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VERSE: Dt33-03a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt33-03a Dt33-03b Dt33-03c Dt33-03d
Dt33-03e Dt33-03f Dt33-03g Dt33-03h
======================== Dt33-03a ==============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
Some Rashi comments deal with FORMATTING.
Modern authors FORMAT using such techniques as
BULLETS, PARAGRAPHING, BOLD, ITALICS and UNDERLINE.
The Biblical Author achieved these effects but thru
different means.
For example a modern author might hilight distinct
items using BULLETS. The Biblical Author hilights
distinct items using REPEATING KEYWORDS.
We call this the Rashi rule of FORMATTING with the Rashi
subrule of KEYWORDS AS BULLETS
Rashi could also infer from the general PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
(without any keywords). We call this the the Rashi rule of
FORMATTING with the Rashi subrule of PARAGRAPHS.
The use of the FORMATTING principle is especially common
in POETIC passages. In a poetic passage, EVEN if there
is no repeating keyword, each stanza represents a separate
distinct item. We have advocated the following method for
understanding BIBLICAL POETIC PASSAGES
- Identify those stanzas whose meaning is understood
- Identify the UNIFYING meaning of the WHOLE passage
- Identify the STAGES of this UNIFYING meaning
- Read these identified STAGES into the text of each STANZA
Note that unlike
------------------------------------------------
- PROSE where we first identify the
word / grammer meanings and then
determine the meaning of the whole
- in POETRY the meaning of the whole comes
first and then determines the meaning of the
individual stanzas and their words/grammar.
------------------------------------------------
Many people react negatively to this approach
since we are READING MEANING into the words
to fit our theory of the WHOLE. However this
is the nature of POETRY in all languages.
There in fact may be controversy on the UNIFIED
MEANING giving rise to different interpretations
of the poetic passage.
EXAMPLE Dt33-03
---------------
There are two UNIFYING MEANINGS, or APPROACHES,
to this passage
- It is speaking about the reception of the TORAH
- It is speaking about the Jews in EXILE
Rashi READS meaning into each STANZA by citing
OTHER VERSES with rare meanings that support each
unified meaning. The stanzas together indicate
a CLIMACTIC development of the idea.
APPROACH 1---Acceptance of the Torah
------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Rashi thru OTHER VERSES and a UNIFYING
THEME identifies four stages
- GODS LOVE OF JEWS
- JEWS BELONG TO GOD
- JEWS CLING/RUSH TO GOD
- JEWS RECEIVE PROPHECY
Here are the details
STAGE 1:LOVE: God loves the NATIONS=TRIBES of Israel
(RASHI: See Gn35-11 where the future TRIBE
of Benjamin is called a NATION)
STAGE 2:BELONGING TO GOD: The [SOULS] of the
HOLY beings are in YOUR HAND, OH GOD
(RASHI: cf 1S25-29 for the metaphor of
SOULS bundled with God)
STAGE 3: CLINGING TO GOD: They (the Jews)
INSIDED themselves to the Legs of God
(RASHI: The noun INSIDE is transformed to
a verb, TO INSIDE, TO GO INSIDE; the Jews
rushed to the INSIDE (Bottom) of the
Mount Sinai where the Torah was received(Cf Ex19-17))
STAGE 4: PROPHECY: They bore YOUR
MUSINGS TO YOURSELF=Your Prophecies
(RASHI: MUSING TO YOURSELF can refer
to prophecy as in Nu07-89)
APPROACH 2---Jews in exile
---------------------------
SUMMARY: Rashi thru OTHER VERSES and a UNIFYING
THEME identifies four stages
- GODS LOVE OF NONJEWS (Conquest of Jews)
- JEWS BELONG TO GOD (Despite conquest)
- JEWS CLING/RUSH TO GOD (Not to non Jewish allies)
- JEWS ACCEPT GODS WILL (Punishments from God)
Here are the details
STAGE 1: LOVE: God loves the NON JEWISH NATIONS
(And allows them to attack / subjugate the Jews)
STAGE 2: BELONGING TO GOD: But still [despite
non Jewish subjugation] SOULS of HOLY JEWS
BELONG to God (They do not intermarry)
STAGE 3: CLING TO GOD: Jews INSIDE themselves
to God (but do not seek refuge from
non Jewish allies)
STAGE 4: PROPHECY: Jews accept Gods punishments
(promised by PROPHECY for transgressions)
As can be seen the two APPROACHES are highly
similar. Thus this Rashi is a PEACHY example
of the POETRY RASHIS.
LIST108j below summarizes this PARAGRAPH structure
with both APPROACHES
==================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: BULLETS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #26
SEE BELOW LIST108j
PARAGRAPH structure of Dt33-03 - a)Receive Torah b)Exile
=================================================================
====================== LIST108j ===============================
PARAGRAPH structure of Dt33-03 - a)Receive Torah b)Exile
===============================================================
STAGE Jews receive Torah Jews in Exile Explanation
======== ================== ================== ================
LOVE God LOVES Jews*1 God loves Non Jews Allow conquest
BELONG*2 Jews BELONG to God Jews Belong to God Despite conquest
CLING*3 Jews CLING to God Jews CLING to God Despite conquest
PROPHECY Jews receive TORAH Accept Punishment as God's will*4
NOTES
-----
*1 The verse literally says
------------------
GOD LOVES NATIONS
------------------
Rashi uses the OTHER VERSE method
- This could refer to LOVE of NON JEWISH NATIONS
If God allows them to conquer Jews
- This could refer to LOVE of the 12 TRIBES
In Gn35-11 the one remaining tribe of BENJAMIN
is called a NATION
*2 The verse literally says
------------------------
THEY BELONG TO YOUR HAND
------------------------
Rashi uses the OTHER VERSE method
Rashi cites 1S25-29 which states
--------------------------------------
the SOUL of my lord will be bound up
with the bind of lifehood, with God
--------------------------------------
Consequently Rashi interprets
-----------------------
BELONG TO YOUR HAND
-----------------------
to refer to
--------------------------------------------
the SOUL being BOUND in the BOUND OF LIFEHOOD
--------------------------------------------
*3 The verse literally says
---------------------------------------
They INSIDED to Your Legs, Oh God
---------------------------------------
Here Rashi uses the principle of NOUN-VERB
TRANSFORMS. We have many familiar examples
such as TO FLOWER, TO HAMMER, TO DUST. Hence
the verb form TO INSIDE would mean to GO INSIDE
Here Rashi picturesquely describes the Jews
Rushing to God as similar to little children
going inside Grandpa's legs.
Quite simply TO INSIDE TO GOD would mean to
accept Gods providence and security.
In the case of the acceptance of the Torah
the metaphor also describes the Jews coming
to the FEET OF MOUNT SINAI (Cf Ex19-17)
*4 The verse literally says
-----------------------------------
The Jews bore Your MUSINGS Oh God
-----------------------------------
Rashi uses the OTHER VERSE method
The word MUSINGS refers to PROPHECY
as indicated in Nu07-89.
- For the APPROACH, Acceptance of Torah,
the phrase BORE PROPHECY is literal
- FOR the APPROACH, Jews in Exile,
the phrase BORE PROPHECY means that
the Jews accepted punishment as Gods
will as communicated in His Prophecies
that punishment will follow from sin
=============================================================
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Volume 30 Number 23
#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 30 Number 23