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               (C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2004
               Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel

                     Volume 20 Number 12
          For the WORD QUALITY PDF VERSION click here
               -----------------------------------
               http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h20n12.pdf
               -----------------------------------
                    Produced Jan 1st, 2004

       WARNING: USE FIXED WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc.2004, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#
OVERVIEW OF HILIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

Whats new and hot in this issue?
ITEM WHATS NEW & HOT IN THIS ISSUE
Mesorah use Interesting Mesorah - sheds light on meaning*2
Question Proof that Joseph and Brothers abstained wine*1
Question JACOB ZABLUDOWSKI: Joseph was Nazarite
Using Sources How to use the Midrash Rabbah*1
Misconception Chok does not mean IRRATIONAL LAW*3
COMMENTS
*1 Jacob Zabludowski asked a question on Gn43-34c
This provides us with a good opportunity to
review the methods for using secondary sources
like Midrash Rabbah

*2 A rare insight into how the Mesorah interacts with
commentary. The marginal comments on Gn26-26a assure
us that ACHUZATH is NOT the name of a person.

*3 This is a common misconception. It appears that certain
Rishonim said otherwise. See Rav Hirschs brilliant
refutation.
Rashis covered in this issue
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

VERSE RULE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
======== =============== =======================================
Gn47-22b WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Ex15-26d WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Gn26-05d WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Ex28-43b WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Lv18-04b WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Lv19-19a WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Nu09-03a WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Nu19-02a WORD MEANINGS Chok means intrinsic requirement
Gn47-27b WORD MEANINGS A-Ch-Z means grip,condition,group,land
Gn26-26a WORD MEANINGS A-Ch-Z means grip,condition,group,land
Gn26-26b WORD MEANINGS A-Ch-Z means grip,condition,group,land
--------- ---------------- ----------------------------------
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2004, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Gn47-27b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn47-27b Gn26-26a Gn26-26b
Gn47-27b
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis primary goals is to explain meaning the
same way a dictionary explains meaning. Rashi had a
variety of vehicles to explain meaning.

EXAMPLE  Root A-Ch-Z means ...
-----------------------------
a) to Grip (e.g. Grab the grain)
b) medical condition (e.g. gripped by pain)
c) overlay of utensil or house (e.g. Gripped by cedars)
d) a portion or inheritance of land
e) a group of friends (that grip one another in friendship)
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS UNIFIED MEANING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST862q
List of meanings of root A-Ch-Z = to grip
LIST862q
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

List of meanings of root A-Ch-Z = to grip
MEANING VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WITH grip CAPITALIZED
Grab Ru03-16 GRAB the grain
Land portion Lv25-45 They shall be a PORTION for you
Gripped Ecc9-12 As fished GRIPPED by a net*1
Own Land portion Gn47-27b They were GRIPPED by their portion*1*2
Medical Condition Isa13-08 GRIPPED by labor pains
Overlay 1K06-10 House was OVERLAYED with CEDARS*3
Group of friends Gn26-26a He came with a GROUP of friends*4
COMMENTS
*1 These verbs are in the passive mode

*2 Also see Nu32-30

*3 Also see Es01-06 (Overlayed utensils)

*4 Also see Gn26-26b. Rashi points out an additional
grammatical point
----------------------------------------------------
The terminal Tauv on a word need not indicate a
construct state
----------------------------------------------------
We have discussed this elsewhere and will not
repeat it here. For a reference see
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn01-01b.htm for examples
We will discuss this in future issues
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2004, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Gn47-22b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn47-22b Ex15-26d Gn26-05d Ex28-43b Lv18-04b
Lv19-19a Nu09-03a Nu19-02a
Gn47-22b
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
The word Chok means INTRINSIC REQUIREMENT. Hence it refers
to any FIXED requirement such as a non-changing tax or law.

EXAMPLE
-------
* A 20% tax (without variation is called a chok)
* The charity laws depend on the degree of poverty
Hence these laws are called MITZVAH not CHOK
* The adultery laws are absolute and independent of
hardship. Hence these laws are called Chok
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS SYNONYMS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST955e
List of verses with word CHOK = basic unvarying law
LIST955e
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

List of verses with word CHOK = basic unvarying law
VERSE CHOK refers to Which is called CHOK
Gn47-22b 20% Tax rate on land Fixed tax without variation
Ex28-43b Priestly clothes Law absolute, not dependent*1
Nu09-03a Laws on Passver animal Laws on animal not external*2
Ex15-26d Fixed Jewish laws Absolute laws*3
Gn26-05d Fixed Jewish Laws Absolute laws*3
Lv18-04b Fixed Jewish laws Absolute laws*3
Lv19-19a Fixed Jewish laws Absolute laws*3
Nu19-02a Fixed Jewish Laws Absolute laws*3
COMMENTS
*1 e.g. Certain laws are dependent on residency in Israel
or on statuses. The law that Priests MUST wear Priestly
clothes is ABSOLUTE and not dependent on anything. Hence
the Rashi
--------------------------------------------------
The law was effective IMMEDIATELY and for all
generations (i.e. not dependent on anything)
---------------------------------------------------

*2 There are two types of Passover laws
- those dealing with the Passover animal sacrifice itself
- other Passover sacrifice laws independent of animal
Chok refers to laws dealing with the animal itself
This is consistent with a CHOKs meaning of INTRINSIC
The CHOK refers to the animal itself, not the externals

*3 Perhaps an example will help. A law like charity is
DEPENDENT on POVERTY. If a person is poor I give
charity. Otherwise I dont. The more poor the person
is the more charity I give. Hence charity is not a
CHOK law. By contrast the prohibition of incest or
adultery is ABSOLUTE -- it applys in all circumstances -
even if it causes hardship. Hence the adultery laws are
ABSOLUTE and called CHOK. By contrast, laws like charity
which are dependent on reason are called MITZVAH.

Because these laws do not DEPENED on external factors
they are sometimes erroneously said to be laws WITHOUT
REASONS. However all laws have reasons. Rather the correct
statement is that the REASONS ARE ABSOLUTE and dont vary
the law like charity.

Rashi mentions that
-------------------------------------------------------
Because these laws are absolute the non Jews tease us:
- Why do you observe these laws--they dont have reasons
-------------------------------------------------------
This simply means that the laws aren't situational but
absolute and therefore the non Jews tease us. It does
not mean that the laws have no reason.

Finally Rav Hirsch cites Pr30-08
------------------------------------------------------
...Don't give me riches or poverty
...(rather) give me my (daily) NEEDED/INTRINSIC BREAD
------------------------------------------------------
Rav Hirsch points out that Chok clearly does not mean
irrational in this verse (My irrational bread) but
rather refers to ones basic intrinsic needs that dont
vary.
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2004, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: v010104a
Gn43-34c
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

Question on Gn43-34c The following question arose
from a Friday night shmooze at the Father-son chulund
learnings at Shomrey Emunah
ITEM DETAIL
From Jacob ZabLudowski, JacobZ@Email.Com
To rjhendel@juno.com
Subject Source for Gn43-34c
COMMENTS
*1 TEXT OF QUESTION

How does Rashi derive that Joseph was a nazarite?
How does Rashi derive that the brothers were nazarites?

Various ideas were discussed including the idea that
Jacob was in mourning and couldnt have wine.

Jacob Zabludowski


LONGER FOOTNOTES

*10

ANSWER
------
Jacob

Here is an overview of the answer. We will write this
up in a future issue. In passing this Rashi affords us
an excellent opportunity to review methodology.

* Not all commentaries on the Midrash Rabbah give
the source

* The Matnoth Kehunah and Maharzu explain that the
source is an explicit OTHER VERSE: JOSEPH IS CALLED
THE NAZARITE OF HIS BROTHERS (Gn49)

* Since Joseph is called NAZARITE we know he abstained
from wine.

* By contrasting two verses in Gn43
-- The brothers will eat BY me this afternoon
-- The brothers will eat WITH me this afternoon
we infer that Joseph had comradery with the brothers
and forced them to drink. From this we infer that
the brothers had abstained from wine till then.

* Note the Commentaries on the Midrash Rabbah simply
cite the verse THEY ATE AND DRANK WITH HIM. The
commentaries state: WITH HIM they drank but otherwise
they did not drink. However we think it punchier to
supplement the commentaries by contrasting the two
verses (Eat BY me vs Eat WITH me). These translations
(WITH ME) (BY ME) are due to Malbim.

More will be said in future issues.

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

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