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VERSE: Gn09-23b
======================= Gn09-23b ===========================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
The FORMATTING rule seeks to explain Rashis based on
the FORMATTING of the Biblical text. FORMATTING techniques
in modern writing include use of bold, italics,underline,
bullets, paragraph indentation and similar items. The Bible
indicated FORMATTING using its own techniques: For example
- the Bible indicates bold,italics, underline thru REPETITION
- the Bible indicates bulleting, thru REPEATING KEYWORDS
When the Bible, or modern literature, uses either
BOLD, UNDERLINE, ITALICS or REPETITION, it is thereby
indicating an UNSPECIFIED EMPHASIS. Such EMPHASIS typically
manifests itself in either RESTRICTIVE or BROAD interpretation.
The Bible can also indicate FORMATTING thru meaning without
any formal structure.
EXAMPLE Gn09-23b
----------------
Gn09-23b discussing how Shaym and Yefeth covered their fathers
nakedness states
-------------------------------------------------------------
- Shaym and Yefeth took a garment
- they walked BACKWARDS
- and covered their father's nakedness
- and since their faces were BACKWARDS
- they did not see their father's nakedness
-------------------------------------------------------------
Rashi comments on the repeated word BACKWARDS
---------------------------------------------
The REPEATED word BACKWARDS creates emphasis and
indicates that even at the moment they covered their
father's nakedness they did not turn around.
---------------------------------------------
In modern notation we would indicate this by BOLDING,
UNDERLINING or CAPPING the word BACKWARDS to indicate an
emphasis.
LIST150a below presents other examples where verses are
interpreted broadly because of a REPETITION.
==================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: REPETITION
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS RESTRICTIVE MEANING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #19
SEE BELOW LIST160z
List of verses with REPEATED words interpreted restrictvely
==================================================================
====================== LIST160z ==================================
List of verses with REPEATED words interpreted restrictively
LIST160z continues LIST160a
==================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE MEANING OF REPETITION
======== ================================ ========================
Gn09-23b Walk backwards;cover;walk back Didnt turn around at all
Dt22-08c Roof-gate so FALLER no FALL Even if he is FALLER
-------- ------------------------------ ----------------------
Dt23-11b LEAVE camp: DO NOT return*5 Intensity of obligation
Dt23-24a FULFILL vows;DO NOT DELAYS*5 Intensity of obligation
-------- ------------------------------ ----------------------
Lv03-17 OFFERING BLOOD prohibited (Cf Lv17-11:14)*3
Lv07-26b PERSONAL MEAL BLOOD prohibited Even outside Israel
Dt12-16 PERSONAL MEAL BLOOD prohibited Even non offering
Lv17-14a COVERED BLOOD prohibited Even NON GUSHING
Dt12-24a ORGAN BLOOD(still inside) Even NON GUSHING*4
Dt12-25a DRAINING BLOOD Even NON GUSHING*4
------- ------------------------------ -----------------------
Nu35-34a I DWELL DWELL among Jews Even when they SIN*2
Lv16-12c Offer FINE FINE incense EXTRA FINE
Ex30-25b COMPOUND COMPOUND-COMPOUND WORK PROFESSIONAL COMPOUNDED
------- ------------------------------ -----------------------
Ex19-03b TO SAY...SAY THUS..THESE WORDS ONLY these words;no more
Ex19-06b TO SAY...SAY THUS..THESE WORDS ONLY these words;no more
------- ------------------------------ -----------------------
Gn27-03c HUNT me a HUNT HUNT from wilds*1
NOTES
------
*1 That is a REAL HUNT (HUNT A HUNT) and eg not buying
meat if he couldnt immediately find it in the hunt.
*2 THere are two Rashi comments (Nu35-34a, Nu35-34b)
- From the repetition DWELL DWELL Rashi infers that
God always DWELLS among the Jews
- Rashi then explains the verse
-----------------------------------------------
Since I always DWELL among the Jews do not cover
up murder so that I am not forced to dwell in
impurity
-----------------------------------------------
*3 Lv17-11:14 emphasizes
--------------------------------------------------
The BLOOD IS (That is symbolizes) THE SOUL
--------------------------------------------------
Hence I would have thought that only
GUSHING OFFERING BLOOD that comes from SLAUGHTER is
prohibited since it symbolizes the LIFE FORCE.
The various other verses emphasize
that NON GUSHING or NON OFFERING blood also
are prohibited.
*4 The verses speak about AVOIDING THE TEMPTATION OF
EATING BLOOD while eating PERSONAL MEALS--presumably
- this refers to BLOOD STILL IN THE ORGANS
- BLOOD THAT IS DRAINED
Even though this is NON GUSHING blood and doesnt
strongly symbolize the SOUL it is still prohibited
*5 REPETITION can indicate INTENSITY of OBLIGATION
Typically this is done by coupling
- a DO commandment with
- a DONT commandment
Hence a person who violates these laws violates both
- a DO and
- a DONT
=================================================================
========================= LIST150a ===========================
List of verses with REPEATED words interpreted broadly
==============================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE EMPHASIS...DO IT...
======== ====================== ==============================
Dt23-16a No return SLAVEtoOWNER ANY OWNER(Jew or NONJew)
Gn18-10b I-ll RETURN RETURN If not ME, then GOD, returns
------- --------------------- -----------------------------
Dt24-19b frgt FIELD FIELD hrvst Forget:a)harvest b)standing*9
Ex23-19b No COOK milk in meat On Festivals: Dont even EAT*8
Ex34-26b No COOK milk in meat On festivals: Dont even EAT*8
Dt14-21c No COOK milk in meat Not even nonKosher to nonJew*8
------- --------------------- -----------------------------
Dt01-05b EXPLAIN EXPLANATION*13 Provide Explanation Tchniques
Nu33-40a Aaron died;Arad wars Aaraon's death encouraged war
Nu36-04c BORDER:Sea & BORDERs BORDER=SEA BORDER=Islands
Nu22-21b Went with MOAB MOAB a)went physicaly b)agreed with
Nu13-30c we-ll GO UP GO UP we-ll WIN WAR no matter what
Lv20-09a PARENTS...PARENTS EVEN after death
Lv19-22a the SIN HE SINNED WHETHER willful or inadvertent
Dt13-16a HIT HIT by sword EVEN by Fire
Dt15-08b GIVE GIVE charity EVEN by loaning
Dt16-20a PURSUE PURSUE Justice EVEN for mistaken aquitals
Ex12-09c COOK COOK in water EVEN in other liquids
Lv13-35a SPREAD SPREAD after OK EVEN if SPREAD while impure
Lv17-13a HUNT A HUNT*10 EVEN for a non-hunted animal
------- --------------------- -----------------------------
Nu05-22c women says AMEN AMEN*5 Adultery from marriage:engaged
Lv25-26c no menial work(repeat) Master to slave;King to subjct
Lv20-02b EXECUTE EXECUTE EVEN by the masses*1
Lv07-19b MEAT:all MEAT eatable Even if PART of organ bad*3
Lv05-15b TRESPASS TRESPASS tmpl Not only eating;any benefit*2
Lv13-44a DECLARE DECLARE impure EVEN if not a head leprosy*4
NOTES
------
*1 Supported by Dt17-06:07 which states
--------------------------------------
..first the witnesses execute...then the people execute
--------------------------------------
*2 See http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv05-02a.htm for a full
discussion of the three Rashi methods connected with
this verse.
*3 e.g. If PART of meat fell outside temple (and is thereby
impure) then you can still eat the part of the meat
that remained inside the temple (even though the two
parts are connected)
*4 The text of Lv13-32:45 is as follows
----------------------------------------------------
If on his baldness there is pinkish affiction then
leprosy is sprouting in his baldness; the priest
reviews and confirms the pinkish affliction in his
baldness just like skin leprosy...[then] this person
is leprousand is ritually impure; the priest shall
DECLARE DECLARE him impure and the lepor with the
affliction: his garments shall be rent and his head
left wild....
-----------------------------------------------------
The words DECLARE DECLARE encourage a BROAD
interpretation of this chapter: The requirements of
declaration, garment renting and head left wild apply
not only to the subject of the chapter---a bald person
with leprosy---but apply to ANY lepor
*5 Rashi actually brings down THREE consequences of
the broad interpretation emanating from the repeated
word
------------------------------------------------------
The word AMEN signifies acceptance of an oath of curse
- ACCEPTANCE whether she committed adultery from
the suspected person OR from any other person
- ACCEPTANCE whether she cheated while married or
whether she cheated while (BiblicallY) engaged
- ACCEPTANCE of both the OATH (I didnt commit adultery)
as well as the consequent CURSE (May I be punished
if I did commit adultery)
------------------------------------------------------
From these three distinct interpretations we infer
that the basic idea of Rashi is that
-----------------------------------
The repetition indicates ACCEPTANCE
IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
-----------------------------------
*6 An alternative approach not based on repetition
reviews all references to MOAB in Nu22-10:21. They
are referred to as
- Moabs princes
- Balaks servants
- Them
- people
If in Nu22-21 it refers to them as MOAB PRINCES
-----------------------------
Bilam went with Moabs princes
-----------------------------
The emphasis seems to be that he went with them
and the Moabite philosophy (He agreed with them)
*7 Several points should be made on this unusual repetition
- the repetition is not a repetition of a word or phrase
within one verse but rather a repetition in separate
verses
- the repetition does not suggest an emphasis in a word
or phrase but rather an emphasis in a juxtaposition--
two juxtaposed events are seen as causing or enabling
each other
-- Aaron's death
-- the war by Arad
The repeating sets of verses are
- Nu20-22:29, Nu21-01 and
- Nu33-38:40 states*11
*8 Since Ex23-19b, Ex34-26b speaks about
- See God on Festivals three times a year
- Don't cook the meat of a kid in milk of mother
therefore we extend the prohibition of COOKING to
EATING since on the festivals one eats the
FESTIVE offerings
Since Dt14-21c states that one should
sell non-Kosher meat (of birds) to non-Jews
therefore, since the context is one of non-Jews
we extend the prohibition to
- not BENEFITING from milk and meat
- not even cooking milk and NON-KOSHER meat
Finally Rashi makes an additional linguistic point
- The word KID is a GENERAL word (like in English)
- which can refer to an ANIMAL, BIRD or BEAST kid.
The word KID occurs 10 times in the Bible
- 7 times it occurs as KID OF GOATS
- in the 3 verses prohibiting milk and meat it
simply says KID.
Rashi states
---------------------------------------
Since it usually says KID OF GOATS therefore
KID by itself could refer to KID of any
animal
---------------------------------------
I would view this as a supportive proof. The real
point is that KID refers to a YOUNGSTER and hence
(as in English) can mean the YOUNGSTER of animals
birds or beasts.
*9
Dt24-19 states
-------------------------------------------
When you harvest a
harvest in your FIELD
and you forget a bundle in the FIELD
then do not return to take it;
leave it for the sojourner, orphan and widow
...
--------------------------------------------
Rashi comments on the repeated word FIELD
-------------------------------------------
The law of leaving forgotten items for the poor
applies to any item left in the FIELD
- whether you forget a harvested bundle
- or you forget to harvest a standing attached grain
In each case you must leave the forgotten item for the poor
--------------------------------------------
------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------
*10 Rashi citing the Talmud asks
------------------------------------------------
But if the law applies to HUNTED or DOMISTICATED
(non-hunted) animals why does the bible use the
phrase HUNT alltogether? ANSWER: The Bible speaks
about a TYPICAL SITUATION: One normally should not
eat meat except on special occassions and after
significant work like a hunt
------------------------------------------------
*11 It is instructive to compare our explanation with
Rashi's wording. Rashi states on the verse
----------------------------------------------
And king of Arad HEARD when Jews came to SPY-ROAD
----------------------------------------------
Rashi states on Nu21-01a
-------------------------------------------
What did he HEAR? He heard that Aaron died
-------------------------------------------
This of course is rediculous. The verse
explicitly states
----------------------------------------
He HEARD that the Jews came
----------------------------------------
But Rashi HIMSELF clarifies his position
on Nu33-40a Rashi states
---------------------------------------
The set of verses relating a) Aarons death
and b) the declaration of war by Arad, is
repeated to emphasize that one caused the
other*12
---------------------------------------
Thus we see that Rashi HIMSELF contradicts his
early play on words WHAT DID HE HEAR? HE HEARD
OF AARONS DEATH. Such play on words is typical
in Rashi---Rashi lived before the printing
press-- by phrasing homilies in turns of
word plays he facilitated memorization
and retention in students.
*12 Rashi provides a possible explanation as to why
Aaron's death would encourage Arad to declare war
Rashi conjectures that Aaron, as High Priest,
was a spiritual force not only for the Jews but
for surrounding nations.When he died Arad decided
the Jews would lack their spiritual backup and
decided it was time to declare war.
*13 Several points on Rashi
- Rashi literally says
--------------------------------
Moses translated the Torah in 70 languages
--------------------------------
This might mean the 70 languages of the world
(Arab, French, Chinese etc)
We however have translated 70 LANGUAGES to also mean
70 LITERARY TECHNIQUES. For example in expounding
the text Moses could point out ALIGNED VERSES,
or CONTRADiCTORY VERSES, or REPEATED WORDS...
Each of these is a TECHNIQUE of TRANSLATION similar
to what we do in this Rashi list. Our motivation
for such a re-translation of Rashi is the fact
that Rashi is commenting on the repeated phrase
EXPLAINED EXPLANATION
- the verse also states EXPLAINED GOOD EXPLANATIONS
The word GOOD gives extra emphasis. The
simplest approach is that Rashi explained BOTH
the REPETITION and the word GOOD: Moses did both
- he translated the Torah into other languages
- he expounded the Torah based on techniques.
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Volume 31 Number 9
#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 31 Number 9