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  Russell http://www.RashiYomi.com/
  -------------------------------------------------------------

QUESTION
-----------
Hi
A recent Aish Weekly Torah discusses the derivation of
the 39 melacoth (Forbidden labors) on Shabbath. The
Talmud states
  ------------------------------------------------------
  The Hebrew word MELACHAH occurs 39 times in the Torah
  These 39 occurences correspond to the 39 labors
  prohibited on Shabbath
  ------------------------------------------------------

But continues the publication the word Melachah occurs
more than 39 times

The publication then gives detailed ways to count exactly
39 by eliminating certain Melacoth (eg duplicate verses)

How would you approach this?

Anonymous

ANSWER
-------
Dear Anonymous,

This is not covered in any particular Rashi. But
let me strengthen the question by pointing out that
 -------------------------------------------------
 Even if after elimination you do find exactly 39
 occurences of the word MELACHAH nevertheless these
 verses do not IDENTIY WHICH 39 activities are
 prohibited
 --------------------------------------------------

I however would answer this by using the Rashi-is-Simple
methodology of UNIFIED MEANING. Very often in Rashi is
Simple we take a word and review all occurences of it.
From these occurences we derive all possible meanings
and the theme that unifies them.

Let us apply this to MELACHAH. If we gather all places
that MELACHAH occur they naturally group into a half a
dozen or so categories. For example
-- In Ex35-31 MELACHAH refers to BUILDING
-- In Lv13-51 MELACHAH refers to CLOTH PRODUCTION
-- In Gn02-02 MELACHAH refers back to ACTIVITIES on ANIMALS

Each of these MELACHAH EXAMPLES constitute an ORDER of
prohibited activities on Sabbath. For example the CLOTH
PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES include weaving, sewing etc.
Similarly ANIMAL ACTIVITIES include TRAPPING & KILLING.

So the way Rashi is SImple would approach this Talmudic
statement is thru a series of STAGES

- In STAGE 1 we review ALL verses with the word MELACHAH
- In STAGE 2 we list the half dozen or so MLCHAH categories
- In STAGE 3 we use LOGIC to fill in the itemization
  of particular activities in each order.

Thus indeed the list of prohibited labors would come
from the use of MELACHAH in the Bible (But it would
not be a one to one correspondence but rather a correspondence
of CATEGORIES in the BIBLE with CATEGORIES on Sabbath)

The Talmud frequently uses STAGES & LOGIC to fill in
Biblical derivations. Two most famous examples are

EXAMPLE 1:
---------
In Gn32-14:15 Jacob uses different MALE-FEMALE ratios in
animal gifts. Rashi points out IN STAGE 1 that different
animals have different workloads and therefore have more
or less time (depending on the workload) for reproductive
activities. In STAGE 2 Rashi APPLIES this principle by
logic to humans: Humans with heavy workloads (Eg Sailors)
have less marital frequency then eg retired humans.

THe important point is that Rashi does NOT derive the
human male-female rations directly from the animal
ratios. The ratios have nothing to do with each other.
Thus sailors have marital requirements once every 6
months (But there is no animal with this ratio). Rather
Rashi derives the PRINCIPLE of male-female ratio from
animals, applys this to humans and then BY LOGIC we
derive the male-female human relations.

Thus the derivation is HUMAN with firm BIblical support

EXAMPLE 2
---------
Rashi identifies the 3 chapters on WATCHERS in Ex22-06:14
to 3 types of WATCHERS: Renters, Free Property guards,
Free loaners. But the Bible never explicitly identifies
these 3 WATCHER TYPES.

Rather the Bible indicates 3 levels of responsibility.
It is LOGIC that fills in the gap--the 3 levels must
correpond to 3 levels of FREE-vs-PAY.

Again we have a Biblical derivation whose details are
filled in by logic.

Similarly with Sabbath. The derivation is Biblical. But
filling in the details in each category is done by logic.

I believe this a rich and mature way to approach this
otherwise difficult Talmudic derivation

Sincerely

Russell Jay Hendel; http://www.Rashiyomi.com/

*1 In a separate list we will examine the grammatical
   implications of the doubled root letters:P-T-L-T-L

*10 DOUBLE CROSS and CROOKED are traditional interpretations
   A closer analysis shows that A-K-V means the
   SECONDARY PATH(not the CROOKED path) Thus we have

   ---------------------------------------------
   Is40-04 The SIDEPATHS will become main roads
   ---------------------------------------------

   Gn27-36 which has a nuance of DOUBLE CROSS could
   be translated either as
   -------------------------------------------------
   Gn27-36 He SECOND-HANDED me
   Gn27-36 He showed me all these SECONDARY CLAUSES
   -------------------------------------------------

   Dt07-12 would be translated as

   -------------------------------------------------
   Dt07-12 When you FULLY observe these commandments
           (Including all SECONDARY clauses)
   -------------------------------------------------

*1 As indicated the Ibn Ezra takes SChR = Black and
   SChRChReTH = TAN, a weakened black. However by
   approaching this verse as DAWN and ENDING DAWN
   we preserve the idea that doubling
   root letters denotes INTENSITY.

*2 Note that it is the MOTIONS of Dancing that are
   INTENSE forms of the MOTIONS of digging. Digging
   and Dancing of course have nothing to do with each
   other. One of the challenging things in research on
   meaning is how a whole assortment of principles may
   coalesce on a single word.

*3 A thermos is a doubly insulated can that preserves
   cold (hence the doubling of TzN). In light of the
   principle we mention here we would say that TzNH just
   means cold while TzNTzNeTH means INTENSELY PRESERVING
   COLD (ie a THERMOS)since most coldness go away.

*1 The Hebrew root used in the verse Hey-Nun-Chet-Lamed
   literally means TO PASS AS INHERITANCE. The verse
   metaphorically refers to God establishing nations
   as GOD Giving them inheritance

   We can confirm this meaning of the verse using an
   OTHER VERSE with a similar theme
   ---------------------------------------------------
   Dt02-05 For I,God, Seir as an INHERITANCE to Esauv
   ---------------------------------------------------

   Rashi however dwells on some nuances of puns in the
   verse. For details on this approach see the longer
   footnotes *10

*2 The verse speaks about God separating people out.
   Rashi confirms this using the technique of OTHER VERSES
   For Example
   - Dt02-05 God gave Seir to Esauv
   - Dt02-09 God gave Lot, Ar
   - Gn11 God separates the nations at the Tower of Babel

   Thus Rashis comments should be perceived as EXAMPLES
   illustrating the theme of this verse, Dt32-08, based
   on OTHER VERSES.

*3 These 3 verse segments all echo the same theme
   ----------------------------------------------
   One purpose of God letting other nations live
   in separate borders is so that these nations can
   aid the Jews.
   ----------------------------------------------

   Examples of other nations aiding the Jews or of
   God creating the world and its nations for the Jews
   occur in the following verses

   - Gn01-01 For the sake of the CHOICEST nation God
     created the world

   - 1K05-16:20 Chiram helps Solomon build the temple

   - Ezra01-01:06 Koresh helps Jews rebuild the temple

   In addition to stating this main theme Rashi
   makes further comments on how the number of nations
   correspond to the number of Jews. This is another
   example of Rashi focusing on puns---see Footnote *10

*4 The Hebrew word used here Chet-Beth-Lamed has
   6 meanings. One primary meaning is DEPOSIT or SURETY--
   the object of value given to insure that a loan is paid
   Some examples of verses with this meaning are
   Dt24-06 Ex22-05.

   Hence the simple meaning of the verse is that JACOB
   is the DEPOSIT of the Jewish people assuring that Gods
   LOAN to us of Israel will be paid back.

   Rashi points out that unlike the other Patriarchs who
   didnt make good on all payments -- Thus Abrahams son
   Ishmael was wicked for a while--similarly, Isaacs
   son Esauv was wicked for a while---by contrast, all
   of Jacobs children were good. Hence Jacobs COMPLETENESS
   acts as a surety and deposit for the loan.

   Rashi also focuses on the nuances of Chet-Beth--Lamed by
   making some puns.  See footnote *10 for a discussion

*10 3 Puns occur in Dt32-08:09

    Pun 1:
    -----
    The verse says that God Gave national boundaries to
    the other nations. The Hebrew root used, Nun-Chet-Lamed
    ALWAYS mean to GIVE OVER (And parallel usages are
    cited above).

    But Nun-Chet-Lamed also COINCIDENTALLY means RIVER.
    Thus Rashi makes a PUN. Rashi interprets Dt32-08 as
    referring to the RIVERING (ie FLOODING) of the MABUL
    Rashi says that after God RIVERED the world God
    gave boundaries to the nations (Gn10).

    Pun 2:
    ------
    Dt32-08:09 simply says that God created the MULTITUDE
    of NATIONS for the sake of the MULTITUDE of Jews.

    But coincidentally there are 70 offspring/nations mentioned
    in Gn10 and there were 70 offspring of Jacob that went
    down to Egypt.

    Thus Rashi is punny and says that the 70 nations
    correspond to the 70 Jews

    Pun 3:
    ------
    Dt32-09 simply says that Gods portion is his nation--
    Jacob is his surety (Since the other patriarchs had
    (Temporarily) bad offspring like Ishmael & Esauv
    while all of Jacobs children were pure).

    But coincidentally Jacob was the 3rd patriarch and
    the Hebrew word for Surety also means 3-twined Rope.
    So Rashi dwells on this odd coincidence.

    How are we to take these puns? 2 points come to mind

    Point 1
    -------
    Even if we believe that Rashi or God INTENDED these
    puns we should never lose sight that God / Rashi
    ALSO intended the simple meaning of the text above.

    (I learned this point from my High School Bible Teacher
    Rabbi Amnon Haramati who emphasized to us that no
    matter what we learn from Rashi we should always 1st
    read the simple meaning and believe that that meaning
    is intrinsic to the verse)

    Points 2 & 3
    ------------
    Poetry is EVOCATIVE vs DESCRIPTIVE. Hence although
    the Authors did NOT intend the puns, nevertheless the
    study of puns ENRICHS not meaning but EVOCATION of mood.

    Let me give an example to illustrate this.

    If I say FILL ME A GLASS OF WATER then all I want is
    a glass of water.

    But if I poetically say FLUSH ME A GLASS OF WATER then
    I use poetic license. The word FLUSH, is EVOCATIVE.
    It EVOKES pictures of GUSHING water. Maybe I want
    you to fill the glass with gusto. Or maybe I want
    bubbles (Like a good flush) Or maybe I want the glass
    filled with a flushing SOUND. Or maybe I want the glass
    filled in the bathroom (Where flushing is done) from
    the Bathroom sink.

    It IS NOT clear which of these evocations I intended.
    But it IS CLEAR that I intended to EVOKE.

    This therefore defines the method of appreciating Rashis
    use of puns in poetry.

    POINT 1
    -------
    - We should first become aware of the simple meaning of
      the verse

    POINT 2
    -------

    - We are not obligated to believe that these puns are
    INTENDED meaning of the author.


    POINT 3
    -------
    - But we ARE obligated to believe that the author
    desired EVOCATION.

    Therefore by dwelling on several puns and coincidences
    in the verse we enrich our understanding of mood and
    flavor of these verses.

    This middle-of-the-road approach--Dont feel OBLIGATED
    to believe the puns but DO feel obligated to believe
    that puns were intended--seems to be the best way
    to approach these Rashi puns.