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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