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VERSE: Dt04-37b

=========================== Dt04-37b ============================

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 10 main goals is the explanation of GRAMMAR
the same way modern grammar books explain grammar. In todays
posting we review how PRONOUNS may refer to either
-the LAST MENTIONED object or person, or while
- the person or object defined by CONTEXT
These Rashis can often be stated in RIDDLE form
and given humorous delivery.

EXAMPLE Dt04-37b
----------------
We list below the text of Biblical verse
Dt04-37b along with the possible pronoun
references in CAPS.
---------------------------------------------
And because
HE loved--------------------God
YOUR fathers,---------------JEWS fathers
therefore HE chose----------GOD
their seed after HIM,-------Fathers
and brought YOU out, -------JEWS
before HIM------------------GOD or FATHERS
with HIS mighty power,------GOD
out of Egypt;
----------------------------------------------

LIST090a presents other verses where Rashi's main point is
about REFERENCE.
====================================================================
ITEM                     DETAIL
======================== ===========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS:        GRAMMARr
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      REFERENCE
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #9
SEE BELOW                LIST090a
List of verses with      2 possible references(antecedent / context)
====================================================================


====================== LIST090a ====================================
List of verses with      2 possible references(antecedent / context)
====================================================================
VERSE    TEXT: Possible References CAPPED  Who is referred to?*1
======== ================================  =========================
Ex21-22  When men fight
Ex21-22  and they attack a PREGNANT WOMAN
Ex21-22  who miscarries her CHILDREN
Ex21-22  but there is NO DEATH             No death of the woman
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Nu16-01  The following arose               '
Nu16-01  DATHAN and AVIRAM sons of Eliav   '
Nu16-01  and OHN ben Peles                 '
Nu16-01f SONS OF REUVEN                    Both OHN and DATHAN
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Nu14-07  The SPIES said:God will give land '
Nu14-09  Dont be afraid of the CANAANITES  '
Nu14-10a And the Jews wanted to stone THEM Stone the SPIES!
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Nu16-16  YOU  (Korach)                     '
Nu16-16  and your MOB                      '
Nu16-16  be before God tomorrow            '
Nu16-16a You THEM and AAron                THEM = YOUR mob*2
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Nu16-03  KORACH: Why take ALL LEADERSHIP   '
Nu16-28  MOSES:By this you will know that  '
Nu16-29a God  commanded THESE THINGS       '
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Gn23-08  Abraham: Let me deal with EPHRON  '
Gn23-09  Abraham: I-ll PURCHASE the cave   '
Gn23-09  Abraham: I-ll pay FULL PRICE      '
Gn23-11a Ephron   No                       No need to purchase*3
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Nu05-06  and HE(THIEF) descecrates God
.......  By robbing SOMEBODY(AGGRIEVED)
Nu05-06  and HE feels guilty               THIEF
Nu06-07  then HE returns the principle     THIEF
Nu06-07  and HE adds a fifth               THIEF
Nu06-07  & HE returns to the agrieved      THIEF
Nu06-08a But If HE has no relatives        AGGREIVED
Nu06-08b to return to theft to HIM         AGGREIVED
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Ex21-29  If the ox of a PERSON             OWNER
Ex21-29  kill SOMEBODY                     AGGRIEVED
Ex21-30  Let HIM                           OWNER
Ex21-30  Pay the ransom of HIS soul        OWNER or AGGRIEVED*4
-------  --------------------------------  ------------------
Dt04-37b And because
Dt04-37b HE loved                          God
Dt04-37b YOUR fathers,                     JEW'S fathers
Dt04-37b therefore HE chose                GOD
Dt04-37b their seed after HIM,             Fathers
Dt04-37b and brought YOU out,              JEWS
Dt04-37b before HIM                        GOD or FATHERS*5
Dt04-37b with HIS mighty power             GOD
Dt04-37b out of Egypt;

NOTES
-----
*1 To clarify the use of this list let us review the
   first example. The verse cites various people
   - Datan, Aviram
   - On
   The verse then says these were the sons of Reuven

   This is ambiguous.
   - Were DATAN/AVIRAM sons of Reuven
   - Was ON the son of Reuven.

   Rashi points out that ALL of them were sons of Reuven

   To clarify this we capitalize DATAN / AVIRAM / ON
   and then clarify SONS OF REUVEN. The last column
   then explains that the CAPPED  PHRASE, SONS OF REUVEN
   refers to both DATAN and AVIRAM.

*2 Note the ambiguity-- the THEM refers to YOUR MOB.

*3 Abraham made 3 requests (a)Deal with Ephron (B) pay for
   field (c) Pay full price.

   Ephrons no refers back to PAYING for the field.
   This is proven by the next phrase
   ----------------------------------------
   EPHRON: I will GIVE you the field
   ----------------------------------------

*4 The Talmud cites both views (SOUL OF AGRRIEVED/OWNER)
   without coming to a conclusion. The controversy center
   on whether
   - pronouns refer to the LAST MENTIONED NOUN (So here
     the RANSOM OF HIS SOUL refers to the OWNERS soul)

   - or do pronouns refer to whatever is defined by CONTEXT

   Since killing a slave requires paying a flat fee of 30
   units of currency (The abstract worth of slaves) it
   follows that RANSOM OF HIS SOUL would refer to the
   value of the AGGRIEVEDs soul.

*5 The verse could equally mean
   ---------------------------------------------
   God took the Jews out of Egypt BEFORE HIMSELF
   ---------------------------------------------

   Rashi could then translate this idiom as meaning
   WITH GOD LEADING. This is justified (as Rashi points
   out with an OTHER VERSE--Ex14-19.

   The verse could also mean
   -------------------------------------------------
   God took the Jews out of Egypt BEFORE THE FATHERS
   -------------------------------------------------

   This would echo the theme that God redeemed the
   Jews FOR THE SAKE of the PATRIARCHS. Again an
   OTHER VERSE justifies this...e.g. Dt09-05*10
----------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------

*10 It might be tempting to identify the referent of
    the pronoun using plurality since God is singular
    and the Patriarchs are plural.

    But as Rashi points out we can refer to a GROUP
    in the singular connoting a unified front.

    Rashi points out that in this very verse Dt04-37
    we have a SINGULAR reference to the Patriarchs
    ----------------------------------------------
    Therefore he chose you their seed after HIM
    ----------------------------------------------
    Here the word HIM refers to the Patriarchs.


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Volume 30 Number 14


#*#*#*#  (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 30 Number 14