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| (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000 |
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VERSE: Dt19-09a
RULE: The Hebrew root >AYIN-VUV-DALET< means AGAIN.
NOTE: To fully appreciate Rashi we must first review
the RADACKS explanation of >AYIN-VUV-DALET<. According to Radack
the root >AYIN-VUV-DALET< has 5 meanings. They are listed below
By contrast Rashi takes these 5 meanings and unifies them--the
word always means AGAIN.
{LIST}
The 5 meanings of the Hebrew root AYIN-VUV-DALET as
brought down by the RADACK in his book ROOTS.(By
contrast Rashi below seems to suggest that there is
only one meanings, REPETITION, DOING SOMETHING AGAIN.
=====================================================
MEANING TEXT OF VERSE WITH AYIN-VUV-DLT VERSE
======= =============================== ==============
WHILE WHILE they were speaking to him Ester6-14
FOREVER There will praise you FOREVER Ps84-05
STILL The day is STILL big Gn29-07
AGAIN & God said to him AGAIN... Ex04-06
YOUTH You rode me from YOUTH Nu22-30
EXAMPLES: We now present 4 LISTS showing Rashis
explanation of the root >AYIN-VUV-DALET<. In each LIST
we show how Radack would have explained it and how Rashi
interprets it as meaning >AGAIN<.
{LIST}
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In the following verses AYIN-VUV-YUD means AGAIN.
EXAMPLE:God 1st appeared to Jacob when he went to Laban(Gn28-13
When Jacob returned >God AGAIN appeared to Jacob<(Gn35-09a)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE TEXT WITH WORD >AGAIN< THE 1st TIME
======= =============================== ==============
Gn35-09a God appeared AGAIN to Jacob*1 Gn28-13
Dt19-09a add AGAIN 3 other cities*2 Dt04-41
Lv27-20c He will not redeem it AGAIN*3 Lv27-20c
Nu18-05a & there wont be a holocast AGAIN Nu17:11*4
Gn04-25b Adam knew his wife AGAIN*5 Gn04-01*5
Gn38-26a He didnt know her AGAIN*6 Gn38-15,Gn38-24*4
NOTES
=====
*1 EXAMPLE:
God 1st appeared to Jacob when he went to Laban(Gn28-13
When Jacob returned >God AGAIN appeared to Jacob<(Gn35-09a)
*2 The first 3 refuge cities were separated by Moses. The next
3 cities were separated by Joshua. In the time of the
Messiah >you will ADD AGAIN 3 cities<
*3 We will explain this verse in a separate posting in a future
issue. For now we just state the interpretation: >If a person
DOES NOT REDEEM his sanctified field (but instead gives it
to the temple) and if the temple sells it, then the original
owner does not get a chance to REDEEM IT (FOR HIMSELF)AGAIN<
*4 Thus as a punishment Korachs sin caused the holocast in
Nu17:11. Now God asks for symbols so that there should
not be another KORACH HOLOCAST
*5 Last issue we argued that the word AGAIN meant that Adam
had increased desire for this wife. Harry Rashbaum from
my Shomrey Emunah Rashi class suggested the following
simpler explanation:
5a >Adam knew his wife AGAIN<-after a long period of separation!
This is consistent with the Midrashim (brought by Rashi)
that Adam separated from his wife (which explains the 130
year gap between his wives births)
5b By contrast it is not the word AGAIN but rather
it is the comparison of Gn04-25b and Gn04-01 that teaches
us that Adam had greater desire. (I neglected to give credit
last time to the MHARZU on BRESHIT RABBAH who suggested this
approach of comparison of verses).
{LIST5}
Comparison and alignment of Gn04-01 and Gn04-25
================================================
VERSE *a *b
======= ========= ============== =====
Gn04-01 Adam knew his wife Chava
Gn04-25 Adam knew his wife again
NOTES
=====
*a Notice how one verse mentions his wife by name, Chava,while
the other verse just says his wife. There are a variety of
views of marriage in the Talmud (brought down in Shir Hashirim
Rabbah)--is the love more intense at the beginning or end of
marriage? Rashi simply points out that one verse refers to
>CHAVA his wife< while the other verse refers to >his wife<.
Thus one situation is more intimate (And you can read which
ever view of marriage you prefer into the verses).
*6 The weirdest explanations of this Rashi have occured. The
simple meaning is >HE DID NOT KNOW HER AGAIN<. Recall that the
Biblical word >KNOW< can EQUALLY MEAN >SEXUALLY KNOW< or
>PUNITIVELY KNOW<(Like the English phrase>TEACH HIM A LESSON<)
Rashi simply points out that Judah had done both to her.
In Gn38-15 he had relations with her(Hence the interpretation
>He did not know her sexually AGAIN<) In Gn38-24 he tried to
burn her(not necessarily kill her;but punish her or,as we say
in English,>teach her a lesson<.(Hence the interpretation
>He did not know her punitively AGAIN<)
{LIST}
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In the following verses
>AYIN-VUV-YUD< denotes >REPETITION< vs >MORE< or >ANYMORE<.
EXAMPLE: Gn08-10 and Gn08-12 says that >Noach waited AGAIN
7 days before sending out the Dove to see if water had
disappeared< Rashi says the emphasis is on REPETITION:
>Just as Noach waited 7 days for the 2nd and 3rd sending so
too did he wait 7 days at the 1st sending<
-----------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WITH AGAIN WHAT WAS REPEATED
======== =============================== =================
Gn08-08a Waited 7 days AGAIN*1 waiting 7 days
Gn07-04b Ill AGAIN give 7 days to repent 2 chances to repent*2
Gn29-30a Jacob will work 7 years AGAIN*3 Double crossed again
Dt31-02a I can't go out AGAIN (To war)*4 Moses won several wars
NOTES
=====
*1 Noach waited 7 days before the 2nd and 3rd sending of the
Dove (Gn08-10, Gn08-12). We infer he waited 7 days for
the first sending of the dove (>He waited AGAIN<)
*2 Thus Gn06-03 says that man was given 120 years to repent
before the flood. Gn07-04 says that man was AGAIN given time
to repent (another 7 days) (These interpretations are
according to Rashi)
*3 Jacob was double crossed on his pay for his 1st seven years
of work for Laban (Gn29-25). We infer that Jacob was double
crossed in his second set of 7 years of work This is
explicitly stated in Gn31-07
*4 Moses had successfully (with Gods help) won several wars
(Cf Dt02 and Dt03). Dt31 clearly states that Joshua will now
lead the people. We infer that Moses could not lead
the people in war >AGAIN< since Joshua will(cf Dt31-03:04)
{LIST}
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In the following verses
>AYIN-VUV-YUD< denotes >REPETITION< vs >STILL<
EXAMPLE: Nu19-13c doesn't just mean >he is STILL impure< but
rather means >he is impure AGAIN<. The emphasis on >AGAIN<
implies that the removal of impurity is an >All or nothing<
deal. Hence, if he dipped in water but not on the proper
days then it is not the case that he is >partially impure<
but rather he is >fully< impure >AGAIN<
-----------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WITH AGAIN WHY THE EMPHASIS
======== ================================ ======================
Nu19-13c the toomah is in him AGAIN*1 Fully impure
Gn45-28a I have alot: Joe lives AGAIN*2 He is still a prophet
Gn19-12a You AGAIN have someone to offer? The rape will repeat*3
Gn35-10a You wont be accused AGAIN*4 You were accused once
NOTES
=====
*1 The verse does not say >He is STILL impure< but rather
>He is impure AGAIN<. The emphasis is that EVEN if he
ritually immersed he is still FULLY impure until he
can immerse on both the 3rd and 7th day. (Without the
REPETITION I might have thought that a person could
achieve a state of partial impurity)
*2 The verse does not just say >Joe is STILL alive< but
rather >Joe lives AGAIN<. The emphasis on repetition
refers to the fact that Joseph is still a prophet and
still interpreting dreams
*3 Recall that Abraham had tried to defend the city of Sedom
from destruction. Similarly Lot probably wanted to save it
from destruction and hence showed the angels hospitality.
But after Lot could only appease the city from raping his
guests by offering his daughters it was clear that the
city could not be defended: (>Do you have someone else
to AGAIN appease another rape<)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Ruth Shain from my Shomrey Emunah Rashi
class (correctly) pointed out that my previous explanation
in the last issue was not valid since I intepreted the verse
as >WHAT ELSE (IN TERMS OF ARGUMENTS) DO YOU HAVE AGAIN<.But
as Ruth pointed out the verse says >WHO ELSE<. Thus the
correct interpretation is >WHO ELSE AGAIN (WILL YOU OFFER)<
This combines both approaches of Rashi and is therefore
a preferred explanation.
*4 Jacobs name means >DOUBLE CROSS<. Esauv explicitly stated
>He DOUBLE CROSSED me(Esauv) twiced< (Gn27-36). Now God
promises that >After what you have been thru no one will
ever call you DOUBLE CROSS again<
{LIST}
----------------------------------------------------------------
In the following verses
>AYIN-VUV-YUD< denotes >STILL<--CONTINUATION IN TIME
EXAMPLE: Gn29-07a says >The day is STILL big<. In other
words >the day is BIG(long) now< and >the day will be
BIG AGAIN< and >the day will be big AGAIN<. Thus >STILL<
denotes >AGAIN and AGAIN< in time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WITH THE WORD >STILL<
======== ====================================
Gn08-22a The season cycle will STILL exist*1
Gn29-07a the day is STILL big*2
Ex02-03a she couldn't STILL hide him*3
Lv25-51a if there are STILL more years*4
Ex17-04a STILL a little & they will stone me*5
Gn46-29c And he STILL cried*6
NOTES
=====
*1 (Rashi) Despite the flood the world will still have
6 seasons every year.
*2 (Rashi) Whether you are self employed or work for someone
else it is not yet time to rest since the day is STILL big
I suppose the point of this Rashi is how Jacob made a
conversation opener. Jacobs statement could be seen as an
attempt to >HELP< them (>You can earn alot more<). It could
also be an attempt to show theft (>You are depriving your
employers of needed work<). By being ambiguous Jacob did
not yet play his cards since he didn't know whom he was
dealing with. Ambiguity is essential in a coversation
opener.
*3 Rashi gives a reason why she couldn't hide him: If Moses
was born at 6 months then his mother could hide him for
3 months since no one expected a baby yet. But at 9 months
she could no longer hide him.
*4 Rashi simply shows the conputation for the >STRAIGHT LINE<
method. REDEMPTION of workers slaves and fields is
strictly proportional to the number of years left to the
Jubilee.
*5 >STILL a LITTLE< means >IN A LITTLE BIT< and is a
idiom with a special meaning.
*6 Rashi explicitly states that >There was ALOT of crying<
COMMENT: We bring down the interesting Sifrah/Sifray on
Nu18-05a which cites 4 verses with the phrase >NOT AGAIN<
(Gn09-11, Nu18-05a, Nu18-22, Lv17-07). The >AGAIN< in these
verses is cross referenced.
COMMENT: I have brought down the Rashi-Radack controversy
But I have not yet shown its deeper root. As we shall see
there are several controversies between Rashi and other
Rishonim on meaning.>RASHI ALWAYS EMPHASIZES A UNIFIED
APPROACH AND IT IS THIS EMPHASiS ON UNITY WHICH CAUSES
THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN RASHI AND OTHER RISHONIM<
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Volume 8 Number 1
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Volume 8 Number 1