Why are words REPEATED REPEATED:#3 of 14
###########################################################
# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Dec 26 2000 #
# Rashis 481-481 Of 7800 (6.2%) #
# #
# #
# http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ #
# #
# #
# Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, #
# (c) 1999-Present, Dr. Hendel #
#Permission to reprint with this header but not for profit#
# #
# #
# #
# VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES #
# http://www.RashiYomi.Com/calendar.htm #
# #
# #
# WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS #
# #
###########################################################
OVERVIEW:
========
This module deals with Rashis which comment on verses with
>REPEATED WORDS<. The basic technique for >REPEATED WORDS<
was succinctly formulated by the MALBIM
--------------------------------------------------------
When a word is >REPEATED< unnecessarily then the
sentence with that word refers to >NON-STANDARD NUANCES<
The examples will illustrate how this is implemented
--------------------------------------------------------
TODAYS UNIT
===========
We explore half a dozen verses where the phrase >A MAN A MAN<
occurs. The basic method of interpreting this repeated phrase
is to assume that it is referring to a non-standard meaning
of >man<
This unit was started yesterday and is completed today. We
shall see a variety of methods of reinterpreting the word >man<
non standardly. In other words the only common denominator to
all the interpretations is the idea of >non-standard<
REFERENCE:
=========
Material in this module comes from a variety of postings.
Please check
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h4n23.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h4n19.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h4n13.htm Discusses Hendel vs Boncheck
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/dn.htm
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
RULE
====
>REPETITION< changes the meaning of the sentence to include
>non-standard nuances< This is the fundamental idea behind
all >REPETITION<
EXAMPLE 6: Nu05-12b (Repeated from yesterday)
===================
BACKGROUND
----------
The Bible is discussing the procedure for dealing with a
man who suspects his wife of adultery. If a women was caught
misbehaving (eg she was alone with a man after her husband
warned her not to be alone with him) then under certain
circumstances the suspected-wife ceremony applies.The Bible says
THE VERSE
---------
-------------------------------------
A >MAN MAN< whose wife is misbehaving
-------------------------------------
RASHI
-----
In the Talmud and in the Number-Rabbah Midrash there are
about half a dozen explanations of this repetition. Rashi
MENTIONS the FIRST EXPLANATION of the Number-Rabbah-Midrash
It was Rashis intention that a good teacher review ALL the
explanations. Rashi does not seem to prefer any one
explanation as >BEST<.
All the explanations have in common that the reference
is to a non-standard nuance of >MAN<. Let us review
several of the explanations. We begin with the first explanation
mentioned yesterday; we mention the other explanations today
EXPLANATION 1
-------------
>When an ABNORMAL MAN--has a misbehaving wife<
In other words, the phrase >MAN MAN< refers to a non-standard
abnormal man--that is, someone who is always jealous or always
proving his masculinity.
I might have thought that the terrifying
suspected-wife ceremony would not apply to jealous husbands
who continually suspected their wives Therefore the Bible
tells us that ALL men have the right to ask that the
ceremony be applied.
EXPLANATION 2
-------------
This is like explanation 1. The focus in explanation 2 is
MORAL vs NON-LEGAL. As we know most marriages are healthy
without accusations. The Bible simply explains WHY an accusations
and affairs pop up in a marriage---accusations and affairs pop up
because someone is misbehaving abnormally. The following cute
story is used by the Midrash to illustrate this idea
Midrash Rabbah: A man (who liked to prove his masculinity)
once seduced a woman. The woman made an arrangement to
meet him someplace to complete the affair. The woman then
told this mans wife what he agreed to. The mans wife then
dressed up as the seduced woman and had an affair with her
husband.When her husband started to feel guilty the woman
assured him that he hadnt committed a sin but had been
with his own wife. The woman explained that this happened
to him because he was behaving like a >MAN MAN< vs behaving
like a >MAN<. The man had to learn to be content with his
present marriage and one wife!
EXPLANATION 3
-------------
>When a MAN & GOD have a misbehaving wife<
In other words the repeated word >MAN< refers to both
to MAN and to GOD The adulteress woman double crosses
not only her husband but also God!
It was EXPLANATION 3 that Rashi brought down. I expressed
my opinion that he brought it down not so much because he
believed it over the other explanations but rather because
it was the 1st mentioned explanation in the Midrash. Rashi
expected a good teacher to review all the explanations. It
was as if Rashi said >Review all the explanations found in
the chapter beginning with this explanation<
EXPLANATION 4
-------------
>When a prison inmates wife is misbehaving<
In other words, the repeated word >MAN MAN< refers even
to a PRISON INMATE
I might argue that since her husband is away
and in prison (and cant warn her not to be
with other men) therefore the suspected-wife ceremony
does not apply to her. The suggestion would be that
the courts appoint people to suspect her if she has
initial improper behavior.
Interestingly, although EXPLANATION 4 is the one mentioned in
the talmud it is rejected as final law. A prison inmates
wife may not go thru the suspected wife ceremony because
her husband is not around to warn her (and we do NOT
have court appointed warners).
SUMMARY
-------
A summary of the above 4 explanations shows that they
all have in common ABNORMAL NUANCES of MAN--God,Prisoners
Abnormal (overly macho) men. Rashi in fact mentions
EXPLANATION 3---but Rashi mentions explanation 3 simply
because it is the 1st of many explanations and Rashi
expected teachers to review the rest with their students
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES
===================
There are many other verses which contain the phrase
>MAN MAN<. Although Rashi does not comment on these
the Talmud frequently does. We quickly bring 3
additional examples.These additional examples illustrate
how the fundamental idea is ABNORMALITY.
EXTRA EXAMPLE 1
---------------
Lv17-03 >A MAN MAN who slaughters sacrifices...<
The phrase >A MAN who slaughters sacrifices..< would refer
to the >USUAL< case of a MAN who slaughters sacrifices >FOR GOD<
However The phrase with the repeated word >A MAN MAN who
slaughters sacrifices...< refers even to a man who slaughters
sacrifices >FOR HIMSELF (to eat)<. (In other words the laws
of Lv17-03 apply whether the >INTENTION< of the slaughterer
was to offer sacrifices or to have a good meal.)
In summary, the repeated word >MAN MAN< refers here to a
non-standard INTENTION:a man slaughtering sacrifices to eat
EXTRA EXAMPLE 2
---------------
Lv17-08 >A MAN MAN who offers sacrifices...<
The law applies whether one >MAN< did it or whether
two men together offered it. In other words the phrase
>MAN MAN< applies not just to a man but also to a pair
of men offering together(Eg they grab the animal together
and place it on the altar together) Thus the word >MAN MAN<
refers to a >PAIR OF MEN<
EXTRA EXAMPLE 3
---------------
Lv18-06>A MAN MAN from the Jews who violates sexual prohibitions<
The verse prohibits not only Jewish MEN from sexual sin
but also prohibits >NON JEWISH MEN< from sinning with Jewish women
(the prohibition of non jewish men sinning with non jewish women
is covered by the noachide laws...this verse also prohibits jewish
relations on non jewish men).
Thus the phrase >A Jewish MAN MAN< refers to non jewish men
SUMMARY
=======
We conveniently summarize in a LIST all repeated phrases
>MAN MAN< and how Rashi the Talmud and Midrash interpret
them non-standardly.
--VERSE----------------------------NON STANDARD USE OF MAN
=================================--=======================
* a man-man------------------------an angel
* a man-man whose wife misbehaves--whether normal/abnormal man
* Jewish man man-------------------non-jewish men
* men who slaughter----------------pairs of men who slaughter
* men who offer sacrifices-TO-GOD--men who offer TO EAT
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*