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  |      Rashi is Simple Version 2.0                         |
  |      (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000                          |
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VERSE: Dt21-11a

RULE: The meaning of the words and phrases in a chapter can be
determined by the OVERALL STRCUTURE of the chapter. This appeal
to context can settle problems of ambiguity in meaning.

EXAMPLES
--------
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The first phase of Dt21-10:14 speaks about a soldier falling in love
with a foreign woman. The Torah allows you to take her.
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(1a) You'll see
(1b) The attractive women
(1c) You'll desire her
(1d) You'll take her into your house


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The Torahs allowance to take her is so that you should "get over it"
and lose interest in her. The following activities are done to make
you despise her.
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(2a) Shave her head          Obviously despising
(2b) Grow her nails *1       Long nails are unapealing(they scratch)
(2c) Remove captive garments Captive garments were seductive*2
(2d) She'll stay home        You will continually see her *3
(2e) Mourn her religion      Obviously despising

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Having gone thru the despisement phase the Torah hopes you let
the woman go without marrying her and without abusing her
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(3a) WHEN you don't want her*4
(3b) Let her go
(3c) do not sell her
(3d) don't benefit from her

The paragraph permitting a soldier to take a SEDUCTIVE woman
(Dt21:10-14), is followed by paragraphs on taking TWO WIVES
(Dt21:15-17), followed by the paragraph on the REBELIOUS SON
(Dt21:18-21), followed by the paragraph on the DEATH PENALTY
(Dt21:22-23). These chapters show a climactic development to sin                                                                  ,

(4)  1st a man takes 2 wives *5
(5)  Then that man has a rebellious son
(6)  Then that rebellious son violates a capital crime

NOTES
-----
*1 The Hebrew root A-S-H can equally mean FIX (eg 2Sam19-25)
or to LET GROW(eg Gn12-05). The reason Rashi interprets in
this verse "LET HER NAILS GROW WILD" vs "LET HER FIX HER NAILS"
is because the CONTEXT requires that she do something despising
(Long nails are despising in a physical relationship because they
scratch; fixed nails are not despising)

*2 Rashi explains why changing her clothes is despising---it
is despising because foreign woman wore seductive garments in
case they got caught and therefore their removal is despising

*3 Note how both (1d) and (2d) speak about bringing the woman
into your house. However the CONTEXT requires that (2d) be
despising--hence the interpretation "let her stay at home
continuously so that you always see her and her sight becomes
disgusting"

*4 The verse actually says "IF you don't want her".  However
because of the CONTEXT which shows how the woman is despised
Rashi interprets "WHEN you don't want her" The Hebrew word
IF can also mean WHEN (Cf Gn28-20a)

*5 The principle of CLIMAX requires interpreting these 4 chapters
as leading to a CLIMAX of committing a capital crime
--1st you have affairs with people for physical reasons
--2nd you then have wives you love and wives you lust
--3rd you get children who hate you and rebel
--4th your children end up committing capital crimes
Thus Rashi comments how these events lead one to another.
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Volume 3 Number 8

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