#*#*#*#*#  (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: Dt32-11a

RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-11a Dt32-11b Dt32-11c Dt32-11d

====================== GOD CARRIES US ===========================

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
-------------------
Dt32-11 poetically describes how God carries us thru history.
God describes the 3 basic components of Gods Carrying us thru
history using poetic analogies & a few words.The stages are
-- AWARENESS OF THE TRIP:God tells us we have a journey
-- THE TRIP VEHICLE:God takes different people in different ways
-- THE PERILS:God tells us the perils of the journey
The description is communicated by analogy with eagle travel
-- AWARENESS OF TRIP       The Eagle AWAKENS her young
-- TRIP VEHICLES          Eagles HOVER at varying altitudes
-- TRIP PERILS            Young are carried on Eagle WINGS

-----------------------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:                          STYLE
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE:                       POETRY
-----------------------------------------------------

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE & SUBRULE:
------------------------------------
Many Rashis are based on MEANING or GRAMMAR. But some Rashis
are based on Style.  One Biblical style is the Poetry style
in which the Bible describes an item by tersely listing
3-6 components of the item--each component tersely listed using
words with catchy nuances. It is because of this terse
description that we have called this method the Poetry method.

The proper Rashi method for understanding a POETRY passage is
to
- (a) identify the underlying unifying item
- (b) identify the 3-6 components of this item
- (c) create a cross-walk between
  these 3-6 components and the Biblical verse stanzas.
Todays example below illustrtes this

STANDARD EXAMPLE & TODAYS LIST
------------------------------
We give 2 lists. The first list describes the general guidelines
for analyzing a poetic passage. The 2nd list applies these
guidelines to Dt32-11
=================================================================
STEPS IN ANALYZING POETIC PASSAGE   APPLICATION TO Dt32-11
=================================== =============================
Identify the unifying theme         God CARRYING us thru history
Identify 3-6 components of theme    Trip awareness;vehicle;perils
Identify key words in verse         AWAKEN, HOVER, WINGS,CARRY
Identify nuances of key words       HOVER=varying positions
Parallel components & verse phrases See the 2nd list below
Parallelism fills unknown meanings  *1

NOTES
-----
*1 This is a main focus of the poetry technique. The
   parallelism IN AND OF ITSELF has the right, justification
   and power to suggest word meanings.
=================================================================

======================= Dt32-11 =================================
 We now apply the above 6 stages to this verse Dt32-11
=================================================================
VERSE PHRASE             ANALOGY              POINT OF EMPHASIS
======================== ==================== ===================
Eagle awakening its nest God tells of journey Awaken<->swoop*1
Hovering over its nest   Many appearances*2   Many altitudes*2
Takes young on wings     God prophesies peril Young ON wings*3
Carrying young           God carries us       Thru history*4

NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi points out the interesting biological fact that
   many birds SWOOP down on a nest rudely awakening the young
   By contrast Eagles 1st ruffle the treetops so that their
   young should be awakened when the mother bird comes.
   The analogy is that God EXPLICITLY informs us of our
   journey thru history rather than barging in on us*10

*2 The main point here is that the Eagle HOVERS at varying
   altitudes (Some young birds feel more reassured if the
   mother bird is at a high/low altitude). The analogy
   would be that God appears to different people in
   different forms to reassure them(Thus
   - (a) in Exodus God appeared as a warrior defeating
   - (b) God appeared as a King when He gave the Decalogue
   - (c) God appeared Maternally when He gave the manna *11

*3 Again Rashi points out a biological fact: Most birds carry
   young by the legs (A Frightening experience). But the
   eagle carries its young on its wings shielding them from
   the perils below.  The analogy would be that God warns
   us of perils in the journey thru history (Thus WINGS
   would be a symbol of PROPHECY the same way WIND(SPIRIT)
   is a symbol of PROPHECY)*12

*4 The Rashi Poetry methodology requires identification
   of a unifying theme. We have identified this stanza
   -- God CARRIES us -- as the unifying theme. We have
   interpreted this to mean that God carries us thru history

----------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ------------------------

*10 Just to recap the VERSE & ITS MEANING we have
    - VERSE: As an eagle AWAKENS its YOUNG
    - RASHI: AWAKENS vs SWOOP DOWN. Other birds rudely
      awaken by swooping. The AWAKENS 1st then comes to next
    - MEANING: God informs by prophecy of our Journey thru
      history so we shouldnt be shocked at what we get into

    To strengthen this interpretation of Rashi please visit
    http://www.RashiYomi.com/gn03-09a.htm which contains
    14 examples of prophecy by God to people.

    In certain instances God is abrupt while in other instances
    God is gradual so as not to frighten people (Like an Eagle
    awakening its young) Here is a brief summary from gn03-09a
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    NATURE OF GODS INTRODUCTORY SPEECH           GODS GOAL
    -------------------------------------------- ----------------
    Gentle opening (eg WHere are you(Gn03-09)    Repentance
    Gentle opening (eg Samuel,Samuel(1Sa03-04)   Prepare prophecy
    Chatty style(e.g. leave COUNTRY,FATHER,CITY) Difficult request
    Reassuring style(eg Dont worry Jacob(Gn46-03 Calm fears
    Abrupt style(eg God said suddenly(Nu12-04)   Punishment
    --------------------------------------------------------------

    So Moses point is that God guides us thru History gradually
    LIKE AN EAGLE AWAKENING ITS YOUNG

*11 Rashis presents a different Scriptural support for Gods
    many appearances. Rashi cites Dt33-02
    --------------------------------------
    - (Dt33-02) God came from Sinai
    - He SunRose from Seir
    - He appeared from Paran
    - (Hab03-03) God came from the South
    --------------------------------------
    Rashi then interprets SINAI, SEIR, PARAN as different
    directions (East,West, North).

    But this comment of Rashi on Dt32-11 contradicts Rashis
    own interpretation on Dt33-02. Furthermore it is not
    necessary to see Rashi as IDENTIFYING Dt32-11 with Dt33-02.

    Rather Rashi was NOT IDENTIFYING but rather ILLUSTRATING.

    The main points are
    ---------------------------------------------------
    VERSE  - AN EAGLE HOVERS OVER NEST
    RASHI  - No one fixated position
            (Giving the young alternative perceptions)
    INTERPRETATION: God appears in many forms(warrior,
    King, father, maternally) so as to give the Jews
    alternative perceptions
    ----------------------------------------------------

    Such a viewpoint makes Rashi reasonable. It is for
    this reason I have deviated from the Rashi text
    in supplying alternative scriptural supports.

*12 Again a recap would help
    -------------------------------------------
    VERSE  Eagle takes YOUNG on WINGS
    RASHI  Other birds carry young from feet
           Eagle carries young on WINGS
    INTERPRETATION God warns us of perils of journey
                   thru prophecy
    --------------------------------------------

    At first glance I seem to have wildly deviated from Rashi
    But in reality Rashi states
    ---------------------------------------------
    Other birds carry young FROM their feet--thus
    the young are exposed to perils of the road.
    By contrast the eagle carries young ON its
    wings protecting young from perils below
    ---------------------------------------------

    Thus the emphasis in Rashi is that the Eagle(Symbolizing
    God) protects the young from perils.

    I have therefore SUPPLEMENTED Rashi by indicating HOW
    God protects the young from perils.
    Using the poetic equations
    WIND   = PROPHECY
    WING   = HOVER ON WIND = PROPHETIC WARNING
    I suggest that God carries us on His Wings (on
    prophecy) and warns us of Perils of journey.

    Still another perspective is that
    - the unifying THEME is: An Eagle(God) carrying us
    - the DETAILS are: Awakening; hovering; on Wings
    - the INTERPRETATION is:

    - God tells us of Journey thru history- AWAKENING
    - God takes us thru different vehicles - HOVERING
    - God Shields us thru perils - BY TELLING US

    Other interpretations are also possible & reasonable
    For example:
    - God tells us of Journey - AWAKENING
    - God is always prepared to move on - HOVERING
    - God Himself takes us on journey --- On His WINGS

    Such multiple perspectives enrich our understanding
    of the unifying theme of the verse
=================================================================

RASHI RULE COVERED: EXAMPLE8
---------------------------------------------------
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 15 Number 8


#*#*#*#*#  (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 15 Number 8