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VERSE: Gn47-18c

RASHIS COVERED: Gn47-18c Gn43-03b

================ DOUBLE NEGATIVES ===============================

BACKGROUND
----------
This is a peach of a Rashi. It shows how Rashi was far more
analytic than Oonkelos and could sense subtle nuances.

THE TEXT
--------
About 4 Biblical verses use the double negative: DONT EXCEPT
One of these verses uses the form: DONT EXCEPT PERHAPS

THE OONKELOS
------------
Oonkelos simply tells us that DONT EXCEPT means DO. So
DONT SEE ME EXCEPT WITH YOUR BROTHER means YOU MUST BRING
YOUR BROTHER WHEN YOU COME NEXT.

Oonkelos says nothing about the rare form DONT EXCEPT PERHAPS

THE RASHI
---------
Rashi improves vastly over Oonkelos by doing 2 things
- Rashi emphasizes the use of the DOUBLE NEGATIVE as a
  vehicle of emphasis. DOUBLE NEGATIVES have legitimate
  usage in language*10

- Rashi notices the RARE FORM: NO EXCEPT PERHAPS
  Thus Rashi translates Gn47-18c as
  ----------------------------------------------
  We are out of money. We have NOthing left EXCEPT
  PERHAPS our bodies; we can sell ourselves to work
  for you to get food
  -----------------------------------------------
Note the superior nuances of this translation of Rashi.
Here is the LIST.
=================================================================
VERSE    TEXT OF VERSE WITH not AND except      MEANING
======== ====================================== =================
Gn21-26  and I did NOT hear EXCEPT today        I heard today
Gn43-30b do NOT see me EXCEPT with your brother Come with brother
Gn47-18c NOTHING left EXCEPT POSSIBLY our bodys Maybe BUY US?*2
Jos11-19 NO city made a treaty EXCEPT the Chivi Chivi treatied

NOTES
-----
*1 Gn43-30b
   Rashi on Gn43-30b simply discretely says about OONKELOOS
   the Aramaic translation
   --------------------------------------------------------
   OONKELOS ignored the LITERAL double negative in the
   Biblical text and instead interpreted the verse as saying
   YOU CAN COME WHEN YOUR BROTHER IS WITH YOU*10
   --------------------------------------------------------

*2 Gn47-18c
   How beautiful. Look at the difference between Rashi|Oonkelos
   Here is the exact Biblical text of these verses
   --------------------------------------------------------
   VERSE    PHRASE1  PHRASE2      PHRAS3 PHRASE4 PHRASE5
   -------- -------- ------------ ------ ------- ----------
   Gn21-36  I did    NOT hear     EXCEPT         today
   Gn43-30b   do     NOT see me   EXCEPT         with Benjy
   Gn47-18c there is NOTHING left EXCEPT PERHAPS our bodies
   Differs           *a           *b     *c
   --------------------------------------------------------
   Notice that the word PERHAPS only occurs in Gn47-18c
   This point was NOT picked up by the Targum.

   Rashi correctly translates the nuances as follows
   - Gn21-36 I did NOT know UNTIL today
   - Gn43-30b I will NOT see you UNLESS your brother is here

   By contrast we have
   - Gn47-18c There is NOTHING left EXCEPT PERHAPS ourselves
     The point being that they offered to sell themselves as
     slaves so that they could get food--hence the language
     EXCEPT PERHAPS, since it was not certain their offer
     would be accepted.

 (The actual Hebrew word used in Gn47-18c is EXCEPT IF.
  But Rashi points out that IF can mean PERHAPS*11)

------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------------

*10 In grade school we were taught not to use double negatives.
    OONKELOS agrees but Rashi disagrees.

    The statement
    ---------------------------------------------
    ONLY come if your brother is with you
    ---------------------------------------------
    indicates that your brothers coming is a PREREQUISITE
    However it doesnt emphasize what happens if you violate
    the requirement

    By contrast the statement
    ---------------------------------------------
    do NOT come EXCEPT with your brother
    ---------------------------------------------
    emphasizes that there will no clemency if they come
    without their brother.

    In summary: The double negative is an ACCEPTABLE
    way to emphasize a prohibition WITHOUT exceptions

*11 Without getting overly detailed here what Rashi actually
    does is the following:
    - Rashi identifies 7 meanings to the word KI
    - KI can mean IF, WHEN, and PERHAPS
    - Verses and examples may be found on the WORDS page at
      http://www.RashiYomi.Com
    - Rashi EXPLICITLY identifies the interchangability of
      KI and IM. Thus multiple meanings of KI and IM
      transfer (See Rashis at Gn18-15a, Gn24-33a, Gn43-07d)

    It follows that just as KI can mean PERHAPS so too
    IM can mean PERHAPS and this meaning fits in nicely
    on this verse.
=================================================================

RASHI RULE USED: NEW MEANINGS
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 12 Number 11


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