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VERSE: Gn25-23a
RASHIS COVERED: Gn25-23a Gn25-27e
========================= Gn25-27e ==============================
SUCCINT SUMMARY:
----------------
One of Rashis 10 main goals is the explanation of grammar
similar to the explanations we find in modern textbooks. We
call this the Rashi rule of GRAMMAR.
In todays posting we deal with the grammatical rules
governing DEVELOPMENT in paragraphs and chapters: Given
a paragraph or chapter THEME, what types of sentences can
exist in that paragraph or chapter and what are their
relations to the central theme? We call this the rashi
subrule of CONSECUTIVE PARAGRAPHS.
Rashi knew 4 means of relating consecutive sentences or
consecutive paragraphs in a paragraph or chapter:
- CAUSE
- CONTRAST
- ENABLEMENT
- UNIFYING THEME.
Today we study the CONTRAST and CAUSAL submethods.
EXAMPLE Gn25-23a
----------------
Gn25-23
------------------------------------------------------
Esauv grew up to be a hunter who knew the fields
Jacob was A simple person sitting in tents
------------------------------------------------------
Rashi comments
------------------------------------------------------
The verse CLEARLY contrasts HUNTER vs SIMPLE and
FIELDS vs TENTS. Thus the SITTING IN TENTS spoken
about here is not e.g. the tents of hunters but
rather the tents of scholars (or charity givers)
------------------------------------------------------
I have added the explanatory words [or charity givers]
to show that Rashi's point is one of CONTRAST not
one of IDENTIFICATION. Rashi literally says
-------------------------------------
TENTS refers to the tents of Shaym
alluded to in the verse Gn09-27
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
God will give beauty to Yefeth
and Yefeth will dwell in the TENTS OF SHAYM
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-------------------------------------
Presumably these are tents of either scholars
or tents of charity givers. Rashi's main
point is not the identification of WHOSE
tents Jacob dwells in but rather the
TYPES of tents that Jacob dwells in--
charity or learning tents vs hunter tents.
LIST061b below presents several Rashis exhibiting contrast
between verses.
Example Gn25-23a
------------------
Gn25-22:23 states
----------------------------------------------
She had difficulty with her pregnancy
-A- so she went to seek God
-B- and God told her
- you will give birth to two nations
----------------------------------------------
Rashi (paraphrased) comments
-------------------------------------------
Sentence (A) and sentence (B) are part
of the same paragraph. Hence we interpret
-A- She went TO SOMEONE to seek God's WORD
-B- and the SOMEONE SHE ASKED told her
- you will give brith to two nations
-------------------------------------------
Rashi's point here is that GOD TOLD HER might
mean she is a prophet. However IN THE CONTEXT
of the paragraph, SHE WENT TO SEEK AND WAS TOLD
clearly indicates that the telling was by
messenger, the person she asked.
What we call the PARAGRAPH method is none other
than the RABBI ISHMAEL, CONTEXT method. We
interpret the verse based on CONTEXT.
LIST060a presents other paragraphs illustrating UNIFYING
connection.
================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =======================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: GRAMMAR
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS: CONSECUTIVE CHAPTERS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #9
SEE BELOW LIST061b
A list of paragraphs having a CONTRASTING connection
------------------------ -------------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST060a
A list of paragraphs having a UNIFYING theme
================================================================
======================== LIST061b =================================
A list of paragraphs having a CONTRASTING connection
===================================================================
# VERSE TOPIC IN 1st CHAPTER TOPIC IN 2nd CHAPTER
==== ========== ======================== ==========================
(--) Gn25-23a Esauv HUNTER,in FIELD*11 Jacob SIMPLE,TENTS charity
(--) Nu31-03a War Midyan;THEN DIE Eager to go to war*0
(--) Lv19-30a Observe SABBATH [Even when]BUILDING TEMPLE
(--) Ex18-05a Jethro comes to DESERT comes to Mount of GOD
(--) Ex04-11a Moses cant speak Moses did speak-Ex02-11:14
(--) Ex04-11b Moses afraid of Pharoh God protected Mshe-Ex02-15
(--) Gn47-25a*8 20% Tax:80% Yours Thank you...Good deal
(--) Gn42-10a JOE: You are spies BROTHERS:NO-we are not.*7
(09) Lv26-01a Being a slave to Non Jew Prohibition of Idolatry*1
(10) Dt29-12a Curses We are before God*2
(11) Lv19-03c Fear Parents Watch Sabbaths*3
(12) Dt22-12a No Shaatnez Tzitzith*4
(--) Dt09, Dt10 Jews rebel against God But God still loves Jews*5
(--) Gn31-13d I will go GENTLY You will PASS ME*6
NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi not only connects 2 paragraphs. He also connects
all Biblical paragraphs in this chapter. See
footnote *10 for further details
*2 Dt28 gives a long list of curses if the Jews violate
the commandments.
Dt29-12 says "You are all STANDING before God today" In
other words despite the curses for disobediance you are
still here before God(The implication being that no
matter how angry God gets he will not destroy you)
A further support for this theme can come from the
General-particular-General form
Dt28 GENERAL: Curses for disobediance
Dt29-12 PARTICULAR: You are standing here before God
Dt29-19 GENERAL: Curses for disobediance
Thus the General-Particular-General form shows that Gods
curses still allow us to "Stand before him"--in other
words they are educative curses not punitive.
*3 In other words (always) "Observe the Sabbaths"
DESPITE a request to the contrary "By your parents"
This can happen if eg your parents ask you to
desecrate the Sabbath. You must observe the
Sabbath even if your parents request to
the contrary.
And this can be generalized to all Torah laws(that
they take precedence over your parents request)
*4 Wear Tzitzith DESPITE the fact that they may have Shaatnez
Wool and linen together (In the priestly garments made of
Linen the Tzitzith were made of wool--thus the commandment
of Tzitzith OVERRIDES the prohibtion of wearing wool and
linen)
*5 More specifically Rashi (Dt10-12a) states
---------------------------------------------
Despite the 5 rebellions that the Jews did
against God, nevertheless, God still loves
the Jews. In fact Dt10-12 states that all
the Jews need do to earn this love is to
revere God
---------------------------------------------
*6 Rashis point is that Jacob did not ask Esauv
----------------------------
Past me and leave me behind
----------------------------
Rather Jacob suggested contrast
------------------------------------------------
- I must go at a gentle pace
- you go at a normal pace
------------------------------------------------
A logical consequence of this contrast is that
Esauv would pass Jacob and leave him behind.
*7 The full Biblical text shows two rounds of dialogs
between Moses and Joseph
The Biblical text states as follows
----------------------------------------------------
Gn42-09 1 JOE: You are Spies
Gn42-10:11 1 BROHTERS: NO(Contrast)--We are simple people
Gn42-12 2 JOE: NO(Contrast) you are spies
Gn42-13 2 BROTHERS: We are 12 sons;we came for food
----------------------------------------------------
*8 Gn47-25b and Gn47-25a both deal with the contrast of offer
vs Thank you.
*9 Rashi makes a point of the contrast
----------------------------------------
Even though he was going to die after the war
nevertheless he was eager to perform the war
--------------------------------------------
---------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------
*10
On a superficial level Rashi seems to be connecting 2
verses.
Avoid idolatry DESPITE your being a slave to a non jew
(who encourages its violation). Do not think "I will
worship idols now and when I am free I will go
back to believing in God"
On a profound level Rashi sees a unifying theme to this
whole chapter. The chapter encourages observing the
shimitah laws which encourage abstaining from agriculture
once every 7 years so that people can devote themselves
to God and study. If one violates these laws he is
progressively punished. Here is the sequence of
punishments
{LIST} {Paragraphs in BEHAR}
-------------------------------------------------------
VERSE LAW
------------ ------------------------------------------
Lv25-01:12 Observe the 7 and 50 year Land sabbaticals
Lv25-13:24 If not you will have to sell your MOVABLES
Lv25-25:28 If not you will have to sell your LAND
Lv25-29:34 If not you will have to sell your HOUSE
Lv25-35:38 If not you will have to LOAN
Lv25-39:46 If not you will have to become a SLAVE
Lv25-47:54 If not you'll become a NONJEWISH SLAVE
Lv26-01:03 If not you'll be tempted to IDOLATRY
---------------------------------------------------------
Thus Rashi does not merely teach juxtaposition of verses
but he also teaches juxtaposition of ALL paragraphs in
the chapter.
*11
Rashi comments
------------------------------------------------------
The verse CLEARLY contrasts HUNTER vs SIMPLE and
FIELDS vs TENTS. Thus the SITTING IN TENTS spoken
about here is not e.g. the tents of hunters but
rather the tents of scholars (or charity givers)
------------------------------------------------------
I have added the explanatory words [or charity givers]
to show that Rashi's point is one of CONTRAST not
one of IDENTIFICATION. Rashi literally says
-------------------------------------
TENTS refers to the tents of Shaym
alluded to in the verse Gn09-27
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
God will give beauty to Yefeth
and Yefeth will dwell in the TENTS OF SHAYM
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-------------------------------------
Presumably these are tents of either scholars
or tents of charity givers. Rashi's main
point is not the identification of WHOSE
tents Jacob dwells in but rather the
TYPES of tents that Jacob dwells in--
charity or learning tents vs hunter tents.
================================================================
================= LIST060a ================================
List of verses of consecutive paragraphs with same theme
===========================================================
VERSE COMMON THEME 1st Chapter 2nd Chapter
======== =============== =============== ================
Gn25-23 Seeking God She SEEKS God*4 Person tells her
------- ------------- -------------- --------------
Dt14-20 Caring in KSRTH Sell to Non Jew Cook kid &mother
Dt14-21 Caring in KSRTH Cook kid &mother Tithe produce*3
------- ------------- -------------- --------------
Lv19-25a Abstain->incrse No fruit 4 year More fruit 5th*2
Lv19-26a Abstain->incrse No eat living more nutrition*2
Gn22-23a Isaac-Rivkah Akaydah Rivkah-born*1
Ex18-01a Gods miracles Exodus Defeat of Amalek
Nu13-02a Slander Miryam on Moses Spies on Israel
Nu26-64a Entry to Israel Census Girl inheritance
Nu27-12a Entry to Israel Girl inheritance Joshua and Moes
Nu15-41d Important Laws Idolatry Sabbath
Dt33-07a Repentance Reuven Judah
Nu08-02a Temple gifts Gold vessels Service
Ex17-08a God cares for us Water-Manna Defeat of Amalek
Ex21-01a A Just life The Altar Monetary Law
Nu20-01b Atonement Red Heiffer Miryam's death
NOTES
-----
*1 Actual there are 3 paragraphs as follows
- Gn22-01:19 Akaydah
- Gn22-20:24 Birth of Rivkah
- Gn23-01:-- Death of Sarah
Rashi points out that the TOPIC SENTENCE of Gn22-20:24
is the birth of Rivkah. Rashi also points out that
the 3 paragraphs form a TEMPORAL SEQUENCE
For further details see LIST690B
*2 The paragraph contains 7 examples illustrating the theme
ABSTENTION INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY
-------------------- EXAMPLES ----------------------------
-1- Abstain 4 years from new fruit--increase fruit yield
-2- Abstain from blood=life source--increase nutrition
-3- Abstain from divining -- increase prediction
-4- Separate animal/human -- increase animality/human
-5- Abstain from early sex-- increase sexual awarenss
-6- Abstain from Sabbath work -- incresae productivity
-7- Abstain from seancing -- Increase knowledge
----------------------------------------------------------
*3 Actual prohibition is cooking CHILD OF LAMB(or other
Kosher animals) in MILK OF MOTHER. Rashis actual
language is
--------------------------------------------
If you cook kid in milk of mother (violate
the sanctity of womb) I will destroy the
wheat germ in the womb of the wheat with strong
winds
--------------------------------------------
Rashi is simply giving poetic expression to the
unifying theme of CARING IN KASHRUTH in the chapters.
*4
Rashi's point here is that GOD TOLD HER might
mean she is a prophet. However IN THE CONTEXT
of the paragraph, SHE WENT TO SEEK AND WAS TOLD
clearly indicates that the telling was by
messenger, the person she asked.
What we call the PARAGRAPH method is none other
than the RABBI ISHMAEL, CONTEXT method. We
interpret the verse based on CONTEXT.
===========================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 28 Number 2
#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2005, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 28 Number 2