#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
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VERSE: Gn42-03b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn42-03b Gn42-05a Gn42-12a
========================= Gn42-03b ============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals was to explain GRAMMAR similar to
the way modern textbooks explain GRAMMAR. We call this the
Rashi rule of GRAMMAR.
Although a major part of GRAMMAR deals with verb conjugation
there are other parts of grammar. Rashi in todays posting
deals with the SEQUENCE and ORDER of words in a sentence.
We call this the Rashi subrule of WORD ORDER. A great debt
is owed to the 19th century commentator, Malbim, who pointed
out both the power and simplicity of using word order to
explain Midrash.
EXAMPLE Gn42-03b
----------------
The Biblical text states
-------------------------------------
The brothers 10 went down to Egypt
-------------------------------------
Rashi (paraphrased) states
------------------------------------
It does not say THE TEN BROTHERS
but rather THE BROTHERS TEN. A rule
of grammar states that when the
ADJECTIVE (TEN) goes after the
NOUN(BROTHERS) it connotes distinctness.
Hence we infer that the 10 brothers
went down in 10 distinct paths...that
is they entered the city not together
but thru 10 different city gates
------------------------------------
LIST071b below exhaustively examines the 3
possible reasons for NOUN-ADJ order in
sentences.
Another Rashi rule that will supplements the
above is the Rashi rule of WORD MEANING, when
Rashi attempts to present dictionary meaning.
An associated Rashi subrule is the SYNONYM
subrule--here, Rashi doesnt present dictionary
meaning but rather contrasts the nuances of
words with almost identical meaning.
In http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h22n6.htm,
in LIST955j we showed several Rashis where
- Tauv-Caph means CENTRALLY IN vs
- Beth which means IN.
Using this concept we can supplement the
above analysis. The Biblical text at Gn42-05a states
-----------------------------------------
Jacobs sons came CENTRALLY AMONG those
who sought food
-----------------------------------------
Rashi states
-----------------------------------------
They came CENTRALLY AMONG--they entered
thru 10 gates and acted inconspicuously
-----------------------------------------
Rashi here combines the inferences from
- brothers 10 vs 10 brothers
- Tauv-Vav-Caph vs Beth
The two ideas together teach us that
- the brothers came thru 10 gates
- and acted inconspicuously so as not
to attrac attention
We are not updating LIST955j which contains
examples of Tauv-Vav-Caph since an other
principle is in use at Gn42-05a
Finally we may further supplement the above
derivations using the Rashi rule of ALIGNMENT.
Here Rashi ALIGNS texts that are almost
identical word for word; the minor differences
between the two texts allow inferences of nuances.
We call this the Rashi subrule of NUANCE.
The Biblical text at Gn42-06 states
------------------------------------------------
Joe He is ruler over land
--- He is supplier to ALL people of the land
*1 *2 *3 *4 *5
------------------------------------------------
Notice how the second part of the verse emphasizes
the word ALL people (Difference #4). From this
subtle difference the Midrash Rabbah states
--------------------------------------------
Joseph kept auditors at all entry points;
Joseph kept track of EVERY person who
entered to obtain food
--------------------------------------------
The Midrash learns this from the word ALL. It
also makes sense. If you are dispensing food then
you want to make sure that no fraud takes place so
you must have a way of checking for duplicate requests.
Although this is logical the Midrash derives it
from the alignment.
Rashi at Gn42-12a states
-------------------------------------
Joseph told the brothers: You entered
thru 10 check points. I infer that
you are spies from the fact that you
hid your common identity
-------------------------------------
Here Rashi connects two ideas
- the inference that the brothers came
thru 10 gates which we infer from the
NOUN-ADJ order
- the inference that Joseph knew who
came thru each gate, which we infer
from the alignment of Gn42-06
LIST308j below summarizes this alignment.
==============================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =====================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: GRAMMAR
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS: WORD ORDER
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #9
SEE BELOW LIST071b
Lists of verses with NOUN-ADJ orders-e.g. brothers 10
----------------------- ----------------------------------
RASHI RULE CLASS: ALIGNMENT
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS NUANCES
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #11
SEE BELOW LIST308j
List of verses with Joe:Rules LAND vs provides ALL people
==============================================================
======================= LIST308j ==============================
List of verses with Joe:Rules LAND vs provides ALL people
===============================================================
VERSE #1 #2 Phrase#3 #4 #5 Phrase#6
======= === == =========== ===== === ==========================
Gn42-06 Joe He is ruler over --- land
Gn42-06 --- He is supplier to ALL people of the land
Differs *1 *2 *3 *3 *3 *3
NOTES
-----
*1 The word JOE is elliptically carried over to the
2nd half of the verse
*2 Same word
*3 Joes RULE OVER LAND but SUPPLIED TO ALL PEOPLE OF LAND
The emphasis seems to be on ALL PEOPLE
This teaches the obvious idea that since he was
providing food he instituted checks at all entry
points so as to check for fraud from duplicates.
In this way Joseph knew that his 10 brothers entered
from 10 different gates. This in turn aroused
suspicioun that the 10 were spying.
===============================================================
========================= LIST071b ===========================
Lists of verses with NOUN-ADJ orders-e.g. brothers 10
==============================================================
VERSE ORDER Meaning of 10 TEXT OF VERSE
======== ======== =============== ============================
Gn45-23a Adj-Noun Simple sentence He sent 10 mules*1
Lv27-07 Adj-Noun Simple sentence females: pay 10 talents*1
Nu11-32 Adj-Noun Simple sentence ...gathered 10 units*1
Ju06-27 Adj-Noun Simple sentence Gidon took 10 men*1
Ju20-10 Adj-Noun Simple sentence we will take 10 men per 100
1S25-08 Adj-Noun Simple sentence David sent 10 lads*1
2S18-11 Adj-Noun Simple sentence I should give you 10 coins
1K14-03 Adj-Noun Simple sentence take 10 loaves of bread
Gn24-10 Adj-Noun Simple sentence He took 10 camels
----- ------ ------------- ------------------------
Gn32-16 Noun-Adj List*2 Jacob sent animals: Cows:10
Ex27-12 Noun-Adj List*2 The measurements: pillars:10
----- ------ ------------- ------------------------
Jo17-05 Noun-Adj distinct,unique Menashes lot was portions 10
Gn42-03a Noun-Adj distinct,unique Brothers 10 went down*3
Da01-10 Noun-Adj distinct,unique He tested them days 10*3
2C04-08 Noun-Adj distinct,unique He made tables 10*3
NOTES
-----
*1 In a simple sentence
- the order is Adj-noun (e.g. 10 objects)
- the meaning is 10 similar objects
*2 In a list numbers come after the nouns. The full text
had several more items. e.g. Gn32-14:16 states
----------------------------------------------
Jacob sent to his brother:
FeMale goats 200
Male goats 20
FeMale Rams 200
Male Rams 20....
Female Cows 40
Male Cows 10...
----------------------------------------------
So the NOUN-ADJ order indicates presence of a list
*3 The Noun-Adj order in an ordinary non-list sentence
indicates uniqueness and non-similarity
EXAMPLE: He tested them on days 10
MEANS: He tested them on 10 distinct(non-consecutive) days
EXAMPLE:Menashes lot was portions 10
MEANS: Menashe had 10 distinct (not connected portions)
EXAMPLE(Gn42-03a): The brothers 10 went down
MEANS: They went down in 10 distinct paths (Rashi: Gn42-03a)
See *10 for further details
--------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ------------------------
*10 It is common to use a political approach---we READ INTO
the story that the brothers tried to be inconspicuous
but Joseph caught them. We then attribute political motives
But the approach on Rashi is Simple is GRAMMATICAL.
Rashi infers the distinctness of 10 paths from the
NOUN-Adj order which denotes uniqueness and distinctness
After deriving this from grammar we are entitled to
infer philosophical ideas
================================================================
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Volume 24 Number 7
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 24 Number 7