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  |      Rashi is Simple Version 2.0                         |
  |      (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000                          |
  |       http://www.RashiYomi.Com                           |
  | PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
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VERSE: Lv16-02a


RASHIS COVERED: Lv16-02a Lv16-02c Lv16-03b


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
===============
Rabbi Dr Boncheck delivered a speech about Lv16-02c.He introduced
a speech by saying >This Rashi is so complicated that even I
dont remember it without referring to my book<. We show below
an alternative elegant simple interpretation of Rashi.


RULE
====
The simple meaning of the text is determined by OVERALL STRUCTURE
For example, The sentence >PICK UP THE MILK< means
(i)   >BUY MILK<, to a person going to a grocery store
(ii)  >MOP UP THE MILK<, to a person who spilled milk
(iii) >BRING MILK TO THE TABLE<, to a person at the frigidaire





APPLICATIONS
============
Example 1 Lv16-02a
=========
Lv16-01 says >God spoke to Moses after the 2 sons of Aaron died<
Lv16-02 says>Aaron shouldnt come to the inner temple lest he die<

The above two verses are sentences in a paragraph. All sentences
in a good paragraph should link to the topic sentence by known
methods. In this case Lv16-02 states that if Aaron came wantonly
to the inner temple then he would incur a death penalty. In
support of this prohibition Lv16-01 mentions that Aarons two
sons died by offering sacrifices they were not authorized to
offer. Thus Lv16-01 is a supportive precedent for Lv16-02.





Example 2: Lv16-02c
=========
Lv16-02 says>Aaron shouldnt come to the inner temple lest he die
              EXCEPT when I appear in the cloud <

First things first:The Hebrew word >KI< in Lv16-02 means >RATHER<
and denotes an exception. See the following for a complete
summary: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ki-11.htm (RabbiDr Boncheck got
into trouble on this verse because he momentarily forgot that
>KI< means >RATHER<. Once we interpret it this way all problems
vanish).

Next we speak about the overall structure of the paragraph:
The paragraph opens by mentioning a death penalty for wantonly
entering the inner temple. It then turns around and gives an
exception--a time when you can enter the temple!

Finally we deal with the mysterious phrase that Aaron can
enter the temple when >God appears in a cloud<.

Clearly IN THE CONTEXT of the whole paragraph which is speaking
about the service for the day of atonement, Lv16-02 should
clearly be interpreted as
--------------------------------------------------------
>Aaron may not come to the inner
temple EXCEPT when he brings the KETORETH CLOUD as prescribed
in Lv16-13<.
---------------------------------------------------------
In fact Lv16-13 explicitly says this using identical words
------------------------------------------------------------
>and the CLOUD of the Ketoreth will cover the Caporeth which
covers the Tablets of the 10 commandments and Aaron wont
die<.
------------------------------------------------------------
Thus Lv16-13 echoes exactly Lv16-02. (For an account of Rashis
2 explanations of midrash vs simple meaning see footnote
*1 below).





EXAMPLE 3: Lv16-03b
=========
Lv16-02 says >Aaron should not come any time to the inner temple<
Lv16-02 continues >EXCEPT when he brings the Ketoreth cloud<
Lv16-03 says >Aaron can come with a bullock....<
Lv16-29 says >on the 10th of Tishrey youll do this procedure<
Lv16-34 says >this will be a statue--once a year do this..<

Taken all together the paragraph says that
---In GENERAL Aaron cant come into the inner temple
---However he may come into the inner temple on Yom Kippur
-----provided he does all the procedures including
-----bringing a bullock
-----bringing the ketoreth cloud


Note how both Lv16-03b and Lv16-02c both say the same thing:
An exception can be made to the prohibtion of coming into the
inner temple on Yom Kippur. Again, this is the principle
of OVERALL STRUCTURE.



NOTES
=====
*1 Notice Rashis insightful comment on the difference between
>SIMPLE> vs >MIDRASHIC< meaning. Rashi uses the word >MIDRASHIC<
meaning to refer to the >SIMPLE< meaning of the verse IN CONTEXT.
>PICK UP THE MILK< means >go to the supermarket< or >clean up
the mess< depending on the rest of the paragraph!!! Similarly
>Dont come to the inner temple except when I appear in a cloud<
means >the cloud of ketoreth< vs >the clouds of glory<
depending on the rest of the chapter.

Just as Rashi uses the word >MIDRASHIC< to refer to >SIMPLE<
meaning so too Rashi uses the word >SIMPLE< to refer to the
>MEANING OF A SIMPLETON< who reads without context.

Clearly the phrase >In a cloud I, God, will appear< seems to
remind one of the cloud of Glory with which God appeared to
the Jews in their travels thru the wilderness (cf Ex13-21:22)
This is how the simpleton would interpret this verse.

In summary: To the simpleton who takes the verse out of context
Rashi explains the verse that God appears to the Jews in a
cloud as it says in Ex13-21. However the simple meaning of the
text, which requires reading all phrases in context, declares
that the >cloud by which God appears and saves Aaron from
death< mentioned in verse Lv16-02 is the same cloud which
save Aaron from death in Lv16-13

I believe this successfully refutes Rabbi Dr Bonchecks elaborate
explanation and reestablishes that Rashi is Simple.



RASHI RULE USED: OVERALL STRUCTURE
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
The hyperlinks only work on the main website

Volume 9 Number 8


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