LIST106f
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-03
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Paragraph structure of Dt22-02.
There are 4 separate SENTENCES*1 each introduced by a verb
These indicate 4 separate requirements in returning lost items
Dt22-02 deals with the case where you find a lost object
but dont know (yet) where the owner is.What should you do
with the lost object
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SENTENCE
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EMPHASIS OF SENTENCE*10
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KEEP the object in your house
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Watcher becomes PAID GUARD*1
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IT WILL be with you
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Do maintenance actions*2
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UNTIL the owner SEEKS it
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Owner must give clear signs*3
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THEN RETURN IT
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Net value of return is positive*4
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COMMENTS
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*1 KEEP IN HOUSE denotes SAFE-KEEPING. In fact the watcher
of a lost object (according to Jewish law) has the
status of a PAID WATCHER (Since he has to watch the
object he becomes exempt from communal obligations and
therefore is getting PAID for his watching).
This is not in Rashi; but the verses implications of
GUARDING OBJECT is clear*10
*2 Another loose translation is WATCH IT AS IF IT WERE YOUR OWN
Jewish law gives examples of how to maintain objects:
For example: If it is a pan then use it in cold or hot
water in such a way as to maintain it and prevent erosion*10
*3 Verse emphasizes that OWNER MUST SEEK IT. The signs he
gives must be crystal clear This is discussed in other
Rashis
*4 Here is the catch: The verse emphasizes
- guard it in house
- it will be with you (maintenance)
But this costs money. So the nuance in the sentence
RETURN IT*10 is that the net value of return should
be positive (By law the watcher can sue owner for
maintenance costs--therefore if net value on return
is not positive there need not be a return)
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LONGER FOOTNOTES
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*10 Allow me to emphasize the point of the BULLET method
in Rashi. IF ALL THE VERSE had said was GATHER IT INTO
YOUR HOUSE I would not be justified in reading into
this verse that the watcher must guard it. That would
be picky on words and unsatisfying.
On Rashi-is-Simple we try and avoid emphasis on extra
words.
However if several WHOLE SENTENCES are extra then
we perceive them as a bulleted list. In effect the
Biblical Author has bulleted a list of requirements
It is this bulleted list that creates the emphasis
Hence we have
- Gather to house = Emphasis of Guarding
- It will be with you = emphasis of maintenance/usage
- Return it = emphasis of net positive value
Thus we are making the inferrances not from EXTRA WORDS
but rather from the BULLETED LIST which is perceived
as creating a list of requirements.
I believe such an approach makes the Rashis more
palatable.
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