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VERSE: Gn49-08b

RASHIS COVERED: Gn49-06a Gn49-06b Gn49-06e Gn49-06f
                Gn49-08b Gn49-09a Gn49-09b Gn49-09c

======================== Gn49-08b =============================

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals is to explain overall structure
This is particularly true in poetic passages. We have
advocated that the best way to understand a poetic passage
is to
- identify the unifying idea
- review the clauses supporting this unifying idea
- emphasize nuances in these verses

EXAMPLE Gn49-06:09
------------------
These verses contain the BLESSINGS OF JACOB
We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
   - The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
   - The primary proof of personality is the PAST
     (eg Shimon pillages Schem)
   - But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
     (eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)

In other words Rashi never denies the SIMPLE MEANING of
the text which refers to past events like the kidnapping
of Joseph. However Rashi sees as his job to AUGMENT our
understanding of the blessings by bringing in OTHER EXAMPLES,
sometimes from the future.

Our contribution here is to deny that Rashi exhausted the
meaning of the blessings in these other examples from future
events. Rather Rashi believed that the verses did refer to
past events which are ALSO indicative of other future events.

In Gn49-08:09 Jacob praises Judah for his leadership in the
Joseph affair. (a) His brothers listened to him(not to kill
Joseph) (b) Judah overcame Shimons attempts to kill Jospeh
(c) after a weak beginning Judah took full responsibility
and reunited the family (d) Judah was above mere plundering
and concentrated on essentials.

Rashi points out that all these attributes occured in King
David, Judahs descendant.

(In passing: In explaining the above passage Rashi notes
that the word GO UP can metonomically also mean TO BE REMOVED
AND ABOVE something)
===============================================================
ITEM                     DETAIL
======================== ======================================
RASHI RULE CLASS:        BULLETS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      BULLETING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #26
SEE BELOW                LIST106n
List of                  Poetic clauses in Gn49-06:09
----------------------   --------------------------------
RASHI RULE CLASS:        WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      8 Methods of Naming
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW                LIST871d
List of idioms using     metonomy(high=removed/above it)
----------------------   --------------------------------
SEE BELOW                LIST871g
List of verses where     HIGH means REMOVED FROM/ ABOVE IT
===============================================================

========================= LIST871d =============================
List of idioms using     metonomy(violent tool=criminal)
================================================================
VERSE    TEXT OF VERSE  METONOMY(ITEM means RELATED ITEM)
======== ============== ========================================
Gn49-09c ABOVE plunder  REMOVED from plundering (Above it)*5
Gn49-05b VIOLENT TOOLS  Criminal behavior*4
Gn45-18b FAT of land    BEST of land
Gn45-08a FATHER to Phrh FRIEND/ADVISOR to Pharoh
Gn43-34a He gave LIFTS  LIFTED THEIR SPIRIT-i.e. gifts
Gn41-35b HAND of Pharoh DOMAIN of Pharoh*2
Gn24-18a pitchr on HAND she lowered pitcher on her ARM
Gn37-26b COVER blood    CONCEAL murder
Gn37-26b cover BLOOD    conceal MURDER
Ex30-13c HOLY coins     Coins used in HOLY TEMPLE matters
Dt18-01c FIRES of God   SACRIFICES offered on temple Fire
Dt29-19a SMOKING anger  Anger that makes person HOT
Gn13-02a Abraham HEAVY  Abraham-s assets NUMEROUS
Gn13-02a ABRAHAM heavy  ABRAHAM-S ASSETS numerous

NOTES
-----
*1 Many examples in this list come from previous
   list in the metonomy series (LIST871a,
   LIST871b, LIST871c)

*2 See LIST871e for 6 Rashis mentioning this HAND=DOMAIN
   theme

*3 See LIST871f for verses where NSA means GIFT

*4 Rashi citing the Midrash Rabbah states
   -------------------------------------
   Your violence is something you VIOLATED
   from Esauv (You are killing like Esauv)
   -------------------------------------

   But I see no reason to see this Midrash
   as the PRIMARY simple meaning of the
   verse. The PRIMARY meaning of the verse
   is that Shimon and Levi were criminals
   The Midrash is simply adding a pun to this
   observation.

*5 See LIST871g for some examples
===============================================================

======================== LIST871g =========================
List of verses where     HIGH means REMOVED FROM/ ABOVE IT
===========================================================
VERSE    TEXT OF VERSE WITH high MEANING removed from/above
======== ==================================================
Nu16-24  REMOVE yourselves from this congregation*1
Gn17-22  God REMOVED HIMSELF from Abraham
Gn49-09c You Judah, are REMOVED from plunder
Ez19-03  One cub REMOVED HERSELF(from cubhood)& became lion
2S23-02  The warrior (David) who was raised ABOVE IT

NOTES
-----
*1 I think there is an added nuance of BE ABOVE IT eg
   ---------------------------------------------------
   Moses---REMOVE YOURSELF from arguing with this
   rebellious congregation---be ABOVE the arguments
   ---------------------------------------------------

   This is consistent with Moses' bitterness and
   argumentation in previous verses.
==========================================================

========================== LIST106n ===========================
List of                  Poetic clauses in Gn49-06:09
===============================================================
VERSE    TEXT OF VERSE                         PAST    FUTURE
======== ===================================== ======= ========
Gn49-06a My soul will not come in their logic  Schem*1 Midyan*1
Gn49-06b My soul: Do not come to their mobs    Schem*2 Korach*2
Gn49-06e For they killed people*11 in anger    Schem*3 Joseph*3
Gn49-06f For they pillaged/castrated livestock Schem*4 Joseph
Gn49-08b You have a grip on your enemies       Shimn*5 David*5
Gn49-09a A cub--A Lion--That is Judah          Josph*6 David*6
Gn49-09b You are above (mere)plundering        Josph*7 David*7
Gn49-09c You are above (mere)plundering        Josph*7 David*7

NOTES
-----
*1 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
   - The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
   - The primary proof of personality is the PAST
     (eg Shimon pillages Schem)
   - But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
     (eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)

   So in this verse the PAST refers to
   Gn34-31 Shimon and Levi killed a city because
   THEY TREATED OUR SISTER LIKE A HARLOT*10

   The FUTURE refers to
   Nu26-05 A high ranking Simonian prince
   had relations publicly before the whole
   congregation. The suggestion was that the
   Simonian prince used the following logic
   --------------------------------------
   If you Moses could marry a Midiyanite
   why cant we
   --------------------------------------

*2 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
   - The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
   - The primary proof of personality is the PAST
     (eg Shimon pillages Schem)
   - But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
     (eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)


   So in this verse
   For PAST: Gn34-25 Shimon and Levi killed a city
   For FUTURE: Nu16 -- Shimonites incited a rebellion against Moses

*3 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
   - The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
   - The primary proof of personality is the PAST
     (eg Shimon pillages Schem)
   - But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
     (eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)


   So in this verse
   For PAST: Gn34-25 Shimon and Levi killed a whole city
   But another good example is the attempted murder of Joseph

   See http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn49-05a.htm in
   the digest (Volume 20 Number 14) It was Shimon
   who tried to kill Joseph (See Gn37-19)


*4 See Gn34-28. It explicitly says that Shimon
   and Levi PILLAGED THE CITY.*12


*5 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
   - The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
   - The primary proof of personality is the PAST
     (eg Shimon pillages Schem)
   - But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
     (eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)

  THE PAST: Refers to Judah getting a hand/grip on Shimons
  attempt to Kill Joseph and preventing it(Gn37-26)

  THE FUTURE: Refers to King David (From the tribe of Judah)
  who conquered many nations and brought peace to the Jews
  (2S05)

*6 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
   - The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
   - The primary proof of personality is the PAST
     (eg Shimon pillages Schem)
   - But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
     (eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)

   THE PAST: Judah started out as a cub or rookie in saving
   Joseph (Gn37-26). He couldnt prevent his sale to Egypt.
   But in the end Judah saved the whole family and took
   full responsibility when Binyamin was kidnapped(Gn43-08)

   THE FUTURE: King David from the tribe of Judah also
   started out as a rookie saving Israel and in the end
   became King (e.g. 2S05-01:03)

*7 We believe the simplest way of taking Rashi is the following:
   - The Patriarch Jacob is commenting in the blessings on PERSONALITY
   - The primary proof of personality is the PAST
     (eg Shimon pillages Schem)
   - But Rashi enriches our understanding by giving FUTURE examples
     (eg Shimons descendants rebel against Moses in Korach rebellion)

   THE PAST: Judah was ABOVE (mere) plundering in the
   sale of Joseph. He convinced his brothers not to
   murder Joseph if all they wanted to do was get rid
   of him

   ANOTHER EXAMPLE: Gn38-26 Judah admitted to being wrong in
   The Tamar incident (He tied her up--prevented her from being
   married; she seduced him; when he tried to kill her he
   admitted he was wrong)*13

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

*10 The word Samech-Dalet means SECRET can can be used
    to denote (Twisted) logic.

*11   At a simple level Rashi is simply generalizing
   everything in the verse. That is, not only were
   Shimon and Levi violent in Schem they were also
   evil and violent in many other places.

   However Rashi is also commenting on the
   use of the singular in the verse. Instead of
   the verse saying
   ------------------------------------------
   In their anger they killed PEOPLE
   When they felt like it they castrated OXEN
   ------------------------------------------

   It instead says
   --------------------------------------------
   In their anger they killed a PERSON
   When they felt like it they castrated the OX
   --------------------------------------------

   Rashi points out that military victories can
   be described either against a PERSON or against
   a PEOPLE. However the use of the singular suggests
   that Shimon and Levi sinned against a single
   person besides a whole city.

*12 Rashi on this verse says CASTRATE AN OX refers to Joseph
    We have already explained that Rashi takes the verses
    for granted but enriches our understanding by referring
    to other events. Since Joseph was the OX that plowed
    the fields in the 7 years of plenty and provided food
    for Jacob and his family therefore SHIMON TRIED TO CASTRATE
    THE OX could refer to his attempt to thwarting Josephs
    dreams(The dreams of the OX)

*13 Rashi states
    ------------------------------------------
    Therefore because of Judahs honesty or
    avoidance of mere plundering he merited
    during the time of Solomon universal
    political respect and achieved peace
    ------------------------------------------
===============================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 20 Number 15


#*#*#*#*#  (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 20 Number 15