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VERSE: Gn12-02a
RASHIS COVERED: Gn12-02a Gn12-02b Gn12-02c
=========================== BLESSING ============================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Gn12-02 uses a DETAIL-GENERAL style. God promises Abraham
- DETAIL- I will make you a great NATION
- DETAIL- I will BLESS YOU
- DETAIL- I will give you a GREAT NAME
The Bible then gives an all-inclusive statement
- GENERAL-You will be a (source of) BLESSING
The Rabbi Ishmael Style rules require that we generalize
the details to fit into the general statment. Accordingly
Rashi explains the 3 details as 3 essential components of
blessing--PEOPLE (nation), MONEY, REPUTATION (Great name)
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TODAYS RASHI RULE: THE RABBI ISHMAEL STYLE RULES
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL STYLE
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
Some Rashis deal with GRAMMAR or MEANING. But other Rashis
deal with STYLE. The Great Talmudic Sage Rabbi Ishmael,
laid down 3 style rule classes which divide into a dozen
or so rules.
Today we deal with the DETAIL-GENERAL or
GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL style. In this style the verse
first states something specifically and then repeats
the requirement generally.
The Rabbi Ishmael Style rules then demand that the
specific details be partially generalized. This requirement
of generalization is not because of grammar or meaning or
even because some word in the verse is extra: Rather, it
is a requirement of style.
STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
The simplest example I could find occurs at Ex25-31.
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DETAIL-SPECIFIC: Make a Candellabrah of PURE GOLD
GENERAL: Sculptored shall you make the Candellabrah
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STUDENT EXERCISES:
-----------------
-- Can you restate the verse in a simple style without
the SPECIFIC-GENERAL form?
-- How would you apply the Rabbi Ishmael requirement
of partial generalization to the detail in this verse
RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
(NOTE: This example occurs in the Talmud but is not
brought down by Rashi).
There are at least two ways to state the verse without
the SPECIFIC-GENERAL style:
-- Make a Golden Menorah that is sculptored with all parts
coming from it.
-- Make a menorah that is sculptored with all parts coming
from it.
Both the above sentences are simple. By contrast the Bible
used a 2-sentence approach with one sentence being SPECIFIC
and the other being GENERAL
--- Make a Golden Menorah
--- Make a ------ Menorah Sculptored with all parts coming
from it.
In other words the Bible deliberately used a STYLE of
stating the idea in 2 verses.
The Talmud then explains how the SPECIFIC DETAIL, GOLD,
is PARTIALLY GENERALIZED: The Menorah can be made of
anything SIMILAR TO GOLD--that is ANY METAL. *10 *11
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/example7.htm
You can also revu the whole Rabbi Ishmael style
series at http://www.RashiYomi.com/ishmael.htm
Finally you can visit the Daily Rashi calendar at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/calendar1.htm The Rabbi Ishmael
series occured during August and September 2000.
HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use the LISTS referenced above for
school projects. Here is how. If you are a
teacher then you can present the verses with
the general-specific-general style
and ask the students to perform the
2 student exercises listed above.
The students can then compare their analysis with that
of Rashis. This leads to greater appreciation of Rashi.
=================================================================
TEXT OF VERSE Gn12-02 ITEM BLESSING IN
================================ =================== ============
I will make you a great NATION Many children PEOPLE*1
I will bless you Many assets/money MONEY*2
I will make great your NAME Big name REPUTATION*1
------------------------------ ------------------ ------------
And you will be a blessing Source of blessing BLESSING*3
NOTES
-----
*1 I think it is clear that
-NATION refers to blessings in PEOPLE
-NAME refers to blessings in REPUTATION
*2 The astute reader will note that the Biblical phrase
I WILL BLESS YOU does NOT necessarily only mean MONETARY
blessing.
However, the reason that this phrase is interpreted as
monetary blessing is because of the DETAIL-GENERAL style
which requires that we PERCEIVE the DETAILS of the verse
as INDICATING THE COMPONENTS of the GENERAL rule.
The components of NAME , PEOPLE are clear.
Rashi therefore fills in the remaining component as MONEY
He does this NOT because of the meaning of the words but
rather because of the requirements of the style.*12
*3 The statement BE A BLESSING is similar to the description
of Joseph: Gn39-05
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From the time that Joseph was appointed over his house
his master was blessed by God
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A similar concept is related about Jacob who was a source
of blessing for Laban (Gn30-30)
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Even though your sheep were small in number before hand,
nevertheless, God has blessed you by my sheparding
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This is the GENERAL concept of BEING A BLESSING to someone
From this general concept we see 3 aspects
-- blessings in assets
-- blessings in people
-- blessings in reputation*12
------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------------
*10 If the Bible had only stated MAKE A CANDELLABRAH OF GOLD
then we would use the FULL GENERALIZATION RULE. We could
then make the MENORAH of anything (eg wood). The difference
between the FULL GENERALIZATION and PARTIAL GENERALIZATION
rule IS discussed in the Talmud but we will not deal
with it now
*11 Note: The Bible gives AUTHORITY to the Sanhedrin to make
a final determination on HOW to apply these STYLE RULES.
This is explicitly stated in Dt17-09:11. Thus these style
rules differ from grammar rules or dictionary rules which
always reach one conclusion. Instead, these style rules
can lead to different conclusions by different people.
Each conclusion reached is a fulfillment of the law of
learning Torah. However the law follows the Sanhedrin or
the Talmud or the leading sages of the day which have
final authority in this matter.
*12 This seems to be the proper way of interpreting the
verses. With this interpretation we can see Rashis
explanations as good examples of the general principle
that ABRAHAM is a source of blessing in monetary, people
and reputation matters.
In other words in light of the above analysis I would
not interpret Rashis particular explanations as EXHAUSTIVE of
the verses meaning -- Rather I would interpret them as
INDICATIVE and as an EXAMPLE of the verses meaning.
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: EXAMPLE8
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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 15 Number 17
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 15 Number 17