#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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VERSE: Ex11-05c
RASHIS COVERED: Ex11-05c Ex12-29b Ex12-29c
NOTE: This posting is best read in conjunction with the
postings on the verse Ex11-05c and Ex11-29c. Please visit
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h12n21.htm
==================== ALL FIRSTBORN WERE PUNISHED ===============
BACKGROUND
----------
Recall we are discussing how God redeemed us from Egypt by
punishing the 1st born.
THE TEXT
--------
- GENERAL: God will punish ALL firstborn
- EXAMPLES: From the 1stborn of PHAROH
- EXAMPLES: To the firstborn of the MAIDS/PRISONERS
- EXAMPLES: and ALL firstborn of the ANIMALS
THE RASHI
---------
- The verse uses a GENERAL EXAMPLE style.
- It also uses a FROM..TO style which requires generalization
- The verse uses the word ALL which requires generalization*11
Hence this verse must be interpreted BROADLY--that is, all
examples should be generalized. Thus the gist of the verse is
----------------------------------------------------------
God will smite all 1stborn
-- whether they are actual slaveowners
-- or just occasionally use the Jews
-- or just tease the Jews
-- ALl firstborn--even if they come from other nations
-- God will also smite the 1stborn animal Egyptian gods
-- The only 1stborn spared was Pharoh himself--he was
spared in order to acknowledge Gods greatness in Egypt
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THE LIST
--------
Here is the LIST. Footnotes bring in further nuances and Rashis
================================================================
1st born of Why punished/spared Support/Reason
================ ===================== ========================
Pharoh Acknowledge God Ex09-15:16*1
Pharohs children Owned/Ordered slaves
Maids Occasional slave use
Prisoners Tease slaves *2
Animals Egyptian gods *3
NOTES
-----
*1 Pharohs advisors acknowledged God but were silenced
or overridden by Pharoh (Ex08-15). Hence the only
person who would be saved FOR PURPOSES OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
was Pharoh himself.(Rashi: Ex12-29c)
*2 Hence the Rashi (Ex12-29b) that even FIRST BORN OF ANOTHER
NATION were punished. Indeed, the punishment was not just
for slave ownership (Which would apply ONLY to the Egyptians)
Rather the punishment applied to anyone who ABUSED or TEASED
the Jews (and hence applied to other nations).*12
*3 The Egyptians worshipped gods. Thus the gist of the verse
is that besides PUNISHING those who enslaved or teased
the Jews God was also destroying the Egyptian religion
(killing their animal gods). Rashi points out that this is
typical when God punishes a nation (God also destroys their
religion) (Rashi Ex11-05c)
-------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------------
*10 For the use of ALL to indicate generalization see
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/all-18.htm
*11 The Rashi is Simple email group has posited that there
are 3 classes of Biblical style rules
-- simple verses are interpreted BROADLY(GENERALIZED)
-- a verse in GENERAL-EXAMPLE style is read LITERALLY
(ONLY the example)
-- a verse in EXAMPLE-GENERAL style is PARITALLY
GENERALIZED
Now Ex12-29 is in GENERAL EXAMPLE style
---------------------------------------------
-GENERAL: GOd will smite ALL firstborn
-EXAMPLE: From the 1st born of PHRAOH
-EXAMPLE: To the 1stborn of the prisoners
-EXAMPLE: And all 1st born of animals
---------------------------------------------
A general example verse is usually interpreted LITERALLY--
ONLY the first born of PHaroh, maids, prisoners and animals
were punished.
However this GENERAL-EXAMPLE verse uses a special FROM-TO
style:
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ALL first born FROM Pharohs children TO prisoner 1stborn
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Thus it would appear to me (even though I dont have sources)
that a GENERAL-EXAMPLE verse that also uses a FROM-TO style
is interpreted BROADLY--ALL FIRSTBORN. This is a novelty
in the Rabbi Ishmael rules which I have not seen elsewhere
For references on Rabbi ishmael see
http://www.RashiYomi.com/ishmael.htm
For a free download see
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/download.htm
For Rashis that totally generalize verses see
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/example3.htm
*12 Notice how we blend the generalization of the word ALL
(ALL SLAVES) and the natural GENERALIZATION of the verse
EXAMPLES: ALL firstborn were punished as long as they
had some type of slave abuse AND HENCE even 1stborn of
other nations who were residing in Egypt
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: EXAMPLE 3
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Volume 12 Number 21
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 12 Number 21