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VERSE: EXAMPLE7
RASHIS COVERED: Dt18-01c Dt18-01b Dt18-01d Dt18-01e Dt18-02a
Dt18-02b Dt14-26a Dt14-26b Dt14-26c Dt15-21a
Dt15-21c Dt15-14b Dt21-04
We continue the GRAND SUMMARY of Rabbi Ishmaels rules of examples
Here is a repeat of the SUCCINCT SUMMARY for method 3.
--GRAND SUMMARY--
--METHOD 3a--
-CONTEXT can require PARTIAL GENERALIZATION of EXAMPLES
--HERE IS AN EXAMPLE FROM THE SUCCINCT SUMMARY--
3) If the Torah uses one of the following 3 styles
EXAMPLES followed by GENERAL
GENERAL-EXAMPLES-GENERAL
A UNIFYING CONTEXT
Then we SOMEWHAT GENERALIZE the examples to similar items
3a) Ex25-31 Make a CANDELLABRAH-------------------------GENERAL
It should be GOLD & SCULPTORED(not soldered)(DETAIL
Let the CANDELLABRAH BE MADE----------------GENERAL
TALMUD:(Mnacoth 28b)The Candellabrah can be made of ANY METAL
(not just GOLD). In other words the EXAMPLE part of
the verse ("GOLD") is GENERALIZED to allow any metal.
3b) Dt20-03 in a war do not be SOFT-HEARTED
do not be AFRAID
do not be ANXIOUS
do not be STUNNEd
RASHI: The verse outlines the 4 components of fear of enemy
Do not be afraid of enemy TRANSPORTATION(horses)
Do not be afraid of enemy RESOURCES (shields)
Do not be afraid of enemy COMMUNICATION(horns)
Do not be afraid of enemy MORAL (battle crys)
How does Rashi know to translate "DO NOT BE SOFT-HEARTED"
as refering to FEAR OF HORSES? The answer is he had no
reason based on the words. Rather the CONTEXT clearly
speaks about NOT HAVING FEAR IN WAR. Therefore Rashi
identified the 4 fears in the verse with the varying
fears possible in war.
In method 2b we infer from the UNIFYING CONTEXT. It is the
CONTEXT, not grammar or dictionary, that justifies the
reinterpretation of words. In other words the Biblical
phrase SOFT HEARTED does not specifically refer to HORSES
but Rashi interprets it this way because of the CONTEXT.
Very often when using this method Rashi appears 'forced'
or 'not clear'. To help clarify Rashi we should at least
remember that he is using the principle of CONTEXT.
3c) Dt19-11 If you HATE a person
and you STALK him
and you ARISE on him
and then LETHALLY HIT him
RASHI: The Bible outlines 4 stages that lead to murder.
1st you HATE the person, then you SPY on him...
Then you CONFRONT him and finally this leads to murder
In method 3c we infer meaning from CONTEXT
The EXAMPLES usually describe a TEMPORAL sequence leading
to a CLIMAX.
--GRAND SUMMARY--
--METHOD 3a--
--The EXAMPLE-GENERAL style requires GENERALIZATION--
--HERE IS THE DESCRIPTION FROM THE SUCCINCT SUMMARY--
3a) Ex25-31 Make a CANDELLABRAH-------------------------GENERAL
It should be GOLD & SCULPTORED(not soldered)(DETAIL
Let the CANDELLABRAH BE MADE----------------GENERAL
Talmud:(Mnacoth 28b)The Candellabrah can be made of ANY METAL
(not just GOLD)
---WE CONTINUE WITH THE EXAMPLES---
(32) Ex25-31 Mnacoth 28b (In Talmud Not Rashi)
Ex25-31 Make a Candellabrah-------------GENERAL
it should be GOLD---------------DETAIL
it should be sculptored(not soldered)
The Candellabrah should be made-GENERAL
TALMUD: This has a GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL form.
Hence we GENERALIZE the DETAIL.
The Menorah can be made of ANY METAL
But we prohibit construction from wood &/or clay
(33) Lv05-04 Shavuoth 26a (In Talmud not Rashi)
Lv05-04 If a person swears with his lips--GENERAL
to do good or evil ---------------DETAIL
Any type of Oath------------------GENERAL
TALMUD: Thus these laws apply to ANYthing that
is sworn for the future, whether it be good or
harmful
(34) Lv02-13 Mnacoth 20a (In Talmud but not in Rashi)
Lv02-13 You shall salt all SACRIFICES--------GENERAL
Don't leave unsalted
any MINCHAH OFFERING-----------------DETAIL
place salt on ALL YOUR SACRIFICES----GENERAL
TALMUD: Thus the salting law applies to ANYthing that
is like a MINCHAH offering. As long as it is something
that goes on the fire it must be salted. Hence we
extend the salting requirement even to "wood" that is
donated to the temple (Since it goes on the altar fire
It too must be salted)
(35) Lv05-21 Baba Kama 117b (In Talmud Not Rashi)
Lv05-21 If a person DENIES TO HIS FRIEND-----GENERAL
(denies) a DEPOSIT-------------------DETAILS
LOAN
that he STOLE from him
witheld WAGES
didn't return a LOSS article
or ANYTHING which he denies---------GENERAL
TALMUD: So the law applies to anything that is like
the 5 items enumerated---that is, to any
TANGIBLE OBJECT
MOVABLE OBJECT
THAT HAS INTRINSIC VALUE
If a person denied owing this under oath the laws of
this chapter apply. (This chapter does not eg apply
to real estate, bonds or beauty which don't resemble
the above 5 items.)
(36) Dt18-01c
(37) Dt18-01b
(38) Dt18-01d
(39) Dt18-01e
(40) Dt18-02a
(41) Dt18-02b
The verses state
---GENERAL: Priests/Levites should have no inheritance
---DETAILS: Instead Priests eat from fires of God
---GENERAL: Priests should have no inheritance
Since this has a GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL form therefore
we interpret the DETAILS broadly. Cross referencing Nu18
we see that Priests and Levites can eat
--* From the fires (sacrifices) of God
--* This includes items not placed on the fire
(like skins from animal offerings or
parts of animals eaten by the priests)
--* From the Tithes
Cross referencing Nu18-24 we would conclude that
the Priests Levites have no share in any land whether
--* The land of Israel proper
--* Land conquered in a religious (eg defensive) war
--* Land like transjordan which was given to the Gadites*1
NOTES
-----
*1 Notice how the above derivation comes TOTALLY FROM
Style---this is in contrast to the "problem" or
"what is bothering Rashi" approach---such an approach
would count the "number of extra times it says that
the priests will not inherit and assign an extra
nuance for each extra time"--this approach is not necessary
(42) Dt14-26a
(43) Dt14-26b
(44) Dt14-26c
BACKGROUND: The Bible discusses what foods you can buy with
tithe money in Jerusalem. The Bible says
Dt14-26 And you will take the money and use it to buy
(GENERAL) ALL THAT YOUR SOUL WANTS
(PARTICULAR) Cattle(Steaks)
Sheep(Lambchops)
Wine
Beer
(GENERAL) ALL THAT YOUR SOUL ASKS FOR
RASHI:The 4 items---CATTLE, SHEEP, BEER, WINE have the following
3 attributes in common. They--cattle sheep wine bear--are
* EDIBLES (but not Real Estate)
* DERIVED FROM THE GROUND(but not fish)
* The are ORGANIC--eg SPICES,TEA (But not salt, water)
Thus you may buy ANY item that resembles the 4 items mentioned
in the verse such as Cattle, Sheep, Wine, Beer, spices, tea,
but you may not buy fish, water.
(45) Dt15-21a
(46) Dt15-21b
(47) Dt15-21c
BACKGROUND: The Bible discusses which blemishes invalidate
1stborn animals from being offered to God. The Bible says
Dt15-21
(GENERAL) If it has a blemish
(PARTICULAR) LAME or
BLIND
(GENERAL) and bad blemish
RASHI: The defects LAME and BLIND have the following in common:
They are
* PERMANANT BLEMISHES (but not eg a skin cut)
* VISIBLE BLEMISHES (but not eg deafness)
* INTEFERING WITH ANIMAL WORK
So I can't offer lame animals but I can offer animals with
cuts, or animals with permanant visible scars that do not
intefer with work (The Talmud debates which of these
attributes to include).
(48) Dt15-14b Give the slave (when he leaves) from your
CATTLE-----------------DETAILS
GRAIN
WINEVATS
THAT which God gave you--------GENERAL
RASHI: Since this has a DETAIL-GENERAL form we GENERALIZE
the EXAMPLES---Cattle, Grain, WINEVATS to ANY ITEM
capable of REPRODUCTION(like cattle, grain and grapes)
but we exclude MULES (Which can't reproduce).So I can't
give slaves, MULES but I can give them livestock and
grains.
(49) Dt21-04a (Sotah 46b)
BACKGROUND: When a murder victim is found in the open the
great Sanhedrin was required to go thru the YOUNG OX ritual
to atone for this travesty of justice. Among the ritual
requirements were that the YOUNG OX be brought down to a
river that had never been worked--the Bible says
Dt21-04 And they will bring the Ox down
to a NATURAL RIVER-------------------GENERAL*1
that has NEVER BEEN WORKED-----------GENERAL
(land) that has not been sown--------DETAIL
RASHI/TALMUD: This has a GENERAL-GENERAL-DETAIL
form which is interpreted like a
GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL form. In other words
----a NATURAL RIVER---this is a GENERAL statement
----has never been worked--this also is GENERAL
----it has never been sown--this is DETAILED.
We generalize this to all similar cases. The law
is that if the river has had work done IN ITS
LAND (like sowing, ploughing, etc) then it cannot
be used. But if non-land work has been done there
(like threshing, combing wool etc) then it still
can be used.
NOTES:
-----
*1 This is a peach of a Rashi. Because the Talmud that claims
that this is a GENERAL-GENERAL-DETAIL form remains
enigmatic UNTIL we read Rashi in Chumash and see that Rashi
interprets the Hebrew word AYTHAN which means "NATURAL" as
meaning "IN ITS NATURAL STATE SO IT CAN'T BE WORKED'.
By doing this RASHI identifies 2 general clauses in the
verse, each of which generally says "It hasn't been worked"
(THe word AYTHAN hardly ever occurs in the Bible; it has
a connotation of NATURAL, PRISTINE, HARDY).
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Volume 7 Number 15
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Volume 7 Number 15