Proofs may be from OTHER VERSES:#11 of 20
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Nov 30, 2000 #
# Rashis 426-431 Of 7800 (5.5%) #
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NOTICE:
======
Todays unit refers to 6 Rashis. Therefore we take off tomorrow
and allow the reader two-three days to digest this unit.
Anyone serious about learning Midrash should carefully study
todays unit. It is a peach of analysis.
OVERVIEW:
========
In this module we explore Rashis that derive their
lesson from OTHER VERSES.
There are three basic techniques of Rashi in these
verses.
CROSS REFERENCES THAT CONFIRM
=============================
One basic technique of Rashi in these verses is to
>CONFIRM BIBLICAL CROSS REFERENCE<. Thus the Bible
might say >I GOD PROMISE YOU SUCH AND SUCH AS I
HAVE SAID< and Rashi will then indicate where God
has said this.
CROSS REFERENCES THAT CLARIFY
=============================
A Second basic technique of Rashi in these verses is to
>CLARIFY MEANING IN ONE VERSE BY AN OTHER VERSE<.
CROSS REFERENCES THAT DEFINE
============================
A third technique is where the Bible explicitly says
>DO PROCEDURE X THE SAME WAY I TOLD YOU TO DO PROCEDURE Y<
REFERENCES
==========
Material in this module comes from
http://www.rashiyomi.com/ov.htm
TODAYS UNIT
===========
In todays unit we bring 6 Rashis which seem to have no
foundation whatsoever in logical argument--they seem
to be traditions. But a simple OTHER VERSE justifies
6 Rashis.
As a special treat we show how the technique of OTHER
VERSES corresponds to one of the famous 13 literary
rules of Rabbi Ishamel.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
BACKGROUND
==========
There are two methods by which metallic objects can be produced:
They can be >SOLDERED< or >SCULPTORED<.
For example a >SOLDERED< Candellabrah is made by assembly-line
producing all its components and then >SOLDERING< them together
By contrast a more complicated method would be to >SCULPTOR<
the Candellabrah from one piece of metal.
JEWISH LAW
==========
Jewish Biblical law requires that initially the following objects
should be >SCUPTORED<, not >SOLDERED<:
---the Candellabrah
---the Trumpets
---the Ark Covering
The Biblical word for soldered is >HARD<. This seems to refer
to the fact that a >SOLDERED< object is >WEAKER< or >SOFTER<
at the joints. By contrast a >SCULPTORED< object is >HARDER<
at the joints.
6 RASHIS
==========
The Bible explicitly says that the Candellabrah, Trumpets
and Ark Covering should be made >HARD<. Rashi in at least
6 places interprets this word >HARD< as >SCULPTORED<
EXAMPLE 28: Nu04-02b The Candellabrah should be SOLDERED
ExAMPLE 29: Nu10-02e The Trumpets should be SOLDERED
EXAMPLE 30: Ex25-18b The Ark Covering should be SOLDERED
EXAMPLE 31: Ex25-18c The Ark Covering should be SOLDERED
EXAMPLE 32: Ex25-31a The Candellabrah should be SOLDERED
EXAMPLE 33: Ex25-31b The Candellabrah should be SOLDERED
PROOF?
======
Notice how at this point Rashi seems to us as simply reporting
a dictionary tradition: >HARD< means >SCULPTORED<. There does
not seem to be any strong clinchy proof.
The etymology presented above is clearly just an afterthought
and not a proof.
This lack of proof erroneously leads people to seek obscure
grammatical proofs which results in twisting of verses.
OTHER VERSE
===========
The technique of >OTHER VERSES< allows a short clinchy
derivation of Rashi. Thus we need not resort either to tradition
or to obscure grammatical proofs.
The >OTHER VERSE< occurs in the discussion of the Candellabrah at
Ex25-36 >The candellabrahs branches come from its body
IT IS ALL ONE HARD PIECE OF PURE GOLD<
Thus it is this >OTHER VERSE<, Ex25-36,which explicitly requires
that the Candellabrah be >SCULPTORED<. This verse also explicitly
identifies the word >HARD< with >SCULPTORED<.
In summary it is the >OTHER VERSE< Ex25-36 which teaches us that
the Candellabrah must be >SCULPTORED< and that the way to
designate >SCULPTORED< in Biblical Hebrew is to use the word
>HARD<
RABBI ISHMAEL
=============
Curiously the above analysis using >OTHER VERSES< is also an
example of the following literary principle of Rabbi Ishmael:
>If one example of a class is singled out by the Bible
as having a property then that property
applies to ALL examples of the class (unless
otherwise indicated)<
Thus in this case the word >HARD< occurs in 3 Biblical
verses. In one of these verses the word >HARD< is
identified with >SCULPTORED<. We conclude that all uses
of >HARD< with manufactured objects means >SCULPTORED<
I believe this connection with Rabbi Ishmaels rules shows
the power of the method of >OTHER VERSES<. The above
derivation is clinchy, fresh, logically tight but traditionally
deep: That is the way that all Rashis should be interpreted
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*