse talks about offering
a voluntary individual offering. The 2nd part of
the verse speaks about offering a voluntary
communal offering (Hence the singular-plural)
*7 So although the verse talks about the GUILT
offering nevertheless, it makes a general
comment about COMMUNAL offerings:
- wherever ANY communal UP offering is slaughtered
- there, the GUILT offering is slaughtered
As a side inference we see that the Torah assumes
that ALL UP offerings (Individual-communal) are
offered in the NORTH
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LONGER FOOTNOTES
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*10 Actually Rashi only EXPLAINS the male-female
distinction in one of these verses, but, as is
the custom on our email group, this distinction
should be equally applied to each of the verses
- Rashi points out that men and women revere their
parents differently since women have dual obligations
(to their husbands and parents) while men tend to
have individual obligations
- The transfer to sexual prohibitions is obvious
MALE and FEMALE fooling around are distinct and
so the Torah prohibits each
Note that based on our list, this interpretation
is OBVIOUS and STRAIGHTFORWARD (Simple meaning)
Rashi on Lv18-06a lists this meaning LAST and
as our custom on this list we consider the LAST
explanation of Rashi the true one.
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