#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2005, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
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VERSE: Dt14-01A
RASHIS COVERED: Dt14-01a Dt14-22a
========================= Dt14-01a ==============================
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 4 means of relating consecutive sentences or
consecutive paragraphs in a paragraph or chapter:
- CAUSE
- CONTRAST
- ENABLEMENT
- UNIFYING THEME.
Today we study the CAUSAL and UNIFYING submethods.
EXAMPLE 1: Dt14-01a
----------------
The Biblical text states
------------------------------------------------------
[Moses said to the Jews]
(A) You (The Jews) are the CHILDREN of GOD
(B1) Don't scratch your skin out------------[for death]
(B2) Don't rip out hair [place bald patches]-for death
------------------------------------------------------
Rashi explains this verse by seeing clauses (B1) and (B2)
as the CONSEQUENCE (cause) of clause (A). Rashi states
------------------------------------------------------
- Non jews scratch skin and rip hair when someone dies
- but you are Gods children and should not do this
- Gods children should be nice
------------------------------------------------------
We can understand this better using the symbolism
of SCRATCHING SKIN and RIPPING HAIR. A person
in effect says:
------------------------------------------------
The deceased is no longer with
us--I have lost something permanantly--it is as
if I have lost a limb.
------------------------------------------------
Hence the person may scratch skin out (symbolizing
loss of body tissue) or rip hair.
However Jews believe that the soul lives on
and therefore the loss is a long temporary loss
not a permanant one. Hence Rashi reads the
verse as follows. The inserted bracketed
phrases show what Rashi has added.
----------------------------------------
(A) You (The Jews) are the CHILDREN of GOD
(A1) [We believe in the immortality of the soul]
(B0) [and therefore]
(B1) we Don't scratch your skin out [for death]
(B2) we Don't place bald patches-for death
-------------------------------------------
In a nutshell: Rashi's contribution to the
understanding of this verse is the observation
that the two verse halves are connected by
causality (SINCE you are Gods children THEREFORE
don't scratch out....)
LIST061a presents other paragraphs illustrating CAUSAL
connection.
EXAMPLE 2: Dt14-22a
-------------------
Verses Dt14-21 states-DONT EAT NON-SLAUGHTERED-SELL TO NON-JEW
Verses Dt14-21 states-DONT COOK CHILD LAMBS IN THE MOTHERS MILK
Verses Dt14-22:29 states-TITHE YOUR PRODUCE..GIVE TO SELF,LEVITE
Rashi (paraphrased) comments
-----------------------------------------
All three chapters emphasize the SOCIAL aspects of the KASHRUTH
laws
- True you can't eat ritually non-slaughtered meat but you
SHOULD sell it to the non-Jew (Dont just throw it out)
- True you can slaugter and eat animals...but show respect
for the animal family feelings--dont cook a child in the
mother of the milk
- True you can harvest and eat but tithe and give to others
-----------------------------------------
In other words, Rashi sees a UNIFYING THEME in these three
consecutive paragraphs--the theme of CARING in KASHRUTH LAWS
LIST060a below presents other paragraph sequences with
a UNIFYING THEME.
================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =======================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: GRAMMAR
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS: CONSECUTIVE CHAPTERS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #9
SEE BELOW LIST061a
A list of paragraphs having a CAUSAL connection
------------------- ------------------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST060a
A list of paragraphs having a UNIFYING theme
================================================================
================= LIST060a ================================
List of verses of consecutive paragraphs with same theme
===========================================================
VERSE COMMON THEME 1st Chapter 2nd Chapter
======== =============== =============== ================
------- ------------- -------------- --------------
Dt14-20 Caring in KSRTH Sell to Non Jew Cook kid &mother
Dt14-21 Caring in KSRTH Cook kid &mother Tithe produce*3
------- ------------- -------------- --------------
Lv19-25a Abstain->incrse No fruit 4 year More fruit 5th*2
Lv19-26a Abstain->incrse No eat living more nutrition*2
Gn22-23a Isaac-Rivkah Akaydah Rivkah-born*1
Ex18-01a Gods miracles Exodus Defeat of Amalek
Nu13-02a Slander Miryam on Moses Spies on Israel
Nu26-64a Entry to Israel Census Girl inheritance
Nu27-12a Entry to Israel Girl inheritance Joshua and Moes
Nu15-41d Important Laws Idolatry Sabbath
Dt33-07a Repentance Reuven Judah
Nu08-02a Temple gifts Gold vessels Service
Ex17-08a God cares for us Water-Manna Defeat of Amalek
Ex21-01a A Just life The Altar Monetary Law
Nu20-01b Atonement Red Heiffer Miryam's death
NOTES
-----
*1 Actual there are 3 paragraphs as follows
- Gn22-01:19 Akaydah
- Gn22-20:24 Birth of Rivkah
- Gn23-01:-- Death of Sarah
Rashi points out that the TOPIC SENTENCE of Gn22-20:24
is the birth of Rivkah. Rashi also points out that
the 3 paragraphs form a TEMPORAL SEQUENCE
For further details see LIST690B
*2 The paragraph contains 7 examples illustrating the theme
ABSTENTION INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY
-------------------- EXAMPLES ----------------------------
-1- Abstain 4 years from new fruit--increase fruit yield
-2- Abstain from blood=life source--increase nutrition
-3- Abstain from divining -- increase prediction
-4- Separate animal/human -- increase animality/human
-5- Abstain from early sex-- increase sexual awarenss
-6- Abstain from Sabbath work -- incresae productivity
-7- Abstain from seancing -- Increase knowledge
----------------------------------------------------------
*3 Actual prohibition is cooking CHILD OF LAMB(or other
Kosher animals) in MILK OF MOTHER. Rashis actual
language is
--------------------------------------------
If you cook kid in milk of mother (violate
the sanctity of womb) I will destroy the
wheat germ in the womb of the wheat with strong
winds
--------------------------------------------
Rashi is simply giving poetic expression to the
unifying theme of CARING IN KASHRUTH in the chapters.
===========================================================
================= LIST061a ================================
A list of paragraphs having CAUSAL connection
===========================================================
VERSE TOPIC IN 1st CHAPTER TOPIC IN 2nd CHAPTER
======== ===================== ============================
Dt14-01a Jews=Gods children No self multilation on death
Dt01-42a God not with you Hence:defeat;therefore:no go
Nu30-16b Annuls after AFFIRM He bears punishment of sin*8
Ex14-25a Remove wheel Heavy driving--God fights
Ex14-25b Heavy Driving God fights*10
Ex13-17b Avoid NEAR-ROUTE Nearness facilitates return
Gn35-01a Dinah is raped Prophetic order to leave*6
Gn33-13c Young Sheep IF pushed they will die*7
Gn29-01a God WITH Jacob Jacob travelled SMOOTHLY*5
Nu06-02a Adulterous wife rite Nazaarite from wine*1
Gn38-01a Brothers sell Joseph Judah leaves brothers*1
Gn23-03c Abraham offers Isaac Sarah dies*1
Gn02-20a Adam Eve are Naked Snake gives Eve Apple*2
Lv10-02a Non-allowed sac Death of Aarons sons*3
Lv10-02a Death of Aarons sons No wine to serving priest*3
Lv10-03d Death of Righteous God honored*4
Lv22-15a Dont eat Terumah Dont DESCECRATE holies
NOTES
-----
*1 Thus "whoever see the humiliating Adulterous wife rite"
will be so shocked that he will abstain from wine
Similarly "Judah advised his brothers to sell Joseph"
and so when they regretted it they blaimed him and he
had to "separate from them."
Similarly "Sarah died" from the shock that "Abraham
offered Isaac."
*2 In other words because the snake saw Adam and Eve naked
therefore he became Jealous and wanted Adam killed so
he could marry Eve.
ALthough this sounds a bit wild there is strong supporting
evidence. Gn04-01 uses the past perfect form
"And Adam HAD BEEN FAMILIAR with his wife & they had
a child"
So the sequence of chapters is
"Adam was lonely"
"God makes Eve"
"Adam and Eve are naked"
------------------------"Snake tempts Eve"
"Adam has a child with Eve"
Thus the sequence of chapters (Naked--->child) is
clearly interrupted by the Snake story.
*3 As explained above Rashi sees these two views as
complementary
- First they drank wine and got drunk
- While drunk they thought it permissable to offer
sacrifices which should not be offered
Hence they died for both crimes
*4 Rashi explains the Causal connection
- when the masses see that God EVEN kills the righteous
for sins
- then they are aware how they must also observe
Gods commandments
- This leads to more honor for God
*5 So GOOD NEWS facilitates/causes SMOOTH TRAVEL(Rashi)
*6 The full sequence of chapters is as follows
--------------------------------------------
- Gn31 God orders Jacob to return to his fathers house
- Gn32 But Jacob is afraid of Being with Brother Esauv
- Gn33 Jacob journeys instead to Succoth
- Gn34 Dinah gets raped
- Gn35 God tells Jacob to return to BethEl
-------------------------------------------
Rashi notes that
-----------------------------
If Jacob had IMMEDIATELY fulfilled the order
of Travelling to his fathers house he
wouldnt have stayed in Succoth and his
Daughter would not have gotten raped.
------------------------------
Thus Rashi sees a CAUSAL connection
between the chapters. Dinah was raped
because Jacob did not IMMEDIATELY fulfill
the prophetic order.
Note Rashi expresses the same theme
-------------------------------------------------
Because he delayed doing the prophecy immediately
therefore he was punished that certain bad
occurrences happened to him
-------------------------------------------------
Rashi expresses this same theme on Gn35-22a
where we find that Reuven inteferred with his
fathers marital life.
*7 Rashi can be better understood with the EXPORT-IMPORT LAW
of logic. The EXPORT-IMPORT law states that
----------------------------------------------------
IF [it rains] then if [I go out] THEN [I will get wet]
----------------------------------------------------
has the same meaning as
----------------------------------------------------
IF [it rains] and [I go out] THEN [I will get wet]
----------------------------------------------------
In other words Rashi identifies the two sentence forms
- IF p THEN IF q THEN r
- IF p & q THEN r
This identification of NESTED CONDITIONALS with a
CONJUNCTIVE HYPOTHESIS is called the EXPORT-IMPORT law.
The actual Biblical text reads
---------------------------------------------
The cattle is young
AND they will be pushed one day
AND they will die
---------------------------------------------
Rashi simply points out (Using EXPORT-IMPORT) that
we can interpret this as either
---------------------------------------------
[IF] The cattle is young
AND they will be pushed one day
THEN they will die
---------------------------------------------
or
---------------------------------------------
IF The cattle is young
IF they will be pushed one day
THEN they will die
---------------------------------------------
The above two translations use the well known Biblical
principle that the Hebrew letter VAV can refer to
any connective.
*8 In other words he
- 1st affirmed a vow of his wife
- then annuled it (which he had no right to)
- If she now sins (Because she was mislead into thinking
the vow is annuled)
- then HE bears the sin/punishment
In other words BECAUSE he misled her he must pay for
the sin.
-------------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------
*10 Rashi also states
--------------------------------------------------
The HEAVY DRIVING (that God made the Egyptians do
by removing chariot wheel) was a punishment for
their making HEAVY their hearts
--------------------------------------------------
I would strengthen these associations
--------------------------------------------------
The HEAVY DRIVING is a punishment for the HEAVY
work that the Egyptians placed on the Jews
--------------------------------------------------
These comments of Rashi or me also indicate
-- HEAVY DRIVING causes/facilitated
-- Egyptians seeing that God was fighting for them
Indeed: We know that one of the way God fights
is to punish people according to what they have done
(See Rashi on Ex18-11- Jethro said: Now I know that
God is the true God because He returns to people
what they have done)
Hence this particular punishment (making the
Egyptians drive heavy vs killing them) showed
the Egyptians (CAUSED them to be aware) that
God was fighting.
=================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 27 Number 3
#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2005, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 27 Number 3