QUESTION
--------
Rashi suggests that Rivkah was 3 years old when
she met Eliezer. How are we to understand this bizarre
Rashi as natural and being the simple meaning

*10

ANSWER
------
This is a brief answer. The full posting will appear in
the next issue.

The only way to properly understand this Rashi is
to gather numerous verses shedding light on Rivkahs
age. We have the following 7 verses listed below.
Here, we use the method of OTHER VERSES

The most reasonable solution is that
- Rivkah was 15 years old when she got married
- Hence she was: 3 years (Rashi) [past puberty]
- Isaac tried to have children with her for 20 years
- ..till 35 (half her life)

This would make Rashi consistent with Tosafoth
who claims Rivkah was 14 years old. Here are the 7
verses.

A) Gn24-15 Rivkah was old enough to do heavy shepard work

B) Gn24-16 Rivkah was at an age where virginity and lack
of relations meant something

C) Gn24-55 Rivkah was at an age where delayal of marriage
for 1-10 years was appropriate

D) Gn24-59 Rivkah was at an age where she still could
benefit from a nursemaid

E) Gn25-20, Gn25-26 Rivkah had her first child
after 20 years of marriage

F) Gn17-17 Sarah was 90 when she gave birth to Isaac
(Also cf Gn21-05)

G) Gn23-01 Sarah was 127 when she died

H) Gn22-20 Betuayl (Rivkah's father) was born around
the time of the sacrifice of Isaac which happened
in proximity to Sarahs death

(In connection with verse H we will argue that the
sacrifice of Isaac happened when Isaac was 10, Sarah
was 100 and Abraham 110. This gave Betuayl 27 years
to grow up, get married, and have a 15 year old daughter)

More details and lists in the next issue

Dont miss it.

In developing the above thesis I benefited from a Shiur
of Rabbi Landau; he and his congregants answered several
questions connected with the above verses.

Russell Jay Hendel http://www.RashiYomi.com/

*1 Rashi states the following: "If MOTHERS make mistakes it
is because they raise children; if SINGLE women make
mistakes it is because they try to pick people up"
Rashi should be perceived as giving ILLUSTRATIONS of
why being without children is disgraceful for women

*2 Jacob did not NEED permission to leave with HIS wife
But his father-in-law would perceive it as STEALING
his daughter.

*3 Gn27-41 states that Esauv hated Jacob for stealing the
blessing. Gn27-44 states that after a few years this
hatred would subside. Hence Gn33-09 with its statement
I DONT NEED YOUR MONEY confirms these other 2 verses.

*1 The entire list was presented by Rashi

*1 Also see La03-41, Jb36-32 for QF=CLOUD

*10 List of usages of KaF is from the RADACK,
BOOK OF BIBLICAL ROOTS

*1 This root occurs very infrequently We have
- Lv15-03a oozing (RR) of sexual secretions
- 1S21-14 (Spittle)
- Jb06-06(Oozing of plants or spittle)

*2 Thus YQTziA doesnt just refer to ANY CUTTING but
rather to SANDPAPERING. Hence this root can
also refer to CORNERS and EDGES
(which get their distinctness from being SANDPAPERED)

*3 I used an English analogy. Actually TNUR vs CIRaYIM
seem to refer to a ONE-burner vs a TWO-Burner
hot plate. I am not actually sure on all details*10

*4 Both of these are pots. One is shallow--the type
used for frying. The other is deep--the type
used for rich cooking*10

*5 These are two shades of white. I dont know if analogies
exist in English (CLOUD-WHITE or
SNOW-WHITE vs MARBLE WHITE)*10

*6 I dont believe English has technical terms for the TOP
vs the Bottom grindstone*10

*7 Again there are no English words. The Kaph-Vuv-Resh
refers to a VAT that can hold about 200 Gallons

By contrast the Kaph-Yud-Vuv-Resh refers to a hugh
TANK of water with faucet holes. This TANK was
used to wash hands and legs in the temple (The water
sprinkled out of the holes and washed the person)

*10 I believe Rashis basic thrust in all these verses is
explaining items that are ALMOST similar in meaning
but have some subtle nuance (Like STOVE OVEN).

However Rashi goes further and gives etymologies of
some of these words eg
- SeAyTh = CLOUD WHITE (From NaSiH=cloud)
- MaChaVath= FRYING PAN (Has a rim that HIDES(Cheth-Bet)
- MaRCheSeth= Deep Cooking Pan(food BUBBLES (RaChSh))
- RCV=Top Grindstone that RIDES(RCV) on the other grindstone
There are more etymologies; some of these have been
discussed elsewhere. I believe these are the basic ones.

*1 This explanation is consistent with all three explanations
of Rashi.
-------------------------------------------------------
Abraham was stuck in a personality type where he
couldnt have children. So God showed him the
multiplicity of personality types and told him to
leave his world/personality/surroundings and adopt a
different personality. God also promised Abraham that
his children would also have the capacity to leave change
their personalities when necessary
-------------------------------------------------------

*10 RADACK in his book BIBLICAL ROOTS suggests that NBT
means TO WATCH. Our translation TO FACE closely
resembles this suggestion.