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VERSE: Gn29-25a
======================== Gn29-25a ==============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 10 main goals was the resolution of
contradictions. These contradictions typically arise
from two verses stating contradictory things.
We call this the RASHI RULE OF CONTRADICTION.
Rashi had three methods to resolve contradiction. If
the CONTRADICTION could be resolved by viewing the
contradictory verses as two aspects of the same item then
we employ the the TWO ASPECTS method of resolution. If
the CONTRADICTION could be resolved by viewing the
CONTRADICTORY verses as two stages of the same process then
we employ the TWO STAGES submethod. Finally if the
CONTRADICTION could be resolved by retranslating the verses
using broader or more literal meanings then we use the
BROAD-LITERAL submethod.
EXAMPLE: Gn29-25a
-----------------
Gn29-18 states that Jacob wanted Rachel for a wife
Gn29-23:24 states Laban gave Jacob Leah on the wedding NIGHT
Gn29-25 states Jacob complained in the MORNING about the swap
We see the CONTRADICTION---Was Jacob double crossed by
day or night?
Rashi resolves this by distinguishing two STAGES
in the marriage
---------------------------------------------------------
Laban gave Leah to Jacob for the wedding night.
But Jacob and Rachel had personal signs and Rachel
gave these to Leah. So Jacob only fully became aware
at morning that Leah was really Leah
---------------------------------------------------------
This Rashi has been interpreted to mean that
- Jacob and Rachel had little contact during the 7 years!
- Jacob had no memory of the women he was in love with!
- Jacob needed special signs to remind him who he was with
- Jacob did not know who he was with on his wedding night!
Remarkable: Even the lowest rif-rafs know who they are
with on a wedding night.
I think a more palatable approach to this Rashi is the
following:
------------------------------------------------------
Traditionally men are in interested in physical
characteristics while women are interested in the person.
The Bible EXPLICITLY states that Jacob loved Rachel
because of her figure and good looks (No mention of
personality!). As is well known men and women can flirt
with each other by glances and smiles. Rachel quickly
found out what Jacob liked and taught Leah how to flirt
with him. Laban told Jacob at the BEGINNING of the 7
years that he couldn't marry the younger daughter
before the older daughter. Jacob was at first relunctant
But when Leah started flirting with him the way he
liked he decided to marry Leah. However after the
wedding night Leah 'had what she wanted' and had no
reason to placate Jacob. She started acting herself.
It was only at this point that Jacob realized he was
double-crossed and not getting the physical flirtations
he wanted from a wife. Laban simply reminded him of
the deal they had made SEVEN YEARS AGO but offered
him Rachel also
-------------------------------------------------------
The above approach to Rashi makes 'sense.' It also
has RELEVANCE. It is well known that INCIDENTS OF THE
PATRIARCHS mirror EXPECTATIONS TO THE CHILDREN. No
Jew really worries about being double crossed in whom
he marries. But it is relevant to religious men to
be aware that women play such games with them--Rachels
will frequently help fellow women like Leah to catch
men. Women think it silly that men are interested in
physical attributes and not in personality. So this
incident as interpreted above has extreme relevance
to us.
LIST530a below gives other examples of CONTRADICTORY
verses resolved thru TWO STAGES.
=================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== ========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: CONTRADICTION
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS TWO-STAGES
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #15
SEE BELOW LIST530a
Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
=================================================================
======================== LIST530a ===================================
Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
=====================================================================
VERSE-1 VERSE-2 HOW THE TWO TEXTS ARE COMBINED
======= ======== ====================================================
Gn29-25 Gn29-23 1)Leah FLIRTS like Rachl;2)After marriage herself*15
Gn18-02 Gn18-02 1st)They came for lodging;saw sick;left;2nd)He RAN*6
Dt13-10 Dt13-10 1st)WITNESS stones criminal; 2nd)Whole nation stones
Dt01-22 Nu33-52 1st)Conquer EASY cities; 2nd)Conquer WHOLE land
Gn36-35 Nu22-04a 1st)Midyan-Moab enemies; 2nd) Unite against Jews
Nu22-34 Nu22-22b Stage 1) Angel HARASSES (Desired Stage 2)Avoid Sin
Dt02-24 Dt02-26 In war: 1st) Request peace 2nd) Declare war*5
Lv02-14 Lv02-14 1st)Budded Full-grain barley;2)Roasted;3)Grounded
Ex07-03 Ex08-28 1st 5 plagues Pharoh didnt listen;then God hardened
Ex11-01 Ex11-09 ONE more of 10 plagues;2 MIRACLES on Red sea*3
Ex11-04 Ex10-29 FIRST: Moses announces 10 plagues;2nd:No see Phrh*4
Gn50-10 Gn50-10 GRANARY was THORNED;but Joe saved them:HonorJacob*14
Gn37-36 Gn39-01 Joe sold 4 times:Arabs to Midian to Arab to Egypt*13
Nu05-08 Nu05-08d Tithes/Terumah to GOD; GOD gives them to PRIEST
Ex14-27 Ex14-30a Egypt drowns IN sea; then thrown ON sea-shore
Ex15-01 Ex15-04 Egyptians THROWN UP;THEN SHOT down to sea
Ex16-13 Nu11-09 1st Dew bed; then MANNA; THEN dew blanket
Nu08-24 Nu04-03 Levites LEARN Temple at 25;THEN serve at 30
Nu16-32 Nu26-11a Korach sons 1st punished; then repented*1
Nu26-54 Nu26-55a Children inherit units;Parents give equally*10
Lv21-10 Lv16-32c Priesthood succession: Lineage 1st;Merit 2nd*2
NOTES
-----
*1 Nu16-32 and Nu16-33 together imply that KORACH AND ALL FOLLOWING
HIM DIED ALIVE BY FIRE AND EARTHQUAKE This contradicts Nu26-11
that the sons of Korach did not die
Note that Psalms 45-49 were written by the SONS OF KORACH
showing that they repented
*2 In other words if one of the high priests sons is
qualified for the position he is chosen. If not
a non-descendant (who is qualified) is taken.
Lv16-32c presents this SON-MERIT rule for priests
Dt17-20c generalizes this SON-MERIT rule for Kings.
This interpretation of the text is further
clarified by the ALIGNMENT method.*11
Some further technicalities are noted in note *12
*3 Rashi Ex11-09a
*4 Rashi Ex11-04a Ex10-29
*5 Dt20-10 explicitly requires a request for peace
The resolution of this contradiction is brought in the
Rashi at Nu21-22a
*6 The repeated Biblical phrase HE SAW...BY HIM, HE SAW...HE RAN
strengthens this interpretation by stages.
--------------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ------------------------
*10 Here is a simple numerical example
Assume 3 people in Egypt
- Bob
- Dan and David Brothers
Assume
- Bob has 1 child
- Dan has 1 child
- David has 2 children
So GENERATION1(GEN1) has 3 units (Bob,Dan David)
And GEN2 has 4 units (1+1+2)
We now have 3 stages
STAGE 1
-------
Each GEN2 person gets same number of units (Say 2 units)
So Bobs child --2 units
-- Dans child --2 units
-- Davids-------4 units to 2 children
STAGE 2
-------
Now the units are coalesced at the family (GEN1) level
- Bob has 2 units(Since he has one child with 2 units)
- Dan-David has 6 units (Dans child 2 units and Davids 4)
STAGE 3
-------
- Bob gives his 2 units back to his child
- Dan-David give there 6 units equally to children so
-- Dans child receives 3 units
-- Davids 2 children receive 1.5 units each (Total of 3)
Here is a time map
--------------------------------------------------------------
EGYPT(GEN1) CHILDREN STAGE1 STAGE2 STAGE3
-------------- ---------- ----------- ------------ ------------
Bob 1 child 2/8 2/8 2/8 @child
Dan-brother 1 child 2/8 6/8 brothers 3/8 @child
David-brother 2 child 4/8 6/8 Brothers 3/8 @2 child
---------------------------------------------------------------
Although this may seem complicated it fulfills the 2 verses
- The actual exodus people from Egypt inherit
- The descendants determine inheritance
*11 We align Lv21-10 Lv16-32 as follows
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The priest --------------- ...annointed ...trained replace father
The priest who is advanced ...annointed ...trained --------------
*a *b *c *d *b
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As the double #b clearly shows there are two criteria
- priest is advanced (bigger than his brothers)
- priest replaces father
These conflicting criteria are resolved using
the RabbiIshmael method of 2 STAGES
- if the son is qualified pick him
- if not pick a qualified non-descendant
*12 Interestingly heridatary appointment is mentioned by
- Slaves (Lv25-41)
- Kings (Dt17-20)
- Priests (Dt18-05)
- Levites (1C23-13)
The Bible EXPLICITLY advances a LINEAGE-MERIT duality
for priests (As shown above by the alignment presented
in footnote #11).
We generalize this to Kings (Rashi Dt17-20c).
We do not apply this to slaves since merit is not involved
We also do not generalize this to Levites since
the Bible explicitly states that they replace the
first-born and hence merit is no longer relevant
(A qualified 1st born could NOT function as a
Levite because the Bible states explicitly that
they were replaced (See eg Nu03-40:43)
*13 There are 4 texts involved as follows
----------------------------------------
Gn37-27 states idea of sale to ARabs
Gn37-28 states Midianites passed but Joe sold to Arabas
Gn37-36 states Midianites sold Joe to Potifar
Gn39-01 states Arabs sold Joe to Potifar
-----------------------------------------
Rashi (Gn37-28a Gn38-28b) resolves these contradictions by
assuming 4 stages of sale:
- Brothers to Arabs (Gn37-27)
- Arabs to Midianites (Hinted at in Gn37-28)
- Midianites to ARabs (resolving Gn37-36, Gn39-01)
- Arabs to Egypt (Gn39-01)
*14 Gn50-10a. Rashi cites an Agaddah from the Talmud. We explain this
Talmudic agaddah here. However we preface our explanation with
the explanation given above
- Recall that Joseph saved the world from famine
- Granaries dried up and GREW THORNS except for Josephs
- Joseph gave food to these people and saved their lives
- One granary that dried up was called the THORNED GRANARY
- The people gave respect to Jacob since it was his belief
- in Josephs dreams which gave Joseph his greatness
The Talmudic Agaddah states
-----------------------------------------------------------
All the kings came and took off their crowns and hung them
on Josephs coffin
-----------------------------------------------------------
We interpret this to mean
---------------------------------------
The kings TOOK OFF THEIR HATS TO JOSEPH
---------------------------------------
This is a familiar English idiom.
The Agaddah states
----------------------------------------------------------
The Arabs and canaanites came to wage war with Josephs
brothers but could not because of Jacobs merit
----------------------------------------------------------
We need not interpret this literally. Very often Agaddah
uses the technique of EXAGGERATION. Recall that
--------------------------------------------------------
Jacobs two sons destroyed an entire Canaanite city;
Also recall that their attempt to murder Joseph led to
selling him to Arabs who brought him to Egypt
There were natural ill feelings.
However when the Arabs and Canaanites saw the greatness
of Jacob---that because he believed in the dream of the
bratty immature Joseph, who was a teenage tattletale and
hung out with rif-rafs, and then had a severe prison term
-- because Jacob believed in the dream, Joseph, despite
his past, grew to greatness and saved the world--
-- When the Arabs and Canaanites saw the greatness of
Jacobian prophecy, they TOOK OFF THEIR HATS TO HIM..since
they realized there was something higher in life..something
that could redeem them from their own low life to a
higher life
----------------------------------------------------------
In summary the Agaddah uses exaggeration -- WANTED TO DECLARE
WAR -- to indicate ill feelings. The Agaddah used metaphor--
TOOK OFF THEIR HATS--to indicate respect. All this is based
on the fact that Jacobs belief in Josephs dreams made him
what he became.
*15
Rashi literally states
---------------------------------------------------
Laban gave Leah to Jacob for the wedding night.
But Jacob and Rachel had personal signs and Rachel
gave these to Leah. So Jacob only fully became aware
at morning that Leah was really Leah
---------------------------------------------------
This Rashi has been interpreted to mean that
- Jacob and Rachel had little contact during the 7 years!
- Jacob had no memory of the women he was in love with!
- Jacob needed special signs to remind him who he was with
- Jacob did not know who he was with on his wedding night!
Remarkable: Even the lowest rif-rafs know who they are
with on a wedding night.
I think a more palatable approach to this Rashi is the
following:
------------------------------------------------------
Traditionally men are in interested in physical
characteristics while women are interested in the person.
The Bible EXPLICITLY states that Jacob loved Rachel
because of her figure and good looks (No mention of
personality!). As is well known men and women can flirt
with each other by glances and smiles. Rachel quickly
found out what Jacob liked and taught Leah how to flirt
with him. Laban told Jacob at the BEGINNING of the 7
years that he couldn't marry the younger daughter
before the older daughter. Jacob was at first relunctant
But when Leah started flirting with him the way he
liked he decided to marry Leah. However after the
wedding night Leah 'had what she wanted' and had no
reason to placate Jacob. She started acting herself.
It was only at this point that Jacob realized he was
double-crossed and not getting the physical flirtations
he wanted from a wife. Laban simply reminded him of
the deal they had made SEVEN YEARS AGO but offered
him Rachel also
-------------------------------------------------------
The above approach to Rashi makes 'sense.' It also
has RELEVANCE. It is well known that INCIDENTS OF THE
PATRIARCHS mirror EXPECTATIONS TO THE CHILDREN. No
Jew really worries about being double crossed in whom
he marries. But it is relevant to religious men to
be aware that women play such games with them--Rachels
will frequently help fellow women like Leah to catch
men. Women think it silly that men are interested in
physical attributes and not in personality. So this
incident as interpreted above has extreme relevance
to us.
======================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 28 Number 4
#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2005, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 28 Number 4