#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
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VERSE: Dt32-08a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-08a Dt32-08b Dt32-09a Dt32-09b
==================== FOR THE JEWS ============================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
The Main statement of Dt32-08:09 is that God created
the world and nations for the sake of the Jews. The
Bible gives various details of this
- God gave other nations borders so that Jews could have Israel
- God separated a unified world so Jews could live in peace
- Gods ultimate Goal was the Jews
- Gods desires the Jacobian ideal of a multi-talented nation
Rashi elaborates on this main theme by
(a) explaining the words in the verses
(b) Citing other verses/incidents to support his thesis
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TODAYS RASHI RULE: OTHER VERSES
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: FURTHER DETAILS
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TODAYS RASHI RULE: POETRY
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: Overall Structure
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE & SUBRULE
-----------------------------------
Rashi will sometimes confirm the details of one
verse by citing OTHER VERSES that enrich meaning.
The use of external verses contrasts with the
alternative approach of an internal analysis of
meaning and grammar. These two approaches (OTHER
VERSES) vs (MEANING-GRAMMAR) supplement each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE & SUBRULE
-----------------------------------
A Rashi comment will sometimes focus on the OVERALL
STRUCTURE of a set of verses. The OVERALL STRUCTURE
gives a THEME & FLAVOR to the whole set of verses.
This THEME & FLAVOR in turn can return and enrich
the meaning of individual verse phrases.
TODAYS LIST
-----------
We present the overall structure of Dt32-08:09
The footnotes present supporting other verses.
A special treat is a discussion of 3 puns in Rashi
===========================================================
VERSE CONNECTIVE TEXT OF VERSE
======== ========== =======================================
Dt32-08a When God established nations*1
Dt32-08b When He separated people*2
Dt32-08 [THEN] He created national boundaries
Dt32-08 ------ for the sake of numbers of Jews*3
Dt32-09a [BECAUSE] Gods portion is His Nation*3
Dt32-09b --------- Jacob is Gods Surety *3 *4
NOTES
-----
*1 The Hebrew root used in the verse Hey-Nun-Chet-Lamed
literally means TO PASS AS INHERITANCE. The verse
metaphorically refers to God establishing nations
as GOD Giving them inheritance
We can confirm this meaning of the verse using an
OTHER VERSE with a similar theme
---------------------------------------------------
Dt02-05 For I,God, Seir as an INHERITANCE to Esauv
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Rashi however dwells on some nuances of puns in the
verse. For details on this approach see the longer
footnotes *10
*2 The verse speaks about God separating people out.
Rashi confirms this using the technique of OTHER VERSES
For Example
- Dt02-05 God gave Seir to Esauv
- Dt02-09 God gave Lot, Ar
- Gn11 God separates the nations at the Tower of Babel
Thus Rashis comments should be perceived as EXAMPLES
illustrating the theme of this verse, Dt32-08, based
on OTHER VERSES.
*3 These 3 verse segments all echo the same theme
----------------------------------------------
One purpose of God letting other nations live
in separate borders is so that these nations can
aid the Jews.
----------------------------------------------
Examples of other nations aiding the Jews or of
God creating the world and its nations for the Jews
occur in the following verses
- Gn01-01 For the sake of the CHOICEST nation God
created the world
- 1K05-16:20 Chiram helps Solomon build the temple
- Ezra01-01:06 Koresh helps Jews rebuild the temple
In addition to stating this main theme Rashi
makes further comments on how the number of nations
correspond to the number of Jews. This is another
example of Rashi focusing on puns---see Footnote *10
*4 The Hebrew word used here Chet-Beth-Lamed has
6 meanings. One primary meaning is DEPOSIT or SURETY--
the object of value given to insure that a loan is paid
Some examples of verses with this meaning are
Dt24-06 Ex22-05.
Hence the simple meaning of the verse is that JACOB
is the DEPOSIT of the Jewish people assuring that Gods
LOAN to us of Israel will be paid back.
Rashi points out that unlike the other Patriarchs who
didnt make good on all payments -- Thus Abrahams son
Ishmael was wicked for a while--similarly, Isaacs
son Esauv was wicked for a while---by contrast, all
of Jacobs children were good. Hence Jacobs COMPLETENESS
acts as a surety and deposit for the loan.
Rashi also focuses on the nuances of Chet-Beth--Lamed by
making some puns. See footnote *10 for a discussion
------------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -----------------
*10 3 Puns occur in Dt32-08:09
Pun 1:
-----
The verse says that God Gave national boundaries to
the other nations. The Hebrew root used, Nun-Chet-Lamed
ALWAYS mean to GIVE OVER (And parallel usages are
cited above).
But Nun-Chet-Lamed also COINCIDENTALLY means RIVER.
Thus Rashi makes a PUN. Rashi interprets Dt32-08 as
referring to the RIVERING (ie FLOODING) of the MABUL
Rashi says that after God RIVERED the world God
gave boundaries to the nations (Gn10).
Pun 2:
------
Dt32-08:09 simply says that God created the MULTITUDE
of NATIONS for the sake of the MULTITUDE of Jews.
But coincidentally there are 70 offspring/nations mentioned
in Gn10 and there were 70 offspring of Jacob that went
down to Egypt.
Thus Rashi is punny and says that the 70 nations
correspond to the 70 Jews
Pun 3:
------
Dt32-09 simply says that Gods portion is his nation--
Jacob is his surety (Since the other patriarchs had
(Temporarily) bad offspring like Ishmael & Esauv
while all of Jacobs children were pure).
But coincidentally Jacob was the 3rd patriarch and
the Hebrew word for Surety also means 3-twined Rope.
So Rashi dwells on this odd coincidence.
How are we to take these puns? 2 points come to mind
Point 1
-------
Even if we believe that Rashi or God INTENDED these
puns we should never lose sight that God / Rashi
ALSO intended the simple meaning of the text above.
(I learned this point from my High School Bible Teacher
Rabbi Amnon Haramati who emphasized to us that no
matter what we learn from Rashi we should always 1st
read the simple meaning and believe that that meaning
is intrinsic to the verse)
Points 2 & 3
------------
Poetry is EVOCATIVE vs DESCRIPTIVE. Hence although
the Authors did NOT intend the puns, nevertheless the
study of puns ENRICHS not meaning but EVOCATION of mood.
Let me give an example to illustrate this.
If I say FILL ME A GLASS OF WATER then all I want is
a glass of water.
But if I poetically say FLUSH ME A GLASS OF WATER then
I use poetic license. The word FLUSH, is EVOCATIVE.
It EVOKES pictures of GUSHING water. Maybe I want
you to fill the glass with gusto. Or maybe I want
bubbles (Like a good flush) Or maybe I want the glass
filled with a flushing SOUND. Or maybe I want the glass
filled in the bathroom (Where flushing is done) from
the Bathroom sink.
It IS NOT clear which of these evocations I intended.
But it IS CLEAR that I intended to EVOKE.
This therefore defines the method of appreciating Rashis
use of puns in poetry.
POINT 1
-------
- We should first become aware of the simple meaning of
the verse
POINT 2
-------
- We are not obligated to believe that these puns are
INTENDED meaning of the author.
POINT 3
-------
- But we ARE obligated to believe that the author
desired EVOCATION.
Therefore by dwelling on several puns and coincidences
in the verse we enrich our understanding of mood and
flavor of these verses.
This middle-of-the-road approach--Dont feel OBLIGATED
to believe the puns but DO feel obligated to believe
that puns were intended--seems to be the best way
to approach these Rashi puns.
=============================================================
RASHI RULE USED: MULTIPLE - Example8 - OTHER VERSES
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WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
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Volume 15 Number 9
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 15 Number 9