Rashi-Is-Simple Mailing List
(C) Dr Russell Jay Hendel, 1999
Http://www.Shamash.Org/Rashi/
Volume 1 Number 25
Prodcued Apr. 18 1999
Topics Discussed in This Issue
------------------------------
v0418 Administrivia LENGTH--How to skip around // Pshat vs Drash
v3a19-2 How do Biblical chapters begin? Midrash Workbook methods.
v3b19-2 What is HOLINESS? An analysis thru LISTS.
v3b1-7 CBrowns question. Why does Rashi interpret PRIEST=CLOTHING
v3a19-16 A MERCHANT markets wares. A SLANDERER markets secrets
The following postings are a bit longer and can be
comfortably skipped by those who don't have time
v1-1-4 Why does Rashi HAVE TO interpret LIGHT, metaphorically?
v2b18-7 Did Yithro really have 7 names?
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
** HOW TO SKIP AROUND **
TO SKIP AROUND I SUGGEST READING THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS
* TEXT
* RASHI
* BRIEF EXPLANATION
Then use your FIND menu and search for *#*#*#*.
THIS WILL BRING YOU TO THE NEXT POSTING & SAVE YOU TIME
IF HOWEVER YOU WANT TO READ SOME LISTS PLEASE DO SO
AS THEY ADD DEPTH.]
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
v0418 Administrivia
Length
======
* Starting this week I am listing postings in ORDER OF LENGTH
* I am also placing warnings on what is short and what is long.
* I am also placing up front HOW TO SKIP AROUND and avoid reading
the LISTS (unless you want to). This will enable people to get
more out of their Rashi is simple.
Pshat vs Drash
==============
* I direct your attention to the first posting v3a19-2 which
deals with issues of Pshat and Derash that some people are
very interested in.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: v3a19-2 Speak to the WHOLE CONGREGATION of Israel...
------
RASHI TEXT:
----------
* This (the words WHOLE CONGREGATION) teaches us that this Parshah
was said in front of the whole community since the Parshah is
important because many basic Torah Principles are in it.
BRIEF BUT COMPLETE NARRATIVE EXPLANATION:
----------------------------------------
* A somewhat standard procedure in some places is to explain as
follows:
If COULD have said SPEAK TO THE JEWS
Instead it says SPEAK TO >THE WHOLE CONGREGATION< OF JEWS
The words >THE WHOLE CONGREGATION< are extra. Therefore we
are obligated to learn some Derash from them.
But Rashi Is Simple. He doesn't learn by being picky. It is NOT
the extra words that cause the DERASH but rather the DIFFERENCE
IN STYLE. There are about 1 dozen commandments to the Jewish
people in Leviticus{LIST1}. 10 of them (about 70%) begin
Speak unto the children of Israel.
Of the other 4 verses: One uses a reversed order, one uses
COMMAND (Vs speaks) and one addresses AARON, HIS SONS and the
Jews.
But 3-19-2 is the ONLY VERSE where it uses the style
SPEAK TO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION
So Rashi Is Simple. It says to speak to the WHOLE CONGREGATION
and therefore this chapter must have been said to the whole
congregation.
This is the PSHAT or simple meaning of the text. But there still
remains a question as to WHY? Why is this chapter different?
Here we have no Pshat. For the Pshat is ONLY concerned with
telling us that this chapter IS different. It does not tell
us why it is different.
To tell us WHY, Rashi uses his famous WORKBOOK methods. The
Midrash Rabbah cites 3 opinions (Rav Chiiya, Rav Levi etc) and
Rashi simply cites the first. As we have shown elsewhere
(v2-32-13) Rashi can simply cite the first mentioned opinion
in the Midrash Rabbah without necessarily taking sides on
whether it is the correct opinion.Rather Rashi encourages students
to try and think of their own reasons. I call this the WORKBOOK
method since it resembles the pedagogical method of doing one
example to students and asking them to do the rest.
So when I teach Chumash-Rashi class I will always ask my students
to try and come up with their own opinions. Well if you want you
can try (but don't peek at the next paragraph {LIST2} where I
list the 3 opinions).
{LIST2} {Reasons why this chapter is important}
===============================================
-Because there are about 10% of all Biblical commandments in it
-Because many basic Torah principles are mentioned in it
-Because the ten commandments are mentioned in it (Now here is
an exercise I will leave the reader: Go read the 10 commandments
and FIND EACH ONE in 3-19--So e.g. Honoring ones parents (5th
commandment) and Observing the Shabbath (4th commandment) are
both mentioned in 3-19-3).
COMMENTS ON RASHI'S FORM:
------------------------
* Rashi uses his famous Workbook methods. He cites the first
mentioned example in the Midrash Rabbah and invites the students
to come up with the rest. Just imagine the thrill of an 8 year
old who finds the 10 commandments in this chapter and thinks
that (s)he has discovered something.
LISTS {For ADVANCED students and for those with more time}:
----------------------------------------------------------
* {LIST1} {Introductory verses to chapters with commandments}
VERSE PHRASE
===== ======
3-1-2 Speak to the children of Israel
3-8-28 Speak to the children of Israel
3-11-2 Speak(Plural) to the children of Israel
3-12-2 Speak to the children of Israel
3-18-2 Speak to the children of Israel
3-23-10 Speak to the children of Israel
3-23-24 Speak to the children of Israel
3-23-34 Speak to the children of Israel
3-25-2 Speak to the children of Israel
3-27-2 Speak to the children of Israel
3-24-2 COMMAND the children of Israel
3-17-2 Speak to AARON HIS SONS and to the children of Israel
3-20-2 AND TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SPEAK
3-19-2 Speak to the WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE children of Israel
{LIST2} {Reasons why this chapter is important}
===============================================
-Because there are about 10% of all Biblical commandments in it
-Because many basic Torah principles are mentioned in it
-Because the ten commandments are mentioned in it (Now here is
an exercise I will leave the reader: Go read the 10 commandments
and FIND EACH ONE in 3-19--So e.g. Honoring ones parents (5th
commandment) and Observing the Shabbath (4th commandment) are
both mentioned in 3-19-3).
CROSS REFERENCES:
----------------
* v2-32-13 (Rashi cites only the 1st of many opinions in the Midrash
Rabbah apparently inviting the student to learn more)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
----------------
*
RULE CLASSIFICATION {See the web site for comparable examples}:
--------------------------------------------------------------
* DOUBLE PARSHAHS
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: v3b19-2 ..be holy
------
RASHI TEXT:
----------
* HOLY = SEPARATION from the forbidden sexual relations.
Indeed the LIST {LIST1} of places where you find HOLINESS
mentioned, basically coincides with the list of places where
you find some type of separation from forbidden sexual relations
BRIEF BUT COMPLETE NARRATIVE EXPLANATION:
----------------------------------------
* The word HOLY is used in this verse. But what does HOLY mean?
One method of finding out is to search all verses where HOLY
occurs and see what is connected with it. As {LIST1} shows
we almost always have a separation from forbidden sexual
relations.
So Rashi Is Simple. HOLINESS must refer to SEPARATION FROM
THE ANIMAL EXISTENCE.
Note: Rashi does not just blindly equate HOLINESS with
SEPARATION as some people translate.The LIST is only a vehicle to
become aware of the real meaning. As {LIST1} shows we e.g. have
HOLY associated with SEPARATION from forbidden foods. Thus the
proper method is not to translate HOLY as SEPARATION but rather
as SEPARATION FROM ANIMALITY.
COMMENTS ON RASHI'S FORM:
------------------------
* Rashi EXPLICITLY uses the LIST method here.
Also note that the LIST is used to FIND ASSOCIATION between
a WORD and CONCEPT.
Most search engines are only adapted to deal with letters and
words. However, obviously, proper research requires relating
WORDS and CONCEPTS.
LISTS {For ADVANCED students and for those with more time}:
----------------------------------------------------------
* {LIST1} {Verses/Paragraphs where the WORD holy occurs. As
can be seen the word usually occurs dealing with
separation from ANIMALITY}
VERSE ASSOCIATED ASSOCIATION
WITH VERSE WITH
HOLY HOLINESS
===== ========== ===========
2-19-6 2-19-15 Separate from women
3-19-2 3-18 Chapter on forbidden sexual relations
3-20-26 3-20 Punishment for forbidden sexual relations
3-21-7 3-21-9 Relations forbidden to a priest
4-6-5 4-5 Chapter on the suspected adulterous woman#
5-14-2 5-14 Chapter on forbidden foods##
5-23-15 5-23-11 Requirement to cover up seminal emissions
COMMENTS
========
## This verse was brought down to show that the association
mentioned by Rashi
HOLY = SEPARATION FROM FORBIDDEN SEXUAL RELATIONS
is not an EXACT equation but a useful approximation.
As can be seen HOLINESS can be used to indicate SEPARATION
from ANY type of animality.
# Note how this list strengthens the Rashi on v4-6-2:
"Why is the chapter on the NAZARITE after the chapter on the
SUSPECTED ADULTEROUS WOMAN--to teach you that a standard response
to seeing a SUSPECTED ADULTEROUS WOMAN is to abstain from wine.
Indeed as this whole list shows, the repulsiveness of animality
leads to the separation called holiness.
CROSS REFERENCES:
----------------
*
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
----------------
* v4-6-2
RULE CLASSIFICATION {See the web site for comparable examples}:
--------------------------------------------------------------
* SYNONYMS
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: v3b1-7 ...& the sons of Aharon the Priest will place fire..
------
RASHI TEXT:
----------
* "Aharon the PRIEST"---in his "PRIESTLINESS"--this teaches that
a high priest who worked in the priestly garments of an
ordiary priest or an ordinary priest that worked in the priestly
garments of a high priest, thereby invalidate the service.
BRIEF BUT COMPLETE NARRATIVE EXPLANATION:
----------------------------------------
* Looking at a list of all references to Priests (e.g.{LIST1})
shows that this is the ONLY TIME in the Bible that Priests
are referred to as "the sons of Aaron the Cohen". Usually they
are referred to as "The sons of Aaron--the Priests".
BUT...this, in and of itself,does NOT justify using this peculiar
word---priest---for whatever DRASH we fell like.
Rather Rashi is not learned so much from the extra word but from
ANOTHER VERSE which EXPLICITLY states 2-29-5 thru 2-29-9
...and you will dress Aaron in his garments
and you will bring his children near and dress them
with shirts. And belt them with belts--both Aaron
and his sons--and tie hats around them
AND THIS WILL BE THEIR CHUNA
a statue forever: This is the
way you will fulfill the authority of Aharon or
the authority of his children.
So we have an EXPLICIT DEFINITION that "THE CLOTHES ARE
THE PERSON"--PRIESTHOOD is achieved --whether to Aaron or
his sons--by wearning specific garments.
Thus Rashi Is Simple. The strange word PRIEST in 3-1-7 is in
fact the word that was redefined in 2-29-9 to mean investment
of function by the wearing of garments. The verse quite
simply means
And they will put--the sons of Aaron-- while in their
PRIESTLINESS (ie dressed with their specific priestly
clothing) (fuel for) fire on the altar.
The only possible question is why not interpret the verse as
the sons of Aaron the priests and for that we use {LIST1}
to observe that style requires a PLURAL of priests the way
it is in the rest of Tnach. So we must interpret PRIESTS in its
redefined meaning from 2-29-9 as meaning CLOTHING.
COMMENTS ON RASHI'S FORM:
------------------------
*
LISTS {For ADVANCED students and for those with more time}:
----------------------------------------------------------
* {LIST1} {References to priests in Tnach: NOTE: Only a partial
list is given. The point here is that the mandatory
style for refering to priests is
* Sons of Aaron--the Priests or
* Priests or
* Priest
Any other style (Son of Aaron the priest)
looks and is peculiar}
VERSE REFERENCE CONTEXT
===== ========= =======
3-1-12 The Priest Burnt Offering
3-2-16 The priest Minchah offering
3-3-16 The priest Peace offering
3-4-20 The priest Sin offering
3-13-3 The priest Leprosy
3-1-5 Sons of Aaron the priests Burnt offering
3-3-2 Sons of Aaron the priests Peace offering
3-2-2 Sons of Aaron the priests Minchah offering
4-10-8 Sons of Aaron the priests Trumpet blasts
COMMENTS:
=========
There are some other rare references to priests:
---Seed of Aaron the Priest (3-21-21..but that whole paragraph
is addressed to Aaron
---Priests (e.g. 5-18-3)
---Priests sons of Levi (e.g. 5-21-5)
CROSS REFERENCES:
----------------
*
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
----------------
* This is a continuation of the answer to Chaiim Brown's question
RULE CLASSIFICATION {See the web site for comparable examples}:
--------------------------------------------------------------
* OTHER VERSES
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: v3a19-16 Don't be a TAILBEARER (RCL)
------
RASHI TEXT:
----------
* {The Rashi is rather long so I have summarized it}
Do not go spying from house to house to tell things on your
neighbors. RCL (TAILBEARING) = RGL (Spying). There are
several proofs of this:
a) We always find TAILBEARING associated with the verb to
walk (don't walk around tailbearing) {LIST1}
b) The palatal letters C,K,G interchange so that
RCL(Tailbearing) = RGL(Spying)
c) We even find verses where RGL is used instead of RCL
(e.g. 2S19-28)
BRIEF BUT COMPLETE NARRATIVE EXPLANATION:
----------------------------------------
* {LIST3} {First, a clear statement of slander laws would help}
TERM PROPERTIES VERSE EXAMPLE
==== ========== ===== =======
CREATING False & 5-22-13 My wife was not a virgin
SLANDER Bad on her wedding night
SLANDER True & So & so eats ham
Bad So & so does not learn
TAILBEARER True & 1S22-10 Doeg told Saul that
Not Bad & Achimelech gave David bread
Harmful (even though Giving bread
is not a BAD action this
harmed the city since Doeg
know Saul hated David)
SLANDER DUST# True & E.g. Praising a person to
(Rabbinacally Praiseworthy & his enemies (since this may
prohibited) To ones enemies cause enmity)
Rashis' task on this verse is to derive the meaning of TAILBEARING
The verb TAILBEARING, comes from the root RCL which is also the
root of ROCHEL--a merchant or marketplace seller. Such a merchant
* goes from place to place
* continually interacts with people and
* sells his WARES
So Rashi Is Simple. A TAILBEARER also
* goes from place to place
* continually interacts with people and
* sells his SECRETS.
In other words a
MERCHANT:WARES::TAILBEARER:SECRETS
A simple example of this translation are the verses:
Prv-11-13 TAILBEARERS who go roaming around gathering talk
end up revealing secrets (See also Prv 20-19)
Rashi now brings 3 supportive arguments:
* EVERY time RCL=TAILBEARING occurs in the Bible it is connected
with the verb to ROAM--Don't roam about to gather secrets...
* RCL = TAILBEARER only occurs 5 times in Tnach. Rashi brings
further support from {LIST2} where the VERB RGL=SPY is used
instead of RCL. Functionally a TAILBEARER and SPY do the same
thing: They gather secrets and reveal them. This gives added
insight to the translation of TAILBEARER---he is a SPY who tries
to find out secrets that will harm his friend.
* Finally Rashi notes that SOMETIMES the palatal letters
interchange (G,C,K). It is foolish to believe that Rashi believes
that they ALWAYS or FREQUENTLY interchange. Rather the correct
rule (observed by BOTH Rashi and modern day linguists is that)
* If two ROOTS differ in the letters G,C,K and also
* The meanings of the two roots are almost the same
Then....
We are justified in asserting that one verb was derived
from the other.
Rashi however did not DERIVE the meaning of RCL from these
supportive proofs. He derived it from its usage in the Bible
and then found support in {LIST1} and {LIST2}.
COMMENTS ON RASHI'S FORM:
------------------------
*
LISTS {For ADVANCED students and for those with more time}:
----------------------------------------------------------
* {LIST1} {Verses with RCL=TAILBEARER}
VERSE MEANING
===== =======
3-19-16 Don't roam about marketing secrets
Jer-9-3 And all friends roam about to spy on each other
Ez-22-9 People who roam about to reveal secrets are in you
Prv-11-13 Roamers about to gather secrets, reveal them
Prv-20-19 They reveal secrets--those who roam to collect them
{LIST2} {Verses where RGL=SPY is used instead of RCL=TAILBEARER
These verses lend credibility to the assumption that the
two verbs have more or less the same meaning. List was
provided courtesy of Rashi}
VERSE TRANSLATION (NOTE the verb used is SPY but it
naturally translates as SLANDER)
===== ================================================
Ps 15-3 He didn't slander (literally "spy") with his tongue
2S19-28 My servant slandered me
* {LIST3} {A clear statement of slander laws}
TERM PROPERTIES VERSE EXAMPLE
==== ========== ===== =======
CREATING False & 5-22-13 My wife was not a virgin
SLANDER Bad on her wedding night
SLANDER True & So & so eats ham
Bad So & so does not learn
TAILBEARER True & 1S22-10 Doeg told Saul that
Not Bad & Achimelech gave David bread
Harmful (even though Giving bread
is not a BAD action this
harmed the city since Doeg
know Saul hated David)
SLANDER DUST# True E.g. Praising a person to
(Rabbinacally Praiseworthy his enemies (since this may
prohibited) To ones enemies cause enmity)
CROSS REFERENCES:
----------------
*
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
----------------
*
RULE CLASSIFICATION {See the web site for comparable examples}:
--------------------------------------------------------------
* SYNONYMS
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: v1-1-4 ...and God saw that the light (of prophecy) was good
------
RASHI TEXT:
----------
* Rashi, in a rare move, FIRST cites Agaddah. To clarify this
agaddah I have interspersed parenthetical clarifying remarks
which, of course, the reader is free to ignore. Rashi says:
God saw that full prophecy (continuously sitting in Gods
light) was good for the righteous and not for the wicked
and therefore hid it in his treasures for the next world
(Cf. 5-34-4).
Rashi then lists a Pshat explanation "It wasn't good that
light and dark should comingle so He separated them"
We will show below that Rashi believed that the Peshat
of this Posook is the first so called Agaddic explanation.
We will then explain why he brought in the second
explanation.
BRIEF BUT COMPLETE NARRATIVE EXPLANATION:
----------------------------------------
* First things first: If ***ALL**** I had was one ISOLATED verse
>>The light was good so darkness and light were separated<<
then I would interpret the sentence to mean that it is not good
to comingle light and dark and it was good they were separated.
In other words when Rashi speaks about the SIMPLE MEANING of the
text he is referring to the
SIMPLE MEANING OF THE SENTENCE ****BY ITSELF****
But suppose this sentence or any sentence is in a paragraph where
the meaning is CLEARLY INDICATED as otherwise. Certainly everyone
agrees that if you define a paragraphs' meaning up front then it
would be wrong to simply ignore that definition and explain
the other sentences on a stand alone basis.
That is exactly what happened here. In 1-1-2 it doesn't say that
the WIND was hovering over the water but it says that the SPIRIT
OF GOD was hovering over the water. This phrase SPIRIT OF GOD
changes everything. For as {LIST1} shows SPIRIT OF GOD **always**
refers to prophecy. It is this phrase SPIRIT OF GOD in 1-1-2
which FORCES Rashi (and ourselves) to interpret this whole chapter
as "spiritual in nature":
"God, in Gen 1 is describing the creation of Prophecy
(For Adam was the first prophet)"---"God is not describing
the creation of the world (Why? Because SPIRIT OF GOD
**always** refers to Prophecy).
So Rashi is Simple. It is as if you assigned homework
to some students:
"This chapter deals with prophecy...I want you to interpret
1-1-4 using this theme."
Almost every student would come back the next day and say that
LIGHT = LIGHT OF PROPHECY
And God separated full prophecy from the darkness of this world.
{LIST2} contains some verses where LIGHT refers to prophecy.
This by the way is a theme in this chapter. In each case the simple
meaning of the isolated verse is favored for a meaning in terms of
prophecy because the chapter requires it. See below in the cross
references for some other examples.
COMMENTS ON RASHI'S FORM:
------------------------
* Rashis form is simple. He
--first states that we must interpret this verse with agadh
(The reason being because of the phrase SPIRIT OF GOD
always means prophecy)
--Rashi then gives the simple meaning of this sentence in
context which of course is the simple meaning of the
sentence
--Rashi also gives what the simple meaning would have been
if we didn't have a context..that is if the verse stood by
itself
LISTS {For ADVANCED students and for those with more time}:
----------------------------------------------------------
* {LIST1} {SPIRIT OF GOD# refers to prophecy##}
VERSE WHO WAS PROPHETICALLY INSPIRED
===== ==============================
Jud-3-10 ASNiEL son of KNaZ
Jud-11-29 YifTach
Jud-13-25 Shimshon
1S-19-20 King Saul's servants
1S-10-6 Saul#
1S-10-10 Saul#
4-24-2 Joshua
1-41-38 Joseph
2-31-3 Bsalel
COMMENTS:
=========
# The word God occurs both as ELOKIM and HASHEM (Tetragrammaton)
Perhaps there is some subtle difference between SPIRIT OF ELOKIM
and SPIRIT OF HASHEM. Be that as it may, 1S-10-6 and 1S-10-10
both refer to the same person and seem to indicate that the
phrases are more or less interchangeable. To play it safe we have
included verses of both types.
## There are verses where SPIRIT OF GOD does not mean prophecy
apparently because it is part of another phrase: e.g.
1S18-10 Paranoia (BAD SPIRIT OF GOD)
{LIST2} {Verses where LIGHT seems to refer to Prophecy#}
VERSE CONTEXT
===== =======
2-28-30 The URIM and TUMIM of the High Priest
Ps84-12 God is a SUN and Protection to those who walk...
Isa60-1 "LIGHTen up..because the HONOR OF GOD rises on you
Ps27-1 The Lord is my LIGHT and Salvation
COMMENTS
========
#In all these verses it is possible to deny the prophetic overtones
For example the URIM and TUMIM of the high priest had stones that
lit up when asked a question...so LIGHT (UR) could refer to the
physical lighting of the stones (instead of the fact that these
lights contained a prophetic message).
Similarly Ps84-12 can be interpreted as a double metaphor: God
protects those who walk in his path vs
God gives prophecy (that is he is a sun=lights of prophecy)
and protects those who walk in his path. But verses like
this one and Ps27-1 were spoken by King David who was a
prophet and saw the light of prophecy.
Even in Is60-1 we can simply interpret it socially (You will be
honored and be a beacon of light (though again according to Isa
2 the non Jewish nations will seek out the Jews for their prophetic
guidance).
Suffice it to say that LIGHT can refer SPECIFICALLY to prophecy or
GENERALLY to Divine Guidance.
CROSS REFERENCES:
----------------
* 1-1-1 Why did Rashi interpret BRAYSHIT as "For the sake of the
choicest" vs "In the beginning". Using prophecy we have an
answer
1-1-6 Clearly this refers to the creation of the "HEAVENS"..
that is the spiritual world.
1-1-21 Note again how a "stand alone translation" would seem to
make this verse refer to "BIG FISH". But a spiritual
translation makes it refer to the Leviathan.
1-1-28 Exciting. This verse is the VERY FIRST prophechy ever
uttered on this planet.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
----------------
* We acknowledge the email list Torah Forum on which there has
been a volley of postings during the past year discussing my
thesis that Gen 1 refers to the creation of Prophecy not to the
creation of the world (This of course simply solves the 20 billion
vs 6000 year problem nicely because irrespective of the age of the
universe the first PROPHET was created only 6000 years ago).
The realization that SPIRIT OF GOD coerces us to interpret this
chapter prophetically only came recently and an appropriate posting
was submitted to Torah Forum.
RULE CLASSIFICATION {See the web site for comparable examples}:
--------------------------------------------------------------
* OVERALL STRUCTURE
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: v2b18-1 ...Yithro
------
RASHI TEXT:
----------
* Yithro had seven names: YTR, YTHRO, ChVV,KAYNI, RUEL, ChVR, POTIEL.
But possibly RUEL was YTHRO's fathers name (So there were only 6)
BRIEF BUT COMPLETE NARRATIVE EXPLANATION:
----------------------------------------
*WITHOUT reading any Rshi we can ask"How was Yithro named in Tenach"
We are doing a search not on a WORD (Yithro) but on the MEANING OF
A WORD(in other words, "which verses use a word MEANING Yithtro?")
Note that a traditional QUERY search is on words. The appropriate
SQL search request for our meaning query would be
SELECT distinct VERSE from BIBLE WHERE VERSE.MEANING contains YITHRO
The problems with making SEMANTIC searches based on meaning is that
databases do not have semantic attributes. The reason for this, of
course, is that scholars can agree on the words in a verse but they
can't necessarily agree on the meanings of these words. Nevertheless
semantic searches are extremely important and legitimate research
tools.
We easily generate the first 5 verses in the following list. We
give the other two MCLTA verses for purposes of discussion. As will
be seen Rashi rejected them.
{LIST1} {List of verses where Yithro is referred to}
VERSE REFERENCE TO YITHRO COMMENTS
----- ------------------- --------
2-4-18 YETER, Moses' father-in-law Stated before his conversion
2-18-1 YTRO,..Moses' father-in-law Stated upon recognition of God
4-10-29 XVV,son of RUEL,Moses'in law Is RUEL a grandfather or father
Jud1-16 ..KayNi Moses' father-in-law
2-2-18 ...to RUEL their father Is RUEL a grandfather or father
Jud4-17 ..the wife of CEVER KAYNI Footnote (1)(To be read later)
2-6-25 from ..daughters of PUTIEL Footnote (2)(To be read later)
It should be obvious that only the first 4 names (YTR, YTHRO, ChVV,
KAYNI) are CLEARLY names of Yithro. There are problems with the rest.
RUEL could be YITHRO (2-2-18) or his fater (4-10-29).
Note that it is Rashi himself who notes this (the idea that Ruel
might be a Yithro's father is NOT in the Meciltah).
Rashi as we have noted many times frequently uses Workbook methods.
He will do ONE example and let students infer the rest. Let us
therefore review the remaining names on the list (PUTIEL, CEVER)
-- Certainly there is NO indication in the text that PUTIEL has
anything to do with YITHRO.(See however later Footnote (2)).
-- As is clear from Jud 4-11, ChVR seems to be the name of a GROUP
not a PERSON---the FRIENDS OF YITHRO---apparently a non jewish
group that followed Yithro's acknowledgement of God (2-19)
In summary the Mechiltah listed all POTENTIAL (not ACTUAL) verses
referring to Yithro. Rashi CLEARLY rejects one of these names as
NOT FORCED and it is perfectly consistent with Rashis methodology---
to learn from LISTS and only regard the Mechiltah as an intermediary
to reject the 3 other names. (Nevertheless we have given some STRONG
support for accepting them below).
We note that the Mechiltah (and Rashi) had to deal
with the fact that if RUEL was possibly not Yithro's name
(but his fathers) then so too perhaps even YTR and ChVV were
not his name. Therefore the Mechilta brings a list {LIST2}
of people who received NAME CHANGES BY ADDING one letter
when they did some good deed. Thus we are forced to admit that
Yithro had at least two names.
{LIST2} {PEOPLE WHO HAD THEIR NAME CHANGED BY ADDING A LETTER}
ORIGINAL VERSE NEW
NAME NAME
======= ===== =======
AVRAM 1-17-5 AVRAHAM
SARAY 1-17-15 SARA(H)
HShYaH 4-3-16 YeHoShuAh
YTR 2-4-18;2-18-1 YTHRO
FOOTNOTES:
==========
(1) We have 3 very peculiar verses here
* Jud 1-16 speaks about KayNi Moses' Father In Law
* Jud 4-11 speaks about The XVR KayNi from XVV
Moses Father In Law
* Jud 4-17 speaks about ..the wife of XVR Kayni
The simplest way of taking this is that KAYNI is YITHRO (Jud 1-16)
and ignore the other two verses.
Another simple approach is to assume
ASSUMPTION JUSTIFICATION
========== =============
KAYNI = YITHRO Jud 1-16
XVR refers to both
a) a GROUP founded by Yithro
the "Friends (CVR) of Yithro" Jud 4-11
b) a TITLE to Yithro who Jud 4-17
founded the group.
(2) PooTiiEL does not occur again in Tnach. The ROOT PT does not
exist in TNACH. Thus we are totally in the dark.
A standard procedure for inferring meaning when all else fails is
CONTEXT. Furthermore we can see the "KEL" ending of PooTiiEl meaning
God. Since the verse says that he took a wife from the "daughters
of Pootiel" it seems reasonable to interpret this as "God fearing
women".
Rashi on 2-6-25 cites talmudic opinions that
"Daughters of PooTiiel = God Fearing Women
can refer to
* The daughters of Yithro (Who acknowledged God 2-19)
* The daughters of Joseph (Who resisted temptation)
* Both of the above (Paternal / Maternal)
What I do when I teach a Chumash class is to ask the students to
come up with ideas of who these "God fearing women" might be.
Clearly, Joseph is a potential candidate. Yithro was probably
picked because his he later accepted God (2-19) and his daughters
are just mentioned in the previous chapter.
Before summarizing this discussion of Putiel we make a
minor note on the so called "plurality" of Putiel.
The talmud lists the 3 opinions just cited. One of these 3 opinions
is that PUTIEL refers to BOTH PATERNAL and MATERNAL ancestry.
The classical commentators (e.g. Sifsay Chachamim, or the Maharshaw
on the Talmud ) say Putiel is Plural (because of the Yud).
But I doubt that we can know the conjugation of a word that occurs
once, whose root never occurs!
Rather an examination of the {LIST3} shows that the phrase
DAUGHTERS OF .....
denote girls ASSOCIATED WITH -- whether thru one or two parents
or even thru dwelling in a place or following the customs of.
In summary, on 2-6-25,
* We aren't sure about the meaning of Putiel since its root
never occurs and it never occurs again
* We can infer its meaning by CONTEXT--Putiel means some
type of God fearing Person
* The style "DAUGHTERS OF" allows EITHER maternal, OR
paternal, OR followers, or DWELLERS of a place
* Hence Rashi lists possibilities (That is the way he
should be taken): Sons of Joseph, Sons of Yithro
maybe sons of both.
And do not answer me that "WE HAVE A MESORAH"
(that the person in question had Josephine and Yetrian ancestry)
For as the Rambam has clearly stated in his introduction to
the commentary on the Mishnah there never is controversy on Mesorah.
COMMENTS ON RASHI'S FORM:
------------------------
*
LISTS {For ADVANCED students and for those with more time}:
----------------------------------------------------------
*
{LIST1} {List of verses where Yithro is referred to}
VERSE REFERENCE TO YITHRO COMMENTS
===== =================== ========
2-4-18 YETER, Moses' father-in-law Stated before his conversion
2-18-1 YTRO,..Moses' father-in-law Stated upon recognition of God
4-10-29 CVV,son of RUEL,Moses'in law Is RUEL a grandfather or father
Jud1-16 ..KayNi Moses' father-in-law
2-2-18 ...to RUEL their father Is RUEL a grandfather or father
Jud4-17 ..the wife of CEVER KAYNI Footnote (1)(To be read later)
2-6-25 from ..daughters of PUTIEL Footnote (2)(To be read later)
FOOTNOTES:
==========
(1) We have 3 very peculiar verses here
* Jud 1-16 speaks about KayNi Moses' Father In Law
* Jud 4-11 speaks about The XVR KayNi from XVV
Moses Father In Law
* Jud 4-17 speaks about ..the wife of XVR Kayni
The simplest way of taking this is that KAYNI is YITHRO (Jud 1-16)
and ignore the other two verses.
Another simple approach is to assume
ASSUMPTION JUSTIFICATION
========== =============
KAYNI = YITHRO Jud 1-16
XVR refers to both
a) a GROUP founded by Yithro
the "Friends (CVR) of Yithro" Jud 4-11
b) a TITLE to Yithro who Jud 4-17
founded the group.
(In passing the idea that ChVR KAYNI refers to the "FRIENDS
OF KAYNI" a group of non jews founded by Yithro who acknowledged
God, would explain the SECOND HALF of the Rashi on 2-18-27.
Recall that from the expression "...and Yithro went FOR HIMSELF.."
we infer that it was not an ordinary return trip but a trip for
PERSONAL REASONS.
Note the interplay of PSHAT and SPECULATION here.
* The went FOR HIMSELF **only** suggests a PERSONAL trip
We however don't yet know for what
* We know that a group was founded "THE FRIENDS OF YITHRO"
Jud 4-11
* We know (2-18) that Yithro acknowledged God and was
excited about it.
So Rashi is Simple. Yithro's personal trip was to found
the Group FRIENDS OF YITHRO that acknowledged God. This would
answer my brothers question on this verse. This supplements our
other explanation using the principle of OTHER VERSES)
(2) PooTiiEL does not occur again in Tnach. The ROOT PT does not
exist in TNACH. Thus we are totally in the dark.
{LIST2} {PEOPLE WHO HAD THEIR NAME CHANGED BY ADDING A LETTER}
ORIGINAL VERSE NEW
NAME NAME
======= ===== =======
AVRAM 1-17-5 AVRAHAM
SARAY 1-17-15 SARA(H)
HShYaH 4-3-16 YeHoShuAh
YTR 2-4-18;2-18-1 YTHRO
* {LIST3} {The Style DAUGHTERS OF.......}
DAUGHTERS OF
VERSE WHO COMMENTS
===== =========== ========
1-24-3 Canaanite Clearly Avraham prohibited marrying EITHER
MATERNAL, or PATERNAL, or BOTH or FOLLOWERS
of the Canaanite way. This vindicates our
treatment of the Talmud that all 3 (maternal
paternal both) are all legitimate
1-27-46 Cheth
1-6-2 Adam Distinguished people
4-25-1 Moabite Clearly the prostitution happened whether
to MATERNAL, PATERNAL, BOTH or FOLLOWERS
of the Moabite way
Sng3-10 Yerushalmi Distinguished girls (From the "Capital")
CROSS REFERENCES:
----------------
* v2-18-27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
----------------
*
RULE CLASSIFICATION {See the web site for comparable examples}:
--------------------------------------------------------------
* SYNONYMS
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