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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@saber.towson.edu>
Date: Sun, 7 May 2000 22:00:16 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: The Famous Minchat Shai on "Corrections of the Sages"

Moshe Rudner asks about the phrase "Tikkun Sofrim" (Literally "Fixed by
the sages") which implies that Chazal corrected Torah texts. He brings
one example (cited by Rashi) where it says that "Abraham still stood
before God" while the text really means "God still stood before
Abraham".  This is an example of a "Correction of the sages".

This has been discussed in the past on Mail Jewish.A very good source is
the Minchat Shai on Zecahria 2:12

>And in the explanation of the meaning "Correction of the sages" there
>are those who say that the men of the great assembly corrected the
>text. And superficially this also appears from the Midrash Yelamdaynu.
>This is also what Rabbi Nathan wrote in the ARUCH under the word CAVED....
>and this also appears to be the opinion of the Midrash Rabbah in its
>commentary on BOH (in Shmoth)...And the commentary MATNOT CEHUNAH bring
>this commentary on Genesis Rabbah Chapter 49
>
>And this explanation (that people changed the text) is not correct.
>And God forbid we should say this. But rather we can use the explanation
>supplied by the Rashbah, HALICOTH OLAM, YFAY TOAR, and Mizrachi. Their
>explanation is that the sages researched all of Tnach and found 18 verses
>which SAY one thing (eg Abraham still stood before God) but the real
>meaning seems to be the opposite (eg God still stood before Abraham)
>
>AND IT WAS THE TEXT ITSELF (the BIBLE) THAT SWITCHED LANGUAGES IN ORDER
>TO BE POLITE

Russell Jay Hendel; phd ASA RHendel@Towson.Edu
Moderator Rashi is Simple
http://www.shamash.org/rashi/