Rashi-Is-Simple Mailing List
             VISIT the RASHI DATABASE archives AT
                  http://www.RashiYomi.com/
                  Surfing the Talmudic Seas

               (C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2002
               Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel

                     Volume 15 Number 16
          For the WORD QUALITY HTML VERSION click here
               -----------------------------------
               http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h15n16.htm

                     Produced Oct 9th, 2002

       WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)

Whats new and hot in this issue?

*1 Over the next year or so we will be writing modules for
   the 2-4 dozen basic Rashi skill competencies needed for
   learning Rashi. These modules will then be gathered into
   a workbook which can be used at home or in schools In
   the meantime each of these modules is usable in actual
   schools or home-schooling situations.

*2 Stay tuned for our next exciting issue where this question
   will be presented

#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2002, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#

VERSE: Gn11-05a

RASHIS COVERED: Gn11-05a Nu12-06a

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
The Rambam laid down a general principle that GODS ACTIONS ARE
MORAL NORMS.*10 That is, an equivalant way of stating that for
example, that IT IS MERITORIOUS TO VISIT THE SICK is to
alternatively say GOD VISITED ABRAHAM (AFTER HIS CIRCUMCISION
WHEN HE WAS SICK) Gn18-01. The list below brings about half
a dozen activities attributed to God because the Torah wishes
to teach us that they are moral norms: These actions include
visiting the sick, helping marriages, burying the dead and
giving fair trials.

--------------------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:                      SYMBOLISM
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE:                   SYMBOLISM
--------------------------------------------------

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.RashiYomi.com/gen-1.htm

This paper deals with the fundamental questions
-- MUST we ever interpret commandments / verses symbolically
-- WHAT methods do we employ for symbolic interpretations

The paper summarizes Rav Hirschs theory of symbolism.

TODAYS LIST
-----------
We present 5 passages where an action is attributed to God
and this is interpreted to mean that this action is morally
right*11

*10 I heard this point from the Rav, Rabbi Joseph Baer
    Soloveitchick in his weekly lectures which I attended
    for 7 years

*11 I formerly classified these Rashis as MORAL NORMS &
    ETHICAL LESSONS. But today, I think that a more proper
    classification is SYMBOLIC METHODS. Symbolism plays a
    large part in the interpretation of a great variety
    of scriptural passages. In this particular case
    we are interpreting Gods actions symbolically as
    affirmations of moral norms.

RASHI RULE USED: SYMBOLISM

#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2002, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#

VERSE: Gn05-28a

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals is to give the meaning of words the
same way a dictionary gives meaning.  One method of explaining
meaning is to use the method of UNIFIED MEANINGS. The list below
presents a dozen meanings to the ROOT Beth-Nun-Hey. The unifying
theme is CONSTRUCTION and BUILDING. Hence BNH can refer to the
BUILDING of a HOUSE, a FAMILY, a SCHOOL of Students, or a FAMILY
of SUBURBS. BNH can also refer to building of a tree with many
branches; BNH can refer to the WOMB which makes children. Finally
BNH can metaphorically refer to BUILDING of personality with
ATTRIBUTES. Quite a rich root. See below for the various meanings

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.RashiYomi.com/rules-01.htm The 6 Rashi goals
http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm The RashiYomi dictionary

TODAYS LIST
-----------
Here are the dozen meanings of the root Beth-Nun-Hey. The
footnotes further clarify the relation of individual meaning
and the unifying theme.

*1 The meanings HOUSE & FAMILY combine in verses such
   as Is16-01 THE HOUSE OF BABEL or the FAMILY OF BABEL
   which refers to the NATION (That which the NATION
   FOUNDER BUILT up)

*2 The usual approach is that BAYN means SON
   But in light of the fact that BNH refers to
   building it would seem more proper to translate
   BAYN as FAMILY or PRODUCING A FAMILY since there
   is an emphasis, not just on the relation, but
   also on the BUILDING aspect

*3 Note the double pun:
   Dt25-09 Curse be he who does NOT BUILD
           the HOUSE of his brother (By marrying
           his childless sister-in-law & having from
           her children)

*4 Compare the English FAMILY BRANCH

*5 So if you want to say that a person is KIND, WICKED
   DESERVENT OF DEATH etc you can simply say that he
   HAS BUILT KINDNESS, WICKEDNESS, DEATH ...INTO HIS
   PERSONALITY

*6 Compare Isa21-10

*7 This is a delightful controversy between Rashi
   and Radack. Radack interprets AVNAYIM as meaning
   womb while Rashi interprets AVNAYIM as meaning
   BIRTHSTOOL
   - Radack interprets the word AVNAYIM by FUNCTION
     The FUNCTION of the WOMB is to produce CHILDREN

   - Rashi interprets the word AVNAYIM by SUBSTANCE
     A birthstool is made of STONE

   Thus the interpretation of this verse would be
   ---------------------------------------------
   look at the womb/birthstool and see if the
   newborn child is a boy or girl
   ---------------------------------------------

RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS

#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2002, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#

VERSE: Ex32-07a

RASHIS COVERED: Ex32-07a Ex08-20a Gn38-09a
                Gn06-11a Gn06-12a Gn06-13a

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Gn06-01:12 relates how the sexual corruption of Noachs generation
led God to want to destroy them. Rashi/Chazals interpretation of
CORRUPTION as SEXUAL is based on 4 Rashi techniques:
-- OTHER VERSES:Gn06-05:06 explicitly details sexual corrpution
-- WORD NUANCES:The Hebrew root Shin-Chet-Tauv denotes, not
DESTRUCTION, but gradual DETERIORATION and would denote a
sociey plagued by loose and low behavior
-- WORD NUANCES:The word FLESH denotes people in their capacity
as PHYSICAL BEINGS involved in the physical aspects of reality
-- DATABASE METHODS:Gods wrath is a response to sexual corruption

---------------------------------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULES:                OTHER VERSES-FURTHER DETAILS
TODAYS RASHI RULES:                WORD MEANINGS-NUANCES
TODAYS RASHI RULES:                DATABASE METHODS
---------------------------------------------------------------

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR TODAYS RULES
------------------------------------
- OTHER VERSES: http://www.RashiYomi.com/other-20.htm
- WORD NUANCES: http://www.Rashiyomi.com/words.htm
- DATABASE METHODS: http://www.RashiYomi.com/database.htm
-----------------------------------

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RASHI RULES
------------------------------------
-WORD MEANINGS:
One of Rashis 6 main goals is to explain the meanings of words
the same way a dictionary explains meaning. However there are
many ways to explain word meanings. Sometimes Rashi will give
the meaning of an unknown word. Other times Rashi will give
the finer nuances of a word whose meaning is known.For example,
FLESH denotes a person---but in finer detail it denotes people
in their capacity to be involved in this physical world

- OTHER VERSES
Not all Rashis deal with internal analysis based on WORDS and
GRAMMAR. Some Rashis base themselves on inferences from OTHER
VERSES. Thus the Biblical statement in Gn06-11 that people
were corrupted is NOT necessarily interpreted by the nuances of
CORRUPT--it is rather boldly and explicitly supported by the
BRAZEN DESCRIPTION in Gn06-02 that Student Prophets stole Brides
for sexual purposes (A rather punchier defense of Rashi!)

- DATABASE
The Masorites--the scholars like Rashi who preserved the Biblical
text were the King of Databases and frequently used advanced
database methods that are only being discovered today. For
example, simple database methods allow us to query those
attributes associated with Gods wrath and sexual behavior is a
frequent associant.

TODAYS LISTS
------------
We present 4 lists
- The Database query of WRath and Sexual misbehavior
- An list showing enrichment by other verses
- A list showing the Shin-Chet-Tauv means DETERIORATION
- A list showing that FLESH denotes PHYSICALITY

In this first list we show the database query of Gods
wrath as a response to sexual misbehavior

*1 The bottom 3 incidents indicate declaration of war by man
   as a result of gross sexual misconduct

The following list shows that Shin-Chet-Tauv does not refer
to sudden explosion but rather to gradual
deterioration and corruption

*1 That is, the earth wasnt TOTALLY destroyed--rather the locusts
   created a deterioration in their agricultural ability

*2 That is, his sexual capacity was not destroyed--rather by
   spilling seed his performance deteriorated

*3 Rashi uses this as a typical verse. The verse does not worry
   about them being destroyed but rather about a deterioration
   of values thru idol worship (Society still stands but is
   deteriorated)

*4 So the point is NOT that the nation was destroyed but
   rather that it was deteriorating. The identification of
   this deterioration with deterioration thru converts
   is due to the explicit other verse--Nu11-04 which showed
   that the ADDITION to the nation instigated the general
   complaints against God until THE JEWS ALSO COMPLAINED
   (True Rashi seems to make the derivation from the nuance
   YOUR(MOSES) NATION HAS BECOME CORRUPT vs THE JEWS HAVE
   BECOME CORRUPT--but we think the emphasis on the other
   verse and the nuances of Shin-Chet-Tauv add strong support)

*5 The word Shin-Chet-Tauv does not refer to destruction
   here but deterioration as happens in widespread
   promiscuity. Rashi is supported by an other verse,
   Gn06-02 which explicitly states that there was sexual
   corruption--theft of brides by student prophets

*6 Two points
   - Rashi learns that animals were corrupted also from
   the use of the word ALL in the verse: ALL flesh was
   corrupted. See our ALL series for further details
   http://www.RashiYomi.com/all-18.htm

   - It is preposterous to say that cows and chickens
   intermarried. Rather I would assume that ANIMALS
   refer to the animal fire visions (Such as we find
   in Ez01). These prophets were corrupt (As it explicitly
   say in Gn06-02) and stole brides for their own purposes.

*7 This verse speaks about a Jeremiah watching a smith
   have his utensil Shin-Chet-Tauv and making a new one
   The intent is not that the utensil BROKE--rather the
   intent is that the utensil simply wore out from use

FLESH means PERSON. A more detailed analysis shows that it
refers to people in their capacity for PHYSICALITY. Thus eg
the statement ALL FLESH WILL SEE I AM GOD emphasizes the
contrast that despite their physicality people will attain
a prophetic state The examples in this LIST are clear.

The point of bringing this list is that the verses
Gn06-11:12 -- ALL FLESH BECAME CORRUPT -- denotes a
corruption in peoples PHYSICALITY; consequently
interpreting this verse as SEXUAL CORRUPTION seems reasonable

This list comes from the URL
http://www.RashiYomi.com/other-18.htm

This list shows cases where an OTHER VERSE provides further
details to a given verse. The first 2 verses are additions
from todays lists. Again the identification of the corruption
of the flood with sexual corruption

*2 As mentioned earlier this type of example is the basis
   of the Passover Hagaddah. Cross referencing is the most
   basic type of research but nevertheless can be done by
   everybody. Such research would enable a proliferation of
   Torah scholars.

*3 The Malbim cites Ex32-27:28. Rashi cites Ex20-03. So Levi
   both listened to Gods will not to worship idols as well
   as to Moses order to kill relatives.

*4 This example properly belongs in te Rabbi Ishmael series
   on contradictory verses. In this case we resolve the
   two contradictory verses using the method of MODALITY.

   It is INITIALLY required to offer OXEN, LAMBS and GOATS
   as described in Nu28-19. However if you say only had
   OXEN then you shouldn't say >Since I cant bring all of
   them together I will not bring any of them<. Rather
   you should follow the law in Lv23-08 that says >OFFER
   TO THE FIRE< (In other words >OFFER WHATEVER YOU CAN<)

*5 The point here is that Dt07-23:24 is stated in a CLIMACTIC
   manner:
   --God will give you the >NATIONS<
   --God will give you their >KINGS<
   --You will erase their >NATIONAL NAME<
   --There will be >NO SURVIVORS<
   (The principle of CLIMAX demands that the last phrase be
   interpreted to refer to SURVIVORS even though it literally
   only says >No man will stand before you< which could have
   many meanings)

   Once we learn that >no man will stand before you< refers
   to >survivors< (because of the principle of CLIMAX) we
   then transfer that translation to Dt11-25a.

*6 Thus the Korach rebellion gives details on HOW ANGRY God
   would get if the Levites or Priests had their jobs inteferred
   with

*7 THe exact same phrase >Because Abraham obeyed my voiceI will sanctify myself with WEIGHT< while
   Lv10-03 says >I will sanctify myself with those CLOSE to me<
   The 2 verses and the incident that happened---that Aaron the
   High Priests sons died because they did something improper
   shows that God rules by Justice without favoritism to close
   ones. This makes people appreciate Gods honor and weight and
   respect him more

RASHI RULE USED: MULTIPLE VERSES-DATABASE-OTHER VERSES-MEANINGS

#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2002, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#



          THE 6 RASHI RULE CLASSES(Version 3.2 Dec 15 2001)
                http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rules-01.htm
          Copyright Dec 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President

========================================================
THE DICTIONARY RULE: Rashi can function as a dictionary.
                     He presents 2-6 meanings of words
         REFERENCE: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/words.htm
========================================================
* EXAMPLE 1: AL means ON. AL can also mean
      - WITH (Eat Passover WITH matzoh Ex12-09e)
      - IN   (Place the Matzoh IN the basket Ex29-03)
      - TO   (The boards shall be even from bottom TO top Ex26-24c)
      - NEAR (His borders will be NEAR Tzison Gn49-13b)
      - AFTER(Offer Peace offerings AFTER the daily Lv03-05a)

* EXAMPLE 2: KI means IF,PERHAPS,RATHER,BECAUSE,WHEN,THAT
   Gn18-15a Gn24-33a

* EXAMPLE 3: YDA means FAMILIAR, not KNOW (eg Dt34-10a)
	   eg Gn04-01 Adam was FAMILIAR with his wife

* EXAMPLE 4: ON THE FACE OF means DURING THE LIFETIME
            Nu03-04a Gn11-28a Ex20-03c Dt05-07a

===========================================================
THE GRAMMAR RULE: Rashi comments on RARE or SIMILAR usages
        REFERENCE:http://www.RashiYomi.Com/grammar.htm
===========================================================

* EXAMPLE 1: BA-ah means CAME;ba-AH means COMING(Gn46-26a)


* EXAMPLE 2:THE SENTENCE: 0.2% of Biblical sentences are 2verses
 -(Dt11-07:08) It was not your fathers who saw this;rather you

* EXAMPLE 3: Hitpael has different rules if 1st root letter is
   Tzade (USE: Ni-Tz-Ta-Dack not Ni-Th-Tza-Dack--Gn44-16a)

================================================================
THE CITATION RULE: Rashi enriches meaning by citing OTHER verses
         REFERENCE:http://www.RashiYomi.Com/other-20.htm
================================================================
* EXAMPLE 1: Dt26-05d We went down to Egypt with A FEW PEOPLE
	    ENRICHED by Gn46-27: We went down with 70 people

* EXAMPLE 2: Lv01-05a Non-priests may SLAUGHTER offerings
	    This law DERIVED from explicit statement in 2Chr30-17

* EXAMPLE 3:Why does Rashi say that Chur is Miriams son(Ex17-10b)
	    DERIVED from possible interpretation of 1-Chr18-19

* EXAMPLE 4: Gn35-22a Reuven Slept with Bilhah(Fathers concubine)
	    Gn49-04  Reuven PLAYED with fathers BEDS
        CONCLUSION: Reuven inteferred with fathers personal
	life(ruffled bedspreads); Bible condemns Reuven by
	exaggeration; he is accused of incest which he didnt do

=================================================================
THE 3 RABBI ISHMAEL RULES: They govern style(broad vs literal)
REFERENCE:http://www.RashiYomi.com/example1.htm thru example9.htm
=================================================================

* EXAMPLE 1: Simple sentences are always GENERALIZED
            ---------------------------------------
	    Dt25-04a Dont MUZZLE an OX while it is THRESHING
	    Rabbi Ishmael: Dont STOP any ANIMAL from eating
			   while DOING ITS WORK
					
* EXAMPLE 2: GENERAL-EXAMPLE style always interpreted LITERALLY
            --------------------------------------------------
 Nu05-12d (GENERAL) If a women DESECRATES her marriage
	   (EXAMPLE) and commits ADULTERY
	   Rabbi Ishmael: Nu05 only applies to ADULTERY.
	   It does not apply to other marriage DESECRATIONS
			
* EXAMPLE 3: GENERAL-EXAMPLE-GENERAL style intepreted SIMILARLY
            --------------------------------------------------
 Lv05-21b (GENERAL) If a man DENIES under oath
	  (EXAMPLE) ..denies a deposit,loan,theft,wages,lost item
	  (GENERAL) or ANY DENIAL which he denies
 RABBI ISHMAEL: These laws apply to any SIMILAR Example
 * The law applies to partnerships, movables and monetary objects
 * The law does not apply to real-estate or slander

=================================================================
THE CLIMAX RULE: The Bible should be interpreted in such a manner
                that it reflects CLIMACTIC development to a goal
             REFERENCE: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example9.htm
=================================================================
 EXAMPLE 1: Dt19-11a If a man HATES, SPIES, CONFRONTS & KILLS
 RASHI: Bible identifies 4 stages to murder(Capped)

==============================================================
THE FORMATTING PRINCIPLE: Bible had its own method to mimic
                          bold, bullets, footnotes, paragraphs
==============================================================

* BOLD: Bible REPEATS words to obtain BOLD emphasis effect
          http://www.RashiYomi.Com/doubl-14.htm
  --------------------------------------------------------------
  EXAMPLE 1:(Ex12-09c) COOK COOK it in water (So COOKED is bold)
  INFERENCE: Prefered to COOK it in water;
         But COOK It at all costs(Even if you dont have water)

* BULLETS: Bible indicates bullets by REPEATING KEYWORDS
  --------------------------------------------------------
 Who am I
 - THAT I should go to Pharaoh
 - THAT I should take the Jews out of Egypt (Ex03-11a)
 --------------------------------------------------------
 RASHI: Repeated word THAT creates BULLET effect
 - Pharoh was a difficult king (Bullet one)
 - Jews were not yet ready for freedom (Bullet two)

* FOOTNOTES: The Bible indicates FOOTNOTES by ALMOST DUPLICATING
	     verses but making small minor changes
                http://www.RashiYomi.Com/align-58.htm
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  EXAMPLE: Ex20-03a
  VERSE        PHRASE #1       PHRASE #2       PHRASE #3
  -------      ---------       ---------       ------------------
  Ex20-03      Dont            POSSESS  the gods of others
  Ex20-04      Dont            MAKE     idols

  RASHI: So both POSSESSion & MAKING of idols are prohibited
  ---------------------------------------------------------------

                           End of Rashi is Simple Digest

#*#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi, 2001 Inc. Dr. Hendel President #*#*#*#*#