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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
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I (God) will also bring on you all the SICKNESSES of
Egypt that you were AFRAID(Gayr) of
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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
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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