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# 12 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# May 29, 2008 #
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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2008, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
The symbolic method of personification achieves
effect by treating inanimate objects as if they were alive. Hence if
we prohibit embarassing stones we are morally exhorting against the
embarassment of people. The list below presents half a dozen Rashis
focusing on the personification technique.
- Ex20-23a
discussing the prohibition of ascending the ark in steps vs. a ramp
states
Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon.
Rashi, paraphrased explains
If one, in a bathrobe, climbs a staircase vs. a ramp, then the
footsteps involved
are wider and since each step involves leg separation therefore more
nakedness is uncovered. The Torah symbolically teaches us that we
shouldn't embarass the stones by excessively uncovering our nakedness on them
The anthropomorphic
implication is that we should not embarass stones and how much more
so we should not embarass our fellow human beings.
- Nu21-09a
discussing the copper snake Moses made to cure the Jews who were
being bitten by snakes for slandering God states
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived.
Here the people looking up to the snake is a symbolic gesture
reminding them to pray to the God whom they slandered in order to
repent from their slander and thereby earn merit to be cured.
- Gn06-14a
discussing the Ark made by Noach to save the Jews
states
Make thee an ark of lava wood; with rooms shalt thou make the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Here Noah made the ark of lava wood to symbolize that
the generation of the flood would be punished with molten lava
for their sins if they did not repent.
- Ex17-11a discussing the war of the Jews and Amalayk
states
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
Here Moses raising his hands is symbolic of urging
Jews to raise their hands in prayer which is the real
reason they are winning.
- Lv20-15a
presents the punishment of a death penalty to an animal
who sleeps with a person.
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death; and ye shall slay the beast.
This symbolically affirms how
serious sexual crimes are. If we execute animals who violate
them how much more so will the people who violate sexual norms
be punished.
- Dt12-02
discussing the requirement to destroy idolatrous trees reinforces
the requirement of avoiding idolatrous people:
Ye shall surely destroy all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree.
- Ex20-22d discussing the prohibition of making an altar with steel utensils
states
And if you will make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of a cut stone; for if you lift up your tool upon it, you have polluted it.
Rashi explains: Steel is a destructive instrument; the altar by contrast is an
instrument of peace. It would hurt the altar's feelings, if after devoting so much
of its life to peace, that the altar would have to acknowledge its existence to bad
people like steel who spend their time killing. Hence to prevent the altar from
being hurt we, at the command of God, abstain from using steel on the altar.
Advanced Rashi: We revisit the Rashi on Ex20-23a
which prohibited us from embarassing stones. We can further support Rashi
as follows:
It turns out that
the Hebrew word for steps, Mem Ayin Lamed Tauv is also the
Hebrew root for fantasies.
Thus the Bible, when it prohibits using steps is also by a pun
prohibiting encouraging fantasies.
Thus we have a further reinforcement
of our moral norm.
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#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2008, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
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