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VERSE: Lv01-02b

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This answers an anonymous question raised by
a fellow Baal Koray. See http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n20.htm

======The Hebrew word for PERSON is ISH. ADAM means MENSCH======

 Many commandments begin IF A PERSON DOES SUCH AND SUCH. The
 Hebrew word for PERSON is usually ISH. In only 4 cases is the
 word ADAM used.

 Rav Hirsch explains that ADAM refers back to ADAM the first
 person. Thus ADAM has a connotation of someone distinguished.
 We have therefore translated ADAM as the Yiddish MENSCH to
 denote someone important. (The Zohar similarly lists 4 words
 for PERSON---ADAM, ISH, GEVER, ENOSH--and states that ADAM
 is the highest state).

 Hence in commandments dealing with the animal lustful nature
 of man use the word ISH for person. However commandments
 which address mans special Divine nature, commandments
 like Sacrifices and commandments dealing with Ritual purity
 use the word ADAM. The LIST below gives the examples.

================================================================
VERSE   TEXT OF VERSE WITH PERSON               HEBREW WORD USED
======= ======================================= ================
Lv01-02 When a MENSCH offers a sacrifice        ADAM *1
Lv13-02 When a MENSCH contracts leprosy         ADAM *2
Nu19-14 When a MENSCH dies in a tent...         ADAM *3
Ex30-32 A MENSCH shouldnt annoint with holy oil ADAM *4
Lv13-29 When a PERSON has head leprosy          ISH
Lv15-16 When a PERSON has a seminal emission    ISH
Lv17-10 When a PERSON eats blood                ISH
Lv18-06 PEOPLE should not commit sexual sin     ISH
Lv19-03 PEOPLE should revere their parents      ISH
Lv20-02 If a PERSON offers to MOLECH            ISH
LV20-09 If a PERSON curses his parents          ISH
Lv20-10 If a PERSON commits adultery            ISH


NOTES
=====

*1 In other words IF YOU OFFER A SACRIFICE OFFER IT AS A MENSCH

   Thus Rashi sees in this verse an echo of the concerns of the
   prophets that God says WHY DO I NEED YOUR SACRIFICES ... IF
   YOUR HANDS ARE FULL OF BLOOD (E.g. Is01-10:17).

   Rav Hirsch echoes similar sentiments.

   It is instructive to see this in the language of Rashi.
   In the sequel words in bracketed expressions are
   added for clarity and not found in Rashi. Other words
   are found in Rashi.
   -------------------------------------------------------
   Why does it say [ADAM]? Just as ADAM [was a mensch and]
   never offered sacrifices from theft since all [sacrifices]
   were from his own possessions, so to, you do not offer
   sacrifices from theft.
   --------------------------------------------------------

   As we have often emphasized in this list one does not learn
   Rashi by reading Rashi! Rather one learns Rashi by first
   reading the LISTS on which Rashi was based. Such LISTS
   facilitate focus on Rashis main point.

*2 (Rav Hirsch explains this). We wouldnt care if an animal
   contracted leprosy. We wouldnt care if a person who
   resembles an animal contracted leprosy. But if an ADAMITE
   contracted leprosy, if a human created in the image of the
   Supreme Being, defiles himself by uttering slander and
   contracting leprosy, then this person should indeed
   be ashamed of themselves and seek atonement.

   For leprosy unlike say adultery or theft does not come from
   a sin of passion but rather comes from slander which is a
   violation of the appreciation of the Divine Image in all
   humans.

*3 If an animal dies in a tent then it is no big deal--coming
   into that tent should not confer a state of impurity.
   And if a human resembling an animal died it similarly
   would not be of concern. But when an ADAMITE dies, someone
   created in the image of God, then indeed that shakes us up.
   It makes us doubt. It makes us wonder if the Divine image
   means anything seeing that death overtakes man. It is
   this mental state of doubt which Rav Hirsch identified with
   the Biblical State of Ritual impurity---hence we see that
   it is precisely the death of an ADAMITE, not a mere animal,
   but a human being created in the image of God, that confers
   this state of impurity-doubt.

*4 Rav Hirsch does not bring this in his list. I would simply
   state that the sin of annointing oneself with temple oil is
   the sin of not recognizing ones intrinsic worth as a MENSCH,
   as someone created in the image of God. For indeed, if you
   really really believed that you were created in the image
   of God then why would you seek to enhance your spiritual
   status by annointing yourself with oil. It is only a
   spiritually insecure person who doubts his impurity who
   would do such an act and that is why it is prohibited (that
   is we all have intrinsic holiness and do not need supplements
   from holy oils)
================================================================


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Volume 10 Number 1


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