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VERSE: Dt04-41a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt04-41a Dt05-04a
========================= Dt04-41a ==============================
SUCCINT SUMMARY:
----------------
One of Rashis 10 main goals is the explanation of grammar
similar to the explanations we find in modern textbooks. We
call this the Rashi rule of GRAMMAR.
In todays posting we deal with the grammatical rules
governing DEVELOPMENT in paragraphs and chapters: Given
a paragraph or chapter THEME, what types of sentences can
exist in that paragraph or chapter and what are their
relations to the central theme? We call this the rashi
subrule of CONSECUTIVE PARAGRAPHS.
Rashi knew 3 means of relating consecutive sentences or
consecutive paragraphs in a paragraph or chapter:
- CAUSE, ENABLEMENT
- CONTRAST
- UNIFYING THEME.
Today we study the CONTRASTIVE submethod.
EXAMPLE 1 Dt04-41a
----------------
Dt03-23 -- Dt04-41a consists of 3 paragraphs
--------------------------------------------------
Dt03-23:29 -- Moses' request to enter Israel refused
Dt04 -------- Moses exhorts the Jewish people
Dt04-41 ----- Moses sets aside refuge cities.
Before continuing we note that the refuge cities
were prison cities granting asylum to negligent
murderers who feared retaliation from vengeful relatives.
By law the 6 refuge cities became operational as a unit
of 6; that is no refuge city granted asylum till all of
them did.
Rashi sees these paragraphs as CONTRASTIVE
------------------------------------------
- DESPITE the fact that Moses was about to die
- NEVERTHELESS he set aside refuge cities
which would not become operational till
after his death.
Moses thereby affirmed the great value of
performance of Divine commandments for their
own sake even if not visible benefit is present
------------------------------------------
LIST061b below presents several Rashis exhibiting CONTRAST
between verses.
EXAMPLE 2: Dt05-24a
-------------------
Two sentences of paragraph Dt04-01:05....
exhibit a CONTRASTIVE THEME
---------------------------------------------------
...God made a TREATY with us in Horeb
--NOT with our fathers did he make this treaty
--BUT with us
--God spoke to us FACE to FACE
---------------------------------------------------
Rashi comments show the CONTRASTIVE theme
-----------------------------------------
-- If your FATHERS said they saw God you would
have doubt...maybe there is exaggeration
-- But God spoke to you FACE to FACE---consequently
you have no doubt
-----------------------------------------
================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =======================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: GRAMMAR
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS: CONSECUTIVE CHAPTERS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #9
SEE BELOW LIST061b
A list of paragraphs having a CONTRASTING connection
================================================================
======================== LIST061b =================================
A list of paragraphs having a CONTRASTING connection
===================================================================
# VERSE TOPIC IN 1st CHAPTER TOPIC IN 2nd CHAPTER
==== ========== ======================== ==========================
(--) Dt04-41a Moses will die Moses sets 3 refuge cities
(--) Dt05-04a Parents didnt see God You personally heard God
(--) Gn41-44b I am Pharoh=King You are Vice-King
(--) Gn25-23a Esauv HUNTER,in FIELD*11 Jacob SIMPLE,TENTS charity
(--) Nu31-03a War Midyan;THEN DIE Eager to go to war*0
(--) Lv19-30a Observe SABBATH [Even when]BUILDING TEMPLE
(--) Ex18-05a Jethro comes to DESERT comes to Mount of GOD
(--) Ex04-11a Moses cant speak Moses did speak-Ex02-11:14
(--) Ex04-11b Moses afraid of Pharoh God protected Mshe-Ex02-15
(--) Gn47-25a*8 20% Tax:80% Yours Thank you...Good deal
(--) Gn42-10a JOE: You are spies BROTHERS:NO-we are not.*7
(09) Lv26-01a Being a slave to Non Jew Prohibition of Idolatry*1
(10) Dt29-12a Curses We are before God*2
(11) Lv19-03c Fear Parents Watch Sabbaths*3
(12) Dt22-12a No Shaatnez Tzitzith*4
(--) Dt09, Dt10 Jews rebel against God But God still loves Jews*5
(--) Gn31-13d I will go GENTLY You will PASS ME*6
NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi not only connects 2 paragraphs. He also connects
all Biblical paragraphs in this chapter. See
footnote *10 for further details
*2 Dt28 gives a long list of curses if the Jews violate
the commandments.
Dt29-12 says "You are all STANDING before God today" In
other words despite the curses for disobediance you are
still here before God(The implication being that no
matter how angry God gets he will not destroy you)
A further support for this theme can come from the
General-particular-General form
Dt28 GENERAL: Curses for disobediance
Dt29-12 PARTICULAR: You are standing here before God
Dt29-19 GENERAL: Curses for disobediance
Thus the General-Particular-General form shows that Gods
curses still allow us to "Stand before him"--in other
words they are educative curses not punitive.
*3 In other words (always) "Observe the Sabbaths"
DESPITE a request to the contrary "By your parents"
This can happen if eg your parents ask you to
desecrate the Sabbath. You must observe the
Sabbath even if your parents request to
the contrary.
And this can be generalized to all Torah laws(that
they take precedence over your parents request)
*4 Wear Tzitzith DESPITE the fact that they may have Shaatnez
Wool and linen together (In the priestly garments made of
Linen the Tzitzith were made of wool--thus the commandment
of Tzitzith OVERRIDES the prohibtion of wearing wool and
linen)
*5 More specifically Rashi (Dt10-12a) states
---------------------------------------------
Despite the 5 rebellions that the Jews did
against God, nevertheless, God still loves
the Jews. In fact Dt10-12 states that all
the Jews need do to earn this love is to
revere God
---------------------------------------------
*6 Rashis point is that Jacob did not ask Esauv
----------------------------
Past me and leave me behind
----------------------------
Rather Jacob suggested contrast
------------------------------------------------
- I must go at a gentle pace
- you go at a normal pace
------------------------------------------------
A logical consequence of this contrast is that
Esauv would pass Jacob and leave him behind.
*7 The full Biblical text shows two rounds of dialogs
between Moses and Joseph
The Biblical text states as follows
----------------------------------------------------
Gn42-09 1 JOE: You are Spies
Gn42-10:11 1 BROHTERS: NO(Contrast)--We are simple people
Gn42-12 2 JOE: NO(Contrast) you are spies
Gn42-13 2 BROTHERS: We are 12 sons;we came for food
----------------------------------------------------
*8 Gn47-25b and Gn47-25a both deal with the contrast of offer
vs Thank you.
*9 Rashi makes a point of the contrast
----------------------------------------
Even though he was going to die after the war
nevertheless he was eager to perform the war
--------------------------------------------
---------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------
*10
On a superficial level Rashi seems to be connecting 2
verses.
Avoid idolatry DESPITE your being a slave to a non jew
(who encourages its violation). Do not think "I will
worship idols now and when I am free I will go
back to believing in God"
On a profound level Rashi sees a unifying theme to this
whole chapter. The chapter encourages observing the
shimitah laws which encourage abstaining from agriculture
once every 7 years so that people can devote themselves
to God and study. If one violates these laws he is
progressively punished. Here is the sequence of
punishments
{LIST} {Paragraphs in BEHAR}
-------------------------------------------------------
VERSE LAW
------------ ------------------------------------------
Lv25-01:12 Observe the 7 and 50 year Land sabbaticals
Lv25-13:24 If not you will have to sell your MOVABLES
Lv25-25:28 If not you will have to sell your LAND
Lv25-29:34 If not you will have to sell your HOUSE
Lv25-35:38 If not you will have to LOAN
Lv25-39:46 If not you will have to become a SLAVE
Lv25-47:54 If not you'll become a NONJEWISH SLAVE
Lv26-01:03 If not you'll be tempted to IDOLATRY
---------------------------------------------------------
Thus Rashi does not merely teach juxtaposition of verses
but he also teaches juxtaposition of ALL paragraphs in
the chapter.
*11
Rashi comments
------------------------------------------------------
The verse CLEARLY contrasts HUNTER vs SIMPLE and
FIELDS vs TENTS. Thus the SITTING IN TENTS spoken
about here is not e.g. the tents of hunters but
rather the tents of scholars (or charity givers)
------------------------------------------------------
I have added the explanatory words [or charity givers]
to show that Rashi's point is one of CONTRAST not
one of IDENTIFICATION. Rashi literally says
-------------------------------------
TENTS refers to the tents of Shaym
alluded to in the verse Gn09-27
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
God will give beauty to Yefeth
and Yefeth will dwell in the TENTS OF SHAYM
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-------------------------------------
Presumably these are tents of either scholars
or tents of charity givers. Rashi's main
point is not the identification of WHOSE
tents Jacob dwells in but rather the
TYPES of tents that Jacob dwells in--
charity or learning tents vs hunter tents.
*12 Rashi cites Gn41-40 to support this interpretation
-------------------------------------------------
Pharoh said to Joseph; I give you power over all Egypt
But my throne shall surpass your power
-------------------------------------------------
*13 - The 6 refuge cities became operational as a unit
- That is, no refuge city gave asylum till all did
- Hence if Moses was dying his setting aside 3
cities did not have any effect
We conclude that Moses set aside the cities simply
because of religiousity and his love of performance
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---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 30 Number 14
#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 30 Number 14