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*2 Rabbi Boncheck recently moved to Baltimore where he will head
   a high school. We sat together at Shalosh Seudos where I
   recited some objections I had to his methods. His being here
   affords an opportunity to get answers and crystallize points
   of difference. Read below for an exciting discussion.

*3 Rashi states on BLESSED ARE YOU IN YOUR COMINGS AND GOINGS
   that this refers to the next world. Is this the simple
   meaning of the text? Read an answer in future issues
   which sheds light on the approach of our email list

*4 Anonymous asks about a recent Torah email publication
   which discusses the 39 melacoth of shabbas and their
   derivation from the Tenach. OUR POSITION IS THAT THIS
   IS PURE SIMPLE MEANING,that the Shabbos Melacoth ARE
   derived this way and this is logical (This Will be
   elaborated in future issues)

*5 I have been planning to hyperlink all Rashi is Simples
   to full fledge Hebrew texts for Bible citations. Someone
   suggested that I may be able to do this for Rashi also
   (This is one of the most frequent criticisms I get..and
   it will be exciting if I can do this--so I am looking
   into it)

*6 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.

The following dialogue took place between me and Rabbi Boncheck
I will try and bring you these as often as they happen. Rabbi
Boncheck is author of WHAT IS BOTHERING RASHI a series of books
on Rashi which is well worth reading. He recently moved to
Baltimore which affords us the opportunity to speak

QUESTION
-----------
I pointed out to Rabbi Boncheck that on Gn37-15
 ------------------------------------------------
 And a MAN found Joseph and
 the MAN asked him what are you looking for
 ------------------------------------------------

Rashi comments
  ---------------------------------------------
  RASHI: MAN--this refers to the Angel Gabriel.
  ---------------------------------------------

Rabbi Boncheck explains this (in his introduction to his
book on Exodus) by observing that Rashi was bothered
by the WORDY CHATTY nature of the verse. The Bible
never uses a conversational tone (...HE FOUND HIM IN
THE FIELD). Hence there is a call for homiletics--the
word MAN refers to the Angel GABRIEL who is called a man

By contrast, I explain in URL
http://www.RashiYomi.com/gn47-02a.htm that Rashi
was responding to the REPEATED WORD, MAN (See the text of the
verse above). The REPEATED WORD rule explains
that REPEATED WORDS should be used to indicate non-standard
meanings (ANGEL is a non-standard meaning of MAN). More details
are given there.

Thus I have conceptualized, at this point, the difference, between
Rabbi Boncheck and Myself as follows
-- Rabbi Boncheck believes that CHATTINESS can drive interpretation
-- Dr Hendel believes that CHATTINESS can not drive interpretation
   Rather specific grammatical rules are driving interpretation

The above is all background. Rabbi Boncheck responded as follows
-If you look at the Rashi on Gn38-05 you will see the following
 --------------------------------------------------------------
 The Biblical text states in Gn38-05 AND TAMAR WAS RESIDING
 IN KEZIV WHEN SHE GAVE BIRTH.

 Rashi states: The Hebrew root KZV means DOUBLE CROSSED and
 could refer to her inability to have further children. WHY
 ELSE WOULD THE BIBLE TELL US WHERE THEY WERE
 ---------------------------------------------------------------

Rabbi Boncheck concludes from the capped phrase in Rashi
  ------------------------------------------------------
  WHY ELSE WOULD THE BIBLE TELL US WHERE THEY WERE
  ------------------------------------------------------
that it is part of Rashis methodology to respond to CHATTINESS.

ANSWER
-------
Good question.

My response distinguishes between NAMES OF PLACES/PEOPLE and
other items.

NAMES OF PLACES/PEOPLE
-----------------------
NAMES OF PLACES/PEOPLE are FREQUENTLY INTERPRETED IN THE BIBLE
as INDICATING MEANING & PURPOSE. Here are some common examples
--------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE     What the NAME Means              Explicitly said?
--------- -------------------------------- -----------------
Gn04-01   KaYiN= I ACQUIRED(KNH)a Child    Yes
Gn05-29   NOACH=He will comfort (NCHm) us  Yes
Gn10-25   PELEG=The world SPLIT(PLG) up    Yes
Gn11-09   BABEL=The world was CONFUSED(BL) Yes
Gn27-36   YAKOK=He DOUBLE-CROSSED(AKV) me  Yes
------------------------------------------------------------

Hence Using the Rabbi Ishmael method of Generalization we are
justified in interpreting ALL BIBLICAL NAMES as indicating EVENTS
Many Rashis and Agaddahs do exactly that.

OTHER ITEMS
-----------
So Rashi was NOT responding to CHATTINESS. Rather Rashi was
responding to the NAME--all Biblical NAMES indicate EVENTS.
This rule also explains the Rashi text
 -------------------------------------------------------
 WHY ELSE DID THE BIBLE TELL US WHERE THEY WERE
 -------------------------------------------------------
In other words Rashi was responding to the NAME OF THE PLACE

By contrast in Gn38-15 Rashi did not derive anything from
the chattiness. Rather the repeated noun, MAN, justified
using a non-standard meaning of MAN. ANGEL is one such
non-standard meaning.


(In passing: Rabbi Bonchecks response to this was:
NICE DISTINCTION).

I look forward to many other conversations with Rabbi
Boncheck as long as he wishes to continue this.
It is hoped that these conversations will shed
light on Rashis underlying methodology. Rabbi Bonchecks
books are well worth reading

Russell Jay Hendel; http://www.RashiYomi.Com

*1 Rashi point is that
   - these arent FALLEN people but rather cause others to FALL
   - these arent WEAK people but rather cause others WEAKNESS
   - these arent frightened people but cause fright in others*10


*2 Rashis point is that
   - the waters dont taste bitter
   - rather they cause bitterness (Death)

   Similarly the waters
   - arent cursed (Indeed the Bible calls them HOLY water)
   - rather they cause Curses on others

   Thus Throughout these Rashi we see inuendos of CONTRADICTION.
   For example, Rashi explains how the waters could be called
   BOTH HOLY and CURSED. Indeed, there SUBSTANCE was HOLY since
   they were made in the Temple, while their FUNCTION was CURSE
   since they cursed the sinning woman.

*3 This was the method of worship of the The uncover Idol
   You UNCOVERED & defecated to it (To show oneness with nature)
   The Hebrew root for uncover is PRA

   Notice how idols are named in a variety of manners
   -- (PAST) How they were MADE--CARVED (PSL)
   -- (PRESENT) What they DO -- PROHIBIT/NEGATE actions(AL)
   -- (FUTURE) Their Goals--UNCOVER/STRIP-become 1 with nature
   -- (FEELING) DISGUST-----How you feel about them

*4 Thus the knife is not named by a property(An eaten metal)
   but rather by its function (It enables food)

*5 Rashi holds to the principle that Biblical names indicate
   events *11. The root CZV means DOUBLE CROSSED--this can
   explain the emotion of a woman who can no longer have
   children. Rashi also cites a MIDRASH RABBAH on the name
   SHAYLAH (meaning STILLBIRTH) which can also refer to the
   fact that she can no longer have children.

*10 Rashi at one point does say
    -------------------------------------------
    They FELL and now cause others to FALL
    -------------------------------------------
    But the emphasis is on WHAT THEY DO TO OTHERS
    not on their properties.

*11 The following list displays many Biblical names that
    indicate and refer to events that had just happened

    Using the Rabbi Ishmael rule of BINYAN AV (GENERALIZATION)
    we can infer that it is proper to explain ALL Biblical
    names as referring to EVENTS.

--------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE     What the NAME Means              Explicitly said?
--------- -------------------------------- -----------------
Gn04-01   KaYiN= I ACQUIRED(KNH)a Child    Yes
Gn05-29   NOACH=He will comfort (NCHm) us  Yes
Gn10-25   PELEG=The world SPLIT(PLG) up    Yes
Gn11-09   BABEL=The world was CONFUSED(BL) Yes
Gn27-36   YAKOK=He DOUBLE-CROSSED(AKV) me  Yes
------------------------------------------------------------