>AND< can mean >LEST<:#4 of 4 ########################################################### # 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # Feb 28, 2001 # # Rashis 618-620 Of 7800 (7.9%) # # # # VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES # # ----------------------------- # # http://www.RashiYomi.Com/calendar.htm # # # # Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, # # (c) 1999-Present, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President # #Permission to reprint with this header but not for profit# # # # WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS # # # ########################################################### -- GRAND SUMMARY -- RULE: ===== The Hebrew letter >VAV< usually means >AND< when prefixed to a word. However it can also mean >OR< and in general it can refer to >ANY BOOLEAN LOGICAL CONNECTIVE<. We present examples below where >VAV< followed by >NO< (that is, >AND NOT< ) means >LEST< or >OTHERWISE<. Another way of perceiving this rule is that >VAV NOT< should be translated as >IF NOT< (ie OTHERWISE). A SIMPLE EXAMPLE ================ Dt18-10 ----------------------------------------- Please dont let us see Gods Great Fire Visions anymore, >LEST< we die ----------------------------------------- The verse had literally said ---------------------------------------------- Please dont let us see Gods Great Fire visions anymore >AND< we will NOT die ---------------------------------------------- The translation >LEST< we die, is punchier and captures nuances better the standard translation of >AND< we will not die. TODAYS UNIT =========== In todays unit we present the GRAND SUMMARY This is particularly interesting since there are about 2 dozen examples where >AND NOT< means >LEST< while Rashi only commented on 9 of them. This enables us to comment on Rashis Methodology. COMMMENTS ON RASHIS METHODOLOGY =============================== Before proceeding to a LIST of all examples We make 6 powerful comments on Rashi methodology. 1) # VERSES, # PRINCIPLES, # RASHIS =================================== What a beautiful Rashi. There are about 2 dozen verses in the Bible with the phrase >AND(VAV) he will NOT die<. In 50% of them---in 9 verses--Rashi translates >VAV NOT< as >LEST<. The reader (you!) is then invited to apply this principle to the other verses with >VAV< This is typical of rashi. He will explain some examples and let the reader fill in the rest thus showing mastery of principles. 2) RASHI USES WORKBOOK METHODS ============================== Rashi uses what pedagogists call, WORKBOOK methods. Rashi does a few examples thoroughly and then lets the student derive similar examples themselves. 3) WHERE DID RASHI COMMENT ========================== Although there are 20 verses where >AND NOT< means >LEST< or >OTHERWISE< rashi did not comment on all of them Rashi commented that >AND NOT< means >LEST< in those 9 verses where they are talking about punishment of death at the hand of heaven. In the other verses >AND< can mean >OTHERWISE<. (It can also mean >LEST he die< in the physical (not punishment sense of the word).) 4) RASHI AVOIDED THE OBVIOUS ============================ Rashi for example did not comment that >AND NOT< means >LEST< in Lv10-09 since he had just commented this in Lv10-06b, 3 verses earlier. There are other reasons Rashi avoided explanations but this will suffice for now. 5) >AND NOT< vs >OTHERWISE< =========================== One can ask are we really OBLIGATED to translate these verses as >LEST<. Couldnt we just translate them as >AND NOT< The answer is simple. Take a verse like Dt18-16 >Please dont let us see Gods Great Fire Visions LEST we die< We could translate this as >AND we WONT die<. However the whole purpose of using >OTHERWISE< or >LESS< is when a contrast occurs. And that is exactly what happens here. If they do see Gods Great Fire visions then they will die; by contrast if they dont see it they wont die. Hence the word >LEST< should be used. 6)My TRADITION article on PSHAT & DRASH: TRADITION WINTER 1980 ============================================================== In my Tradition article I advocate that the challenge in intepreting Rashi is not so much finding Rashis Rule, or Problem but rather the issue is finding a translation with the right nuances---a translation which spontaneously suggests the intepretations of Chazal. In this case the translation >OTHERWISE< or >LEST< precisely captures the nuances of >AND NOT< By using words with catchy nuances (LEST and OTHERWISE) I have been able to avoid some of the logical intricacies of some of the Rashi commentators like Sifsay Chachamim. REFERENCE: ========= This module comes from the following digest in the Rashi-is-Simple series For the original source of this grand summary see http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n9.htm http://www.RashiYomi.Com/lv21-15a.htm Todays posting is cited almost verbatim from the original #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* -- GRAND SUMMARY -- -------------------------------------------------------- In the following verses >AND NOT< is better translated as >LEST<. Footnotes provide more details -------------------------------------------------------- VERSE TEXT OF VERSE-->AND NOT< is translated as >LEST< ======== ================================================= Ex28-35a Wear the bell-robe---let it ring--- >LEST< he die*1 Ex30-20a On coming to the Temple they will wash-- >LEST< they die Lv08-35a Sit & Watch by the Temple tent 7 days --- >LEST< you die Lv10-06b Dont let your hair grow >LEST< you die *2 Lv16-02b Dont come to the inner temple >LEST< you die *3 Lv16-13b He'll place the Incense on the fire .... >LEST< he die *3 Lv21-15a He shouldnt marry widows...>LEST< he defile the children Nu18-32a Give 10%of your tithe to the Priest >LEST< you be in sin Nu18-32b Dont desecrate the temple gifts >LEST< you die NOTES ===== *1 This verse occurs at the end of several paragraph dealing with the priestly garments. This particular paragraph deals with the sky blue bell-robe. The verse says >Aaron shall wear the bell robe so that he will be heard when he enters to serve God as OTHERWISE he will die< Rashi then generalizes this verse to refer to all the other priestly garments. >If Aaron wasnt wearing any of them he would incur a death penalty at the hands of heaven< *2 Aaron had just lost his two sons on a national holiday. He was told not to let his hair grow from which we infer that mourners may not take haircuts (the Exception was made for Aaron--in contrast to mourners he was not allowed to let his hair grow-- because of the national holiday--his mourning should not intefer with the nations holiday). *3 We discussed these two verses in more detail last week in http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n8.htm. The gist of what we said is that verse 2 should be translated with >KI< meaning >RATHER< >Aaron should not come at any time to the temple LEST he die; RATHER I (God) will be seen when there is a cloud < Verse 13 then complements verse 2 as follows >And he shall put the Ketoreth on the fire before God and the cloud OF KETORETH will cover the Kaporeth as OTHERWISE he will die< So the two verses say one and the same thing: * There is a death penalty for wantonly entering the temple * EXCEPT on Yom Kippur; Aaron can enter the inner temple if he brings the Ketoreth cloud with him One further point made by Rashi focuses on the repeated verse: >WITH A CLOUD OF KETORETH I WILL APPEAR<. This concept is repeated in verse 2 and verse 13. In accordance with the principle used throughout Leviticus that repeated verses indicate essentiality Rashi states >In order to escape a death penalty at the hands of heaven Aaron must not only bring in the Ketoreth cloud but must make the ketoreth cloud with ALL its procedures. If ANY of the procedures were missing he would incure the death penalty< -------------------------------------------------------- In the following verses >AND NOT< is better translated as >LEST< In these verses Rashi did not comment but rather let the reader (you!) use WORKBOOK methods The reader is invited to check the Biblical paragraphs out for futher details -------------------------------------------------------- VERSE TEXT OF VERSE-->AND NOT< is translated as >LEST< ======= ================================================= Dt18-16 We dont want to see Gods big Fire visions >LEST< we die Nu35-12 Accidental murderers will receive asylum >LEST< they die Nu17-25 Place the symbol so they wont complain>LEST< they die Nu18-03 They may not enter the temple >LEST< they die Lv10-09 Dont drink wine when you enter the temple >LEST< you die Lv15-31 Warn the Jews about their ritual impurity >LEST< they die -------------------------------------------------------- In the following verses >AND NOT< is better translated as >OTHERWISE< In these verses Rashi did not comment but rather let the reader (you!) use WORKBOOK methods The reader is invited to check the Biblical paragraphs out for futher details -------------------------------------------------------- VERSE TEXT OF VERSE-->AND NOT< is translated as >OTHERWISE< ======= ====================================================== Gn42-02 Get food from Egypt ... >OTHERWISE< we will die Gn42-20 Bring your brother with you...>OTHERWISE< you will die Gn43-08 Send Binyamin with me; >OTHERWISE< we will die Gn47-19 Give us grain to plant; >OTHERWISE< we will die Nu04-19 Let them do this;IF yes theyll live;OTHERWISE theyll die ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: ================ To Aaron Bitman from my Shomrey Emunah Rashi class for asking for clear examples of verses where >VAV< means something other than >AND<. In the above verses it means >LEST< or >OTHERWISE< RASHI RULE USED: SPECIAL WORDS #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*