>IF< can sometimes mean >WHEN<:#4 of 4
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-GRAND SUMMARY-
OVERVIEW:
========
The following module will focus on the fact that the word
>IF< can sometimes mean >WHEN<. >IF< makes the sentence
sound OPTIONAL while >WHEN< makes it sound OBLIGATORY
Examples are brought below. The comments discuss >why< the
less forceful >IF< which denotes >OPTIONALITY< is used
instead of >WHEN<
REFERENCES:
==========
The following references contain the material covered
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h7n24.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ex21-30a.htm
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-GRAND SUMMARY-
{LIST}
Please find below the 7 verses where >IF< means >WHEN<. We also
bring the supporting verses that proves that >IF< must mean
>WHEN<.As an example: Ex20-22 says >IF you build an altar<.
However since Dt27-06 >obligates< us to build an altar this
changes the translation of Ex20-22 to >WHEN you build an alter<.
================================================================
VERSE Text of Verse(IF means WHEN) Supporting Verse
========== =========================== =================
Ex20-22a WHEN you build an altar Dt27-06
Ex22-24a WHEN you lend money Dt15-08
Lv02-14a WHEN you bring First fruit Lv23-10
Nu36-04a WHEN the Yovel comes*1 Lv25-08:12
Gn28-20a WHEN God be with me Gn28-15
Dt21-14a WHEN you hate her let her go*2
Ex21-30a WHEN ransom is placed on him
NOTES
=====
*1 Actually Rashi states >Since the Bible literally says >IF the
Jubilee comes< we infer that the Jubilee would eventually cease
from Israel. But implicit in this Rashi is the fact that the
verse means >WHEN the Jubilee comes then such and such will
happen<
*2 This is Rashi..If you rape a foreign woman in war and take her
into your house you will ULTIMATELY despise her and throw her
out. Hence the verse should read >WHEN< you let her go vs >IF<
you let her go. See below for further amplification
COMMENTS ON RASHI citing 7 verses vs MECHILTAH citing 3
=======================================================
A question remains: Why did Rashi in the name of the
Mechilta only cite 3 of the 7 examples that we have
reviewed.
We discussed this at my Shomrey Emunah Rashi class:
It would appear that only in the first 3 verses that we
covered that you can >PROVE<, by CITING OTHER VERSES,
that the word >if< >MUST< be translated as >when<.
However there is no >PROOF< in the other 4 verses that >if<
means >when> Let us examine them
EXCEPTION #1: Gn28-20a
----------------------
Similarly in Gn28-20a,>IFIF God will be with me< instead of >WHEN God will be
with me< in order not to sound arrogant. In summary, there are 7,
possibly more, verses where >IF< means >WHEN<. In 3 of those 7 we
can prove, by citing other verses, that >IF< must mean >WHEN< and
therefore the Mechiltah only cited these 3.
EXCEPTION #2: Ex21-30a
----------------------
Similarly in Ex21-30a >IF< is used to create an >atmosphere<
of doubt. This person had been negligent in watching his OX.
His OX went out and killed someone. So as the verse says
>Both the owner and the ox DESERVE to be put to death<
But the Bible continues >IF< he is given a ransom(to save
him from the death penalty) then he may pay the ransom and
be exempt from the death penalty. Thus the word >IF< creates
an atmosphere that he really deserved it.
True Rashi derives the >OBLIGATION< to give ransom (WHEN vs IF)
from the extra sentence in Nu35-21 which discusses giving a
murderer a death penalty: >There shall be a death penalty to
the hitter (ONLY) HE IS A MURDERER< The capped words >(ONLY)
HE IS A MURDERER< create an emphasis >(ONLY) HE IS A
MURDERER< but not someone else (like someone whos Ox, which he
should have watched, Gored and killed someone). But nevertheless
the inference is from the emphasis >ONLY He is a murderer<--it
does not >EXPLICITLY< exclude to the person whose OX gored.
EXCEPTION #3: Dt21-14a
-----------------------
Here it is the climactic development of the chapter that
points to the fact that >IF< means >WHEN<. Let us review
the chapter
---------------------------------------------------------
--if you go to war
--and see an attractive woman
--and you have an affair with her
--
--then you should bring her to your house
-------and let her shave her head
-------and let her nails grow long
-------and remove her attractive captive garments
-------and mourn 30 days the lost of her religion
--and then you may marry her
--but >IF< you dont want her you must let her go...
---------------------------------------------------------
Rashi wryly points out that after seeing her shaven head and
her long nails and her unattractive garments it would be
inevitable that >you do not want her<
Hence Rashi would translate ..& >WHEN< you dont want her then
let her go.
EXCEPTION #4: Nu36-04a
----------------------
Similarly in In Nu36-04a, the word >IF< is
used because it is part of a >COMPOUND HYPOTHETICAL< statement:
--------------------------------------------------------------
>IF<
--(a) the girls marry out of their tribe and
--(b) the Jubilee comes
>THEN< such and such may happen.
--------------------------------------------------------------
So even though the Jubilee >MUST< come, since it
is part of a compound hypothetical the word >IF< is used.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
===============
Bracha Diamond from my Shomrey Emunah Rashi class
did a research project when she was in seminary on Rashis stating
that the word >IF< can also mean >WHEN<. Most people know 3 such
Rashis. I had listed 6 and Bracha pointed out a 7th Ex21-30a)
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