#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
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VERSE: Dt32-16a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-16a Dt32-16b Dt32-17a Dt32-17b Dt32-17c
Dt32-18a Dt32-18b Dt32-21a Dt32-21b
REFERENCES: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h7n18.htm POETRY GUIDELINES
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/dt24-10a.htm MEANING OF NSH
============== GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING POETIC VERSES ========
BACKGROUND
----------
It is well know that in the Bible, the five books of Moses,
- there are passages that are LEGAL
- there are passages that are NARRATIVE
- there are passages that are POETIC
Each of these 3 literary vehicles has special rules for
interpretation. Today we study POETIC passages.
REFERENCE:
----------
The Rashi-is-Simple guidelines for studying poetry
may be found at http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h7n18.htm
THE TEXT
--------
Dt32-16 They made Him Jealous with strange ones;
with disgusting things they made Him Angry
Dt32-17 The offered to demons, no-gods, UnKnown gods, recent gods
gods that had not been demoned by tradition
Dt32-18 The ROCK that Gave Birth to you you have neglected
You have forgotten the ALmighty that wombed you
Dt32-19 And God saw and Blew up from the anger of His Children
THE RASHI
---------
The Rashis on these poetic passages do a variety of things:
- they clarify strange or unknown words
- they clarify strange grammar
- they clarify parallel and chiastic structures
- they clarify OVERALL STRUCTURE: The overall poetic
force, drive and focus
THE LIST
--------
In this LIST we present the OVERALL GUIDELINES for poetry AS
APPLIED to this chapter. This is followed by 3 other lists
illuminating the meanings of the 3 verses. In the list below
we show that there are 4 stages to ANGERING GOD: STANDARD SINS,
followed by REBELLION SINS, followed by FORGETTING GOD followed
by GODS ANGER. Such a holistic perspective enriches Biblical
understanding.
================================================================
POETRY GUIDELINES Application to Dt32-16:20
=================== ==========================================
GET UNIFYING IDEA*1 Jews sin, make God Angry & He punishes
LIST KNOWN WORDS*2 Dt32-16:20 have mostly clear meaning
LIST UNKNOWN WORDS*3 We use PARALLEL Structure on each verse
SUBCATEGORIES*4 PASSION SINS:REBELLION:FORGET GOD:ANGER
1-1 CORRESPONDENCE*5 We align the 4 subcategories & verses
Dt32-16 STANDARD: Jews do DISGUSTING sins
Dt32-17 REBELLION: Jews turn to non-standard idols
Dt32-18 FORGET: Jews FORGET GOD
Dt32-19 ANGER: God gets ANGRY
NOTES
=====
*1 This part can be hard. The reader must consciously throw-away
detail and see an underlying unity
*2 After seeing the unifying principle we begin to look at
details by studying those passages with clear meaning
*3 There are a variety of techniques to study WORDS with
unknown meaning. In Dt32-16:20 we use the technique
of PARALLEL structure. A full list of techniques can be
found at http://www.RashiYomi.Com/naming-8.htm
*4 In other words to anger God one starts with STANDARD
sins; then proceed to news sins that are NOT STANDARD;
and finally thru involvement with sin you FORGET GOD.
*5 The one-to-one correspondence between the 4 categories
of PASSION-REBELLION-FORGET-ANGER and Dt32-16:20 may
be found in the remaning rows of the table
================================================================
================ DETAILS OF Dt32-16 =============================
Continuation of the analysis begun above.
We analyze in this LIST, Dt32-16 which corresponds to
the STAGE OF, STANDARD SINS IN ANGERING GOD*10
=================================================================
VERSE PHRASE1 PHRASE2 PHRASE3
======= ============== ======= ===============================
Dt32-16 They make Him JEALOUS with STRANGE OBJECTS
Dt32-16 They make Him ANGRY-- with DISGUSTING IDEAS
Differs *1 *2 *3
NOTES
=====
*1 This phrase is identical in both verses. Such PARALLELISM
strengthens the cohesive unity of the verse
*2 (Dt32-16a) (RASHI)They make him ANGRY & JEALOUS (So Rashi
emphasizes the parallel structure by unifying both elements,
JEALOUS and ANGER) *11
*3 (Dt32-16b) They did sins that are called STRANGE & DISGUSTING
These keywords are usually used for severe sins such as
abnormal sexual sins or the idolatrous practices associated
with them *12
------------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------
*10 I call this verse STAGE 1 in angering God: STANDARD SINS.
The reason I call this verse STANDARD SINS is NOT
-- because of any language or
-- any grammar in the verse
Rather I use the OVERALL STRUCTURE of Dt32-16:20
----------------------------------------------------
Dt32-16 refers to disgusting idolatrous sins
Dt32-17 refers to worshipping NEW GODS, NOT YET KNOWN
----------------------------------------------------
Thus it is the CONTRAST Of the verses that teaches us:
Since Dt32-17 speaks about NEW gODS, therefore Dt32-16
speaks about STANDARD gods.
The idea that inference can be made from OVERALL STRUCTURE,
even if the language does not support it, comes from
the Rabbi Ishmael rules of style which may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example9.htm
*11 (See an identical Rashi on Dt32-21a
which Rashi Flashbacks to this verse)
-----------------------------------------------------
(God Speaking) They have made me JEALOUS with NO-GODS
-----------------------------------------------------
RASHI states:
------------------------------------
They have made me JEALOUS and ANGRY
------------------------------------
So Rashi sees Dt31-21a flashing back to Dt32-16a
*12 The words DISGUSTING (TOAYVAH) and STRANGE (NAYCHAR)
occur by the following sins.
-------------------------------------------------
-- idolatry (eg Dt07-26,Gn35-02,Dt31-16)
-- homesexuality (eg Lv18-22, Lv20-13)
-- wife-swapping (Dt24-04)
-- Kashruth (Dt14-03)
-------------------------------------------------
I would suggest that TOAYVAH refers either to sins of
abnormal sexual passion (WIFE SWAPPING or HOMOSEXUALITY)
or
It also refers to those rites connected with such
behavior (Such as IDOL WORSHIP & NON KOSHER FOODS)
================================================================
================== DeTails of Dt32-17 ===========================
Continuation of the analysis started above
We analyze Dt32-17 which presents STAGE 2 in angering God:
The stage of NEW IDOLATRIES
=================================================================
VERSE PHRASE1 PHRASE2 PHRASE3
======= ============= ================== ========================
Dt32-17 They offer to demons (to) no-gods
Dt32-17 ---- ----- -- ------ gods that are not known
Dt32-17 ---- ----- -- ------ new gods, just developed
Dt32-17 ---- ----- -- (gods)not demoned (gods) not feared
Differs *1 *2 *3
NOTES
=====
*1 The first word: THEY-OFFER, applies to each of the
the 4 phrases in the verse but is only written by the
first one. Such a style (writing a repeated verb once
even though it applies to many phrases) is characteristic
of poetry (It is called ellipsis)
*2 I bring your attention to the last phrase in the list (and
verse). The Hebrew is technical. The root is Shin-Ayin-Resh.
Rashi brings two interpretations based on 2 possible
parallelisms
-- PARALLEL WITH PHRASE2: S-A-R means DEMONS: The verse reads
------------------------------------------
gods that were not DEMONED by your fathers
------------------------------------------
-- PARALLEL WITH PHRASE3: S-A-R means FRIGHT: The verse reads
--------------------------------------------
(gods) which your fathers were not AFRAID of
--------------------------------------------
For further details and defenses see footnote *10
*3 The 3-4 phrases in the PHRASE3 column form a sequence
which is interpreted using the CLIMAX principle. The Jews
are depicted offering to
-----------------------------------------------------------
gods what type of god
------------------------ --------------------------------
no-gods gods not known to do anything
gods not known gods not popular among idolaters
new gods gods that were just made up
gods that are not feared worship for the sake of worship
-----------------------------------------------------------
For further details see footnote *11
================================================================
------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------------
*10 The two meanings brought by Rashi arent just 2 translations
but rather two approaches to applying the PARALLEL STRUCTURE
PRINCIPLE.
In other words a superficial reading of Rashi would appear to
suggest that Rashi found 2 VERSES with the root
Sin-Ayin-Raish, the same root used in the Dt32-17 verse
And because of these two verses Rashi inferred two
dictionary meanings
But I am suggesting that
it was the 2 PARALLEL STRUCTURES that motivated Rashis 2
interpretations. The two verses support the structure. It was
the structure, not the verse, that was primary.
Here are the two interpretations
(The Hebrew root used in the last part
of the verse is SAAR which can mean GOAT, HAIR etc. As will
be seen below we can derive new meanings of FRIGHT & DEMONS)
- PARALLELISM ON PHRASE2
--------------------------------
Rashi parallels the last words of the verse with the
statement THEY OFFER TO DEMONS. HENCE, concludes Rashi, the
last words of the verse also have this meaning. To cement
this approach Rashi brings a supporting verse where the
Hebrew word used (SAIR) has a meaning of DEMONS (Isa13-21).
Lv17-07 is another example. In these 2 verses SAAR means
GOATS which refer to DEMONS since GOATS are symbols of
FRIGHT. Hence, Rashi translates the verse as follows
-------------------------------------------------
they worshipped gods not DEMONED by their fathers
-------------------------------------------------
- PARALLELISM ON PHRASE3
----------------------------------------------------------
Rashi parallels the last words of the verse with PHRASE3.
Hence Rashi interprets the last words as referring to
worshipping different types of gods. Note that
the Hebrew root SAAR means HAIR and hence it can refer
to a FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE (As in the English HAIRY
EXPERIENCE or in the Hebrew NAIL(SMR) (Job4-15
MY HAIR WILL BECOME NAIL LIKE(SMR) (ie I will become
frightened)) referring to the goose pimples some people get
when frightened) According to this approach Rashi interprets
the verse as
-----------------------------------------------------------
they worship no-gods, unknown gods,
new gods, GODS THEY DO NOT FEAR
-----------------------------------------------------------
*11 I again emphasize the fundamental rule of CLIMAX.
Rashi can infer meaning and nuances either from
-- special words
-- special grammar
-- a style of climax
For other examples where CLIMAX determines meaning see
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/example8.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example9.htm
Thus it is the STYLE, not necessarily the words, that motivated
interpreting this list of idol-gods in a climactic manner:
-- worthless gods
-- obscure gods (Few people have heard of them)
-- newly created gods
Nevertheless we can also find SUPPORT for this analysis in the
the words used. The expression NO-GODS is composed of the
words GOD and NO. There are other idioms in Hebrew using
NO and a word. For example Job30-08 speaks about NO-NAME
people
Just as NO-NAME people, are people who may have names,
but dont have respectable names, so to, NO-gOD gods, are
gods that may be idols, but arent known for doing anything
specific (eg they are not gods you come to for healing,
love etc).
Rashi also echoes this on Dt32-21b. The Biblical text states
------------------------------
They angered me with NO-gODS
------------------------------
Rashi sees this as a flashback to Dt32-17 and explains the
same way
------------------------------
gODS that have no USE:
------------------------------
In other words some gods are USED eg for healing, victory etc
By contrast the no-gods are not used for anything
=================================================================
============= DETAILS OF Dt32-18 ================================
We continue the analysis begun in the above tables. In
this LIST we review the phrases in Dt32-18 which corresponds
to STAGE 3 in angering God: The stage of FORGETTING GOD
=================================================================
VERSE PHRASE1 PHRASE2 PHRASE3
======= ============= ====================== ==================
Dt32-18 The Rock(God) who gave BIRTH to you you have NEGLECTED
Dt32-18 The Almighty who WOMBED you you have FORGOTTEN
Differs *1 *2 *3
NOTES
=====
*1 God is Frequently called the ROCK.(eg Dt32-27, 1Sam2,2
1Sam22,32, 2Sam23,3)*10
*2 Rashi points out that BIRTH and the Hebrew CH-L-L are parallel
Hence CH-L-L means TO GIVE BIRTH. This can also be justified
thru the unifying meaning of the Hebrew root CH-L-L which
means HOLLOW. So to HOLLOW a Baby=to WOMB a baby=GIVE BIRTH*11
*3 Rashi points out that NEGLECTED and FORGOTTEN are PARALLEL
Hence: NEGLECTED means FORGOTTEN in this verse. Rashi
also suggests a second interpretation which focuses more
specifically on the nuances of TESHI the Hebrew word used*12
----------------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ------------------
*10 Most people see this (the translation of ROCK as GOD)
as related to the STRENGTH attribute of God. But my teacher
the Rav, Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchick also related this
to the SHADE BEARING QUALITITES of a big rock(The Rav
explained that Shepards used ROCKS for shade)
*11 If we look at the other
meanings of CH-L-L (RADACK, ROOTS) we see a UNIFYING concept
of HOLLOW
--------------------------------------------------------------
-- FLUTES (HOLLOW instruments)
-- CAVES (HOLLOWS in the earth)
-- BIRTH (Womb is HOLLOW from which the infant comes)
-- DEATH (Metaphorically: The body is HOLLOWeD from its SOUL)
-- PROFANE(Metaphorically: The object is HOLLOWED from holines
--------------------------------------------------------------
*12 We have previously explained the Hebrew word used in this
verse TESHI from the root N-S-H. See the following posting
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/dt24-10a.htm
We showed there that N-S-H means to BE OVERLY INVOLVED IN
-- to OVERUSE a muscle/tendon (and dislocate it)
-- to BE INVOLVED in debt
-- to FORGET from being overly involved in other matters
Hence we could offer two interpretations of TESHI in
this verse
-- we are so INVOLVED in idols that we FORGET God
-- God is so INVOLVED in punishing us that He, so to
speak, doesnt have time to devote to the rest of the world
(This interpretation would see TESHI as being in the
CAUSATIVE mode--we cause God to neglect the world. I will
not get into the grammar of this rare root here but
eg see Jer37-9 for a similar grammatical form)
Just to recap: In this posting we have focused on the
PARALLEL structure meaning of TESHI while in the dt24-10a
posting we focused on the specific meanings of the
underlying root.
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: Example9
---------------------------------------------------
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 11 Number 17
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 11 Number 17