#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000 |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
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VERSE: Dt29-15a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt29-15a Dt29-17a Dt29-17b Dt29-17c
RULE: Sometimes the Bible presents several sentences or
paragraphs whose meaning is clear. However the CONNECTION between
these paragraphs is not clear. In such a case Rashis job is NOT
to explain the meaning of WORDS but rather the CONNECTION of
PARAGRAPHS. We call this the rule of OVERALL STRUCTURE.
EXAMPLES
--------
1) A simple example would be the ARTSCROLL translation of the
Talmud. One of the novelties of the ARTSCROLL translation is
to not only translate the words but to emphasize the CONNECTION
between each Talmudic paragraph.
2) We present Dt29-09:13 with the CONNECTION of paragraphs
introduced by Rashi
-----1) Dt29-09:10 WHO IS HERE:"You are all here before God"
-----2A)--Dt29-11 WHAT'S THE GOAL:To make a CONVENANT
-----2B)--Dt29-11 WHAT'S THE GOAL:To make a CURSE
----------2A1) Dt29-12 THE CONVENANT: You will be Gods nation
----------2A2) Dt29-13:14 WHO IS CONVENANT WITH: You & children
-*1-------2B1) Dt29-15:16 THE CURSE: SINCE you saw idols in Egypt,
-*2-*3-*4-2B1) Dt29-17--------- PERHAPS you want to go astray
----------2B1) Dt29-18-------MAYBE you think you'll escape curse
------------------Know that if you go astray you'll be punished
NOTES:
------
*1 Dt29-15a"The word KI means SINCE
connecting it to the next verse"
Rashi explicitly says in Dt29-15a that the 4 verses Dt29-15:18
are all connected as one sentence. "SINCE you saw idols in
Egypt PERHAPS one of you wants to stray". Thus Rashi
translates the Hebrew word KI as SINCE. Other examples of
2 verses forming one sentence are:
{LIST} {2 verses which form one sentence}
2 VERSES COMPOUND SENTENCE
-------- -----------------
Gn01-29:30 I've given vegetation TO YOU to eat &
also TO THE ANIMALS
Dt02-16:17 When they all died,
God spoke to me
Dt29-10:11 You are all standing before God ..elders...
& Children, & wives.....
Dt29-15:17 SINCE you were in Egypt and many other nations
& you saw their idols
PERHAPS 1 of you is thinking about idol-worship
Eccl7-20:21 WHEN everyone in the country is sinning
THEN don't pay attention to what people murmur
about you
*2 Rashi Dt29-17a ingeniously identifies the word PERHAPS with
the CURSE-SWEAR formula. To illustrate this consider Reuvens
promise that he would bring back Benjamin from a trip to Egypt
In English,Reuven would say "I swear I will bring him back"
But in Biblical Hebrew Reuven said"May my sons die IF I DO NOT
bring him back" In other words the CURSE formula requires
an expression, not of affirmation, but rather of doubt, like
IF NOT or PERHAPS/LEST (Note that the Hebrew word PEN means
both PERHAPS and LEST).
Please find below a table of oaths/curses using the IF NOT
style.
{LIST2} {The language of OATH is I SWEAR IF I DIDN'T...}
VERSE LANGUAGE OF CURSE--"swear IF NOT..."
------- --------------------------------------------
Dt11-28 May I be CURSED IF I DOn't observe Gods laws
Ex22-10 Take an OATH IF he DID NOT violate property
Nu05-19 She will SWEAR her IF she DID NOT do adultery
Gn42-37 May my 2 sons die IF I DO NOT bring him back
Gn31-52 This monument is witness IF I will NOT violate it
Dt29-17 You will be cursed LEST you go astray
*3 Dt29-17b The Hebrew word PEN means PERHAPS or LEST
Rashi explicitly identifies the Hebrew word PeN with the
concept of LEST. As just shown in FOOTNOTE 2 this
corresponds to the concept of the "CURSE IF NOT" style.
Our explanation that Rashi is commenting on Structure
is in agreement with the Rashi commentator the RAAM.
We have also answered the question of the Rashi
commentator Sifsay Chachamim on why Rashi explained
that the meaning of the Hebrew word PEN means
PERHAPS/LEST: The answer is Rashi was emphasizing the
CURSE formula 'MAY YOU BE CURSED LEST'
(In passing the Hebrew word PEN always means PERHAPS or
LEST and never means DONT. However the compound phrase
WATCH YOURSELF ...LEST is an indication of a prohibition.
This explains the verses brought by the sifsay chachamim.)
*4 Dt29-17c The verse is addressing the curse part of the
convenant to the people standing there that day
Dt29-17 says "LEST there be a person whose heart goes astray
TODAY...." Rashi points out that the word TODAY links
back to the words TODAY that occur in many other verses
in this chapter
{LIST3} {Verses with the LINK word TODAY}
VERSE TEXT WITH TODAY
----- ---------------
Dt29-09 You are standing TODAY before God
Dt29-11 To make a convenant with you TODAY
Dt29-12 In order to make you TODAY to a nation
Dt29-14 The convenant is with those who stand with us TODAY
Dt29-17 Lest someone is thinking of going astray TODAY
In other words Rashi points out that Dt29-17 and Dt29-11
both refer to the CONVENANT and OATH/CURSE being made.
Dt29-11 To make a convenant TODAY
Dt29-17 You will be cursed if you think of going astray TODAY
RULE USED: OVERALL STRUCTURE
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Volume 7 Number 17
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Volume 7 Number 17