Rashi-Is-Simple Mailing List VISIT the RASHI DATABASE archives AT http://www.RashiYom.com/ Surfing the Talmudic Seas (C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2000 Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel Volume 8 Number 10 Produced Dec 2, 2000 WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10) Verses/Topics Discussed in This Issue with quicky explanations COMMENTS/QUESTIONS FROM READERS =============================== My Shomrey Emunah class members contributed significant improvements to Volume 8 Number 8, Ex13-05a. Ruth Shain requested an analytic formulation of the Rashi on Ex13-05 which adds insight. Dr Howard Klein actually suggested an explanation to the question implicitly raised by Rashi on Ex13-05 but not answered! WEEKLY PARSHAH SERIES ===================== Gn28-10a Everyone know that when a Righteous person leaves a city, he takes its luster and brilliance. We give an interesting Database confirmation Gn28-10b We show another Rashi using the concept that the Bible indicates paragraphs with the ABA form Gn35-11a We review all verses that use the Name >SHADDAI< for God. Rashis covered in this issue ---------------------------- VERSE RULE BRIEF DESCRIPTION ======== ============== ================================ Gn35-11a UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES Gn43-14b UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES Gn49-25b UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES Gn28-03a UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES Gn17-01a UNIFIED MEANING >SHADAI< means GOD WHO CAN KEEP PROMISES Gn28-10a OVERALL STRCTR Bible indicates paragraph using ABA form Gn28-10b DOUBLE PARSHAS LEAVING-COMING only mentioned thrice Gn31-53a WORD MEANINGS ELOHIM can mean >god< or >God< Gn31-53b WORD MEANINGS ELOHIM can mean >god< or >God< Gn31-53c WORD MEANINGS ELOHIM can mean >god< or >God< ----------------------------------------------------------------- #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# RASHI IS SIMPLE GOALS: To grammatically defend all 8000 Rashis on Chumash. METHOD:Rashis are defended with LISTS of comparable cases INTENDED AUDIENCE: Laymen, Academicians, Yeshiva world COMMENTS,QUESTIONS: EMail to address below ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:If you want to ask anonymously please ask (UN)SUBSCRIBE: Email to addresses below with "(UN)subscribe" JOURNAL REFERENCE: Pshat & Drash,TRADITION, Win 1980,R Hendel NOTATION: eg Gn01-02a refers to Rashi "a" on Genesis 1:2 SPECIALS:...on Parshah,Rambam,Ramban,Pedagogy,Symbolism RASHI-IS-SIMPLE RULES Complete set of rules on bottom EMAIL: RJHendel@Juno.Com, rashi-is-simple@shamash.org, WEB: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* VERSE: v9-w-2a The following insightful comments were made by members of my Shomrey Emunah Rashi class on the comments I made in Volume 8 Number 8, Ex13-05a. 1) First some verse references were mistaken (there is not Ex12-05a) or missing. This has been corrected and can be found on the website version 2) --Ruth Shain asked for an analytic formulation of Rashis treatment of Ex13-05. I responded with the following analogy. The word NY can refer either to the >CITY< of NY or to the >STATE< of NY. Thus in the following sentence >I travelled to NY, ALBANY, BINGHAMTON...< the word >NY< refers to the >CITY<. But in the following sentence >I am Governor of NY and ALBANY< the word >NY< refers to the >STATE< of NY (of which Albany is the capital). Hence Rashis analytic point is that CANAAN in this sentence doesnt mean the >STATE< of Canaan but rather the whole >CANAANITE COUNTRY< 3) --Dr Howard Klein pointed out that Stone also cites 4) my cross reference to Gn10-15. Finally Dr Klein actually advanced an explanation for why only these 5 nations are mentioned in Ex13-05: Only these 5 nations are actual descendants of Canaan as listed in the genealogies of Noach in Gn10-15 and surrounding verses. I immediately caught on and suggested that this was sort of a poetic hint by God: >Just as I just took you out of one tribal nation (Egypt) so too I will bring you to another tribal nation and conquer it--to Canaan and his 4 sons< This would explain why the emphasis in Ex13-05 is only on those of the 7 nations that were direct descendants of Canaan. Finally I pointed out to Dr Klein that Rashi only advances explanations that can be backed by lists. Since this explanation (that God took us out of one tribal nation and will bring us to another) is a one-time explanation that cannot be backed by a LIST, Rashi did not bring it. These comments have been added to the web version of Volume 8 Number 8 which will be up tomorrow night. #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* VERSE: Gn35-11a RASHIS COVERED: Gn35-11a Gn43-14b Gn49-25b Gn28-03a Gn17-01a RULE ==== {LIST} God has many names in the Bible. Each name has a different nuance and emphasis. For example: the name >ADONAI< means >LORD< and refers to God in His capacity as our OWNER. The name >SHADAI< refers to God as being >CAPABLE OF KEEPING ANY PROMISE<. This name of God is used very rarely; Only nine times in the Torah*1. It is only used when there is great danger as shown in the following examples*2 =========================================================== VERSE EVENT WHERE THE NAME >SHADAI< IS USED ===== ================================================ Gn17-01a God invites Abraham to walk before him*2 Gn28-03a Isaac invites Jacob to to to Aram to get a wife Gn35-11a God blesses Jacob that he will inherit Israel Gn43-14b Jacob sends Benjamin down to Egypt Gn49-25b Joseph abstained from seductions of his master*3 NOTES ===== *1 The name of God, >SHADAI< occurs very rarely in the Bible In the Torah itself it only occurs 9 times. --It occurs the 5 times mentioned in the above table --It occurs in Ex06-03 and Gn48-02 as a >CROSS REFERENCE< eg Ex06-03 says >I appeared to the Patriarchs as SHADAI< Similarly Gn48-02 says >Shaddai appeared to me(Jacob)< which cross references Gn35-11 --It occurs twice by the evil prophet Bilam in Nu24-04,Nu24-16 My hunch is that Rashi did not want to emphasize God being all powerful by Bilam since he succeeded in recommending actions against the Jews which resulted in the death of 24000 people. *2 The danger in the 5 examples presented should be obvious --In Gn28-03 and Gn43-14 perilous journeys were being made --Gn17-01 and Gn35-11 promises the military conquest of Israel --In Gn49-25 Joseph refuses his master's wife & gets thrown into Jail *3 Actually all the verse says is >And God(SHADAI) is with you< However, consistent with the other 4 verses where the word >SHADAI< occurs, Rashi interprets this verse as referring to God as being all powerful---hence, it refers to Josephs refusal to be seduced by Potipherahs wife, a refusal which required enormous help and protection (Since he got thrown into jail) {END OF LIST} COMMENT ======= The above LIST defends the meaning of >SHADAI< by >USAGE< In other words we infer its meaning from the way it is >USED< in Tnach. This defense by >USAGE< can be supplemented with some popular etymologies. One such etymology says that >SHADAI< refers to God in his capacity >THAT<(Sh) He has >SUFFICIENT(DAI)< force. The above etymology is given by the Midrash. I would prefer an etymology based on other meanings of the root >Shin-Dalet-Yud<. This root also refers to >BREAST< in its capacity to meet all nourishment requirements of the infant. Hence >SHADAI< would look at God as >NURSING (Shadai=breast)< us (where we are perceived as infants before Him). In any event (if you dont like any of the above etymologies) you can always resort to the fact that the above meaning is consistent with Biblical >USAGE< RASHI RULE USED: UNIFIED MEANING #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* VERSE: Ex06-03b RASHIS COVERED: Ex06-03b Ex06-04b RULE: ==== Rashi will sometimes simply confirm a >CROSS REFERENCE< in a Biblical citation. He will do this using the technique of using >OTHER VERSES< EXAMPLES ======== (1) Ex06-03 ======= BACKGROUND ---------- God is recounting how he made promises to the patriarchs which had not yet been fulfilled (and which would be fulfilled now) Ex06-03b says >And I APPEARED to the patriarchs as >SHADAI< The capped words >APPEARED AS SHADDAI< cross references the following verses where God >APPEARED AS SHADAI< Gn17-01a >God(SHADAI) invites Abraham to walk before him< Gn35-11a >God(SHADAI)blesses Jacob that he will inherit Israel< (2) Ex06-04b ============ Ex06-04 states >And I promised to give the patriarchs Israel< This promise is made in the following verses -Gn17-01:08 >God (SHADDAI) appears to Abraham and promises to give him Israel< -Gn35-11 >God(SHADDAI) blesses Jacob that he will be fruitful and inherit Israel -Gn26-03 >God promises Isaac that He will give him Israel and fulfill the promises He made to Abraham< Note how the above 3 verses cited by Rashi cover all 3 patriarchs RASHI RULE USED: OTHER VERSES #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* VERSE: Gn28-10a RASHIS COVERED: Gn28-10a RULE ==== Recall the rule we have laid down in Volume 8 Number 3, which can be found at http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h8n3.htm that the Bible can indicate a paragraph using an ABA form which in Midrashic lingo is known as the GENERAL-PARTICUALR-GENERAL form (or using modern composition theory it would be in TOPIC-SENTENCE---DEVELOPMENT---TOPIC-SENTENCE form) EXAMPLE ======= BACKGROUND: ---------- The Bible relates how Isaac did not want Jacob marrying a Canaanite 3rd world nation. He therefore sent him to Aram to marry Rachel. When Esauv saw how detestable such people were to his parents as in-laws he went and married a proper wife. The Bible describes this in Gn28-06:09: ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Gn28-06 And ESAUV SAW THAT ISAAC BLESSED JACOB ---------------he sent him to Aram to get a wife ---------------when he blessed him he said dont marry a Canaanite ---------------and Jacob also listened to his father(went to Aram -Gn28-08 & ESAUV SAW THAT THE CANAANITES WERE BAD to his parents -Gn28-09 So Esauv went to Ishmael(Arabs) (& Married Machalath) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Rashis point is that the Gn28-06:08 forms a paragraph. The topic sentence is >ESAUV SAW THE CANAANITES WERE BAD< This topic sentence is developed using 3 items --Isaac sent Jacob to Aram --Isaac prohibited him from marrying a Canaanite --Jacob listened to Isaac (The point of the last item is that children dont always listen to their parents. So the emphasis is that Isaac didnt want it and Jacob agreed). As a consequence of ESAUV SEEING THAT THE CANAANITES WERE BAD Esauv went and married an Arab (A non third world nation). COMMENT ======= Rashi has a secondary point that the two almost identical sentences --Gn28-07 >Jacob went to Aram(for a wife)< --Gn28-10 >Jacob left Beer Sheva and went to Charan< these 2 sentences have different >FUNCTIONS<. The purpose of Gn28-07 is to show how Jacob going to Aram PROVED to Esauv that his father really did not like the local Canaanite women. The purpose of Gn28-10 is to introduce the STORY (in all its details) of Jacobs travels to Aram. RASHI RULE USED: OVERALL STRUCTURE #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* VERSE: Gn28-10b RASHIS COVERED: Gn28-10b RULE: ==== The normal style for indicating travelling to a place is >SO AND SO WENT TO SUCH AND SUCH A PLACE< By contrast the rarer style (occuring only 3 times in the Bible)- >SO AND SO LEFT SUCH AND SUCH AND WENT TO SUCH AND SUCH< emphasizes both the LEAVING and COMING. EXAMPLES--the 3 verses where GOING and COMING is mentioned ======== (1) 2Kings3-4:7 =========== BACKGROUND ---------- The Moabites had been paying heavy taxes to the Israelite Kingdom When Achav died Moab rebelled against Israel. Israel in turn called up the army and invited the Judaean Kingdom to go to join them in the war effort. We have the following verses 2King3-6 >And the Israelite King LEFT and called up the army< 2King3-7 >And he WENT/SENT to the Judaeam King to join him< Thus both the >LEAVING< and >COMING< are emphasized since the >LEAVING< corresponded to an army callup while the >COMING< corresponded to an invitation for the Judaeam kingdom to Join (2) Jud19-27 ======== BACKGROUND ---------- Recall that the people of Givah herd-raped a guests wife till morning. The man then summoned all of Israel and this resulted in a bloody civil war. The verses describe the mans leaving Givah. Jud19-27 >And her husband woke up in the morning and opened the door and HE LEFT to go on his way and behold his wife the concubine had fallen on the door of the house and her hands were on the doorpost. And he said to her GET UP AND WE WILL GO but there was no answer and he took her on the donkey and the man arose and HE WENT TO HIS PLACE< Thus both the leaving and coming are emphasized. The >LEAVING< emphasized that he discovered her dead >BEFORE THE TRIP< while the >GOING< emphasized (as is later described in the chapter) that he did not fight with the city people but decided to ask for a declaration of war. (3) Gn28-10 ======= BACKGROUND ---------- Isaac did not want Jacob marrying a 3rd world Canaanite wife. So he sent Jacob to Aram to marry Rachel. The verse describes his leaving as follows Gn28-10 >And Jacob LEFT Beer Sheva and WENT to Charan< We now understand Rashis point >The verse could have just said HE WENT TO CHARAN<. For Rashi, was NOT, as is popularly taught, trying to conserve Biblical words. It did not bother him that there was an extra phrase or sentence. Rather Rashi responded TO THE RARE STYLE. Rashi commented because in THE REST OF THE BIBLE IT ONLY MENTIONS >LEAVING AND COMING< 3 times. In summary, it is not the EXTRA WORDS but rather the RARE STYLE that motivated Rashis comments. Hence Rashis conclusion >This teaches that BOTH the LEAVING and COMING are emphasized<. >We infer that when a Righteous person leaves a city that it leaves a mark on the city< RASHI RULE USED: DOUBLE PARSHAS #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* VERSE: Gn31-53a RASHIS COVERED: Gn31-53a Gn31-53b Gn31-53c RULE ==== The Hebrew word >ELOHIM< fundamentally means >HEAD, LEADER< and can have any of 5 specific meanings: (1) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean GOD: ---------------------- Gn01-01 >In the Beginning GOD created the heaven and earth< (2) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean gOD ---------------------- Ex12-12 >Against all the gODS of Egypt I will do justice< (3) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean JUDGES ------------------------- (3d) Ex07-01a "You(Moses) will be a JUDGE to Pharoh" (4) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean LEADERS -------------------------- (4b) Ex04-16c >And you(Moses) will be to him(Aaron) a LEADER< (5) E-Lo-Hi-M can mean PROPHET -------------------------- 2Sam07-23 >..A Nation should have PROPHET/ANGELS redeem them< REFERENCE: ========= See http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn04-28a.htm for a full discussion Hence sometimes the word >ELOHIM< can refer to a pagan god while at other times it can refer to the one God. In Gn31-53 Rashi clarifies whether the proper translation is >god< or >God< BACKGROUND ========== Recall that Jacob had fled from Laban because of his unfair employment practices. Laban finally caught up with him and made a treaty. Gn31-53 mentions that they took oaths to seal the treaty. The actual verse states >The God of Abraham, the god of Nachor will judge between us The God of their fathers---Jacob swore by the Fearful one of Isaac his father< {LIST} Rashi is simple. He simply identifies for each occurence of God/god whether it is >Big G< or >small G<. Here is the classification and why Rashi selects >Big G< or >small G< ============================================================= Gn31-53 Big/Small Why ======= ========= === God of Abraham God Abraham believed in the one God *1 god of nachor god Abrahams family was idolatrous *1 god of family*2 god Abrahams family was idolatrous *1 NOTES ===== *1 See Jos24-2:3 for an explicit statement of this *2 >god of their fathers< refers to the god of Terach the father of Abraham and nachor---according to Jos24-2:3 Terach was originally an idolater. {END OF LIST} NOTE: The determination of whether the translation should be >god< or >God< is not dependent on tradition but rather on logical argument (See Gn18-02) In the above example Rashi determines the meaning of God/god using the >CONTEXT< of the verse. Rashi finds support for his ideas in explicit statements in other verses (Jos24-2:3) Finally note that Rashis point is possibly strengthened by alignment of the two verses -------------------------------------------------------------- Gn28-07 And Jacob listened & WENT TO ARAM Gn28-10 And Jacob LEFT BEER SHEVA & WENT TO CHRAN *a -------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES ----- *a So only Gn28-10 mentions Jacob leaving Beer Sheva. But Notwithstanding the above comparison the real point comes from the fact that not only in Gn28-07 is the phrase >LEFT< missing, but also in >ALMOST ALL BIBLICAL VERSES< is this phrase missing. The real point is that only in 3 verses is the style >LEFT-CAME< mentioned and in all of them there is an emphasis BOTH on the LEAVING and COMING. RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# THE 2 DOZEN RASHI-IS-SIMPLE RASHI RULES ======================================= I: RASHI gives MEANING ====================== A: NEW MEANINGS--(eg)"on the face of"=during the lifetime Volume 2 Number 9, http://www.rashiyomi.Com/Nu04-04a.htm B: SPECIAL WORDS--(eg)ACH=USUALLY;USUALLY observe shabbath! Rashi Yomi Summaries,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ach-6.htm C: SYNONYMS--(eg)AMR=to speak; DBR=to cite or to quote; Volume 2 Number 1, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Lv20-02a.htm D: WORD MEANINGS-Thermos(TzNTzNTh)=doubly(TZN TZN) Cold(TZN) Volume 1 Number 9,23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex31-15a.htm E: UNIFIED MEANINGS-PAAM=Repeated action:To Ring,Hammer,Step Volume 1 Number 3,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn41-08a.htm II: RASHI teaches GRAMMAR/STYLE =============================== F: CLASSICAL GRAMMAR--(eg)QUESTION = HEY+CHATAF PATACH Volume 3 Number 22,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn04-09z.htm G: USAGE(NEW GRAMMAR)--(eg)INFINITIVE="be involved in"; Volume 5 Number 24,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex13-03a.htm H: ROOT+PREPOSITION--(eg)ChZK B="to hold";ChZK M="overpower" Volume 1 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex04-04a.htm I: THE SENTENCE--2 verses can make 1 sentence-eg Dt02-16:17 Volume 3 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt19-06a.htm J: STYLE--REPETITION denotes Endearment;eg 'Jacob Jacob' Volume 1 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn46-02a.htm K: DOUBLE NOUNS--(eg)"GIVE GIVE";if not CHARITY then LOAN Double Noun page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/DN.htm L: PRONOUNS-(eg)IMCHAH=with you; ITCHAH=Accompanying you; Volume 3 Number 13,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex22-24c.htm III: OVERALL TEXTUAL STRUCTURE ============================== M: OTHER VERSES--Aaron SAW(Ex32-05)...the brawl(Ex32-18) OTHER VERSE page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ov.htm N: EXTRA SENTENCES-eg[GIVE HIM][WHAT HE NEEDS](Not if rich) Volume 2 Number 20,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt15-08c.htm O: DOUBLE PARSHAS-'he WILL pray'-'he WON'T pray';So Optional Volume 3 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt24-14a.htm P: CLIMAX-(eg Dt19-11)(a)Hate, (b)spy, (c)confront,(d)Murder Climax Page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Climax.htm Q: OVERALL STRUCTURE-growing nails=despisement(from context) Volume 3 Number 8,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt21-11a.htm R: SPREADSHEETS-What is the marriage loophole in inheritance Volume 2 Number 23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu36-03a.htm IV: BEYOND THE TEXT =================== S: MORAL LESSONS/REASONS-God explains BEFORE punishing; Volume 2 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu12-09a.htm T: RabbiIshmael-(eg)"When an OX gores";(Or ANY animal gores) Volume 4 Number 21,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt25-04a.htm End of Rashi-Is-Simple Digest #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*