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VERSE: Dt33-21d

RASHIS COVERED: Dt33-21d Dt33-21e Dt33-21f
                Dt33-18b Dt33-18c Dt33-18d

======================== Dt33-21d ==============================

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
A powerful but simple Rashi method is the CITATION or CROSS-
REFERENCING of an OTHER VERSE for the purpose of adding
FURTHER DETAILS to a verse we are studying. We call this
the OTHER VERSE method. There are three submethods to the
OTHER VERSE method.

If the verse actually CITES or refers to an OTHER VERSE we
call this the SUBMETHOD of CITATION.

If the OTHER VERSE explains the meaning of
some term in the first verse we call this the SUBMETHOD
of MEANING.

If the first verse does not cite an other verse and if
no meaning is explained then we call this the SUBMETHOD
of FURTHER DETAILS since the 2nd verse either confirms
the first verse or typically adds FURTHER DETAILS to
the first verse

EXAMPLE 1: Dt33-21d,e,f
-------------------------------
Biblical verse Dt33-21 describes Moses' blessing to Gad.
Rashi explains this blessing by citing OTHER VERSES which
describe how
- Gad was satisfied with the trans-Jordan lands
  of the conquered land of Sichon and Og
- But Moses argued that if they just inherited these
  lands it would be unfair to the rest of the Jewish
  people who had to fight a conquest of Israel
- So Gad offered to lead the conquest of Israel and
  only then return to their trans-Jordan home

We list below the verselets of Dt33-21d and the
corresponding OTHER VERSES cited to support this
association.

-----------------------------------------------------------
TEXT of Dt33-21              OTHER VERSE TEXT OTHER VERSE
--------------------------   ----------- ------------------
Dt33-21d HE encouraged
Dt33-21e at FRONT of nation  Dt03-18    Gad at battle FRONT
Dt33-21f He did RIGHT THING  Nu03-20:22 Approves Gad plan
Dt33-21  He did Jews JUSTICE Nu32-06:13 Moses argues Gad
-----------------------------------------------------------

Rashi now performs a classical poetic trick
--------------------------------------------
The capped word HE in the verselet
can equally refer to
- Gad
- Moses.
That is since the OTHER VERSES describe how
Moses argued with Gad to do the right thing
the verses could be equally speaking about Moses
and Gad.
--------------------------------------------

Which version is true?
- Does the verse refer to Gad
- Does the verse refer to Moses

To answer this question we must recall
a fundamental principle of POETRY
- Prose is meant to INFORM
- Poetry is meant to EVOKE

In other words the purpose of a POETIC
passage is INTRINSICALLY to create ambiguity
so that multiple messages can be evoked in
the mind of the listener. Hence the SIMPLE
MEANING OF THE VERSE IS THAT
- the verse both praises Gad
- and the verse Praises Moses
The verse evokes an image of Moses-Gad cooperation!

EXAMPLE 2 Dt33-18b Dt33-18c Dt33-18d
------------------------------------
The Patriarch Jacob gave specific blessings
to each of his children. Using these specific
blessings we can understand the blessings
Moses gave. The associations are presented
in the list below

-----------------------------------------------------
Dt33-18 Text                  OTHER VERSE TEXT
----------------------------  ----------- -----------
Rejoice Zevulun in GOING OUT  Gn49-13     AT SEA
and Yissachar in YOUR TENT    Gn49-14     FARMER
-----------------------------------------------------

Hence the Rashi (Greatly paraphrased)
--------------------------------------------
- Yissachar   and   Zevulun were
- Farmer      and   Seafarer and had parternship in
- Produce     and   Export
--------------------------------------------

We have stated many times that
- the purpose of prose is to inform
- the purpose of poetry is to evoke
Consequently good poetry is intrinsically ambiguous
so as to evoke multiple messages to the listener.

Rashi sites the OTHER VERSE 1C12-33
--------------------------------------
The Yissacharites had great scholars
that understood computations about time
--------------------------------------

But both
- seafarers
- farmers
were in need of CALENDAR COMPUTATIONS
in order to navigate the seas and properly
plan farm activities like planting/sowing.

Hence the Rashi (Greatly paraphrased)
------------------------------------
- Just as Zevulun-Yissachar were partners in COMMERCE
- So to they were partners in CALENDAR SCHOLARSHIP
------------------------------------

CALENDAR scholarship was not considered academic
but rather Toraitic. Only very great Torah scholars
were encouraged to learn the laws of Calendars. The
great court in Jerusalem (The Sanhedrin) personally
dealt with Calendar formation.

In passing Dt33-18 is sometimes interpreted to say
- Zevulun dealt in business
- Yissachar studied Torah (and was in Tents the whole day)

But the above OTHER VERSES clearly show that
- Both Zevulun and Yissachar
- were involved in business
- and were involved/needed calendar computation

Rashi's intent was therefore SUPPLEMENTIVE not
EXHAUSTIVE. Yissachar did NOT only study Torah in
Tents but rather managed the farm in tents and IN
THEIR SPARE TIME studied the laws of calendars.

Zevulun similarly ran ships and in their spare time
studied the laws of calendar making.

This interpretation is the simple meaning of the
text and is consistent with the Torah view that no
matter how much Torah one studies one should be somewhat
involved in the business world.

LIST210u summarizes the above example, provides
further detail and lists other examples of verse
pairs with one verse illuminating an OTHER VERSE
==================================================================
ITEM                     DETAIL
======================== =========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS         OTHER VERSES
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      FURTHER DETAILS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #1
SEE BELOW                LIST210u
List of verses pairs     with one verse illuminating another
================================================================

=================== LIST210u ====================================
List of verses pairs     with one verse illuminating another
LIST210u CONTINUES LIST210a and lists LIST210v-LIST210z
=================================================================
VERSE    TEXT OF VERSE            OTHER VRSE DETAILS
======== ======================== ========== ====================
Dt33-21d He*1 encouraged
Dt33-21e at FRONT of nation*2     Dt03-18    Gad at battle FRONT
Dt33-21f He did RIGHT THING       Nu03-20:22 Approves Gad plan*2
Dt33-21  He did Jews JUSTICE      Nu32-06:13 Moses argues Gad*2
-------  -------------------      ---------  -------------------
Dt33-18b Rejoice
Dt33-18c Zevulun in GOING OUT     Gn49-13    SEA-FARER*3
Dt33-18d Yissachar in TENTS       Gn49-14    FARMER*3
-------  -------------------      ---------  -------------------
Dt33-18  Zevulun/Yischar commrce  1C12-33*3  Spare time-calendar

NOTES
-----
*1 Moses cleverly shows that Dt33-21 could equally refer to
   - Gad who behaved righteously with Jews by fighting for them
   - Moses who argued the case of the Jews before Gad

   Rashi intends that BOTH interpretations are
   simultaneously true
   - The purpose of PROSE is to INFORM
   - The purpose of POETRY is to EVOKE

*2 The following background will help understand Dt33-21
   - Gad was satisfied with the trans-Jordan lands
     of the conquered land of Sichon and Og
   - But Moses argued that if they just inherited these
     lands it would be unfair to the rest of the Jewish
     people who had to fight a conquest of Israel
   - So Gad offered to lead the conquest of Israel and
     only then return to their trans-Jordan home

*3 The FIRST simple meaning of the text is that
   - Yissachar             Zevulun    had partnership of
   - farmer                sea farer  for purposes of
   - produce               export

   But in their spare time BOTH YISSACHAR/ZEVULUN needed to
   study calendar making in order to
   - navigate the sea
   - plan planting/sowing seasons.

   Hence the SECOND simple meaning of the text is that
   - Yissachar                 Zevulun had partnership of
   - seaons calculation        star navigation
   and were experts in calendar laws which in Jewish law
   is considered a deep part of Scholarship.

   Note: The simple meaning of the text as imparted by the
   above OTHER VERSES is that BOTH
   - Zevulun and Yisachar engaged in Torah/Calendar study
   - Zevulun and Yisachar engaged in business
   Judaism advocates combining Torah study with business
=================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 31 Number 5


#*#*#*#  (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 31 Number 5