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VERSE: Nu22-03a

RASHIS COVERED: Nu22-03a Gn23-04a Gn32-05a
                Gn47-09a Ex03-22a Dt28-60a

======= THE ROOT GAYR means ALIEN & FEAR =======================

 This is a good illustration of how Rashi can develop a theme
 over several verses. The basic idea in all the verses
 presented below is that
 -------------------------------------------------------------
      The Hebrew root GAYR   means   FROM ANOTHER LAND
 -------------------------------------------------------------
 But this idea of ALIENNESS can take on various forms
 in different verses (as shown in the LIST below. )

 Note in this list that in the last 3 verses GAYR means
 FEAR or perhaps ANXIETY (The emotional state of the
 GAYR -- a feeling of lack of stability).
================================================================
VERSE    TEXT OF VERSE     RASHIS POINT
=====    ================  =====================================
Gn23-04a I am a GAYR       GAYR means FROM ANOTHER LAND*1
Gn47-09a My ALIEN lifetime This suggests he was always NOMADIC*2
Ex03-22a My MASTER         The person I am an ALIEN to *3
Nu22-03a They FEARED(GR)   FEAR is the EMOTION of the ALIEN*4
Gn32-05a I INNED by Laban  INNED shows a culture clash*5
Dt28-60a FEAR of plagues   Jews were afraid of Egytian plagues*6


NOTES
=====
*1 The actual verse states
   ---------------------------------------------
   I am a GAYR (Alien) and TOSHAV (citizen)
   Please allow me to buy a burial plot with you
   ---------------------------------------------

   Of Course, these words, ALIEN and CITIZEN contradict
   each other.  Thus this verse falls under the domain
   of the Rabbi Ishmael rule of two verses that contradict
   each other (See http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ri-14.htm).

   There are two approaches to resolving the contradiction
   between ALIEN and CITIZEN on this verse Both of them
   look at ALIEN and CITIZEN as two stages of the same
   process

   METHOD 1
   --------
   ALTHOUGH I WAS an alien I AM NOW a CITIZEN with you
   and would therefore like to make purchases of property

   METHOD 2
   --------
   Although I am an alien NOW, I WILL BE a citizen in
   the future since God promised me this plot of land

   Thus METHOD 1 contrasts PAST-PRESENT while METHOD 2
   contrasts PRESENT-FUTURE.

   For the life of me I dont see any reason to call
   one method THE PLAIN MEANING OF THE TEXT and to call
   the other meaning A HOMILETIC INTERPRETATION.!

*2 My calling MY LIFETIME, MY ALIEN LIFETIME, Jacob
   sought to indicate that he was a nomadic shepard
   who never became established.

*3 An amazing grammatical insight. Technically speaking
   GARATH BAYTHAH means
   ----------------------------------
   THE PERSON WHO IS INNING WITH ME.
   ----------------------------------

   But Rashi turns this around and suggests that it really means
   ----------------------------------
   The PERSON WHO I AM INNING WITH
   ----------------------------------

   Rashi was prompted to use this causative translation (the
   person who makes me an ALIEN) vs the simple active
   translation (the person who is alien to me--GARATH BAYTHAH)
   because of the SITUATION -- it is simply a fact that the
   Jews were ALIENS in Egypt and not vice versa. Thus Rashi
   derives meaning based on context not on grammatical form.

   For a similar amazing Rashi that bases meaning on context
   not on grammatical form see url
   http://www.RashiYomi.Com/other-20.htm Scroll down to
   Ex13-18c (Example # 11))

   Thus Rashi here was using the method of OTHER VERSES

*4 We can also connect this with our observation that
   grammatical roots beginning with YUD can frequently
   have the same meaning as their last two letters.
   (See URL http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn49-10d.htm)
   for a long list of such YUD--NonYud root pairs).
   Thus the root YGR has the same meaning of GR: Fear.

*5 According to the Rav Soloveitchick (who cited the
   Chizkuni) Rashi is basing himself on the distinction
   between
   ------------------------------------
   I INNED (GARTI) by Laban
   ------------------------------------
   versus
   ------------------------------------
   I RESIDED (TOSHAV) by Laban
   ------------------------------------

   The word INNED (alien, Garti) shows a feeling of
   uncomfortableness. But Jacob lived 20 years in town,
   married two local women and had a dozen children!
   Therefore if he uses the term INNED it must mean
   that he felt like an alien because of a culture clash
   Jacob observed Jewish Law while Laban was a scoundrel.

   Note further that Rashi EXPRESSED this idea using
   word play. Rashis exact language is
   -------------------------------------------------
   The word GARTI (INNED) has the same letters as
   TARIG (613) the number of Biblical commandments
   This shows that Jacob observed all 613 commandments
   -------------------------------------------------

   As the Chizkuni and the Rav show, Rashi EXPRESSED
   the idea of culture clash using a word-letter play
   But the REASON for the inference (vs the EXPRESSION
   of that inference) is the distinction between INNED
   and RESIDENT.

   As such, Rashi is using the method of SYNONYMS here.

   I am indebted to Rabbi Dr. Chaiim Soloveitchick for
   pointing out in a private conversation how the
   Chizkuni supports his father.

*6 The actual verse says that
   -----------------------------------------------------
   I (God) will also bring on you all the SICKNESSES of
   Egypt that you were AFRAID(Gayr) of
   -----------------------------------------------------

   Rashi interprets the phrase SICKNESSES OF EGYPT to
   refer not (only) to the sicknesses that Jews acquired
   in Egypt but also to refer to the 10 plagues that God
   brought on the Egyptians --- these 10 plagues were
   the SICKNESSES OF EGYPT.

   Rashi explains that even though the 10 plagues were
   brought on Egypt,nevertheless many Jews thought they
   would be punished with them also. In fact Rashi
   cites an OTHER VERSE proving this (Ex15-26)
   ----------------------------------------------------
   If you will (just) listen to the commandments then
   all the sicknesses that I (just) brought on Egypt
   will not be brought on you
   ----------------------------------------------------

   Rashi points out that this verse was said right after
   the 10 plagues and right after they had seen the
   Egyptians drowning. Rashi adds
   ----------------------------------------------------
   It seems reasonable that God promised NOT to bring
   on them the sicknesses that they were afraid of
   ----------------------------------------------------

   I might also point out that it is consistent with
   holocast literature that survivors (like the
   survivors of the 10 plagues) feel guilty or
   anxiety-ridden that it didnt happen to ME.

   Thus Rashi uses here the technique of OTHER VERSES.
   This technique, supported by psychology, enriches
   our understanding of the Jewish fear by showing that
   they were afraid of God and the 10 plagues.
==============================================================


RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
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Volume 10 Number 19


#*#*#*#*#  (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 10 Number 19