align-20


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 GOALS
=====
This module studies the ALIGNMENT method in Rashi. In this
method 2 different verses are found to be ALMOST the same.
The verses are lined up and the minor differences between
them function as footnotes illuminating the text.


TODAYS UNIT
===========
In todays unit we align 2 verses dealing with
Gods promise to help Moses in a war. We also have an
opportunity to see how far-fetched Midrashim can be
defended.


REFERENCE:
=========
Todays unit comes from the following posting

http://www.RashiYomi.Com/dt03-02a.htm


#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#



ALIGNMENT OF TWO VERSES ON BLESSINGS IN WAR
 

EXAMPLE 41: Dt03-02a Moses needed an extra merit in one war

BACKGROUND
----------
The Torah describes several wars that Moses fought against
foreign kings.

THE TEXT
--------
In several wars God promises to GIVE TO THE JEWS the nations
they were fighting.  But in one war God adds an extra phrase
DONT BE AFRAID MOSES and then continues  --
I have given you their nation.

THE RASHI
---------
From the extra phrase Rashi DONT BE AFRAID Rashi suggests Moses
was afraid because of the extra merits that one of these
kings had. Let us review the list and see how Rashi/Chazal
infer this. We will also see a wild conjecture on WHAT
this merit was and defend it.

Here is the LIST
VERSE PHRASE1 PHRASE2 PHRASE3

Dt02-31 And God said ----- *2 ----- I give you SICHON
Dt03-02 And God said DON'T FEAR HIM I give you OG
Differs *1 *2 *3

COMMENTS

*1 These phrases are identical

*2 Note that by OG God says DONT FEAR HIM, a phrase which is
   absent by SICHON. We infer that OG had an extra merit to
   protect him in war and therefore Moses needed an extra
   blessing to protect him.

   So far so good. Now comes a conjecture as to what that
   EXTRA MERIT that OG had was. This conjecture is explicitly
   stated and given in footnote *4.

*3 Clearly Dt02-31 refers to the war with SICHON while
   Dt03-02 refers to the war with OG. Hence the difference

*4 CONJECTURE:(Rashi on Gn14-13a)
   -----------------------------------------------------------
   OG did Abraham a favor. He told him that his Nephew Lot had
   been captured. This enabled Abraham to form a raid and save
   him. Since OG did this favor to Abraham therefore its merit
   might protect him in war: Hence God gave Moses an extra
   blessing in the war against him.
   -----------------------------------------------------------

   This CONJECTURE cannot be proven. But it can be made
   semi-plausible by comparing the following 4 verses
   -------------------------------------------------------
     * Gn14-05 And they smote the REFAIM
     * Gn14-13 And the SURVIVOR came and told Abraham
                   that his nephew was captured
     * Dt03-11 OG, AT THE VERY LEAST survived the Refamim
     * Gn06-02 And the Sons of Judges/Powerful people
                    came and snatched girls
   -------------------------------------------------------

   The logic is not straightforward. From the first 2 verses
   we learn that A SURVIVOR OF THE REFAIM NATION came and
   did the favor of telling Abraham that his nephew was caught

   But from Dt03-11 we see that KING OG is identified as AT
   THE VERY LEAST SURVIVING THE REFAIM NATION (which had been
   conquered in Gn14-05)

   Hence our sages conclude that
   --OG was the survivor that Told Abraham about Lot
   --OG probably survived the flood (Since the verse says OG
     AT THE VERY LEAST SURVIVED the Refaim).

   Finally from Gn06-02 which speaks about the custom of
   pre-flood people of snatching women, Chazal conjecture
   that the reason that Og (who was wicked) did Abraham the
   favor of telling him that Lot was captured was so that
   Abraham would go to war, die, and then Og could marry
   the beautiful Sarah, Abrahams wife.

   (This conjecture need not concern us now since the main
   point is that OG survived the REFAIM war in Gn14-05 and
   he is the survivor who did Abraham a favor. Our strong
   argument for this is based on the translation of Dt03-11
   as OG, AT THE VERY LEAST SURVIVED THE REFAIM. The translation
   of the Hebrew word RAK as AT THE VERY LEAST is based on
   posting http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn20-11a.htm)



#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#

ALIGNMENT OF TWO VERSES ON BLESSINGS IN WAR
EXAMPLE 41: Dt03-02a Moses needed an extra merit in one war BACKGROUND ---------- The Torah describes several wars that Moses fought against foreign kings. THE TEXT -------- In several wars God promises to GIVE TO THE JEWS the nations they were fighting. But in one war God adds an extra phrase DONT BE AFRAID MOSES and then continues -- I have given you their nation. THE RASHI --------- From the extra phrase Rashi DONT BE AFRAID Rashi suggests Moses was afraid because of the extra merits that one of these kings had. Let us review the list and see how Rashi/Chazal infer this. We will also see a wild conjecture on WHAT this merit was and defend it. Here is the LIST
VERSE	PHRASE1	PHRASE2	PHRASE3
Dt02-31	And God said	----- *2 -----	I give you SICHON
Dt03-02	And God said	DON'T FEAR HIM	I give you OG
Differs	*1	*2	*3

COMMENTS
1 These phrases are identical 2 Note that by OG God says DONT FEAR HIM, a phrase which is absent by SICHON. We infer that OG had an extra merit to protect him in war and therefore Moses needed an extra blessing to protect him. So far so good. Now comes a conjecture as to what that EXTRA MERIT that OG had was. This conjecture is explicitly stated and given in footnote 4. 3 Clearly Dt02-31 refers to the war with SICHON while Dt03-02 refers to the war with OG. Hence the difference 4 CONJECTURE:(Rashi on Gn14-13a) ----------------------------------------------------------- OG did Abraham a favor. He told him that his Nephew Lot had been captured. This enabled Abraham to form a raid and save him. Since OG did this favor to Abraham therefore its merit might protect him in war: Hence God gave Moses an extra blessing in the war against him. ----------------------------------------------------------- This CONJECTURE cannot be proven. But it can be made semi-plausible by comparing the following 4 verses ------------------------------------------------------- Gn14-05 And they smote the REFAIM * Gn14-13 And the SURVIVOR came and told Abraham that his nephew was captured * Dt03-11 OG, AT THE VERY LEAST survived the Refamim * Gn06-02 And the Sons of Judges/Powerful people came and snatched girls ------------------------------------------------------- The logic is not straightforward. From the first 2 verses we learn that A SURVIVOR OF THE REFAIM NATION came and did the favor of telling Abraham that his nephew was caught But from Dt03-11 we see that KING OG is identified as AT THE VERY LEAST SURVIVING THE REFAIM NATION (which had been conquered in Gn14-05) Hence our sages conclude that --OG was the survivor that Told Abraham about Lot --OG probably survived the flood (Since the verse says OG AT THE VERY LEAST SURVIVED the Refaim). Finally from Gn06-02 which speaks about the custom of pre-flood people of snatching women, Chazal conjecture that the reason that Og (who was wicked) did Abraham the favor of telling him that Lot was captured was so that Abraham would go to war, die, and then Og could marry the beautiful Sarah, Abrahams wife. (This conjecture need not concern us now since the main point is that OG survived the REFAIM war in Gn14-05 and he is the survivor who did Abraham a favor. Our strong argument for this is based on the translation of Dt03-11 as OG, AT THE VERY LEAST SURVIVED THE REFAIM. The translation of the Hebrew word RAK as AT THE VERY LEAST is based on posting http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn20-11a.htm)