#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
| PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
------------------------------------------------------------
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
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
The hyperlinks only work on the main website
Volume 11 Number 1
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 11 Number 1