Why are words REPEATED REPEATED:#7 of 14 ########################################################### # 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # Dec 31 2000 # # Rashis 488-490 Of 7800 (6.3%) # # # # # # 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 =========== In today and tomorrows unit we review two unusual cases. In one of them Rashi only states the interpretation implicitly instead of explicitly. In the other verse Rashi uses a non-standard nuance of the Hebrew root. REFERENCE: ========= Material in this module comes from a variety of postings. Please check the following items which might be a bit more lengthy. Example 13: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h6n4.htm Example 14: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h1n2.htm http://www.RashiYomi.Com/dn.htm #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* EXAMPLE 13: Dt16-20a ========== The verse, Dt16-20, says >RIGHTEOUSNESS RIGHTEOUSNESS PURSUE< Rashis treatment of this >REPETITION< is most interesting On Dt16-20a Rashi simply comments on the Repetition by saying >MAKE A NICE COURT< Such a statement is >NON-SPECIFIC< since it doesnt tell us how to be >NICE<. However an explicit statement of this >NICENESS< occurs in Rambam, Sanhedrin Chapter 11, Paragraph 1: Rambam explicitly gives a law which would nicely follow from the REPEATED word ---------------------------------------------------------------- If it had just said >PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS< I would interpret it to mean that we should see to it that courts acquit >RIGHTEOUS< people. However the repeated word suggests an interpretation with a NON STANDARD NUANCE of pursueing rigtheousness--Here is the law: If you accidentally acquit a guilty person do NOT retry him but rather pursue righteousness and let the acquital(of the guilty person) be upheld ---------------------------------------------------------------- In summary >RIGHTEOUSNESS RIGHTEOUSNESS PURSUE< means pursue righteousness even when it happens accidentally(that is even when you acquit a guilty person by accident). Rashi however simply says >be a NICE court<. While there are difficulties with Rashis language I think the above interpretation consistent with the way we have been treating >REPEATED WORDS< EXAMPLE 14: Gn39-11b ========== BACKGROUND ---------- The Bible is discussing the attempted seduction of Joseph by his masters wife. Gn39-11 says VERSE ----- ---------------------------------------------------------------- And she grabbed him by his >CLOTHING< saying SLEEP WITH ME and he left his >CLOTHING< in her hand and ran out ---------------------------------------------------------------- THE REPEATED WORD ----------------- It could have just said >And he left IT in her hand and ran out< Indeed, the rules of style REQUIRE that a second repeated noun be referenced by a pronoun. NON STANDARD NUANCE ------------------- The Midrashs way of dealing with the repetition is to give a NON-STANDARD-TRANSLATION of the Hebrew word >Beth-Gimel-Dalet< which can mean both GARMENT and DOUBLE-CROSS. Hence the Midrash translates the verse as follows ---------------------------------------------------------------- And she grabbed him as he was >DOUBLE CROSSING(his religion)< saying SLEEP WITH ME and he left his >CLOTHING< in her hand and ran out ---------------------------------------------------------------- In other words there is a strong opinion in the Midrash that Joseph had actually planned to sin with her (After all he was a teenager, his brothers had tried to murder him, his brothers actually sold him into slavery, & his masters wife had been playing with him---here was his perfect opportunity to advance) Hence the verse says >And she grabbed him during his time of DOUBLE CROSSING (Since he had come into the house to sin, not to work)< COMMENT ------- As already indicated this is an unusual application of the rule of REPEATED WORDS. For we are not broadening the meaning of the word to include non-standard nuances. Rather we are broadening the word to include non-standard translations of the underlying root. #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*