#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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VERSE: Gn50-16a
RASHIS COVERED: Gn50-16a Gn12-20a Nu32-28a Ex06-13a Ex06-13b
====================== 3 USAGES OF COMMAND ======================
BACKGROUND
----------
Hebrew grammar is based on 3 letter roots. Each 3 letter root is
assigned a meaning. Malbim advanced the idea that the meaning of
the 3 letter root depends on the prepositional connective used
THE TEXT
--------
Jr39-11 Nvuchadnetzar COMMANDED ON Jeremiah in the hand of
Nvuzaradan that Jeremiah should be respected
THE 3 CASES
-----------
-- There is the person who is commanded (Nvuzaradan)
-- There is the person whom the command applies to (Jeremiah)
-- Sometimes a king commands by delegated messengers.
Those who know Grammar will recognize that Nvuzaradan is the
DIRECT OBJECT of the command while Jeremiah is the INDIRECT
OBJECT. The messengers would be the extended SUBJECT
THE RULE
--------
- Use preposition ETH for the person RECEIVING the command
- Use preposition ON for WHOM the command is about
- Use preposition TO when MESSENGERS are used.
THE LIST
--------
The list below contains many verses and Rashis illustrating
this rule. In this list the column labeled P refers to the
PREPOSITION used (AL means ON, EL/L means TO)
=================================================================
VERSE P TEXT OF VERSE-MEANING OF command IS capped
======== == =====================================================
Jr39-11 AL Nvucadnetzars command ON Jeremiah thru Nvuzaradan*1
Gn12-20a AL Pharoh command ON Abraham that he should be banished
1C22-12 AL God will command Solomon ON israel*1
2C19-09 AL He commmanded ON them: To do justice *1
Jb36-32 AL God commands ON THE CLOUDS when someone prays*1
Nu32-28a LHM Moses commanded ON the Gadites regarding their land*2
Gn26-11 ETH Avimelech commanded his people: Dont touch Isaac*3
Ru02-15 ETH Boaz commanded staff: Treat ruth nicely*3
Gn32-05 ETH Jacob commanded his staff: Say such and such to Esauv
Gn44-01 ETH Joseph commanded his staff:Fill their sacks with food
Ex05-06 ETH Pharoh commanded his staff:No more stubble for nation
Js03-03 ETH The Police gave orders about the procession of ARK*3
Gn28-01 --- Isaac commanded Jacob: Dont take a foreign wife*4
Ex01-22 L Pharoh ordered his nation: Kill all children*5
1C22-17 L David ordered nation: help Solomon in temple*5
2S17-23 EL He commanded to his house: Then committed suicide*5
Ex06-13a EL God commanded Pharoh(by Moses): Let the Jews go*6
Gn50-16a EL The brothers commanded by messenger: ....*7
NOTES
-----
*1 Each of these verses speaks about WHOM was commanded.
Note that the verse in Job has several interpretations
*2 Rashi states that LAHEM should be interpreted like ALAYHEM
-ON them (So Rashi classifies LAHEM like AL=ON)
*3 Each of these verses gives the CONTENT of the command-order
The typical verse speaks about commanding staff with an
order
*4 This verse has the same form as the ETH verses except that
there is no prepositional connective. Very often NULL
connectives are treated like ETH in grammar(Note that in
English ETH has no good translation)
*5 In all these verses the person commanding did not DIRECTLY
give the order but most probably sent messengers to deliver
the order. This is particular true with Kings. A King
doesnt command an entire nation but rather commands his
staff to spread orders. Here are the verses cited:
-----------------------------------------------------------
- Ex01-22 Pharoh, a King, had messengers deliver orders
- 1C22-17 David, a King, had messengers deliver orders
- 2S17-23 If his house knew he would commit suicide they
would have stopped him. Most probably he sent
messages to his household and then killed himself
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*6 The simple meaning of the verse is that Moses commanded
the Jews by messengers (Like the other Kings). SImilarly
Moses did not necessarily directly go to Pharoh: As is
the custom he delivered messages by messenger first (and
then had direct negotiations).
To understand the enigmatic Rashis here see footnote*10
*7 We now understand Rashi: Since all other usages of COMMAND TO
mean by messenger (as shown by the above list) therefore we
assume that the Brothers asked messengers to ask Joseph for
clemency. Rashi states that they asked the children of Bilhah
to deliver the message (This is simply a good guess since
Joseph was close with them).
-------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------------
*10 There are two Rashis here: Ex06-13a and Ex06-13b
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God commanded Moses & Aaron
- To Pharoh (RASHI: Treat him with respect)
- To the Jews (RASHI: Even if they stone you)
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The simple meaning of the verse is that Moses commanded
the Jews by messenger. Rashi adds extra ideas.
Rashi comes from a Shmoth Rabbah Chapter 7:3. Illumination
of these 2 Rashis comes from the comment of Rabbi Yaakov
(not cited by Rashi)
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Moses and Aaron would deliver messages to the Elders of
the Jews who would then deliver it to the Jews. (This can
be inferred from the listing of the Elders of each tribe
immediately after this verse)
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So Rabbi Yaakov is simply translating COMMAND TO as
meaning by messenger. This explains the two Rashis
Hence
-- speaking by messenger to a King, indicates respect/caution
-- speaking by messenger to a nation, indicates caution in
the face of possibly strong opposition(like stone throwing)
=================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: ROOT+PREPOSITION
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Volume 12 Number 15
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 12 Number 15