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