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VERSE: Dt01-01c

RASHIS COVERED: Dt01-01c Dt01-01d Dt01-01e Dt01-01f
                Dt01-01f Dt01-01g Dt01-01g Dt01-01h


====== RASHI CROSS REFERENCES PLACES OF JEWISH COMPLAINT =======

 BACKGROUND
 ----------
 The first dozen chapters of Deuteronomy, containing Moses
 fairwell message, review the trials and complaints of the Jews
 in their 40-year travel as well as various rebukes that Moses
 performed.

 THE RASHI
 ---------
 In this verse, Dt01-01, Moses lists 7 places of complaint.

 In therefore seems natural to compile a Biblical LIST of places
 where the Jews complained. We found 12 such places in the
 Torah*10.

 It seems natural to try to pair up these 2 lists:
 ---the list of 7 places mentioned in Dt01-01
 ---the actual list of 12 Biblical places where they complained
 This is what Rashi does on this verse. The Technique use is
 called the technique of OTHER VERSES

 THE LIST
 --------
 Here is the LIST with 4 columns
 --the PLACE mentioned in Dt01-01
 --the cross reference (Book,Chapter) we are LINKING IT TO
 --HOW THE LINK is established (e.g. Same name,keyword etc)
 --A brief description of the NATURE of the COMPLAINT

================================================================
Place in Dt01-01 HOW LINK? Linked Place  Nature of Complaint
================ ========= ============= =======================
Desert           Deserts   Ex16-23:26    Water complaints*1
Plains           Same name Nu25-01-26:03 Promiscuity*2
Reed Sea*3       Same name Ex14-09:13    Vulnerability concern
Paran            Same Name Nu12:16-13:17 Spy murmers
Secondary&White  Unknown   Nu11-01:06    (White)Mon murmur?*4
Chatzayroth*5    Same Name Nu12:35-13:16 Miriam slanders Moses
Alot-of-Gold*6   Gold      Ex32-01:06    Sin of GOLDEN calf

NOTES
=====
*1 Actually there are 2-3 DESERTS that the Jews went thru
   where there were complaints about water. They are
   -----------------------------------------------------
   The Shur Desert   Ex16-23:26
   The Tzin Desert   Nu20-01:08
   Refidim           Ex17-01:07 (No mention of desert)
   -----------------------------------------------------

   Thus DESERT refers to the DESERT THEME of no water.*11

*2 Technically (Nu25-01) the promiscuity with the
   Moabites happened in a place named SHITTIM. But as
   is clear from Nu26, the Jews were in the PLAINS OF
   MOAB (so that SHITTIM was a city in these PLAINS)
   This makes sense since the sinning happened with
   MOABITE women.

*3 As Rashi points out there were two incidents
   by the Reed sea:
   ---------------------------------------------
   Ex14-09:13   Worried about Egyptian persual
   Nu21-04:08   Complaining about monotony of Mon
   ---------------------------------------------

   The common denominator is that by the Reed sea
   the Jews were on TRAVEL status -- they were
   vulnerable (like any traveler) and they
   complained about the monotony (no variety of
   foods).

*4 The suggestion made is that SECONDARY & WHITE
   refers to the complaint in Nu11-01:06 in which
   the Jews complained about the WHITE Manna and
   demanded SECONDARY FOODS (Like onions, cucumbers
   scallions etc). While this is a conjectural
   association. there is a justification for using
   it. Please see footnote*12

*5 The straightforward meaning of the  text is that
   the COMPLAINT OF CHATZAYROTH refers to the incident
   that happened at CHATZAYROTH, the slander of Moses
   by Miriam. For other comments made by Rashi see
   footnote *13

*6 The other words in Dt01-01 are linked to verses that
   mention the SAME PLACE. By contrast, the phrase
   ALOT-OF-GOLD clearly, while not the name of a place,
   refers to the sin of the GOLDen Calf. Thus the LINK
   takes place using a KEYWORD.


 ------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------

*10 Reviewing the entire Torah I found 12 complaint
    incidents. Each of them is linked to one of the
    places in Dt01-01. The 12 complaint incidents
    are

    ---------------------------------------------------------
    Ex14-09:13    Reed Sea    Jews worry about Egypts pursual
    Ex16-23:26    Shur Desert Jews complain about water
    Ex17-01:07    Refidim     Jews complain about water
    Ex32-01:06                Worship of the Golden calf
    Nu11-01:06    Taavah      Jews want normal meals(vs monna)
    Nu12:35-12:16 Chatzayroth Miriam slanders Moses
    Nu12:16-13:17 Paran       The spy incident
    Nu16-01:17-08             The Korach rebellion
    Nu20-01:08    Tzin Desert Complaints about water
    Nu21-04:08    Reed Sea    Complaints about Monna food
    Nu25-01:26-03 Moab Plains Promiscuity with Moabitesses
    ---------------------------------------------------------

*11 As Rashi points out, in Dt01-01 the Jews were in the
    Plains of Moab (referenced several times in Nu26-Nu35)
    not in a desert. Hence Rashi interprets Dt01-01 as
    -----------------------------------------------------
    These are the rebukes that Moses spoke to the Jews
    ABOUT Desert matters, ABOUT the Plains incident...
    -----------------------------------------------------

*12 The purpose of this footnote is to clearly explain
    Rashis methodology in using a conjectural association
    to explain the obscure phrase SECONDARY & WHITE.
    I emphasize that Rashi DOES NOT MAKE DERASHOTH. So
    we MUST clearly explain this methodology here.

   FIRST: The other six names in Dt01-01 refer either
   --------------------------------------------------
   --to clear places(eg Paran) where complaints happened
   --to objects (eg GOLDEN calf) used in the rebellion
   --------------------------------------------------

   The Hebrew words in Dt01-01 TOFEL VLABAN(Secondary&White)
   --------------------------------------------------
   --dont refer to ANY known place in the Bible
   --dont seem to have any reasonable meaning
   --------------------------------------------------

   As mentioned above, Rashi interprets SECONDARY&WHITE
   to refer to the Complaints about the WHITE MONNA
   and the demand for SECONDARY FOOD (Like scallions...)

   Ordinarily we would NOT interpret an obscure
   phrase with a conjectural association. However because
   of the LIST, because there are 6 other places with
   clear meaning, therefore, we are justified in
   attempting to salvage this phrase also. It is the
   LIST which justifies Rashi indicating conjectures
   This reliance on the LIST to justify the interpretation
   of obscure Biblical phrases is an important Rashi
   principle.

*13 Shockingly Rashi states that Chatzayroth refers to
   -------------------------------------------------
   The slander of Moses by Miriam
   The Korach rebellion!?!?!?
   -------------------------------------------------
   We DO find an explicit mention that Miriam
   slandered Moses at Chatzayroth. We DO NOT find
   an explicit mention of Chatzayroth by Korach.

   In fact there are many problems with attributing
   the Korach incident to happening in Chatzayroth!

   But if we follow RASHIS methodology everything
   becomes simple. The 7 places mentioned in Dt01-01
   all refer to DISTINCT POINTS OF COMPLAINT
   Here are the concepts associated with each place
   ------------------------------------------------
   DESERT    is associated with  WATER complaints
   PLAINS    are associated with PROMISCUITY
   REED SEA  is associated with  TRAVEL STATUS
   PARAN     is associated with  POLITICAL FEARS
   2ND&WHITE is associated with  FOOD COMPLAINTS
   CHTZYRTH  is associated with  SLANDER OF MOSES
   LOTS GOLD is associated with  IDOLATRY
   -----------------------------------------------

   In other words there are 7 types of things
   people complain about--food (Water), sexual
   restrictions, being in travel status(vulnerable)
   fear of nations/other entities, wanting food
   luxuries, slandering prophecy(Moses) and
   religion.

   If we accept this idea of association with concepts
   then KORACH performed the SAME SIN that Miriam
   did in Chatzayroth---he slandered prophecy and
   challenged Moses authority.

   The only question remains is why Rashi brought
   this generalization here: The sifsay chachamim
   answers this: Rashi brought it here because
   all the other items in the Dt01-01 were NATIONAL
   COMPLAINTS while Miriam was a sin of an
   INDIVIDUAL. Hence Rashi thought it proper to
   Generalize it.

   But on a first reading Rashi would
   agree that Chatzayroth refers to Miriams sin.
================================================================

RASHI RULE USED: OTHER VERSES
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 11 Number 1


#*#*#*#*#  (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 11 Number 1