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VERSE: Gn50-16b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn50-16b Gn37-10c Gn37-11a Gn37-33b Gn37-35b
Lv23-08b Dt16-08a Dt15-09a Dt24-15b Ex12-15b
Nu05-10a
=========================== Gn50-16b ============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals is to resolve CONTRADICTIONS from
different verse sources. That is the two verses CONTRADICT
each other; Rashi-s job is to resolve the CONTRADICTION. We
call this the Rashi method of CONTRADICTION.
Rashi had 4 methods to resolve verse pairs that
appear to contradict each other. Today we illustrate the
MODALITY method where the contradiction is resolved by
perceiving the verses as having different MODALITIES. The
MODALITY of a sentence refers to such attributes as whether
the sentence refers to something TRUE, FALSE, REQUIRED or
PERMITTED. We call this the Rashi subrule of MUST VS MAY.
The examples below clarify this.
EXAMPLE 1 Dt15-09a Dt24-15b
---------------------------
Both verses speak about praying to God to punish those
who cause monetary anguish (like employers). One verse
says PRAY; the other verse says DONT PRAY. This is interpreted
to mean that YOU MAY PRAY for the death of a bad employer
but you arent REQUIRED
EXAMPLE 2 Ex12-15b Dt16-08a
---------------------------
You MUST eat Matzoh the first day; You MAY eat it the
last 6 days.
EXAMPLE 3 Lv23-08b Nu28-19
--------------------------
You MUST offer Holiday sacrifices preferably in certain
amounts of OX, RAMS and SHEEP. But if these animals are
not available you MAY switch the animal types
EXAMPLE 4 Nu05-10a Dt18-03
---------------------------
You MUST give priests certain priestly gifts. But you
MAY chose which priest you give (Hence one verse says
GIVE THE PRIESTS while the other verse says YOU OWN IT)
EXAMPLE 5 Gn37-10 vs Gn37-11
----------------------------
On the one hand Jacob ridiculed Josephs prophecies (How can
you dream that your mother will bow to you if she is dead!)
On the other hand Jacob guarded Josephs prophecies and helped
prepare him to become a prophet. Rashi explains that by
ridiculing the prophecies he saved Joseph from Jealosy which
might intefer with them. Hence one verse is interpreted as
TRUE (Jacob did guard the dreams) while the other verse is
interpreted as an ACT and FALSE (Jacob pretended to redicule
the dreams).
EXAMPLE 6 Gn50-16b Gn49-06
--------------------------
On the one hand Jacob CURSED Shimon and Levi who tried to
murder Joseph. On the other hand Jacob is cited as asking
Joseph to FORGIVE them. Rashi explains that he really cursed
them but it was permissable, for the sake of peace after his
death, to lie that he wanted them forgiven. Hence one verse
is TRUE---Jacob did curse them; while the other verse--his
sons citing him to give forgiveness--is FALSE. Rashi notes that
for the sake of peace it is permitted to lie as we see here.
===============================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== ======================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: RabbiIshmael
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS MUST vs MAY
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #18
SEE BELOW LIST590a
List of verse pairs Which illustrate a MAY-MUST dichotomy
===============================================================
======================== LIST590a ===============================
List of verse pairs Which illustrate a MAY-MUST dichotomy
=================================================================
VERSE 1 VERSE 2 RESOLUTION OF CONTRADTION
======== ======== ===============================================
Dt15-09a Dt24-15b You MAY pray for death; you arent REQUIRED
Ex12-15b Dt16-08a You MAY eath Matzoh last days;MUST eat 1st
Nu05-10a Dt18-03 MUST give to priest;MAY decide which priest
Lv23-08b Nu28-19 OXEN sacrifices PREFERRED;other animals OK
------- ------- -----------------------------------------------
Gn37-10c Gn37-11a Jacob GUARDS Joes prophecy;PRETENDS NoBelieve*1
Gn50-16b Gn49-06 Jacob CURSED murderer;Brothers LIED:to forgive
NOTES
-----
*1 Hence one verse says JACOB GUARDED THE PROPHECY while
another verse shows Jacob rediculing the prophecy (Jacob
says HOW CAN YOU DREAM YOUR MOTHER WILL COME BOW TO YOU
WHEN SHE IS DEAD).*10
This contradiction explains several other related Rashis
- Gn37-33b The Biblical verse states A WILD ANIMAL HAS
KILLED JOSEPH yet Rashi interprets this to mean
A WILD WOMAN PLAYED WITH HIM AND PEOPLE BEAT HIM UP
Why did Rashi so interpret? Because Jacob knew that
the prophecies would one day come true. Therefore
Joseph couldnt be dead. So he assumed he got into
TROUBLE*11
- Gn37-35b Jacob REFUSED TO STOP MOURNING JOSEPH after
it was reported he was dead. Why? Because Jacob knew
that the prophecies would come true and therefore
he couldnt be dead
------------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------------
*10 Rashi actually translates Shin-Mem-Resh as WAITING
(Not guarding). However the standard meaning of Shin
Mem Resh is to guard.
The point is that when you GUARD a growing product
you are in effect preventing inteferrence with
the growth process and WAITING for the object to
mature (eg a plant, vegetable or fruit).
So the original meaning of GUARD stands--but
Joseph was growing up and Jacob knew he couldnt
accelerate it.
Presumably Jacob helped Joseph by preparing him
for prophecy by teaching him the appropriate items.
*11 In passing since Joseph was a tattle-tale
perhaps Jacob believed that Joseph so to speak
needed such a spanking - (starting up by a wild
woman and being beaten up) - to grow up
=================================================================
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Volume 24 Number 11
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 24 Number 11