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                  Surfing the Talmudic Seas
               (C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2005
               Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel

                     Volume 24 Number 17
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               http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h24n17.htm
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                     Produced Jan 13 th, 2005
	
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc.2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#*#
HELPFUL READING TIPS
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

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*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Ex11-04a
RASHIS COVERED: Ex11-04a Ex11-09a
Ex11-04a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals is to resolve contradiction between
two verses that contradict each other. This process of resolution
is called the Rashi method of CONTRADICTION.

Rashi had 4 methods of resolving contradiction.

Sometimes Rashi will resolve a contradiction by looking at
the two verses as two stages of one process. We call this the
Rashi submethod of TWO-STAGES.

EXAMPLE Ex11-04a(One more plague) Ex11-29(No more see)
------------------------
The following verse pairs appear contradictory
----------------------------------------------------------
Ex10-29 MOSES to PHAROH: Well spoken: I wont see you again
Ex11-04a God to MOSES: Tell Pharoh: One more plague on Egypt
----------------------------------------------------------

If Moses agreed never to see Pharoh again how could he
tell him of the last plague.

Rashi resolves this contradiction thru the method of 2 stages
---------------------------------------
Moses statement that he would not see Pharoh again
happened in two stages:
STAGE ONE: Moses told him about the last plague
STAGE TWO: Moses then left and promised not to see him again

EXAMPLE Ex11-09a Ex11-01
------------------------
The following verses pair appears contradictory
-----------------------------------------------
Ex11-01 I, God, will bring ONE more plague on Egypt
Ex11-09a Pharoh wont listen and I will increase my
miracle(S) in Egypt
-----------------------------------------------

Why did God promise to incresae his miracle(S), plural,
if there was only one more plague

Rashi resolves this contradiction thru the method of 2 stages
----------------------------------------------------
STAGE ONE: There will be ONE more of the 10 plagues
STAGE TWO: There will be miracles by the Red sea(Ex13)
STAGE THREE: After the Jews exodus Egypt will be
destroyed and the Jews will sing Song

LIST530a below presents other contradictory verse pairs
resolved thru the method of TWO STAGES
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: CONTRADICTION
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS TWO-STAGES
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #15
SEE BELOW LIST530a
Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
LIST530a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
VERSE-1 VERSE-2 HOW THE TWO TEXTS ARE COMBINED
Ex11-01 Ex11-09 ONE more of 10 plagues;2 MIRACLES on Red sea*3
Ex11-04 Ex10-29 FIRST: Moses announces 10 plagues;2nd:No see Phrh*4
Gn50-10 Gn50-10 GRANARY was THORNED;but Joe saved them:HonorJacob*14
Gn37-36 Gn39-01 Joe sold 4 times:Arabs to Midian to Arab to Egypt*13
Nu05-08 Nu05-08d Tithes/Terumah to GOD; GOD gives them to PRIEST
Ex14-27 Ex14-30a Egypt drowns IN sea; then thrown ON sea-shore
Ex15-01 Ex15-04 Egyptians THROWN UP;THEN SHOT down to sea
Ex16-13 Nu11-09 1st Dew bed; then MANNA; THEN dew blanket
Nu08-24 Nu04-03 Levites LEARN Temple at 25;THEN serve at 30
Nu16-32 Nu26-11a Korach sons 1st punished; then repented*1
Nu26-54 Nu26-55a Children inherit units;Parents give equally*10
Lv21-10 Lv16-32c Priesthood succession: Lineage 1st;Merit 2nd*2
COMMENTS

*1 Nu16-32 and Nu16-33 together imply that KORACH AND ALL FOLLOWING
HIM DIED ALIVE BY FIRE AND EARTHQUAKE This contradicts Nu26-11
that the sons of Korach did not die

Note that Psalms 45-49 were written by the SONS OF KORACH
showing that they repented

*2 In other words if one of the high priests sons is
qualified for the position he is chosen. If not
a non-descendant (who is qualified) is taken.

Lv16-32c presents this SON-MERIT rule for priests
Dt17-20c generalizes this SON-MERIT rule for Kings.

This interpretation of the text is further
clarified by the ALIGNMENT method.*11

Some further technicalities are noted in note *12

*3 Rashi Ex11-09a

*4 Rashi Ex11-04a Ex10-29

LONGER FOOTNOTES
*10 Here is a simple numerical example
Assume 3 people in Egypt
- Bob
- Dan and David Brothers

Assume
- Bob has 1 child
- Dan has 1 child
- David has 2 children

So GENERATION1(GEN1) has 3 units (Bob,Dan David)
And GEN2 has 4 units (1+1+2)

We now have 3 stages

STAGE 1
-------
Each GEN2 person gets same number of units (Say 2 units)
So Bobs child --2 units
-- Dans child --2 units
-- Davids-------4 units to 2 children

STAGE 2
-------
Now the units are coalesced at the family (GEN1) level
- Bob has 2 units(Since he has one child with 2 units)
- Dan-David has 6 units (Dans child 2 units and Davids 4)

STAGE 3
-------
- Bob gives his 2 units back to his child
- Dan-David give there 6 units equally to children so
-- Dans child receives 3 units
-- Davids 2 children receive 1.5 units each (Total of 3)

Here is a time map

--------------------------------------------------------------
EGYPT(GEN1)    CHILDREN   STAGE1      STAGE2       STAGE3
-------------- ---------- ----------- ------------ ------------
Bob            1 child    2/8         2/8          2/8 @child
Dan-brother    1 child    2/8         6/8 brothers 3/8 @child
David-brother  2 child    4/8         6/8 Brothers 3/8 @2 child
---------------------------------------------------------------

Although this may seem complicated it fulfills the 2 verses
- The actual exodus people from Egypt inherit
- The descendants determine inheritance

*11 We align Lv21-10 Lv16-32 as follows

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The priest --------------- ...annointed ...trained replace father
The priest who is advanced ...annointed ...trained --------------
*a         *b              *c           *d         *b
-----------------------------------------------------------------

As the double #b clearly shows there are two criteria
- priest is advanced (bigger than his brothers)
- priest replaces father

These conflicting criteria are resolved using
the RabbiIshmael method of 2 STAGES
- if the son is qualified pick him
- if not pick a qualified non-descendant

*12 Interestingly heridatary appointment is mentioned by
- Slaves (Lv25-41)
- Kings (Dt17-20)
- Priests (Dt18-05)
- Levites (1C23-13)

The Bible EXPLICITLY advances a LINEAGE-MERIT duality
for priests (As shown above by the alignment presented
in footnote #11).

We generalize this to Kings (Rashi Dt17-20c).

We do not apply this to slaves since merit is not involved

We also do not generalize this to Levites since
the Bible explicitly states that they replace the
first-born and hence merit is no longer relevant
(A qualified 1st born could NOT function as a
Levite because the Bible states explicitly that
they were replaced (See eg Nu03-40:43)

*13 There are 4 texts involved as follows
----------------------------------------
Gn37-27 states idea of sale to ARabs
Gn37-28 states Midianites passed but Joe sold to Arabas
Gn37-36 states Midianites sold Joe to Potifar
Gn39-01 states Arabs sold Joe to Potifar
-----------------------------------------

Rashi (Gn37-28a Gn38-28b) resolves these contradictions by
assuming 4 stages of sale:
- Brothers to Arabs (Gn37-27)
- Arabs to Midianites (Hinted at in Gn37-28)
- Midianites to ARabs (resolving Gn37-36, Gn39-01)
- Arabs to Egypt (Gn39-01)

*14 Gn50-10a. Rashi cites an Agaddah from the Talmud. We explain this
Talmudic agaddah here. However we preface our explanation with
the explanation given above
- Recall that Joseph saved the world from famine
- Granaries dried up and GREW THORNS except for Josephs
- Joseph gave food to these people and saved their lives
- One granary that dried up was called the THORNED GRANARY
- The people gave respect to Jacob since it was his belief
- in Josephs dreams which gave Joseph his greatness

The Talmudic Agaddah states
-----------------------------------------------------------
All the kings came and took off their crowns and hung them
on Josephs coffin
-----------------------------------------------------------

We interpret this to mean
---------------------------------------
The kings TOOK OFF THEIR HATS TO JOSEPH
---------------------------------------
This is a familiar English idiom.


The Agaddah states
----------------------------------------------------------
The Arabs and canaanites came to wage war with Josephs
brothers but could not because of Jacobs merit
----------------------------------------------------------

We need not interpret this literally. Very often Agaddah
uses the technique of EXAGGERATION. Recall that
--------------------------------------------------------
Jacobs two sons destroyed an entire Canaanite city;
Also recall that their attempt to murder Joseph led to
selling him to Arabs who brought him to Egypt

There were natural ill feelings.

However when the Arabs and Canaanites saw the greatness
of Jacob---that because he believed in the dream of the
bratty immature Joseph, who was a teenage tattletale and
hung out with rif-rafs, and then had a severe prison term
-- because Jacob believed in the dream, Joseph, despite
his past, grew to greatness and saved the world--

-- When the Arabs and Canaanites saw the greatness of
Jacobian prophecy, they TOOK OFF THEIR HATS TO HIM..since
they realized there was something higher in life..something
that could redeem them from their own low life to a
higher life
----------------------------------------------------------

In summary the Agaddah uses exaggeration -- WANTED TO DECLARE
WAR -- to indicate ill feelings. The Agaddah used metaphor--
TOOK OFF THEIR HATS--to indicate respect. All this is based
on the fact that Jacobs belief in Josephs dreams made him
what he became.
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Ex10-01a
RASHIS COVERED: Ex10-01a Ex07-15a Ex08-17
Ex10-01a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
Sometimes Rashi will make sweeping pattern inferences from
broad database inquiries. We call this the Rashi method
of DATABASES.

EXAMPLE THE 10 PLAGUES
----------------------
As explained by Rav Hirsch, Rashi asks the following query

QUERY: Compare all INTRODUCTORY WARNING PHRASES in the
------ first 9 plagues

ANSWER: The introductory warning phrases look as follows
------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PLAGUE  # VERSE    TEXT: INTRODUCTORY WARNING PHRASE    ATTACK ON
------- - -------- ------------------------------------ ---------
Blood   1 Ex07-15  IN MORNING: Stand by Pharoh on Nile  SEA/AIR
BEASTS  4 Ex08-16  IN MORNING: Stand by Pharoh on Nile  SEA/AIR
Hail    7 Ex09-13  IN MORNING: Stand by Pharoh          SEA/AIR
------  - -------  --------------------------
Frogs   2 Ex07-26  COME TO PHAROH                       Humiliate
Plague  5 Ex09-01  COME TO PHAROH                       Humiliate
Locust  8 Ex10-01  COME TO PHAROH                       Humiliate
------  - -------  --------------------------
LICE    3 Ex08-12  NO INTRODUCTORY PHRASE               PAIN
Boils   6 Ex09-08  No introductory phrase               PAIN
Darknss 9 Ex11-21  No introductory phrase               PAIN
-----------------------------------------------------------------


Rashi makes 3 inferences (Also highlighted by Rav Hirsch)
Ex08-17b First note that each set of 3 plagues
correspond to a military sequence
- cut off water/air
- humiliate
- pain on people

Rashi also makes the following comments
Ex07-15a - The 1st,4th,7th plague attacked the Egyptian gods,
the Nile and sheep. Pharoh would worship the Nile
in the morning: Hence the introductory phrase
GO IN MORNING STAND BY PHAROH

Ex10-01a - The 2nd,5th,8th plagues was to humiliate Pharoh
Hence the introductory warning

LIST606f below summarizes this
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: DATABASES
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS PATTERNS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #26
SEE BELOW LIST606f
List of Introductory warning phrases to plagues
LIST606f
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

List of   Introductory warning phrases to plagues
PLAGUE # VERSE TEXT: INTRODUCTORY WARNING PHRASE ATTACK ON
Blood 1 Ex07-15 IN MORNING: Stand by Pharoh on Nile SEA/AIR*1
BEASTS 4 Ex08-16 IN MORNING: Stand by Pharoh on Nile SEA/AIR
Hail 7 Ex09-13 IN MORNING: Stand by Pharoh SEA/AIR
------ - ------- --------------------------
Frogs*2 2 Ex07-26 COME TO PHAROH Humiliate
Plague 5 Ex09-01 COME TO PHAROH Humiliate
Locust 8 Ex10-01 COME TO PHAROH Humiliate
------ - ------- --------------------------
LICE 3 Ex08-12 NO INTRODUCTORY PHRASE PAIN*3
Boils 6 Ex09-08 No introductory phrase PAIN
Darknss 9 Ex11-21 No introductory phrase PAIN
COMMENTS
*1 Ex07-15a - The 1st,4th,7th plague attacked the Egyptian gods,
the Nile and sheep. Pharoh would worship the Nile
in the morning: Hence the introductory phrase
GO IN MORNING STAND BY PHAROH

*2 Ex10-01a - The 2nd,5th,8th plagues was to humiliate Pharoh
Hence the introductory warning

*3 Ex08-17b First note that each set of 3 plagues
correspond to a military sequence
	- cut off water/air (Plagues 1,4,7)
	- humiliate (Plagues 2,5,8)
	- pain on people (Plagues 3,6,9)

*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Ex11-07b
Ex11-07b
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


SUCCINCT SUMMARY:
-----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals is to explain meaning the same way
the dictionary explains meaning. We call this the Rashi rule
of WORD MEANINGS. Rashi could simply infer meaning from a list
of verses which use this root. We call this the RASHI SUBRULE
of WORD MEANINGS. Perhaps it should more appropriately be called
the Rashi subrule of INFERENCE FROM VERSES. Note that this
Rashi subrule corresponds to the Rabbi Ishmael exegetical rule
of INFERRING BASED ON GENERALIZATION FROM SEVERAL TEXTS

In a rare Rashi gem, Rashi actually uses the LIST method
employed by this Rashi Digest to prove his point. This is
a true peach of a Rashi for those who wish to master
the LIST METHOD.

EXAMPLE: Cheth-Resh-Tzade (XRC) Ex11-07a
----------------------------------------
The Biblical text at Ex11-07 states
-------------------------------------------------
But for the Jews--no dog will have a XRC tongue
-------------------------------------------------

Rashi comments
-------------------------------
The Hebrew root XRC means SHARP
-------------------------------

Hence Rashi re-interprets the verse as follows
-----------------------------------------------
But for the Jews--no dog will have a SHARP tongue
-----------------------------------------------


In a rare Rashi gem, Rashi actually uses the LIST method
employed by this Rashi Digest to prove his point. This is
a true peach of a Rashi for those who wish to master
the LIST METHOD. Rashi gives the following list

Is41-15  I have made you into a SHARP sieve--grinding mountains
------   ----------------------------------------------------
Ex11-07a No dog will SHARPEN(bark SHARPLY) against the Jews
Jo10-21  The army returned in peace--no one had a SHARP WORD
2S08-24  SHARPEN, When you hear the signal--the enemy is yours
------   ----------------------------------------------------
Pr21-05  The thoughts of the SHARP give profit
Pr10-04  The assets of SHARP [people] will prosper

LIST802n below summarizes this list.
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS WORD MEANINGS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST802n
List of verses where Cheth-Resh-Tzade means SHARP
LIST802n
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

List of verses where     Cheth-Resh-Tzade means SHARP*1 *2
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WITH Mem-Cheth-Yud-Hey translated in CAPS
Is41-15 I have made you into a SHARP sieve--grinding mountains
------ ----------------------------------------------------
Ex11-07a No dog will SHARPEN(bark SHARPLY) against the Jews
Jo10-21 The army returned in peace--no one had a SHARP WORD
2S08-24 SHARPEN, When you hear the signal--the enemy is yours
------ ----------------------------------------------------
Pr21-05 The thoughts of the SHARP give profit
Pr10-04 The assets of SHARP [people] will prosper
COMMENTS
*1 Cheth-Resh-Tzade is used in three senses
- PHYSICALLY sharp
- INTELLECTUALLY sharp (Same metaphor in English)
- VERBALLY sharp (Same metaphor in English)

*2 All examples in this list come from Rashi. This is a peach
of a Rashi---Rashi here uses the LIST method of this DIGEST
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Ex12-07b
RASHIS COVERED: Ex12-07b Ex12-07c
Ex12-07b
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals was the explanation of meaning
the same way a dictionary explains meaning. We call this
the Rashi METHOD of WORD MEANINGS.

Rashi had 10 vehicles to explain meaning. Rashi would
sometimes explain a word using the specific meaning of
one letter prefixes or 2 letter roots. We call this the
Rashi SUBMETHOD of 2-4 LETTER ROOTS.

A well known principle, ACCEPTED BY ALL HEBREW GRAMMARIANS,
is that the Hebrew letter MEM means the PLACE of.

EXAMPLE: Ex12-07b Ex12-07c DOORPOST, LENTIL
-------------------------------------------
The Biblical text at Ex12-07b and Ex12-07b
mentions the two Hebrew words
- Mem-Zuz-Vav-Zuz-Hey which means, as Rashi comments, DOORPOST
- Mem-Shin-Kuph-Vav-Pay which means, as Rashi comments, door LENTIL

Notice how both Hebrew words begin with MEM:
Hence we have the following Hebrew etymologies
- ZWZ=move::MZWZH=PLACE OF (MEM) door movement--the doorpost
- $KP=scan::M$QWP=PLACE OF (MEM) scanning--the door lentil

LIST910e below gives further examples of the MEM prefix
meaning PLACE.
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS 2-4 Letter roots
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST910e
List of words with Prefix MEM meaning PLACE of
LIST910e
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

List of words with       Prefix MEM meaning PLACE of
WORD MEANS FROM ROOT MEANING MEANING=PLACE of SOMETHING
MZWZH Doorpst Z-W-Z Move Doorpost=PLACE of movement
M$QWP Lentil $-Q-P Scan Lentil=PLACE of scanning
MURAH CROP R-A-H DUNG Bird Crop=Place of Dung*4
MIKDASH TEMPLE KDSH HOLY TEMPLE=Place of HoLiness*1
MISHMAR PRISON ShMR WATCH PRISON=WATCHED place*2
MISHMERET STORAGE ShMR WATCH STORAGE=Watched place
MIGDAL TOWER GDL BIG TOWER=BIG PLACE
MIKRAH HOLIDAY KRA Proclaimed HOLIDAY=Proclaimed day*3
COMMENTS
*1 Ex25-08a (See Epsteins translation of Rashi who presents
a similar list)

*2 Ex16-23a

*3 PLACE is in SPACE;
DAY is in TIME.
MEM can equally mean a PLACE of
something or a TIME of something.

*4 Lv01-16a
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
LIGHTNING SUMMARIES
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

Lighting summary of Rashis with emphasis on Rashi rules*10
# LIST BRIEF SUMMARY OF RASHI EMPHASIZING USE OF RASHI RULES
15 530a FIRST:Moses announces 10th plague;SECOND: No more see Pharoh
15 530a FIRST:One more plague; SECOND: miracles by red sea
7 802n Cheth-Resh-Tzade means a) SHARP person; b)SHARP word; c)SHARP
7 910e DOORPOST=MZZH=place(M) of door movement(ZWZ)
7 910e DOOR LENTIL=M$QP=PLACE(M)of SCANNING($QP)
26 606f The 10 plagues come in 3 sets of 3:No god;Humiliate;Punishment
COMMENTS

LONGER FOOTNOTES

*10 The explanation of the list should be clear
- The first column gives the NUMBER of the RASHI RULE used
All Rashi rules may be found with examples at
http://wwww.Rashiyomi.com/workbook.htm

- The second column gives the LIST ID (eg LIST210z) which
contains many examples of a particular Rashi technique and
includes the example presented in the third column

- The third column gives a lightning summary of the Rashi
with particular emphasis on the Rashi rule used.

All lists may be found at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lists.htm
Rashis covered in this issue
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

VERSE RULE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
======== =============== =====================================
Ex10-01a DATABASE 9 plagues come in 3 sets of three
Ex07-15a DATABASE 9 plagues come in 3 sets of three
Ex08-17a DATABASE 9 plagues come in 3 sets of three
Ex11-04a CONTRADICTION 1st:Moses warns;2nd:No see Pharoh...
Ex11-09a CONTRADICTION 1st:Moses warns;2nd:No see Pharoh...
Ex12-07b WORD MEANINGS Mzuzah=PLACE of movement=doorpost
Ex12-07c WORD MEANINGS Mzuzah=PLACE of movement=doorpost
Ex11-07b WORD MEANINGS Cheth-Resh-Tzade means SHARP
--------- ---------------- -------------------------------------
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
End of Rashi is Simple Digest
#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2004, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#