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  |      Rashi is Simple Version 2.0                         |
  |      (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000                          |
  |       http://www.RashiYomi.Com                           |
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VERSE: Dt32-30a

RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-30a Dt32-30b Dt32-30c
                                     Dt32-31a Dt32-31b Dt32-32a

BACKGROUND: Dt32-26:27 Explicitly states that the JEWS are wicked
and God would have destroyed them were it not for the fact that
the ENEMIES of the Jews would then say that  we won  (And not
their God destroyed them ). The verses following these
alternately talk about the JEWS or their ENEMIES. However because
of the poetic terseness of these verses it is not always made
clear whether they are talking about the JEWS or their ENEMIES
Thus Rashis Job will be to explain WHO is being spoken about.

RULE: In dealing with POETIC verses there are 4 separate problems
that Rashi can be dealing with:

a) MEANING: Rashi can simply explain the meaning of words
b) GRAMMAR: Rashi can simply explain the function of words--
             who is doing it; how etc
c) SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Rashi can be explaining the relation
                      of sentences parts
d) CLIMAX: Rashi can be showing the development of
            various sentences

Note, that these are the 4 rule categories of the Rashi rules
(which you can find listed below at the bottom of the digest).
In the previous digest (Volume 7 Number 18) we showed how the
concept of CONTEXT and DEVELOPMENT can be used to give richness
of understanding. We have also seen verses where the hard part
is word MEANING. In this posting we show how Rashi can be
explaining grammatical function.

EXAMPLES:
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    In the following verses Rashi clarifies whether the verse is
    Speaking about the Jews or their enemies. To clarify the
    Verses I shall use the Nazis as example of Jewish enemies
    Missing words supplied by Rashi are placed in CAPS
    ------------------------------------------------------------

EXAMPLE 1:  Dt32-30
         How shall one NAZI *1   pursue 1000   JEWS *2
                   Two NAZIS *1 pursue 10000 JEWS *2
         Unless their [ie the Jewish] God had sold them[the Jews]
         TO THE NAZIS*3

NOTES
*1 Dt32-30a Rashi fills in the grammatical Subject--
    WHO is pursueing (the Nazis)
*2 Dt32-30b Rashi fills in the grammatical object---
    WHOM is being pursued(Jews)
*3 Dt32-30c Rashi fills in the indirect object---------
    TO WHOM are they being sold

Notice how Rashis task is NOT to explain meaning, or context but
rather to explain Grammatical function. Rashi transforms the
verse  How can 1 pursue 1000" to "How can 1 NAZI pursue 1000 JEWS
By filling in the missing words Rashi explains
grammatical funciton.

We could also explain why Poetry sometimes leave words
out.....but that is not our task
here (See Sifsay Chachamim for interesting comments).
Our task here is to show Rashis basic function as grammatical.






EXAMPLE 2: Dt32-32a  For the JEWISH  vines are Sedomite Vines

  RASHI: This verse refers back to several previous verses where
         Jewish wickedness was discussed. For example

{LIST}

VERSE	TEXT	
------- --------------------------------------
Dt32-15	The Jews rebelled and deserted God
Dt32-16	They angered him with foreign worship	
Dt32-17	They worshipped foreign Gods	
Dt32-26	I said I would destroy the Jews..	
Dt32-32	For the JEWISH vines are SEDOMITE vines	


Thus again Rashi is clarifying grammatical function--
WHO, HOW, WHOM, TO WHOM. The reason it is necessary
for Rashi to do this is because the verses rapidly
fluctuate between the JEWS whom God would destroy
and the NAZIS who are too stupid to see that their victory
is because God allowed it.










EXAMPLE 3: Dt32-31

BACKGROUND: Just 5 verses earlier the Torah explicitly says
       Dt32-26 I thought to myself, let me destroy the JEWS,
               eradicate their memory
       Dt32-27 But I decided against destroying them ....
               lest the NAZIS say
               Our hand was victorious--we won--God had
               nothing to do with it

So Rashi interprets Dt32-31 the same way
       Dt32-31 For our (ie JEWISH) God
               cannot compare to the nazi god*1
               AND THEREFORE IT MUST BE GOD WHO ALLOWS
               The nazis to rule over us


NOTES
*1 eg The Jewish God delivered us from Egypt. The nazis have no
   Comparable religious experience. So they should understand
   That any victories they obtain must be with the consent of
   The Jewish God

So again Rashi identifies GRAMMATICAL FUNCTION and shows how the
parts of the sentence are connected


RULE USED:  SENTENCE STRCTR
---------------------------------------------------
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 7 Number 19


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