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VERSE: Dt12-15a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt12-04a Dt12-05a Dt12-09a Dt12-11b
Dt12-13a Dt12-17a Dt12-19a Dt12-15a
====================== Dt12-15a =======================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
Many of Rashis comments deal with dictionary meaning
or grammar. Some Rashis however deal with overall
paragraph structure.
Recall that in modern writing we use such items as
- indentation or
- a line of space
to indicate distinct paragraphs. Each paragraph
has a distinct idea. The fact that a paragraph
is a unified whole helps in reading and deciphering
it because we know that its constituent sentences
reflect the unifying theme.
EXAMPLE
-------
Dt12 has a natural 2 column 3 paragraph format.
Here is a brief overview
The first paragraph states that when the
Jews come to Israel there is to be a unique
place chosen by God where the temple will
reside and the Jews will offer sacrifices
there.
The 2nd paragraph states that while the Temple
is up(or afterwards for Jerusalem) Jews cannot
offer private personal sacrifices on their
private altars (Which everyone had in the
wilderness).
The 3rd paragraph states that just as sacrifices
can only be offered in Jerusalem (The central
temple location ) so too, the tithes and
Priest gifts and 1st born can only be eaten
there.
These 3 paragraph themes are repeated in 2
columns. The 1st column talks about the
period WHEN THE JEWS COME AND CONQUER THE
LAND -- this refers to the Temple Tent of
Shiloh which the Jews had during the 14
years of Conquest. The right hand column
however speaks about the period WHEN THE
JEWS HAVE NO MORE ENEMIES AND SECURELY
DWELL IN THEIR LAND -- this refers
to the Jerusalem Temple built by Solomon
after King David had conquered the
Philistines.
The use of formatting facilitates easy
reading of these natural groupings.
To ease exposition we will study
Dt12 over a 2 day period. Today we
start with the basic idea that
there are 2 columns one speaking
about Temple DURING CONQUEST and
the other speaking about temple
AFTER CONQUEST.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: See Torah Temimah for
an excellent and clear exposition on
the whole idea of Unique Temple vs
the personal private altars.
====================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== ===========================
RASHI RULE CLASS: BULLET/PARAGRAPHS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS BULLETS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #26
SEE BELOW LIST106a
Verses in Dt12 form 2 Column 3 paragraph format
------------------------ ---------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST106b
Verses in Dt12 form 2 Column Format
------------------------ ---------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST106c
Verse pairs in Dt12 with Do-X-but-Dont-do-Y format
------------------------ ---------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST106d
Place of Dt12-15 In 2-column 3 par format
------------------------ ---------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST106e
List of Lists connected with format Dt12
====================================================
============================== LIST106a =========================
Birds eyeview (or very short summary) of
the 2 column 3 paragraph format of Dt12
A full blown out version in given in LIST106b
=================================================================
C1 Begin C1 End C2 Begin C2 End Main Theme of the paragraphs
======== ======== ======== ======= ==============================
Dt11-31 Dt12-07 Dt12-10 Dt12-12 In Israel Only offer in Temple
Dt12-08 Dt12-09 Dt12-13 Dt12-16 No private personal altars
' ' Dt12-17 Dt12-19 No Tithe eating outside Jruslm
=================================================================
============================ LIST106b ===========================
Dt12 naturally has a 2 column 3 paragraph format
The birds eyeview of these 2 columns and 3 paragraphs
are indicated in LIST106a.
We will say more on this paragraph in the next issue
For the moment we are simply observing that the 2 columns
seem to say the same thing(Only offer offerings in Gods
chosen place).
However the left hand column talks about offering in
Gods chosen place WHEN THEY COME TO CONQUER THE LAND
while the right hand column talks about offering
in Gods chosen place AFTER THEY HAVE SECURITY.
We infer that the left hand column is talking about
the Shiloh temple (The first tent temple the Jews
had during the 14 years that the land of Israel
was being conquered) while the right hand column
speaks about the Jerusalem temple of King Solomon
(after the Jews were secure). For further details
see footnote *1
The formatting of the column enables easy
reading of these ideas. The format clearly
shows 2 columns and 3 paragraphs
=================================================================
VERSE SHILOH LAWS*1 VERSE JERUSALEM LAWS*1
======= ========================== ======= ======================
Dt11-31 When you GoOver ToCconquer Dt12-10 [when]you dwell secure
Dt11-32 - Then observe Gods laws ' '
Dt12-01 - Observe These laws ' '
Dt12-02 Destroy all worship places ' '
Dt12-03 -A- pulverize altars ' '
Dt12-03 -B- break monuments ' '
Dt12-03 -C- burn idol trees ' '
Dt12-03 -D- slice their idols ' '
Dt12-03 -E- erase idol names*2 ' '
Dt12-04 Dont do similarly to God ' '
Dt12-05 - GoTo Gods Chosen Place*1 Dt12-11 (GoTo)Gods ChosenPlace
Dt12-06 - Their bring offerings Dt12-11 Their bring offerings
Dt12-07 - Their eat offerings Dt12-12 Rejoice before God
' ' ' '
' ' ' '
' ' ' '
Dt12-08 Dont do(offer)like today Dt12-13 - Dont offer
Dt12-08 - whatever you feel like Dt12-13 - Up Offerings
Dt12-08 - whatever you feel like Dt12-13 - anyplace
Dt12-08 - whatever you feel like Dt12-13 - you feel like
Dt12-09 - because Dt12-14 Rather only offer
Dt12-09 - you havent yet come Dt12-14 '
Dt12-09 - to the SECURITY and ' '
Dt12-09 - and the INHERITANCE ' '
Dt12-09 - which God gives you Dt12-14 in the place
' ' Dt12-14 chosen by God
' ' Dt12-14 (ONLY)There offer
' ' Dt12-14 UPS & other offerings
' ' Dt12-15 EXCEPT WHEN
' ' Dt12-15 you can desire:Then
' ' Dt12-15 slaughter & eat meat
' ' Dt12-15 any place you live
' ' Dt12-16 Provided
' ' Dt12-16 you dont eat blood
' ' ' '
' ' ' '
' ' ' '
' ' Dt12-17 You cant eat anywhere
' ' Dt12-17 - tithes
' ' Dt12-17 - 1st born or
' ' Dt12-17 - personal vows
' ' Dt12-18 Rather eat before God
' ' Dt12-18 In The place He choses
' ' Dt12-18 - you, your family
' ' Dt12-18 - your servants
' ' Dt12-18 - - your Levites
' ' Dt12-19 - - Dont desert Levite
NOTES
-----
*1 Kindly revu the first line in the Table
The left side column talks about the case
---------------------------
when you go over to conquer
---------------------------
The right side column talks about the case
-----------------------
when you dwell securely
-----------------------
So the left side deals with Shiloh, the place
of the Temple tent during the 14 years in which
the Jews conquered the land while the right side
deals with Jerusalem when the Jews dwelt securely
and had conquered their enemies
(See Rashi on Dt12-05a Dt12-09a Dt12-11b
Dt12-09c Dt12-09d all of which echo this theme*10
For further details of Rashi see footnote *11)
*2 (Dt12-04a) Notice the paragraph structure
-----------------------------
Dt12-01 - Observe These laws
Dt12-02 Destroy all worship places
Dt12-03 -A- pulverize altars
Dt12-03 -B- break monuments
Dt12-03 -C- burn idol trees
Dt12-03 -D- slice their idols
Dt12-03 -E- erase idol names*2
Dt12-04 Dont do similarly to God
---------------------------------
Notice how the last line DONT DO SIMILARLY TO GOD
is a GENERAL THEME that summarize the DETAILS
in A-E. Hence the 3-4 explanations of Rashi
DONT DO SIMILARLY TO GOD
- dont break Gods altar (A)
- dont erase Gods name (E)
Other comments are
- dont sin, earn exile and lose your altar(A)
Finally we can focus on the beginning and ending
lines of the paragraph
- DESTROY ALL NON JEWISH WORSHIP PLACES
- DONT DO SIMILARLY TO GOD (that is dont worship
God in every place but rather in a central
location)
So Rashis basic idea is to focus on the DETAIL-THEME
nature of the paragraph -- there are 4 (maybe more!)
possible inferences but the basic idea is the
DETAIL-THEME format
------------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------
*10 This 2 column format is the subject of the Rashis
in Dt12-11b,Dt12-09c and Dt12-09d
The two columns deal with Shiloh (During conquest)
and Jerusalem (After conquest).
Some Rashi commentators go deeper and try and
explain the nuances of PEACE/INHERITANCE as
meaning SHILOH/JERUSALEM respectively (That is
PEACE=SHILOH and INHERITANCE=JERUSALEM) However
Rashis main point is that Dt12 naturally
divides into two columns as shown. We have
given our own explanation at
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex23-15a.htm
*11 Rashi notes that there were 4 places that
the Temple resided
- Shiloh when they 1st conquered Israel - Jr07-12,Ju21-19
- Nov -- 1S21-01:09
- Givon -- 1K03-04
- Jerusalem
From the fact that the Bible only talks
about prohibiting Private altar worship in
- Shiloh--time of conquest and
- Jerusalem--time of security
Rashi infers that the private personal
Bamah altars were permitted in Nov and Givon
(Because the Bible only prohibits them in
Shiloh and Jerusalem)
The prohibition of private altar worship
anyplace is mentioned in Dt12-08 and
Dt12-13 in the LIST106b. It is also frequently
mentioned in the Bible such as at 1K03-02
Perhaps more simply Rashi infers that private
altar worship was permitted in Nov and Givon
from the explicit statement in 1K03-02. This
uses the method of OTHER VERSES.
=================================================================
=========================== LIST106c ============================
Lists in Dt12 of sentence pairs that are of form
-----------------------
Do X but dont do Not-X
-----------------------
For example Dt12-18 says parenthetically EAT WITH LEVITE
Dt12-19a says DONT DESERT LEVITE.
Thus there is a positive commandment to help Levite
as well as a negative commandment not to desert him
Rashi in each case points out that the Bible is
combining DONTs with each DO
For the structure of the whole chapter see LIST106a LIST106b
=================================================================
VERSE DO X part DONT DO OPPOSITE OF X part
======== ================== =====================================
Dt12-11 Offer in Jerusalem '
Dt12-13a ' But dont offer UPS anyplace(On Bamoth
Dt12-17a ' But dont eat tithes anyplace
Dt12-18 Give to Levi
Dt12-19a ' Dont desert Levite
=================================================================
======================== LIST106d ========================
We examine Dt12-15 in the overall 2-column
3 paragraph format of Dt12. The overall structure
suggests that Dt12-15 is speaking about permanantly
blemished sacrifices*1
To help show the flow of sentences
we indicate the function of each sentence clause (Is
it a general statement, a contrasting statement, an
exception, an exception to the exception (Except2)?)
==========================================================
VERSE FUNCTION TEXT OF VERSE
======= ======== =========================================
Dt12-13 GENERAL Dont offer UP offerings anyplace you want
' ' '
Dt12-14 CONTRAST Rather offer them in Jerusalem in Temple
Dt12-14 CONTRAST There, offer UPS and other offerings
' ' '
Dt12-15 EXCEPT EXCEPT when you have the right to desire
Dt12-15 EXCEPT Then you can slaugher/eat anyplace
Dt12-16 EXCEPT2 PROVIDED you dont eat the blood
' ' '
' ' '
Dt12-17 GENERAL Dont eat tithes anyplace
NOTES
-----
*1 The explicit Biblical text certainly doesnt seem
to be talking about BLEMISHED SACRIFICES. Why then
do we have the right (or obligation) to say that
this is the SIMPLE STRAIGHTFORWARD MEANING OF THE TEXT?
The answer is important for understanding the
Rashi principle of BULLET / PARAGRAPHS / STRUCTURE.
Indeed it is NOT the words or grammar that
give rise to this interpretation. Rather the
overall paragraph structure forces us to
hear the verses this way.
Indeed as the list shows, the entire paragraph
is speaking about HOLY OBJECTS.
We are told not to OFFER UP OFFERINGS in
private altars but rather in Jerusalem.
The next paragraph states we cant even
eat Tithes anyplace.
The Torah at Dt12-15 gives an exception
(to the prohibition of eating anyplace)
- WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DESIRE
But the only way we could desire to
eat sacrifices is if some permanant
blemish fell in them.
The text certainly does not say this
In fact I dont know why the text simply
could not have explicitly said this.
But the context forces us to seeks its
meaning in the ONE EXCEPTION WHEN
YOU CAN EAT SACRIFICES ANYPLACE.
(Another example of such a use of
logic to interpret a Biblical passage
in a focused manner occurs in Ex22
Rashi interprets the 3 paragraphs on
WATCHERS as follows
-Paragraph beginning Ex22-06
speaks about a VOLUNTARY WATCHER
- Paragraph beginning Ex22-09
speaks about PAID GUARD
- Paragraph beginning Ex22-13
speaks about a LOAN OF OBJECTS
(This is explicitly stated)
What allows Rashi to interpret these
3 paragraphs in this manner? It is
not the explicit Biblical text which
is silent. Rather it is the overall
structure which defines 3 levels
of financial responsibility. It is then
logical to assume that we speak
about 3 levels of WATCHING INVOLVMENT
(voluntary, paid, requested).
At any rate while many questions remain
we feel that CONTEXT offers one key
to understanding this text and Rashi)
==========================================================
======================== LIST106e ========================
We review all lessons learned from the 2 column
3 paragraph format of Dt12 We have presented
5 lists connected with Dt12
==========================================================
LIST INVOLVED TEACHES / SHOWS
================= ========================================
List106a 2 column 3 paragraph format*1
List106b 2 column format(Shiloh,Jerusalem)*2
List106c 3 DO-X-DONT-DO-Y in Dt12 *3
List106d Focus on Dt12-15 *4
NOTES
-----
*1 Special focus is given in the 2nd paragraph of each
of the columns that private personal altars
- could not be used during SHILOH & after Jerusalem
- could be used in wilderness for PERSONAL Vows
eg I vow a sacrifice and offer in my back yard
- could be used for public UP offerings
*2 One column talks about the Temple WHEN YOU
CONQUER ISRAEL(1st temple in shiloh) while
the other column talks about the Temple
built when you ACHIEVE SECURITY IN ISRAEL
(Temple of Solomon)
*3 The huge 2-column-3-paragraph structure may
obscure some of the simple contrasting sentences
(DO X BUT DONT DO Y). Eg The last 2 verses
in the chapter state GIVE SACRIFICES TO THE
LEVI AND DONT DESERT THE LEVI
*4 The sentence occurs as a contrasting clause
in a sentence about offering UP offerings
in the private altars.
- YOU CANT OFFER UP OFFERINGS ON PRIVATE ALTARS
- AFTER THE TEMPLE IS BUILT
- EXCEPT
- IF IT IS A TIME OF (PERMISSABLE) DESIRE OF FOOD
Nothing further is said.
The only way a TEMPLE offering could be legally
desired is if a PERMANANT BLEMISH had fallen in it
==========================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 18 Number 19
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 18 Number 19