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               Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel

                     Volume 26 Number 15
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                     Produced July 9 th, 2005
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(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

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Time to do research SUMMARY OVERVIEWS*2 Newsletter Bottom
COMMENTS
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*2 Each digest has two summary overviews on bottom:
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VERSE: Nu22-29b
RASHIS COVERED: Nu22-29b Nu22-34b Nu22-04a Nu22-22b
Nu22-29b
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


One of Rashis 10 major methods is the CONTRADICTION method.
Rashi had 3 methods to resolve CONTRADICTORY BIBLICAL TEXTS
- the two texts reflect 2 STAGES on 1 process
- the two texts reflect 2 ASPECTS of 1 state
- the two texts use BROAD-LITERAL interpretation

EXAMPLE 1: Nu22-04a MOAB enemies of MIDYAN
-------------------------------------------
Nu22-04a states that
----------------------------------
Moab sent emissaries to Midyan to request help
from what they perceived as a Jewish threat
----------------------------------

But Gn36-35 speaks about the
------------------------
WAR in the field of MOAB
------------------------

Rashi resolves this using the principle of STAGES
1) Initially MOAB and MIDYAN were enemies
2) To combat the Jews they overcame their hatred


EXAMPLE 2: Nu22-22b HARASS to PROTECT
-------------------------------------
Nu22-22 states
-----------------------------------
The Angel went down to HARASS him
because he was going to curse with
Moab to curse the Jews
-----------------------------------


But Nu22-33:34 states
---------------------------------
Bilam stated I didnt know an Angel
opposed me; if it is wrong to curse
the Jews I will not go
---------------------------------

Rashi resolves this also using the
principle of stages
1) Initially the Angel HARASSED him
2) His goal was to HARASS him to
prevent him from going to SIN

So even though he used harassment as
an instrument his goal was MERCY(prevention
of sin)

EXAMPLE 3: Nu22-34a KNOWS GOD (LIAR!)
-------------------------------------
In Nu22-34a Bilam states
-----------------------------------
I didnt know you (Angel) were in
the path (But my donkey did know)
-----------------------------------

But Comically, in Nu24-16 Bilam states
--------------------------------------
The person who knows the thoughts of God
--------------------------------------

Rashi comments on this comic contrast
- He knows the thoughts of God
- But doesnt know what his donkey knows!

In other words Rashi resolves this contradiction
thru interpreting the two texts with different
degrees of literal-broadness
- Nu22-34 Bilam didnt know is interpreted literally
- Nu24-16 Bilam knows God is interpreted as a lie

This resolves the contradiction. A more technical
description of this contradiction is IRONY which
is a common literary technique.

EXAMPLE 4: Nu22-29b HIRED TO KILL BY CURSE!
-------------------------------------------
A similar interpretation by irony resolves
the following two contradictory verses

- In Nu22-05:06 Balak requests Bilam to
kill the JEWS BY CURSE
----------------------------------
Please curse this nation this nation
that I may expel them from my land
----------------------------------

- But in Nu22-29 Bilam states, while
angry at his donkey
-------------------------------------
You (Donkey) sported with me;
if I had a sword I would kill you
-------------------------------------

Rashi comments on the irony
-------------------------------------
- His donkey he can only kill with a sword
- but he is hired to kill the Jewish people
by curse
-------------------------------------

Again the irony is resolved using stages
- we give a literal interpretation to the
statement that (only) if he had a sword
he would kill his donkey
- we give a wishful interpretation to
the desire to kill the Jews by cursing.

LIST530a gives examples of CONTRADICTIONS resolved thru 2 stages
LIST520a gives examples of CONTRADICTIONS resolved thru BROAD
LITERAL
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
---------------------- ---------------------------------
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS BROAD-LITERAL
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #17
SEE BELOW LIST520a
A list of verse pairs with BROAD-LITERAL usage
LIST520a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

A list of verse pairs    with BROAD-LITERAL usage
VERSE-1 VERSE-2 HOW THE TWO TEXTS ARE COMBINED
Nu22-34a Nu24-16 Claimed to know God but donkey knew more*4
Nu22-29b Nu22-05 Asked to curse Jews but cant kill donkey*3
Lv07-19c Dt12-27 All PURE PEOPLE whom the owner DESIGNATESeat
Lv06-22a Lv06-19 All MALE PRIESTS who COULD OFFER may eat*2
Ex21-06 Lv25-10 Slave works FOREVER = Till 50th Jubilee year
Ex11-08a Ex12-30 Your SERVANTS=ROYAL PRESENCE shall expel me
Ex12-19a Ex13-07 Prohibits bread in your HOUSE/BORDERS=DOMAIN
Dt15-17 Lv25-10 Slaves work FOREVER=A LONG TIME=TILL JUBILEE
Lv07-09 Lv07-10 The PRIEST=DIVSION OF PRIEST,gets sacrifice
Lv04-03 Lv04-03 A Young ADULT Bullock = BEGINNING ADULTHOOD
Lv10-02 Lv10-05 Died from FIRE=SPIRITUAL FIRE*1
COMMENTS
*1 Hence the fire did not burn their clothes
The idea that the FIRES mentioned in Dt05
or Ex20 was the FIRE OF PROPHECY vs REAL
FIRE is supported by many verses and
themes (Dt05-21). There are other Biblical
supports for this idea but this will suffice
for now.*10

*2 Also echoed in Rashi Lv07-07b (OFFERING PRIEST
means PRIESTS WHO COULD OFFER)

*3 Thus the request to kill the Jews is seen as a WISH
(BROAD interpretation)not as something real

*4 That Bilam didnt know what his donkey knew is
interpreted literally. That he claimed to know
Gods thoughts is considered a LIE(Broad, non-
literal interpretation).

LONGER FOOTNOTES
*10 It does not detract from the greatness of the
miracle of revelation that the FIRE means FIRE
OF PROPHECY.

For Judaism does not view Gods greatness in His
ability to make a mountain smoke with Fire.

Rather Judaism views Gods greatness in His
ability to make people burn with Spiritual Prophecy

LIST530a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

Verse pairs illustrating 2 stages to a process
VERSE-1 VERSE-2 HOW THE TWO TEXTS ARE COMBINED
Gn36-35 Nu22-04a 1st)Midyan-Moab enemies; 2nd) Unite against Jews
Nu22-34 Nu22-22b Stage 1) Angel HARASSES (Desired Stage 2)Avoid Sin
Dt02-24 Dt02-26 In war: 1st) Request peace 2nd) Declare war*5
Lv02-14 Lv02-14 1st)Budded Full-grain barley;2)Roasted;3)Grounded
Ex07-03 Ex08-28 1st 5 plagues Pharoh didnt listen;then God hardened
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

*5 Dt20-10 explicitly requires a request for peace
The resolution of this contradiction is brought in the
Rashi at Nu21-22a


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: Nu22-21b
Nu22-21b
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04


SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashi's 10 major methods is the study of FORMATTING
effects that indicate emphasis. We call this the Rashi method
of FORMATTING.

Modern authors have a variety of methods to indicate FORMATTING
such as a) bold-underline-italics, b) bullets, c) paragraphing.
Modern authors use bold-underline-italics to indicate
emphasis. The Biblical authors use REPETITION to indicate
emphasis. We call this the Rashi sub-method of REPETITION.

EXAMPLE Nu22-21b
----------------
Note the CAPPED references to MOAB in Nu22-13:22
-----------------------------------------------------
Bilam told BALAKS PRINCES
Go to YOUR land
GOd will not let me go with YOU
The MOAB PRINCES came to Balak and said
Bilam refused to go with US
Balak sent more princes more distinguished than THESE
THEY came to Bilam
THEY said Balak asks you to come
Bilam told BALAKS SERVANTS
..Please YOU stay over tonight
..God told Bilam if the PEOPLE came for you
..Go with THEM
..Bilam got up and went with MOABS PRINCES
-----------------------------------------------------

Thus MOAB is referred to as
- BALAKS/MOABS PRINCES/SERVANTS
- YOU
- PEOPLE

Normal grammatical usage requires one statement
of the noun followed by use of a pronoun (YOU).
Malbim suggests that a NOUN vs a PRONOUN is interpreted
like all REPETITION. Hence we present two interpretations

Rashi
--------------------------------------------
The repetition WENT WITH MOAB MOAB has nuances of
a BROAD interpretation--Bilam
- went with them physically
- went with them intellectually
--------------------------------------------

An alternative interpretation of Rashi is as follows
---------------------------------------------------
Note how the MOAB princes are referred to as
- MOAB PRINCES
- PEOPLE
- THEM
If the verse says BILAM WENT WITH MOABS PRINCES
the emphasis is not on THEM but on MOABS PRINCES
-- that is he went with their philosophy--he agreed
with them
---------------------------------------------------

LIST150a below presents other examples where verses are
interpreted broadly because of a REPETITION.
ITEM DETAIL
RASHI RULE CLASS: REPETITION
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS BROAD
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #20
SEE BELOW LIST150a
List of verses with REPEATED words interpreted
LIST150a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

List of verses with REPEATED words interpreted broadly
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE EMPHASIS...DO IT...
Nu22-21b Went with MOAB MOAB a)went physicaly b)agreed with
Nu13-30c we-ll GO UP GO UP we-ll WIN WAR no matter what
Lv20-09a PARENTS...PARENTS EVEN after death
Lv19-22a the SIN HE SINNED WHETHER willful or inadvertent
Dt13-16a HIT HIT by sword EVEN by Fire
Dt15-08b GIVE GIVE charity EVEN by loaning
Dt16-20a PURSUE PURSUE Justice EVEN for mistaken aquitals
Ex12-09c COOK COOK in water EVEN in other liquids
Lv13-35a SPREAD SPREAD after OK EVEN if SPREAD while impure
Lv17-13a HUNT A HUNT*10 EVEN for a non-hunted animal
------- --------------------- -----------------------------
Nu05-22c women says AMEN AMEN*5 Adultery from marriage:engaged
Lv25-26c no menial work(repeat) Master to slave;King to subjct
Lv20-02b EXECUTE EXECUTE EVEN by the masses*1
Lv07-19b MEAT:all MEAT eatable Even if PART of organ bad*3
Lv05-15b TRESPASS TRESPASS tmpl Not only eating;any benefit*2
Lv13-44a DECLARE DECLARE impure EVEN if not a head leprosy*4
COMMENTS
*1 Supported  by Dt17-06:07 which states
--------------------------------------
..first the witnesses execute...then the people execute
--------------------------------------

*2 See http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv05-02a.htm for a full
discussion of the three Rashi methods connected with
this verse.

*3 e.g. If PART of meat fell outside temple (and is thereby
impure) then you can still eat the part of the meat
that remained inside the temple (even though the two
parts are connected)

*4 The text of Lv13-32:45 is as follows
----------------------------------------------------
If on his baldness there is pinkish affiction then
leprosy is sprouting in his baldness; the priest
reviews and confirms the pinkish affliction in his
baldness just like skin leprosy...[then] this person
is leprousand is ritually impure; the priest shall
DECLARE DECLARE him impure and the lepor with the
affliction: his garments shall be rent and his head
left wild....
-----------------------------------------------------

The words DECLARE DECLARE encourage a BROAD
interpretation of this chapter: The requirements of
declaration, garment renting and head left wild apply
not only to the subject of the chapter---a bald person
with leprosy---but apply to ANY lepor

*5 Rashi actually brings down THREE consequences of
the broad interpretation emanating from the repeated
word
------------------------------------------------------
The word AMEN signifies acceptance of an oath of curse
- ACCEPTANCE whether she committed adultery from
the suspected person OR from any other person

- ACCEPTANCE whether she cheated while married or
whether she cheated while (BiblicallY) engaged

- ACCEPTANCE of both the OATH (I didnt commit adultery)
as well as the consequent CURSE (May I be punished
if I did commit adultery)
------------------------------------------------------

From these three distinct interpretations we infer
that the basic idea of Rashi is that
-----------------------------------
The repetition indicates ACCEPTANCE
IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
-----------------------------------

*6 An alternative approach not based on repetition
reviews all references to MOAB in Nu22-10:21. They
are referred to as
- Moabs princes
- Balaks servants
- Them
- people
If in Nu22-21 it refers to them as MOAB PRINCES
-----------------------------
Bilam went with Moabs princes
-----------------------------
The emphasis seems to be that he went with them
and the Moabite philosophy (He agreed with them)

LONGER FOOTNOTES
*10 Rashi citing the Talmud asks
------------------------------------------------
But if the law applies to HUNTED or DOMISTICATED
(non-hunted) animals why does the bible use the
phrase HUNT alltogether? ANSWER: The Bible speaks
about a TYPICAL SITUATION: One normally should not
eat meat except on special occassions and after
significant work like a hunt
------------------------------------------------
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
LIGHTNING SUMMARIES
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04

Lightning summary of Rashis with emphasis on Rashi rules*10
# LIST BRIEF SUMMARY OF RASHI EMPHASIZING USE OF RASHI RULES
20 150a MOAB called him..he went with MOAB princes--he agreed with them
15 530a 1st) Midyan-Moab were enemies 2nd) Unite against Jews
15 530a 1st) Angel harasses him 2nd) to prevent him from sin(Mercy)
17 520a Bilam didnt know what his donkey saw but claimed to know God
17 520a Bilam couldnt kill donkey but was asked to kill Jews by curse
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
======== =============== =====================================
Nu22-21b REPETITION Go with Moab Moab Princes=agreed with
Nu22-29b CONTRADICTION Didnt know like donkey but knew God!
Nu22-34b CONTRADICTION Didnt know like donkey but knew God!
Nu22-04a CONTRADICTION Didnt know like donkey but knew God!
Nu22-22b CONTRADICTION Didnt know like donkey but knew God!
--------- ---------------- -----------------------------------
*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
End of Rashi is Simple Digest
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