#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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VERSE: Dt17-16a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt17-16a Dt17-17a Dt17-17b
===================== EXCESS FOR KINGS ==========================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
-----------------
The Bible in Dt17 states that it is prohibited to have
-- excessive MONEY,
-- excessive WIVES
-- excessive HORSES
The exact phraselogy is
-- The King should not have alot FOR HIMSELF
The phrase FOR HIMSELF when combined with a Hebrew verb always
denotes PERSONAL USE. Hence Rashi simply states that
-- Kings can have MONEY, WIVES and HORSES for regal use but not
-- for personal display.Other verses help illustrate how much
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TODAYS RASHI RULE: GRAMMARR
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: INDIRECT PRONOUN (FOR HIMSELF)
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TODAYS RASHI RULE: OTHER VERSES
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: FURTHER DETAILS
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Brief description of rule
--------------------------
In Hebrew, adding the indirect pronoun (FOR ME, FOR HIMSELF)
denotes that the activity is done FOR PERSONAL REASONS. For
many illustrations of this principle see the following posting
(reproduced below)
http://www.RashiYomi.htm/nu10-02a.htm
Very often when a verse states a general principle--e.g. a
king should not have TOO MUCH of women, money horses--we
can infer further details by examining OTHER VERSES which
shed light on the definition.
TODAYS LISTS
------------
We list the 3 items prohibited to Kings. We provide other
verses showing that Kings can have AS MUCH AS NECESSARY
FOR REGAL USE. Hence we interpret the verses as THEY
CANT HOWEVER HAVE FOR PERSONAL USE. Footnotes amplify
the supporting verses
A second verse shows how FOR YOU or FOR HIM indicates
personal use.
=================================================================
Verse Kings shouldnt have alot of Meaning of Many Support
======== =========================== ================== =========
Dt17-17b Money For Staff & guests 1K10-14*1
Dt17-16a Horses Regal transport 1K10-29*2
Dt17-17a Women 18 wives 2S12-08*3
NOTES
-----
*1 This verse is not brought by Rashi but it shows that Kings
may have much wealth as King Solomon had much wealth (The
Bible only criticizes him for taking more wives than allowed)
Hence the defining criterion is
---------------------------------------------
---More than is needed for personal regal use
---------------------------------------------
*2 This verse is brought by Rashi. It shows that Kings may
have large amounts of horses for chariots (Again the BIble
only criticizes King Solomon for taking many wives). As
long as the horses are for Regal matters it is not
considered
------------------------------
-----Making alot for himself
------------------------------
*3 The Bible criticizes King Solomon for taking too many
wives.(1K11) It is however no where explicitly defined
what TOO MANY WIVES means.
Tradition states 18. There are obscure derivations
from 2S12-08 which speaks about King David
--------------------------------------------
Being allow wives AND MORE AND MORE
--------------------------------------------
The double AND MORE AND MORE suggests that King
David could have had 3 times the number of wives
he had (3 x 6 =18).
Rambam (Kings 3 and 4) simply states that this
is a TRADITION (That is--it is known but not really
derived from the verses).
I would argue that the concept of PERSONAL ALLOWANCE
would entitle a King for a different wife for every
day during the minimal Biblical female cycle. Since
the minimal Biblical female cycle is 18 days
(Rambam Forbidden Intercourses Chapter 6) it would
follow that a King could have 18 wives. More than
that would be considered MARRIAGE FOR POLITICAL
REASONS (As King Solomon did). (I hasten to add
that while the above is logical it is nevertheless
speculative)
==========================================================
======================= FOR ME=PERSONAL =========================
The following LIST contains many verses where FOR YOU refers
to PERSONAL use.
=================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE FOR YOU/ME=PERSONAL
======== ================================= ======================
Dt17-16 Dont FOR YOURSELF have much money Only to run royl house
Nu13-02b Send for YOURSELF spies if you want
Ex25-08a Make for ME a Temple Dedicated to Me
Ex25-02a Take for ME Temple gifts Dedicated to me
Ex18-27a & he went for HIMSELF to his land For personal reasons*1
Nu10-01b make for YOURSELF to trumpets Personal use*2
NOTES
=====
*1 BACKGROUND: The previous chapter Ex18 states how much Jethro
admired Gods salvation of the Jews from Egypt. Hence if
the verse states JETHRO RETURNED FOR PERSONAL REASONS
TO HIS COUNTRY, Rashi conjectures that he probably
went to convert his friends and family to Noachidic
belief in God, and founded the SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
OF JETHRO (Jud04-11)
*2 A simple approach to reading Rashi is as follows:
The phrase MAKE FOR YOURSELF implies that there was
SOMETHING PERSONAL about the making of the trumpets.
So Rashi is careful NOT to take sides but simply to
give 3 examples of WHAT could be PERSONAL about them.
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PERSONAL IN PURPOSE Trumpets blasts honor Moses as King
PERSONAL IN SOURCE Trumpets were made from Moses funds
PERSONAL IN USERS Only Moses (no one else) could blow
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Thus these 3 Rashis should be read as one continuous
Rashi containing 3 possibilities on MAKE FOR YOURSELF.
An examination of manuscripts shows that some Chumashim
combine 2 of these Rashis into one. Thus our suggestion
seems feasable.
An alternative explanation is presented below.
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RASHI RULE USED: MULTIPLE-OTHER-GRAMMAR
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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 25
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 14 Number 25