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Surfing the Talmudic Seas
(C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2002
Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel
Volume 15 Number 19
For the WORD QUALITY HTML VERSION click here
-----------------------------------
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h15n19.htm
Produced Oct 17th, 2002
WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
OVERVIEW OF HILIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE |
Whats new and hot in this issue? |
ITEM | WHATS NEW & HOT IN THIS ISSUE |
WORKBOOK | A workbook with all Rashi skill competencies*1 |
IDIOMS | 1st of a 2 part series on the phrase BEFORE GOD |
| |
COMMENTS |
*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.
|
Rashis covered in this issue |
|
VERSE | RULE | BRIEF DESCRIPTION |
======== | =============== | ======================================== |
Nu14-37a | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
Lv16-18a | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
Gn27-07a | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
Gn17-18b | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
Gn17-01b | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
Ex18-12d | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
Dt19-17c | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
Gn10-09b | NEW MEANINGS | BEFORE GOD means Temple,Just,Religiously |
--------- | ---------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2002, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Nu14-37a
RASHIS COVERED: Nu14-37a Lv16-18a Gn27-07a Gn17-18b
Gn17-01b Ex18-12d Dt19-17c Gn10-09b
BEFORE GOD |
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
-------------------
One of Rashis 6 main Goals is to explain the meaning of words
the same way a dictionary explains the meaning of words. But
Rashis doesnt just explain words--he also explains phrases. A
PHRASE is a collection of words, EACH of which is understood,
but TOGETHER has a NEW MEANING totally different from each of
the words. In todays and tomorrows posting Rashi explains the
phrase BEFORE GOD which means RELIGIOUSLY. It is used in 4 ways
It can denote a) Gods Temple, b) a DESERVED & JUST act, c) a
GODLY RELIGIOUS life, and d) ARROGANTLY defying God.
------------------------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE: WORD MEANINGS
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: NEW MEANINGS
------------------------------------------------------
BRIED DESCRIPTION OF RULE and SUBRULE
-------------------------------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals was to function like a dictionary
and present the meanings of WORDS. Rashi also explains the
meaning of PHRASES. The difference between a WORD and PHRASE
is as follows: A PHRASE is a collection of INDIVIDUAL words
EACH of which is understood but together forms a new unit
which has a DIFFERENT MEANING.
STANDARD EXAMPLE FOR TODAYS RULE
--------------------------------
Consider the 3 words
- on
- the
- face.
Each of these words has a clear distinct meaning. But what
does the phrase ON THE FACE OF mean when used with connection
of people
RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
The phrase ON THE FACE OF means DURING the lifetime.
The phrase ON THE FACE OF referring to humans only
occurs 5 times in the Bible. A list may be found at
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt05-07a.htm
4 of the 5 verses are Nu03-04a Gn11-28a Ex20-03c Dt05-07a
As an example: Nu03-04a AARONS CHILDREN DIED ON HIS FACE means
AARONS CHILDREN DIED DURING HIS LIFETIME. The interested reader
can look up the other examples there.
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm
(The RashiYomi dictionary)
http://www.RashiYomi.com/naming-8.htm
(8 methods for naming objects)
http://www.RashiYomi.com/means-32.htm
(13 methods for Proving a meaning)
Note these two postings are related but distinct. In
retrospect however there is much overlap which is why I
am bringing them together.
HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use these lists of new meanings for school projects
Here is a simple example
You can tell your students that BEFORE GOD means
-- connected with the Temple, Gods house
-- connected with a Godly religious way
You can then ask the students to apply this idea to verses
with the phrase BEFORE GOD.
The students can then compare their lists with either
the lists I provide or with lists of Rashis based on this
technique. Such comparisons lead to a more mature
appreciation of Rashi.
TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
The first list yesterday(& repeated below for convenience)
shows verses where BEFORE GOD refers
to some aspect of the TEMPLE, Gods home.
The additions today show that BEFORE GOD can mean
- JUST
- DESERVED
- RELIGIOUSLY
There is also one verse with a connotation of ARROGANTLY
BEFORE GOD |
VERSE | BEFORE phrase | Meaning of BEFORE GOD |
Dt12-18a | Eat Tithes BEFORE GOD | In JERUSALEM*1 |
Lv14-11a | sprinkle BEFORE GOd | EASTERN Gate*2 |
Nu05-18c | stand her BEFORE GOD | EASTERN GATE*2 |
Ex16-33b | Place Manna BEFORE GOD | In TEMPLE*3 |
Lv01-03e | Bring it BEFORE God | To TEMPLE*3 |
Lv01-11a | slaughter in North BEFORE | In TEMPLE*3 |
Lv06-07c | Bring Minchah BEFORE GOD | On WESTERN side*4 |
Lv16-12b | Take coals from BEFORE GOD | On WESTERN SIDE*4 |
Lv14-16a | Sprinkle blood BEFORE GOD | Toward HOLY OF HOLIES*4 |
Lv16-18a | the Altar BEFORE GOD | The GOLDEN ALTAR*4 |
-------- | ---------------------------- | -------------------------- |
Nu14-37a | THE Plague BEFORE GOD | a DESERVED plague *5 |
Gn27-07a | Isaac blesses BEFORE GOD | a DESERVED blessing *5 |
Gn17-18b | Ishmael lives BEFORE God | RELIGIOUS life *6 |
Gn17-01b | Abrahahm walks BEFORE God | RELIGIOUS life *6 |
Dt19-17c | litigants stand BEFORE God | JUDGES=RELIGIOUS setting*7 |
Ex18-12d | Eat BEFORE GOD with prophets | PROPHETS=RELIGIOUS setting |
-------- | ---------------------------- | -------------------------- |
Gn10-09b | Nimrod,a warrior BEFORE GOD | HATED God |
| | |
COMMENTS |
*1 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
The verse explicitly states
----------------------------------------------------------
Dont eat Tithes in your cities; rather eat it before God
----------------------------------------------------------
Furthermore using the technique of OTHER VERSES we see from
Dt14-22:27 that Tithes were eaten in Jerusalem.
Thus the explicit contrast- CITIES--BEFORE GOD and the OTHER
VERSE show that in this particular verse BEFORE GOD means
JERUSALEM
*2 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
Nu05-01:04 explicitly prohibits ritually impure people from
coming inside the Temple. Hence BEFORE GOD in this verse,
which refers to sprinkling on the ritually impure leper must
at most mean: TO THE EASTERN GATE the Temple Entrance
Similarly Nu17-27:18-08 shows that at most Levites and Priests
can enter the Sanctuary, not women. Hence here too it refers
to the EASTER GATE of the temple (Which was its entrance)
*3 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
BEFORE GOD in these verses refers to the Temple, Gods home.
In the Lv verses there is an added nuance
--------------------------
slaughter the sacrifice
- on the NORTH
- and BEFORE God=by TEMPLE
--------------------------
Thus NORTH goes with the TEMPLE (You dont slaughter in
the NORTH on private altars (which eventually became
prohibited anyway))
*4 Recall that BEFORE GOD can mean THE TEMPLE. The issue then
is how close to the Temple can this person get?
In these verses the OFFERING PRIEST is ALREADY in the Temple
Hence BEFORE GOD means TO THE HOLIEST PART OF THE TEMPLE
This refers to the HOLY OF HOLIES in the WESTERN PART OF
THE TEMPLE---The GOLDEN ALTAR WAS THERE.
*5 On Nu14-37 Rashi explains that
In addition to explaining that
--------------------
BEFORE GOD = JUSTLY
--------------------
Rashi ILLUSTRATES HOW the plague was DESERVED (The spies
sinned by slandering God/Israel and they were therefore
punished with an attack on their tongue).
Rashi also brings a support from the use of the word THE
-----------------------------------------------
They died in THE plague (vs A plague) BEFORE GOD
------------------------------------------------
THE has 6 usages in the Bible one of which is DISTINGUISHED
(See http://www.RashiYomi.com/)
On Gn27-07 Rashi states
-------------------------------
God will agree with my blessing
-------------------------------
This is simply a poetic way of saying DESERVED
*6 I think this -- BEFORE GOD=RELIGIOUSLY -- clear
*7 In both these verses BEFORE GOD refers to a RELIGIOUS SETTING
- Thus litigants stand BEFORE GOD endows the otherwise
secular court with a RELIGIOUS AURA
- The participants in the meal BEFORE GOD endows that meal--
with Prophets and scholars with a RELIGIOUS AURA
(Rashi expresses this with a poetic statement--
---------------------------------------------
Whoever eats with scholars is as if he ate
in the presence of God
----------------------------------------------)
|
RASHI RULE USED: NEW 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 #*#*#*#*#