#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000 |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
| PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
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VERSE: Ex12-12e
RASHIS COVERED: Ex08-18b Ex12-12e Nu10-10c Nu15-41c Lv11-44a
Lv19-31c Lv22-33b Lv26-02a Lv26-13a
RULE
====
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Of the several thousand verses in the Bible only a few
dozen have the concluding phrase >I AM GOD<.
Why are these few dozen verses singled out?
The explanation we started at the beginning of this volume
is that the phrase >I AM GOD< creates an extra emphasis
which is needed in certain situations.
As we review the verses where it says >I AM GOD< we find
certain patterns. The phrase occurs by any of the following
--The Exodus from Egypt
--Commandments dealing with the treatment of lower social classes
--Commandments curtailing indulging in our physical desires
--Verses encouraging general service to God & Holiness
The emphasis created by the phrase >I AM GOD< in the above 4
situtations seems to be clear:
--Usually people do commandments because of fear of reprisal.
I dont steal because people will steal from me. However
there is no >SOCIAL< motivation to treat the poor nicely.
Hence the phrase >I AM GOD< is mentioned by commandments
requiring respect of lower social classes(like treating
the poor nicely) to emphasize that GOD IS WATCHING AND
CAN PUNISH VIOLATORS
--Similarly >I AM GOD< is mentioned by commandments asking
us to abstain from physical pleasures (Food, forbidden
relations, territoriality). In effect God is saying
>I can cause you more pain then the pain of withdrawal
and I can cause you more pleasure than physical pleasure<
--Similarly >I AM GOD< is mentioned by the Exodus to
emphasize Gods power in the presence of the then
mightiest empire on Earth.
--Finally >I AM GOD< is mentioned by commandments
encouraging General observance of commandments
and aspirations to holiness.
In all these cases the emphasis is
--I am God who can punish
--I am God who can reward
--I am God who has the Power
Rashi scatters these three ideas (REWARD, PUNISH, POWER)
throughout the two dozen Rashis on >I AM GOD<. Sometimes
Rashi emphasizes >REWARD< sometimes he emphasizes
>PUNISHMENT< and sometimes he emphasizes >HIS POWER TO DO<
Our attitude throughout this email group has been that
when there are multiples Rashis on one phrase then the
Rashis all share with each other.
The examples will illustrate this.
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EXAMPLES:
=========
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The following verses speak about >GENERAL OBSERVANCE OF
COMMANDMENTS & ASPIRATIONS TO HOLINESS<. The phrase
>I AM GOD< emphasizes that God has the power to >REWARD US<
or >TO PUNISH US<
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VERSE WHY VERSE USES THE PHRASE >I AM GOD<
======== ====================================================
Lv26-02a General obligation to observe all commandments
Lv26-13a General obligation to observe all commandments
Lv22-33b General obligation to observe all commandments*1
Lv11-44a Conclusion of chapter on Kosher-Verse says >be holy<*2
Lv19-31c Prohibition of going to seance makers*3
NOTES
=====
*1 It appears that this verse should perhaps go with the
collection of verses stating >I AM GOD< by commandments
prohibiting indulging in physical pleasures.
This commandment is taken to refer to the obligation to
incur martyrdom--to give up ones life rather than violate
the transgression of idolatry, adultery or murder. Hence
the phrase >I AM GOD< would tie in to our general theme
that >I AM GOD< occurs by commandments connected with
strong physical urges such as the prohibitions on
forbidden foods, relations, and territoriality.
In particular the obligation for martyrdom confronts
the physical urge of self-preservation----God in effect
says >I can give you more reward in the next world<.
*2 Again it may be better to place this verse in the section
of verses which have >I AM GOD< in connection with
commandments that prohibit indulging in physical pleasures.
Rashi emphasizes that >By following God who is holy you
become holy<. However Rashi has elsewhere explained
that >HOLINESS< refers to mans abstention from the
physical. Furthermore this verse concludes the chapter
on the >Forbidden Non Kosher Foods< and we have already
explained that >I AM GOD< is associated with commandments
that curtail strong physical desires. So the most
natural way of taking the >I AM GOD< in this verse is to
refer to the reward and punishment which God delivers
for observing the commandments requiring abstention from
forbidden foods.
*3 The actual verse speaks about the prohibition of seeking
communion with seance powers. The actual Rashi says on
the phrase >I AM GOD< as follows: >If you go to seance makers
then you are exchanging the real GOD for some worthless
idol<
It would therefore seem, consistent with the other Rashis
in this series, that the >I AM GOD< is used in
commandments that fight primal urges. There are 5 such urges:
--the commandments on Kosher foods(urge of food)
--the commandments on forbidden relations(male female)
--the commandments on martyrdom(self preservation)
--the commandments on territoriality(no eating fruit 3 years)
--the commandments against seeking communion with seance
powers
As an example of how strong this urge is, recall that
King Saul, who destroyed all seances from the land
nevertheless went to a seance maker when the Philistines
declared war and God did not answer him (1Sam28).
Thus it seems plausible to view this >I AM GOD< as
associated with the prohibition of seance makers.
This completes the 4 major categories where the phrase >I AM GOD<
occurs:
(i) The Exodus
(ii) Commandments to respect lower social classes
(iii) Commandments against 5 strong primal urges
--food prohibitions Kashruth
--male female prohibitions
--territoriality(prohibition of eating fruit first 3 years)
--martyrdom (urge of self preservation)
--prohibition of seance seeking
(iv) General verses urging observance of commandments
We have left to deal with 4 more verses where >I AM GOD<
occurs with something extra in the verse. Here are the cases.
EXCEPTION 1: Ex08-18b >I AM GOD IN THE LAND<
===========
This verse occured by the 4th plague, the first plague where God
promises to distinguish between the Egyptians who will be
punished and the Jews who wont be punished (with the mixture of
wild beasts)
Using the technique of DOUBLE PARSHAS we see that among all verses
with the phrase >I AM GOD< this is the only verse that says
>I AM GOD IN THE LAND<
Rashi explains that the emphasis in the
verse is on the phrase >IN THE LAND<. God is not
just superior to the Egyptian gods in spiritual powers--God
also totally controls the physical world and hence the
emphasis >IN THE LAND<.
EXCEPTION 2: Nu15-41c
============
This uses the RabbiIshmael rules. It deals with the
>GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL< style which is used by the Bible
to indicate a >PARAGRAPH UNIT<. In such a case all details
in the paragraph are perceived as reinforcing the General
paragraph theme.
Nu15-41 has the following >GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL< paragraph
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--GENERAL-----I AM GOD YOUR LORD
--DETAIL-------------------------who took you out of Egypt
--DETAIL-------------------------to be your Lord
--GENERAL-----I AM GOD YOUR LORD
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Hence Rashi simply says that the 2 >DETAILS<, >WHO TOOK YOU
OUT OF EGYPT< and >TO BE YOUR LORD< are manifestations of
the general theme of >I AM GOD YOUR LORD<. In other words
God took us out of Egypt on condition that we accept Him
as our God.
Other examples of the >GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL< form can
be found at http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example7.htm
EXCEPTION 3: Ex12-12e
===========
Ex12-12e uses the principle of >CLIMAX< which teaches that the
Bible will use a >DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH< of listing 3-5
stages in an item. The actual text of Ex12-12e states
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--STAGE 1: I, (God), will go thru Egypt on that night
--STAGE 2: I, will smite all the Firstborn(the Egyptian priests)
--STAGE 3: I, will smite all the Egyptian gods
--STAGE 4: I AM GOD
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Thus the Bible lays out 4 stages in establishing his sovereignty
--taking over the land
--destroying the priests of the religion
--destroying the gods of the religion
--Recognition that there is one God.
It would appear to me that Egypt was a polyocracy---Pharoh
had gathered information on all the gods and religions. He
then used this information to subjugate people like the
Jews. No one had ever defeated him because he had information
on every god.
Moses introduced the >I WILL BE< name of God---God can manifest
in new forms. This idea was alien to Pharoh. Pharoh was convinced
it was some trick from one of the existing gods.
So the only way God could establish his sovereignty was to
--take over Egypt
--destroy all priests
--destroy all gods
Then God would emerge as the true God.
For more information on the principle of >CLIMAX< see
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example9.htm
EXCEPTION 4: Nu10-10c
===========
Nu10-10 describes how the Jews accept Gods sovereignty using
a sequence of 4 stages. Here is the text
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STAGE 1: HOLIDAYS: On your holidays
STAGE 2: CALL FOR UNITY: Blow shofars on your sacrifices
STAGE 3: REMEMBERANCE: & this will be a rememberance before God
STAGE 4: SOVEREIGNTY: I am God
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The astute reader will recognize these 4 stages as those that
occur in the Rosh Hashana, New Year Prayers
---HOLIDAY: Rosh Hashana
---SHOFAR BLOWING: Call to attention
---REMEMBERANCE: Recalling all the Good things God did for us
---SOVEREIGNTY: Recognition of Gods sovereignty
Still another way of looking at this is that for a nation to
accept God as King it needs four items
---Holidays dedicated to God
---Calls for thinking during these holidays (Shofar call)
---Remembering Gods good deeds to us during these times
---Acknowledgeing God as the Being who runs our life.
For further examples of the principle of >CLIMAX< visit
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example9.htm
RASHI RULE USED: DOUBLE PARSHAS
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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 9 Number 3
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Volume 9 Number 3