VERSE: Nu25-14a
RASHIS COVERED: Nu25-14a Nu25-14b Nu25-15a
Nu25-15b Nu25-15c Nu26-04a
======================= Nu25-14a ===============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
The METONOMY method seeks to obtain meaning
by equating a word or phrase with something RELATED.
For example --AMERICA defeated IRAQ-- really means that
--the AMERICAN PEOPLE defeated the IRAQii PEOPLE--.
It is common in POETRY to use entire phrases to indicate
something related. I call this the method of
METONOMIC PHRASES.
EXAMPLE Nu25-10:15
------------------
The paragraph Nu25-10:15 describes Pinchas's
heroism in killing someone having sex with a
non-jewess publicly. God states
----------------------------------------
Pinchas assuaged my anger on the Jewish
people by his zealous act of killing the
people sleeping. Therefore I give him
my convenant of peace
----------------------------------------
Several other verses are stated in this
chapter. In each verse we use the METONOMY
method (meaning by relation) to indicate
the contextual point of the verse
EXAMPLE 1 Nu25-14
------------------
Nu25-14 states
---------------------------
The name of the man having
public sex ZIMRI a TOP
PRINCE of the tribe of SHIMON
---------------------------
Rashi states
---------------------------
The contextual point is that
Pinchas was not afraid to start
up with a tribal head. In fact
ZIMRI was one of the five top
tribal chieftains
---------------------------
EXAMPLE 2,3 Nu25-15
-----------------------------
Nu25-15 states
----------------------------
The name of the women killed
was CAZBI-TZUR who was one
the head of the MIDYAN tribes
----------------------------
Rashi states
-----------------------------
The contextual point is twofold
A) Pinchas was not afraid of a
Midyanite princess He killed her
B) It shows how evil the Midyanites
were that they used the daughters
of leaders for the seduction(In fact
as Rashi shows some leaders disapproved
and CAZBI's family went down in power)
------------------------------
In each case Rashi shows that the
meaning of the verse is not what it says
--------------------------------
- that the person killed was from Shimon
--------------------------------
but rather has meaning by relation
(metonomy) to the main point of the
paragraph
--------------------------------
- the person killed was important
--------------------------------
See LIST871O for a list of METONOMIC POETIC PHRASES
See LIST210x for a list of verses with meaning
clarified by an OTHER VERSE.
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
A powerful but simple Rashi method is the CITATION or CROSS-
REFERENCING of an OTHER VERSE for the purpose of adding
FURTHER DETAILS to a verse we are studying. We call this
the Rashi METHOD of OTHER VERSES and the Rashi submethod
of FURTHER DETAILS
EXAMPLE 1 Nu25-15b illumined by Nu31-08
---------------------------------------
Nu25-15 states
------------------------------------
The stricken women was Kozbi daughter
of TZUR, the HEAD of Midyan family's
------------------------------------
Rashi clarifies the meaning of HEAD of
a MidYan family thru an OTHER VERSE
Nu31-08
------------------------------------
They killed the 5 heads of Midyan:
Evi, Rekem, Tzur, Chur, Reva...
------------------------------------
EXAMPLE 2 Nu21-15c illumined Gn25-04
------------------------------------
Nu21-15 states
------------------------------------
The stricken women was Kozbi daughter
of TZUR, a head of a MIDYAN FAMILY
------------------------------------
Rashi clarifies the meaning of MIDYAN
FAMILY thru an OTHER VERSE Gn25-04
------------------------------------
The children (Families) of Midyan are
1) Ayfah
2) Ayfer
3) Chanoch
4) Avidah
5) Elda'ah
------------------------------------
Thus we see confirmed that there are FIVE
Midiyanite families
LIST210x presents many examples of verses illumined by
other verses
EXAMPLE 3: Nu26-04a cites Nu30-13
---------------------------------
Nu26-04 states
------------------------------------------
The census was on adults from 20 years and
upward as God commanded Moses and the Jews
who left Egypt
------------------------------------------
Rashi points out that Nu26-04 cites
or cross references Ex30-13 which states
------------------------------------------
God commanded the Jews....perform a census
...all above 20 will participate
------------------------------------------
LIST270a contains verses citing other verses
==================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS 8 METHODS OF NAMING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST871O
List of verses with Metonomic Phrases(Poetic Hinting)
---------------------- ---------------------------------------
RASHI RULE CLASS OTHER VERSES
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS FURTHER DETAILS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #1
SEE BELOW LIST210x
List of verses pairs with one verse illuminating another
---------------------- ---------------------------------------
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS CITATIONS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #3
SEE BELOW LIST270a
List of verse pairs with one verse citing the other
==================================================================
======================= LIST871O =================================
List of verses with Metonomic Phrases(Poetic Hinting)
==================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE RELATED TO INDICATES
======== =========================== =============== =============
Nu25-14b Pinchs killed SHIMON PRINCE Leadership*3 Importance*3
Nu25-15a Pinchs kills MIDYAN PRINCSS LEADERSHIP Importance
Nu13-17a they went to SOUTH/CHEVRON burial place poor land*2
Gn49-11c wash clothes in wine wine abundance BLESSING
Lv26-26c 10 women cook in one stove wood drought CURSE
Lv26-10a consume very old grain well preserved BLESSING
Lv26-10b remove old grain for new grain abundance BLESSING
Gn49-12b white teeth from milk abundance BLESSING
Nu11-31c Meat was 2 CUBITS HIGH ARMS REACH Accessible*1
NOTES
-----
*1 Meat could just be grabbed without bending down or exertion
A punchy description of obese people who want to grab meat
without doing any work or exercise.
*2 It is common in commerce to show the poor goods first (to
try and get a good bid from the buyer...then you show him
the really good material)
*3 We suggest that Rashis Nu25-14a and Nu25-14b form one long
Rashi in which two comments are made---the last one is
the point we have cited above about metonomy. The two
Rashis together would read
----------------------------------------------------
Point 1) The Biblical text mentions the tribe of
Shimon since Shimon murdered a whole city and therefore
his descendants misbehaved;
A 2nd Point) They mention the PRINCE OF SHIMON to
show how fearless PINCHAS was, that without hesitation
he killed a leader [In other words the verse statement
HE KILLED A SHIMONI LEADER really means in context
PINCHAS WAS BRAVE IN KILLING OFFENDERS EVEN THOUGH
THEY WERE LEADERS
-----------------------------------------------------
==================================================================
=================== LIST210x ====================================
List of verses pairs with one verse illuminating another
LIST210x CONTINUES LIST210a LIST210z LIST210y
=================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE OTHER VRSE DETAILS
======== ======================== ========== ====================
Nu21-15b TZUR=Midyan family HEAD Nu31-08 1 of 5 main leaders
Nu21-15c TZUR=MIDYAN FAMILY head Gn25-04 5 main Midyan tribes
Nu21-24a BRAZEN is border of Amon Dt02-19 PROTECTED BY PROPHCY
Nu20-16b God sent ANGEL to redeem Ex23-20 ANGEL=MOSES
Nu14-25a journey away from here Nu14-42:45 Amalyk will defeat u
Nu12-08c See GODS PICTURE Ex33-23 See God-s back
Nu12-12b Don-t make us LIKE DEAD Lv13-45:46 LIKE LEPOR*1
Nu02-02c OPPOSITE the Temple Jo03-04 2000 Cubits
Lv27-10a GOOD:BAD sacrifice Lv22-18:20 BAD=BLEMISHED
Gn45-18a I-ll give BEST OF LAND Gn47-11 BEST OF LAND=Ramsyth
NOTES
-----
*1 Unlike other cases of ritual impurity the Lepor is
- ostracized from all his friends
- must declare himself impure and separate himself
Hence he is like someone dead (that is like a dead body
he is REPULSIVE)*10
--------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------------
*10 Rashi gives an alternate argument
-----------------------------------------------------
Both the LEPOR and DEAD transmit a status of ritual
impurity to a person who merely walks into the same
room with them
-----------------------------------------------------
However we would summarize this Rashi argument as follows
---------------------------------------------------------
Both the LEPOR and DEAD are considered REPULSIVE. Hence
- merely being in the same room with them confers impurity
- People AVOID both the LEPOR and DEAD BODY
---------------------------------------------------------
Such an approach to Rashi is deeper and more satisfying
and sheds light on the analogy.
==============================================================
========================== LIST270a ============================
List of verse pairs with one verse citing the other
================================================================
VERSE-1 TEXT OF VERSE VERSE-2 CITATION
======== ========================= ======= =====================
Nu26-04c God said:Census on 20+ Ex30-13 Census on 20+ yr olds
Lv09-15b NATION Sin sac like his Lv09-08 Priest sin sac
Lv05-10a BIRD GUILT like BIRD UP Lv01-14 BIRD UP OFFERING
Nu14-28c They-ll die as THEY SAID Nu14-02 better to die here
Dt05-12b Observe the Sabbah*3 Ex16-23 Dont cook on Sabbath
Dt05-16a Honor ones parents*3 Ex15-25 Moses gave laws*3
Lv09-15a Make NATION sin offering Lv09-08 like that of PRIEST*2
Ex06-04b Promise to give Israel Gn17-08 I will give Israel
Ex08-11b Pharoh no listen to signs Ex07-03 Pharoh wont listen
Ex08-15b Pharoh no listen to signs Ex07-03 Pharoh wont listen
Ex12-25b God brings you to Israel Ex06-08 God will give Israel
Ex13-11b God brings us to Israel Ex06-08 God will give Israel
Ex14-12a Jews prefer Egypt Ex05-21 Dont ask Pharoh
Dt15-06a Blessed if observe law Dt28-03 You will be blessed*1
NOTES
-----
*1 The preceding chapter and paragraphs speak about the
requirement to observe the law
*2 The actual verse Lv09-15 states
-------------------------------------------
Make the nation sin offering LIKE THE FIRST
-------------------------------------------
By referring to Lv09-08 we learn that the phrase
LIKE THE FIRST means LIKE THE FIRST SIN OFFERING --
THE ONE OFFERED FOR THE PRIEST (Since there were
2 sin offerings--one for the PRIEST and one for
the NATION)
*3 Here is a more complete story
------------------------------------------------------
- Dt05-12b states Observe Sabbath AS GOD COMMANDED YOU
- Ex16-23 states THIS IS WHAT GOD HAD SAID:Dont cook
on Sabbath
------------------------------------------------------
So both verses seem to be referring to something else
An investigation shows that Ex12, Ex16-23 and Ex15-25:26
are the only times that the Jews received commandments
prior to the decalogue. But Ex12 specifically refers to
Passover commandments. Thus it seems reasonable that
the cryptic reference AS GOD COMMANDED YOU in Dt05-12b
is CITING Ex15-25:26 where God gave GENERAL COMMANDMENTS
A similar argument would support the conjecture that
- Dt05-16a HONOR YOUR PARENTS AS GOD COMMANDED YOU
cites Ex15-25:26
================================================================
Volume 26 Number 16