#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
| PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
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VERSE: Lv26-18c
RASHIS USED: Lv26-18c Lv26-20e Lv26-21b
====================== RASHI INFERS MEANING =====================
----------------------------
TODAYS RULE: WORD MEANINGS
TODYS SUBRULE: NEW MEANINGS
----------------------------
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
The Bible states
-----------------------------------------
If you rebel against me I will punish you
SEVEN-FOLD according to your sins
-------------------------------------
Rashi interprets the phrase SEVEN-FOLD to
mean ALOT or MANY. Thus Rashi translates the verse
-------------------------------------------------
If you rebel against me I will punish you
WITH MANY PUNISHMENTS according to your MANY SINS
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RULE
-----------------------------
One of Rashis 6 main tasks is to explain the meaning of
words, the same way a dictionary explains words.
Rashi not only explains words--he also explains phrases.
A phrase with a new meaning is simply a group of words--
--each word of which has a clear meaning--but the words
together mean something new.
Rashi can justify a suggested new meaning by a variety
of techniques. One powerful technique is the ALIGNMENT
OF PARALLEL phrases.
STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
The phrase ON THE FACE OF occurs in 5 verses with
reference to a person. In 4 of them -- Nu03-04a,
Gn11-28a, Ex20-03a, Dt05-07a -- Rashi explains
that ON THE FACE OF (when used in reference to
a person) means DURING THE LIFETIME.
Notice how the MEANING of the phrase has nothing
to do with the meaning of the words which make
up that phrase, even though, each word has a
clear meaning. That is
-- ON
-- THE
-- FACE
-- OF
all have clear dictionary meanings. But the phrase
ON THE FACE OF, when used in reference to a person,
means DURING THE LIFETIME.
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
The 6 Rashi goals are compactly summarized at
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rules-01.htm
A fuller version of these 6 rules may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/database.htm
The various methods of inferring the meaning of words
or phrases may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/means-32.htm
A good summary of Rashis approach to various words
may be found on the dictionary page at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm
HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
Have students use a Konkordance or CD-Rom
to find all occurences of the phrase. For
example look up in a Konkordance all occurences
of the number 7 in the Bible.
Let the students then analyze which of these
phrases literally mean 7 and which mean ALOT
The students can then compare their guess with
that of Rashi. This leads to greater
appreciation of Chumash and Rashi.
TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
Here are a collection of verses where SEVEN means,
not SEVEN, but ALOT
=================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WHERE THE # 7 SYMBOLIZES ALOT
========= =======================================================
Prv24-16 The Righteous falls 7 times but gets up
Prv26-25 The enemy speaks nicely but has 7 plots in his heart
Ps109-164 I will praise you, God, 7 times a day
1Sam2-5 The barren gives birth to 7
Dan9-24 70 double weeks have been cut on your nation
--------- -----------------------------------------------------
Lv26-18 I will punish you 7 ON your sins *1
Lv26-24 I will punish you 7 ON your sins *1
Lv26-28 I will punish you 7 ON your sins *1
Lv26-21 I will punish you 7 LIKE your sins *1
NOTES
-----
*1 Note the different prepositions used: ON YOUR SINS
vs LIKE YOUR SINS. Rashi attaches no significance
to these numbers.
To be technical Rashi INFERS the
rule that SEVEN means ALOT from the top 5 verses and
then applies this rule to the translation of the
Bottom 4 verses. Footnote *10 deals with alternate
approaches to Rashi.
---------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------
*10 Some people interpret Rashi literally. Thus the verses
-------------------------------------
If you continue to sin then I will
punish you SEVEN-FOLD
like your sins
-------------------------------------
suggests that there were SEVEN sins and SEVEN punishments
This however, is not NUMERICALLY true. Some verse sets
have 6 and some have 5. Here are some counts
Lv26-14:15 lists SIX not SEVEN sins
---------------------------------------
1 IF Dont LISTEN to m-e-
2 IF Dont DO commandments
3 IF m-y- statues are DESPISED
4 IF m-y- judgements are LOATHED
5 TILL you DONT DO m-y- commandments
6 TILL you BREAK m-y- convenant
----------------------------------------
Similarly Lv26-19:20 list SIX not SEVEN sins
---------------------------------------------
1 HEALTH BREAK your proud strength
2 NATURAL RESOURCES PLACE heavens like iron
3 BAD PRODUCE ----- & earth like copper
4 NON REMEDIABLE your strength will BE for nought
5 ADD-EVEN-SUBTRACT NO GIVE your land produce
6 NO FRUITSMISCARRY trees will NOT GIVE fruit
---------------------------------------------
And Lv26-22 lists FIVE not SEVEN verses
--------------------------------------------
1 I will send the beasta against you
2 The beasts will eat your children
3 the beasts will destroy your livestock
4 the beasts will diminish you
5 your roads will become desolate
--------------------------------------------
The above lists support the notion that the phrase
SEVEN-FOLD means MANY and is not literally interpreted
as 7. Rashi follows up this interpretation by showing
that the verses are filled with inuendoes indicating
MANYNESS in the punishment
Here are some typical Rashis
------------------------------------------------------
Lv26-14:15 doesnt just speak about breaking THE
COMMANDMENTS but rather speaks about breaking MY
COMMANDMENTS--that is the word MY/ME is continuously
repeated. This indicates an EXTRA sin of REBELLING
AGAINST God showing SEVEN-FOLD or MANYNESS
------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Lv26-22 speaks about WILD BEASTS attacking the Jews
But the sister verse Dt32-24 speaks about ANIMALS
and SNAKES attacking the Jews. Thus Dt32-24
complements Lv26-22 and indicates SEVEN-FOLD
and MANYNESS
------------------------------------------------------
One COULD interpret this last Rashi literally. One
could say that
-- there were only 5 punishments
-- and Rashi added 2 more from Dt32-24
-- The 5+2 gives a total of 7
But this is silly and shallow. Rashis real point is that
there are MANY punishments, not that there are exactly
seven. The proof of this approach (MANY vs LITERALLY
SEVEN) comes from the 5 verses listed in the list above
These verses shows that SEVEN can mean MANY.
True Rashi emphasizes the SEVENESS but we have seen
that Rashi will frequently engage in puns to make
sure that his readers (who didnt have paper and
CD Roms) remember his points.
In summary: We believe that we have suggested a new
approach to Rashi---that SEVEN means MANY
and should not be interpreted literally.
===============================================================
RASHI RULE USED: NEW MEANINGS
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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 13 Number 25
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 13 Number 25