#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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VERSE: Dt07-07a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt07-07a Dt07-07b Dt11-23b Dt09-01a
Dt11-14a Dt11-23a
==================== CONTRADICTIONS =============================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
-------------------
Rashi compares contradition in nuance between Dt07-07,DT07-23
------------------------------------------------------------
Dt07-07 God did not chose you because of your BIG POPULATION;
rather the Jews are the SMALLEST among nations
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----------------------------------------------------------
Dt07-23 God will help you conquer nations MIGHTER than you
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Rashi resolves the contradiction by stretching meaning:
Jews are SMALL in NUMBER but GREAT in STRENGTH/HUMILITY
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TODAYS RASHI RULE: RABBI ISHMAEL
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: MEANING
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RULE and SUBRULE
-----------------------------------------
Very frequently 2 Biblical verses appear to contradict each
other. There are 5 ways to resolve these conflicts. The resolved
contradictions are considered the meaning of the text. In the
reference below we outline 5 methods of resolving contradiction:
The two verses can be speaking about
-- 2 DIFFERENT ASPECTS of the same item
-- 2 DIFFERENT STAGES of the same process
-- BROAD vs RESTRICTIVE meaning of a word
-- 2 DIFFERENT MODALITIES of the same law(MAY vs MUST)
-- 2 etymologies of the same word
The standard example clearly illustrates this. The method
of contradiction is one of the 13 basic style rules presented
by Rabbi Ishmael
STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
Compare the following two verses
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Dt15-17 ...And the slave shall work FOREVER
Lv25-10 ...And the slave shall work till the JUBILEE
----------------------------------------------------
EXERCISES:
----------
- Can you see the contradiction?
- Can you resolve this contradiction by twisting the
meaning of one of the words
RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
- The contradiction lies in the CAP words. Does the
slave WORK FOREVER or till the JUBILEE
- Quite simple we can translate FOREVER restrictively
to mean a LONG TIME instead of literally FOREVER.
Then the 2 verses -- requiring working till JUBILEE
and A LONG TIME--complement each other.
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ri-14.htm
Or you can visit the old Rashi calendar at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/calendar1.htm
The 14-set Rabbi Ishmael series occurs at
the bottom since the Daily Rashi series BEGAN with
the Rabbi Ishmael series in Mar-May 2000.
Read these original Daily Rashi postings and
become inspired by the Daily Rashi idea.
HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use the LIST below for school projects.
Here is how, if you are a teacher then you
can present the two verses in the first two columns
of each row.
The student is then instructed to perform the two
exercises listed above--
-- find the contradictions and
-- try and resolve them thru twisting the words
The students solution can then be compared with Rashis.
This leads to greater appreciation of Rashi.
TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
We bring the examples from the above reference where
contradiction is resolved by TWISTING MEANING (BROAD
or RESTRICTIVE). We add at the bottom the verses in
todays posting. Further details are brought in the
footnotes.
=================================================================
VERSE-1 VERSE-2 WHY 2 HOW THE TWO TEXTS ARE COMBINED
======= ======= ======= =========================================
Dt15-17 Lv25-10 Meaning Slaves work FOREVER=A LONG TIME=TILL 50
Lv07-09 Lv07-10 Meaning The PRIEST=PRIESTs DIVISION,get sacrifice
Lv04-03 Lv04-03 Meaning Young ADULT Bullock= BEGINNING ADULTHOOD
Dt07-07 Dt11-23 Meaning Jews are SMALL in #;GREAT in STRENGTH*10
Dt07-07 Dt09-01 Meaning Jews are SMALL in #;GREAT in STRENGTH*11
NOTES
-----
---------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ------------------------
*10 We make three points here.
FIRST POINT
-----------
The verse never says that the Jews are strong. Rather the
verse states
-----------------------------------------
you will conquer nations GREATER than you
-----------------------------------------
Rashi however points out
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What is the point of saying GREATER THAN YOU
unless the Jews were themselves GREAT (so
that other nations might be GREATER). You
would not praise a great nation as being
GREATER THAN SOME WEAK NATION
-----------------------------------------------
Thus Rashi points out that we may legitimately infer
that the JEwS ARE GREAT from the phrase CONQUER
NATIONS GREATER THAN YOU
SECOND POINT
------------
The next point deals with the difference between
PSHAT and DERASH (SIMPLY MEANING vs HOMILETIC MEANING)
Dt07-07 states
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Not from your BIGNESS from all nations did God chose you
Because you are the SMALLEST of all nations
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The SIMPLE MEANING of this VERSE BY ITSELF is that
- the JEWS are SMALL IN SIZE
- God therefore did not chose them because of BIGNESS
The reason Rashi deviates from the simple meaning of
the text is because THERE IS ANOTHER VERSE which
thru contradiction DEMANDS that the simple meaning
(by itself) be overridden.
Dt09-01 and Dt11-23 both speak about
------------------------------------------------------
the Jews conquering nations GREATER & STRONGER THAN THEM
-------------------------------------------------------
Rashi points out that the phrase STRONGER THAN YOU
implies that the Jews themselves must have STRENGTH
(Otherwise why compare great nations to weaklings).
THis other verse creates a CONTEXT---the CONTEXT of
the Torah states that Jews are STRONG. Therefore
-- Jews are not SMALL in STRENGTH
-- Jews may be small in NUMBERS but since they are
great in strength there is no real reason to
point this out
Now we understand Rashi. In context
-- SMALL in NUMBERS
-- SMALL in strength
have no relevance.
So Rashi selects a meaning of SMALL that is consistent with
context
-- SMALL in SELF EVALUATION --humble.
I think the above analysis clearly shows the difference
between meaning BY ITSELF and meaning IN CONTEXT. I also
think it shows that the meaning in context is the INTENDED
meaning of the text.
THE THIRD POINT
---------------
I have defended the Rashis on Dt07-07a using Rabbi Ishmaels
contradiction methods. Rashi finds further support for
his interpretation of Dt07-07a using the method of
SUPPORTIVE VERSES I can also find support using the method
of similar words.
SUPPORTIVE VERSES: Rashi presents the following list
showing lack of humility among non-jews vs humility
in Jews
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VERSE TEXT OF VERSE SHOWING LACK OF HUMILITY
----------- -------------------------------------------
Gn18-27 I am dust and ashes (Abraham)
Ex16-08 Who are we (Moses and AAron)
----------- -------------------------------------------
Isa14-14 I am like a God (Nevuchadnesar)
Isa36-20 What god can defeat me (Sancheriv)
----------- -------------------------------------------
SIMILAR WORDS: We give below words which simultaneously
denote PHYSICAL vs SPIRITUAL bigness. The point here
is not that small DOES mean humble but rather that
small CAN mean humble (and hence the method of
contradictory verses may require a non-standard
translation)
--------------------------------------------------------
WORD PHYSICAL MEANING NON-PHYSICAL MEANING
---------- ------------------------ --------------------
SMALL LITTLE HUMBLE
BIG eg. TALL POLITICALLY IMPORTANT
SMALLEST LITTLE IMMATURE(Gn09-24a)
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=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: RabbiIshmael
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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 14 Number 22
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 14 Number 22