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Surfing the Talmudic Seas
(C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2000
Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel
Volume 8 Number 16
Produced Dec 21, 2000
WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
Verses/Topics Discussed in This Issue with quicky explanations
NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW
--------------------------------------------
-SUMMARY OF RECENT NEW ITEMS-
--------------------------------------------
* Free Download of the RashiYomi Calendar
* Advanced Jewish Philosophy Page
http://www.RashiYomi.COm/judaica2.htm
* 2 new editions to the Hendel vs Leibowitz series
--------------------------------------------
-SUMMARY OF RECENT NEW ITEMS-
--------------------------------------------
NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW
READER COMMENTS
===============
v9-w-21a DAVID KATZ alerts us two new publications of
mideval Rashi commentaries
Gn12-10a An old Rashi-Ramban controversy on whether
faith demands you leave Israel when things
are very very bad. We give an interesting resolution
in favor of Rashi with an interesting defense
of Ramban. This posting was inspired by a comment
of Rav E Wasserman pointed out by RABBI WEINREB
at the 3rd Sabbath Meal this past Sabbath.
WEEKLY PARSHAH
--------------
Gn40-01c A verb in the present tense can refer to a person.
For example the word SHEPPARDING refers to a SHEPPARD
We use the new GRAMMATICAL-FORM-KONKORDANCE for proof
OTHER POSTINGS
==============
Dt24-10a The Hebrew root >Nun-Shin-Hey< has a fundamental meaning
of >getting someone involved in something< Read this
posting to find out how this root can mean, LEND, FORGET
and DETACHED! This is an excellent posting for those
who wish to learn the technique of UNIFIED MEANINGS.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rashis covered in this issue
----------------------------
VERSE RULE BRIEF DESCRIPTION
======== ============== ================================
Gn12-10a EXAMPLE7 Bible indicates Paragraph with ABA form
Gn40-01c GRAMMAR A present tense VERB refers to a PERSON
Gn14-19a GRAMMAR A present tense VERB refers to a PERSON
Dt24-10a UNIFIED MEANING NUN-SHIN-HEY means >get involved with<
Gn03-13a UNIFIED MEANING NUN-SHIN-HEY means >get involved with<
Dt32-18a UNIFIED MEANING NUN-SHIN-HEY means >get involved with<
Gn32-33a UNIFIED MEANING NUN-SHIN-HEY means >get involved with<
Ex22-24a UNIFIED MEANING NUN-SHIN-HEY means >get involved with<
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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-21a
ANNOUNCEMENT OF REPRINT OF 2 RASHI COMMENTATORS
From: David Katz
To: The logical derivation of Rashis on
Chumash
Subject: Re: RASHI-IS-SIMPLE digest 190
DATE: Dec 16, 2000
Have you seen the two recently reprinted grammatical
commentaries on Rashi, published by ISHOR. They are
both from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
DEVEK TOV and MIRA DACHYA and BEER RECHOVOS. Nice editions
with nekudos and all. Klallim in Rashi, etc.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
VERSE: Gn12-10a
RULE
====
In English we indicate a >PARAGRAPH< with lines of spaces
before and after the paragraph or else we indicate it with
indentation. In Biblical Hebrew we indicate the >PARAGRAPH<
using an >ABA< form.
EXAMPLE Gn12-10
=======
--PARAGRAPH THEME---------There was a famine in the LAND(Israel)
-------PARAGRAPH DETAILS-------So Abraham went to Egypt
--PARAGRAPH THEME---------Because the famine in the LAND was hard
APPLICATION OF THEME-DETAIL-THEME FORM
======================================
The >THEME-DETAIL-THEME< form defines the whole paragraph as one
unit. In other words Abraham left Israel and went down to Egypt
because he >HAD< to. The famine was so severe that he had no
choice. He had to leave because there was no food. In fact the
Bible explicitly says >he went to Egypt BECAUSE of how severe the
famine was<
We have used a literary approach: >THEME-DETAIL-THEME<.It is also
possible to use an approach based on the rules of Rabbi Ishmael
since one of these rules is the GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL rule
Rashi makes another observation: The CAPPEd word >LAND< is also
repeated in the above verse. It says twice
--The was a famine in the LAND
--because the famine in the LAND was hard
On the URL http://www.RashiYomi.Com/dn.htm we have listed all
Rashis based on repeated nouns in a sentence. The general
technique is to regard the repeated noun as having a NEW NUANCE
over and beyond the usual meaning of the word. Thus in this
verse the first statement >There was a famine in the LAND<
would seem to mean that there was a general famine throughout
the WORLD. Therefore the repetition of this phrase >for the
famine in the LAND was hard< gives a new nuance to the word
>LAND<---only in ISRAEL was their a famine but not in the
rest of the world.
Rashi explains that after God had promised Abraham Israel, God
brought a famine in Israel to test Abrahams faith--Abraham had
to leave--that was not the issue---but Abraham still believed
he would one day inherit Israel. In other words the test was
to see if Abraham would still yearn for Israel even though
it was now lying in famine. Furthermore in Gn15 God
explicitly explains to Abraham that it wasnt till the 4th
generation from Abraham that they actually would get Israel.
FOOTNOTES
=========
We now explain the Rashi-Ramban controversy. We just saw that
Rashi says that Abraham had to leave Israel and God was testing
his faith.
The Ramban dissents. He says Abraham made a mistake going
to Egypt. Ramban is of the opinion that Abraham should
have faith in God and stayed in Israel in Famine!
But there are clearly two types of famines. There are famines
where eg food is expensive and rare. But then there is a
famine where there is simply no food. Now in the rare-food
famine you can have faith. But in the no-food famine there
is nothing to have faith about! You must leave. (See Rambam
Laws of Fasting for a discussion of the two types of famine)
The Bible explicitly identifies the famine in Israel as a
no-food famine. It explicitly says >Abraham went to Egypt
BECAUSE the famine was so heavy<. In fact it appears as
if the Bible went out of its way to answer the Ramban:
The Bible say >he went down to Egypt BECAUSE of how
bad the famine was<.
I in fact discovered this 2 years ago. I related it to one
of the budding Yeshiva Heads in Philadelphia who liked it.
I protested >But it makes the Ramban look like a fool<.
Since the Bible is so explicit I decided not to publish
it (Since I do not for a second believe that the Ramban
is a fool).
This past weekend Rabbi Weinreb at the 3rd Shabbath Meal
cited an opinion of Rab E Wasserman that eg during the
holocast period it was meritorious for Rabbinic heads
to return to Germany to stay with their students EVEN
THOUGH THEY KNEW THE DANGER.
Hearing this I recalled the controversy of Rambam and
other authorities on whether you can incur martyrdom
for all commandments. Rambams opinion is that you
can >ONLY< incur martyrdom for murder, adultery and
idolatry while other authorities allow people to
>volunteer< to commit martyrdom.
Thus Rashi was following the opinion of the Rambam.
Abraham was not allowed to incur Martyrdom and therefore
had to leave Israel.
By contrast Ramban and Rav Wasserman held like the other
authorities---a teacher could go back to Germany to stay
with his students even though he knew he would be killed.
Similarly Ramban would hold that Abraham was allowed to
stay in Israel even though he might starve.
Thus the controversy between Rashi and Ramban is now
respectable and therefore I am publishing it.
But I still side with Rashi for two reasons.
* The Bible still explicitly says that Abraham HAD to leave
the land because of the famine. The Bible says this
by using the word >BECAUSE< and by using the ABA form
* Gn15 explicitly explains that Abraham would not get Israel
for 4 generations. Thus there WAS NO VIOLATION OF A
PROPHETIC DIRECTIVE if Abraham went to Egypt during the
famine since Israel was NOT YET HIS. Abrahams faith
was tested because he had to wait 4 generations to get
the land!
RASHI RULE USED: EXAMPLE7
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VERSE: Gn40-01c
RASHIS COVERED: Gn40-01c Gn14-19a
RULE
====
Everyone knows about grammatical transformations. For example
the Hebrew root, >Shin-Mem-Resh< means >To watch<. The
grammatical transformations enable one to take this root and
>CONJUGATE IT<. Thus >ShMRTi< means >I watched< while >ShMRTA<
means >You Watched< and >EShMR< means >I will watch<.
Just as there are >grammatical< transformations there are also
>semantic< transformations. These transformations may change
a word from referring to an >Activity< to a word referring to
an >object< or to an >attribute<.
A SIMPLE EXAMPLE
================
In todays posting we take words that refer to an >activity<
and transform them to words that refer to >the people doing
that activity<.
For example the root >Resh-Ayin-Hey< means
>To Shepard<. In the present tense this verb would mean
>Sheparding<. In fact the present tense verb can also refer to
a >Shepard<, the person whose job is to shepard.
Thus the word was transformed from a word meaning >Shepparding<
to a word meaning >Shepard<. Here are some more examples.
EXAMPLES
========
{LIST}
Lists of verbs which in the present tense refer not
to activities but rather to the people whose job is
to do those activities. *1
=========================================================
VERSE PERSON ROOT (VERB FORM)
======== ======= ====
Gn40-01c Baker To bake
2Sa24-11 Prophet To vision
Gn30-36 Shepard To shepard
Dt24-11 Lender To create a Lien*2
Ez03-17 Prophet To see distantly*3
Gn14-19a Owner*4 To buy*4
NOTES
=====
*1 Hence Rashi says on the word >Baking< that it
refers to >The Baker of the Kings Bread<
In other words Rashi is identifying this as
a transformation of an ACTIVITY into a PERSON
*2 The posting Dt24-10a will be devoted to the meaning
of this root. For the while we observe that its verb
form means >to loan< >to borrow< while its noun
form means >the creditor< >the lender<
*3 The Root >Tz-F-H< means to >SKIM< and would refer to
>Distance visioning< (In seeing into the distance
your eyes >SKIM THE HORIZON<)
*4 The root >Kuf-Nun-Hey< means to >ACQUIRE<. In the present
tense it refers to the >OWNER<, someone who continuously
ACQUIRES the object.
{END OF LIST}
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
===============
The above list was compiled with the help of the New Grammatical
Form Konkordance, entitled, SEFER AMAYLIM BATORAH, compiled by
Al Silberman from Monsey.
RASHI RULE USED: GRAMMAR
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VERSE: Dt24-10a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt24-10a Gn03-13a Dt32-18a Gn32-33a Ex22-24a
COMMENT:
=======
This posting is an excellent opportunity on how to use the
method of UNIFIED MEANINGS. I warmly suggest everyone interested
in advanced Biblical research to read it.
RULE
====
The fundamental meaning of >Nun-Shin-Hey< is >to get someone
invovled in something<.
APPLICATION
===========
This root is traditionally translated in 3-4 ways. We now list
these 3-4 methods and show how they reflect the idea of >getting
involved in something<
Before beginning we note that RADACK in his book ROOTS, lists
the meanings of >Nun-Shin-Hey< and >Nun-Shin-Tauv< separately.
It would appear that Rashi may hold there to be one root. Either
way the meanings of the two roots are related and we will treat
them together.
MEANING 1-TO LOAN
=========
In the causative tense >NSH< means to >LOAN<. Actually
Rashi on Dt24-10a says it means >To create a LIEN on somebody<
This views >LOANING< as getting INVOLVED with someone monetarily
Similarly Ex22-24a says >Dont treat someone you loaned money to,
like a lender<. Rashi explains >Dont ask him for repayment if
you know he doesnt have any money<. Hence, we could translate the
verse as >If you loan someone money then dont get him involved
with you< that is, dont pester him when he has no money.
At this point we havent proven our assertion that >NSH< means
>cause to get involved<. Rather we have shown that the idea
of >LOANING< is similar to the idea of >causing someone to get
involved with you<
MEANING 2-TO STOP
=========
The rare root form >Nun-Shin-Tauv< means to >STOP< to >CEASE<.
This rare form only occurs twice in the Bible. (Rashi seems to
take the root as >Nun-SHin-Hey< in both places).
Thus RADACK interprets Isa19-05 as > the water will STOP from
the Nile<.
However we prefer the following translation: >the water from
the Nile will be LOANED (NSH!) for other projects and GET
INVOLVED in other projects (till their is no water left)<
In other words the emphasis is not that the water
will cease, but rather the emphasis is that the water will be
used for other purposes till their is none left. Thus the
>Ceasing< is a CONSEQUENCE of it being used but not the PRIMARY
meaning of the word >NSH<.
In our modern world of >overusing< resources I am sure there is
sympathy for this suggested interpretation: that the Nile will
be used till there is no more water.
At this point we begin to see the drama of finding a UNIFIED
MEANING. For indeed, the word >STOP or CEASE< is the usual
translation. But by connecting this word with the meaning
>LOAN< we give a more focused specificity to >HOW IT STOPS<
MEANING 3-FORGET
=========
The usual meaning of >NSH< is to >FORGET<.
We suggest that >NSH< doesnt refer to any type
of forgetting but rather to forgetting that happens because
you get sidetracked and involved in something else. Let us
look at a few examples
EXAMPLE 3a: Gn03-13a >The snake made me FORGET the prohibition
---------- of eating from the tree and I ate<
But Rashi on Gn03-01c points out that this was not any forgetting
Rashi says that >the snake occupied her with a long conversation
so that she could get sidetracked<
So indeed, Gn03-13 is referring to a >FORGETTING< that comes from
being >INVOVLED IN SOMETHING ELSE< Equivalantly it refers to a
>FORGETTING< that comes from >LOANING< your attention to another
matter.
EXAMPLE 3b: Gn41-51 (Rashi comments on this on Gn32-33a)
---------- >And Joseph called his sons name FORGET because
God has made me FORGET my aggravation & my family<
But we suggest that the following translation is more poignant
>And Joseph called his sons name INVOLVED because
God has made me INVOLVED in saving the world
from famine so that I dont have time to think
about my aggravation and family<
This last translation was particularly emphasized by Rav Hirsch
who in his commentary asks >Would Joseph really claim that he
FORGOT his family...it is rather more logical to say that he
was INVOLVED in other matters<
EXAMPLE 3c: Dt32-18a
----------- >You have FORGOTTEN the ROCK (God) who has given
birth to you<
But we suggest that a better translation is >You have made
God OCCUPIED with punishing you so that He does not have
time to do you favors< (Rashis translation)
Thus we indeed see that Rashi prefers an emphasis, not on
forgetting but rather on forgetting AS A CONSEQUENCE OF BEING
INVOLVED IN OTHER MATTERS.
MEANING 4: Gn32-33a
---------
The Hebrew >Gid HaNaSheH< means >the dislocated tendon(sinew?)<
This seems consistent with the meanings >STOPPED< or >FORGOTTEN<
It is as if the sinew STOPPED functioning or FORGOT its purpose
But we suggest that like many exercise injuries, a better
translation is, >the OVERUSED tendon<. In other words in
the process of wrestling the tendon was stretched and stretched
and used and used till it dislocated. In other words this tendon
>GOT INVOLVED< or was >LOANED< out to too many activities.
Again, we have not proven our point but rather only showed
a consistency with our suggested translation.
SUMMARY:
========
{LIST}
The standard translation of the Hebrew root >NSH< (and/or >NST)
has 4 meanings (a) Forgot (b) Loan (c) Stop (d) Dislocated.
This is the approach of the RADACK in his book of Roots.
By contrast, Rashi, suggests a unified meaning which emphasizes
that the FORGETTING and CEASING and DISLOCATION is a
>CONSEQUENCE< of being OVERLY INVOLVED in other activities. Thus
Rashi gives a more specific translation
================================================================
VERSE MEANING TEXT OF VERSE USING CONCEPT OF involved with
===== ======= ============================================
Dt24-10a Loan Create a LIEN on his property*1
Ex22-24a Loan Dont pester him if you know he doesnt have*2
Isa19-05 Cease People will LOAN Nile water till its empty*3
Gn41-51 Forget God got me involved in something else*4
Gn03-13a Forget*5 Snake got me involved in long talk(& I forgot
Dt32-18a Forget*6 You anger God &get him invovled in punishment
Gn32-33a Dislocated The Sinew was OVERUSED till it dislocated*7
NOTES
=====
*1 Rashis language: Note the emphasis on CREATING A LIEN (getting
involved vs giving and loaning)
*2 Rashis langauge:Again note the emphasis on getting him
involved
*3 My suggestion. Note the picturesque specificity.
*4 Rav Hirschs suggested interpretation. The forgetting
was a consequence of being involved in something else
*5 Rashis suggestion on Gn03-01
*6 Rashi. Note that this differs from the sifsay Chachamim who
erroneously thinks Rashi is referring to another root: TShSh
The way we have explained it, Rashi was still using the
root NSH. But: The emphasis in NSH is not forgetting/stopping
but rather getting invovled in another activity that leads
to forgetting/stopping. Indeed God did not forget us---rather
He was involved in punishment and could not simultaneously
focus on helping us.
*7 A standard cause of DISLOCATION is OVERUSE (You loan the
muscle/tendon out too much till it gets dislocated)
{END OF LIST}
COMMENT
=======
For those who want to learn the technique of UNIFIED MEANING
this is an excellent posting. For we never come out and PROVE
our case. Nor do we come out and show Rashi saying it explicitly
Rather we
--suggest a unified explanation
--show hints of this explanation in Rashi and other commentators
--show how it gives greater specificity
Thus the decision to believe this UNIFIED EXPLANATION becomes
more subjective than objective. Hence this is an excellent
posting for those who want to study methodology
RASHI RULE USED: UNIFIED MEANING
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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
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