#*#*#*#  (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
  -----------------------------------------------------------
  |      Rashi is Simple Version 2.0                         |
  |      (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President,2006        |
  |       http://www.RashiYomi.Com                           |
  | PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
  ------------------------------------------------------------


VERSE: Dt33-08a

RASHIS COVERED: Dt33-08a Dt33-08b Dt33-08c Dt33-08d Dt33-09a
                Dt33-09b Dt33-09c Dt33-10a Dt33-10b Dt33-11a
                Dt33-11b

======================== Dt33-08a ==============================

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.

The important thing in a poetic interpretation is to
-------------------------------------------------
- identify clearly every general THEME
- then try to ASSOCIATE as many EXAMPLES as possible
-------------------------------------------------
Again many people react negatively to this. The
important point to remember is that Rashi is not
- EXHAUSTING/IDENTIFYING the meaning
  of the verse with his comments
- but ILLUSTRATING the meaning of the verse

If one takes the Rashi comments as ILLUSTRATIONS
one will have a richer appreciation of Rashi.

EXAMPLE Dt33-08:11
------------------
Rashi interprets Dt33-08:11 as
- speaking about the tribe of Levi
- identifying 5 laudable attributes of Levi
- 1) worthy of PROPHECY---------e.g had URIM TUMIM
- 2) Minimal PHYSICAL needs-----e.g. no desert complaints
- 3) SOCIALly independent-------e.g. war on idolators
- 4) INTELLECTUALly sharing-----e.g. teachers
- 5) POLITICALly victorious-----e.g. Chashmonaim war

Rashi identifies each of the paragraph stanzas
by using OTHER VERSES.

LIST108L below summarizes this PARAGRAPH structure
with copious footnotes
==================================================================
ITEM                     DETAIL
======================== =========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS:        BULLETS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #26
SEE BELOW                LIST108L
PARAGRAPH structure of   Dt33-08:11 a)Fights Gods battle b)Torah
=================================================================

======================= LIST108L ====================================
PARAGRAPH structure of   Dt33-08:11 a)Fights Gods battle b)Torah
=====================================================================
TEXT OF VERSES                    Stage         OTHER VERSES
================================= ============= =====================
CONCERNING*1 Levi he said         Prophetic
HIS*1 pious deserve prophecy*2    Prophetic     cf Nu27-21*2
--------------------------        ------------- ---------------------
Doesnt complain:*3 lack of food   Physical      Ex17-01:07 Nu20-07:13
--------------------------        ------------- ---------------------
Ready to break family ties*4      Social        cf Ex32-26:27
When watching Gods word/convenant Social        cf Ex20-02:04,Ex32-01
--------------------------        ------------- ---------------------
The will Teach the Jews*5         Intellectual  cf Dt17-09,Ma02-07
They will symbolically instruct*6 Intellectual  cf Nu18-01:07
--------------------------        ------------- ---------------------
God blesses him militarily*7      Political     cf P069-24
He pulverizes*8 his enemies       Political


NOTES
-----
*1 - The Hebrew leter LAMED (as a prefix letter) means TO
   - Here Rashi interprets it as meaning CONCERNING (=TOWARDS)
     Rashi does so because the 3rd person is used in
     the next verselet
     -------------------------------------
     HIS Pious = Levi, deserve Prophecy
     -------------------------------------

     Hence the Rashis
     ----------------
    (Dt33-08b) The word HIS refers to GOD
    (Dt33-08a) The word LAMED means CONCERNING

    Here Rashi is assisted by the GRAMMAR rule

*2 The verse literally says
   ------------------------------------
   His pious deserve the URIM and TUMIM
   ------------------------------------

   We interpret
   the URIM and TUMIM as meaning PROPHECY since
   Nu27-21 explicitly identifies the function of
   the URIM and TUMIM as PROPHETIC INSIGHT.

   Here Rashi uses the METONOMY principle--that is
   Rashi interprets URIM and TUMIM by a concept--prophecy--
   RELATED to it. Rashi also uses the OTHER VERSE principle.

*3 The Biblical verse mentions the incidents at the cities
   of MASAH and MERIVAH. The OTHER VERSES cited show that the
   nation complained about lack of food and water. Levi is not
   explicitly mentioned however because of the POETRY principle
   which allows overall paragraph structure to indicate new
   meaning even if that new meaning is not explicitly indicated
   by the GRAMMAR and WORDS, Rashi interprets
   ----------------------------------------------------
   The nation complained about food and water
   Levi however did not complain
   ----------------------------------------------------

   Again such READ IN meanings are common in poetry. Using
   this READ IN principle we can also understand Rashi's
   2nd comment
   ----------------------------------------------
   He FOUGHT for HIM (God) AT MERIVAH
   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
   Rashi: When Moses said

   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
   Listen You rebellious ones
   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

   Levi retorted

   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
   Were Aaron and Miryam rebellious?
   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

   thereby showing that Moses lost his temper
   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
   ----------------------------------------------

   We need not perceive this Rashi as indicating an EXHAUSTION
   OF MEANING..that would be silly...we have no record of Levi
   making such statements...Rather we see this Rashi as
   indicating a POSSIBILITY--something that could have happened
   which would show the general theme that Levi was loyal to God

   As we indicated many times the proper method to read
   POETRY is to try and find pithy examples illustrating the
   verses general theme. The essence of poetry interpretation
   is to have
   - ones eye on extreme examples but
   - ones heart on thematic meaning

   The above is the proper attitude by which to
   judge and interpret Rashis

*4 The OTHER VERSES uses almost identical language and shows that
   - When the Jews violated the first commandment (No Idolatry)
   - at the incident of the Golden calf
   - Levi clung to God
   - Levi was ready to forsake family ties and
   - Execute brothers/family who worship idols

   These other verses show SOCICAL INDEPENDENCE

*5 The OTHER VERSES indicate that the PRIESTS/LEVITES were to
   serve as teachers of the Jewish people.(These verses are
   brought by me, not Rashi. But they seem in the spirit of
   the other Rashis)

*6 I cite an OTHER VERSE showing that the PRIESTS / LEVITES
   were in charge of the OFFERING procedures which gave
   symbolic instruction.

   Rashi cites differently. The verse literally says
   -------------------------------------
   They will place ALL offerings on your altar
   -------------------------------------

   Rashi could have cited Lv06-15 which refers to the PRIESTLY
   FLOUR OFFERING as an ALL offering since it is WHOLLY (ALL)
   offered on the ALTAR.

   Rashi instead refers to the UP offering which is also
   WHOLLY (ALL) offered on the altar even though this language
   is not used

   We however should not get bogged down in Rashi's associations
   We should see the OVERALL picture...the LEVITE/PRIEST teaches
   thru the OFFERINGS. Rashi simply gives pithy examples
   consistent with the theme.

*7 Rashi interprets the verselet
   -----------------------------------
   God blesses him militarily
   -----------------------------------
   to refer to the war of the Chashmonaim.

   Many scholars read this Rashi incorrectly
   - Rashi is not EXHAUSTING or IDENTIFYING the meaning of the
     verse with the Chashmonaim war.
   - Rather Rashi is ILLUSTRATING the meaning of the verse

   - In other words the verse means that
     ------------------------------
     LEVITES ARE MILITARILY STRONG
     ------------------------------
   - Rashi would like to use an OTHER VERSE to support this
   - But there are no OTHER VERSES
   - There are no Biblical wars with Levites
   - So Rashi brings an historical incidenct, the
     Chasmonaim war where the Levites were victorious
   - Rashi's goal is simply to ILLUSTRATE the verse's
     general meaning.

   Rashi also emphasizes that the Levites had a strong
   military hand despite their small numbers.

    Finally Rashi interprets MILITARILY STRONG, POLITICALLY
    -------------------------------------
    Those who dispute the priesthood will
    perish (Like Korach during his rebellion)
    --------------------------------------

*8 Here Rashi uses the ALIGNMENT and OTHER VERSE method
   to explain the verse meaning.

   The verse literally says
   -----------------------------------------------
   PULVERIZE loins    uprisers
                      enemies   shall not rise
   -----------------------------------------------

   Rashi using the ALIGNMENT method rearranges the
   verse to clarify the meaning (Dt33-11a,Dt33-11b)
   ------------------------------------------------
   PULVERIZE   [the]  loins   [of the] uprisers
   NO RISE     [for]          [the   ] enemies
   ------------------------------------------------

   The metaphor PULVERIZE LOINS is similar to the metaphor
   RATTLE LOINS in P069-24.
=================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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 31 Number 1


#*#*#*#  (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 31 Number 1