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The 10 RashiYomi Rules Volume 14, Number 17 The goal of this Weekly Rashi Digest is to use the weekly Torah portion to expose students at all levels to the ten major methods of commentary used by Rashi. It is hoped that continual weekly exposure to these ten major methods will enable students of all levels to acquire a familiarity and facility with the major exegetical methods. NEW:
I have
received many requests
for original textual material of both the biblical text and the
Rashi text. I have brought four sources for each Rashi. These sources are courtesy of chabad.org which in
turn acquired these sources from the “The Judaica Press Complete Tanach” at JudaicaPress.com. Please email me
(RJHendel@Juno.Com)
if you like (or dislike) this new feature.
HEBREW
VERSE: כה. וְכִפֶּר
הַכֹּהֵן
עַל כָּל
עֲדַת
בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
וְנִסְלַח
לָהֶם כִּי
שְׁגָגָה הִוא
וְהֵם
הֵבִיאוּ
אֶת
קָרְבָּנָם
אִשֶּׁה
לַי־הֹוָ־ה
וְחַטָּאתָם
לִפְנֵי
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
עַל
שִׁגְגָתָם:: ENGLISH VERSE: 25. The kohen shall atone on behalf of the entire congregation of
the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven
them, for it was an error, and they have brought their offering as a fire
offering to the Lord and their sin offering before the Lord because of their
error. HEBREW
RASHI: הביאו
את קרבנם אשה
לה': זה
האמור בפרשה
הוא פר העולה
שנאמר אשה לה': ENGLISH
RASHI: and they
have brought their offering as a fire-offering to the Lord: This
refers to [the offering] stated in the passage [in verse 24], namely the bull
[which is brought as a] burnt offering, as it says [here], “a
fire-offering to the Lord.” - [Sifrei Shelach 37] Verse Nu15-25a discussing the communal sin offering for negligent idolatrous worship states And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance; and they have brought their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance; Rashi clarifies the underlined words offering...sin offering by referencing verse(s) Nu15-24, also discussing the communal sin offering for negligent idolatrous worship which states Then it shall be, if anything is committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for an up offering, for a sweet savor to the Lord, with its meal offering, and its drink offering, according to the prescribed ordinance, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. Hence the Rashi comment: The offering and sin offering mentioned in Nu15-25 refer to the ox up offering and goat sin offering mentioned in Nu15-24.
Advanced Rashi:
Note especially that Nu15-24 refers to the up offering
while Nu15-25 simply refers to the offering. Frequently when
using the reference method subtle nuances like the above emerge.
HEBREW
VERSE: לח. דַּבֵּר
אֶל בְּנֵי
יִשְׂרָאֵל
וְאָמַרְתָּ
אֲלֵהֶם
וְעָשׂוּ
לָהֶם
צִיצִת עַל
כַּנְפֵי
בִגְדֵיהֶם
לְדֹרֹתָם
וְנָתְנוּ
עַל צִיצִת
הַכָּנָף
פְּתִיל
תְּכֵלֶת: ENGLISH VERSE: 38. Speak
to the children of Israel and you shall say to them that they shall make for
themselves fringes on the corners of their garments, throughout their
generations, and they shall affix a thread of sky blue [wool] on the fringe
of each corner. HEBREW
RASHI: תכלת: צבע ירוק
של חלזון: ENGLISH
RASHI: blue: The
green-blue dye obtained from the chillazon [See Aruch Hashalem under חִלָּזוֹן,
Yehudah Feliks, Nature
& Man in the Bible (New York: Soncino Press,
1981, pp. 18-20]. Rashi would sometimes derive the meaning of a word from the meaning of its underlying Biblical root. In applying this method Rashi would use all available grammatical methods to study the meanings of related roots. The next paragraph presents one such rule. There are 1900 Biblical roots. Of these 1900 roots about half involve X-Vav-Y X-Y-Y X-Y-Hey pairs. These roots (with one root letter weak) often, but not always, have related meanings. Consequently, very often, but not always. one can infer the meaning of a X-Y-Y root from the related X-Y-Hey or X-Vav-Y root. Rashi believed in two grammatical systems. He believed in the traditional tri-literial (3-letter) root methods used to conjugate verbs and taught in all elementary schools. Besides the conjugational root system Rashi also believed in a semantic root system. This is a separate system that enables derivation of root meaning from other roots. When
dealing with the word Tauv-Caph-Lamed-Tauv, Techelet we see
As can be seen the principle of Tauv
as meaning sign, example, resemblance can have some vagueness and
subjectivity associated with it. Rashi's comment follows from the above: Tauv-Caph-Lamed-Tauv:Techeleth means sky-blue, a resemblance of the end of the day. Here the Tauv indicates resemblance while Caph-Lamed means end, completion. In
deriving this etymology we don't mean to take sides
on all the controversies that exist on the exact meaning of Techeleth. The basic meaning is that Techelet refers to a sky-blue.
I have brought these controversies to show how an underlying Rashi method, meaning of a root and prefix letter, while shedding light on a word can still allow for controversies and differences of opinion. Advanced Rashi:
We have ignored the double Tauv of Techeleth, which has both a prefix and
suffix tauv. Perhaps some advanced
study can shed more light on the above.
These Rashi comments involve 2 Rashi
rules. The reader can read each rule separately, or, read in the following
sequence: Rule #3, and
Rule #5. By viewing the Rashi's from
many perspectives we obtain a more wholistic view. HEBREW
VERSE: כב. וְכִי
תִשְׁגּוּ
וְלֹא
תַעֲשׂוּ
אֵת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת
הָאֵלֶּה
אֲשֶׁר
דִּבֶּר
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
אֶל מֹשֶׁה: ENGLISH VERSE: 22. And if you should err and not fulfill all
these commandments, which the Lord spoke to Moses. HEBREW
RASHI: וכי
תשגו וגו': בעבודה זרה
הכתוב מדבר,
או אינו אלא
באחת מכל המצות,
תלמוד לומר
את כל המצות
האלה, מצוה
אחת שהיא ככל
המצות, מה
העובר על כל
המצות פורק
עול ומפר
ברית ומגלה
פנים, אף מצוה
זו פורק בה עול
ומפר ברית
ומגלה פנים
ואיזו, זו
עבודה זרה: ENGLISH
RASHI: If you err: Scripture
speaks of idolatry, or perhaps only to one of the other commandments?
Scripture therefore states, “all of these commandments.” One commandment which is equivalent to all the commandments.
Just as someone who transgresses all the commandments, casts off the yoke [of
the Torah], violates the covenant, and acts brazenly [toward the Torah], so
one who transgresses this commandment, casts off the yoke, violates the
covenant, and acts brazenly. Which [one] is this? This is idolatry. - [Sifrei Shelach 33] Two familiar functions of grammar in all languages are pronoun reference and plurality. To
appreciate the Rashi comment note the shifting plural
and singular in verses Nu14-22:25 And if you have erred, and
not observed
We see contradictory indications - the sin is simultaneously plural and singular. We have laid the grammatical foundation for this contradiction here in the grammar rule. We will resolve the contradiction below in rule #5. In rule #4 we will further support the contradiction by comparing to other sin offerings. Rashi's basic
approach is that we are talking about a sin offering for one
commandment that is akin to all commandments: that is, the sin of
idolatry.
HEBREW
VERSE: מא. אֲנִי
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
אֲשֶׁר
הוֹצֵאתִי
אֶתְכֶם
מֵאֶרֶץ
מִצְרַיִם
לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם
לֵאלֹהִים
אֲנִי
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: ENGLISH VERSE: 41. I am
the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I
am the Lord, your God. HEBREW
RASHI: אני ה'
אלהיכם: עוד למה
נאמר, כדי שלא
יאמרו ישראל
מפני מה אמר
המקום, לא
שנעשה ונטול
שכר, אנו לא
עושים ולא נוטלים
שכר, על כרחכם
אני מלככם.
וכן הוא אומר (יחזקאל
כ, לג) אם לא ביד
חזקה וגו'
אמלוך עליכם.
דבר אחר למה
נאמר יציאת
מצרים, אני
הוא שהבחנתי
במצרים בין
טפה של בכור
לשאינה של
בכור, אני הוא
עתיד להבחין
ולהפרע מן התולה
קלא אילן
בבגדו ואומר
תכלת הוא.
ומיסודו של
רבי משה
הדרשן
העתקתי למה
נסמכה פרשת
מקושש לפרשת
עבודה זרה,
לומר שהמחלל
את השבת
כעובד עבודה
זרה, שאף היא
שקולה ככל
המצות, וכן
הוא אומר
בעזרא (נחמי' ט,
יג - טו) ועל הר סיני
ירדת ותתן
לעמך תורה
ומצות ואת
שבת קדשך הודעת
להם, ואף פרשת
ציצית לכך
נסמכה לאלו
לפי שאף היא
שקולה כנגד
כל המצות,
שנאמר
ועשיתם את כל
מצותי: ENGLISH RASHI: I am the Lord, your God: Why is this repeated? So that the Israelites should not say,
“Why did the Omnipresent say this? Was it not so that we should perform
[the commandments] and receive reward? We will not perform [them] and not
receive reward!” [Therefore, God says,] “I am your King, even
against your will.” Similarly, it says, “[As I live, says the
Lord God,] surely with a strong hand…will I reign over you”
(Ezek. 20:33). Another interpretation: Why is the exodus
from Egypt mentioned? It was I who distinguished between the drop [of
sperm] of a firstborn and of that which was not of a firstborn. So in future
will I distinguish and punish those who attach indigo-dyed [fringes, which is
extracted from a vegetable] to their garments, claiming that it is sky-blue
[dye extracted from the chillazon]. - [B.M. 61b]
From the commentary of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher] I transcribed [the following:] Why is the
passage of the wood gatherer juxtaposed with the passage addressing idolatry?
To inform [you] that one who desecrates the Sabbath is regarded as one who
worships idols, for it [namely the Sabbath] too [just like the prohibition
against idolatry] is as important as [the sum of] all the commandments. So
Scripture says in Ezra (Neh. 9:13-14, which is strictly part of Ezra. See Rashi on Neh. 1:1), “You descended upon Mount
Sinai… and you gave Your people the Law and the commandments (sic). And
Your holy Sabbath You made known to them.” Likewise, the passage of
fringes; why is it juxtaposed with these two [passages]? Since it too is
equally important as [the sum of] all the commandments, as it states,
“and perform all My commandments.” The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Nu15-41b. Both verses/verselets discuss God as he runs the world. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that: (A) I am the God who took you out of Egypt and can redeem you from future problems. (B) I am the God who punishes you and other nations when they misbehave.
Advanced Rashi: We can clearly see the aligned underlined phrases, I am the Lord your God. The first aligned passage explicitly states ...who took you out of Egypt. But what justifies our interpreting the second aligned passage ...who leaves you in Egypt-like tyrannies when you don't observe the commandments. This is not stated in the text! To properly understand this we must understand the universal literary phenomenon of ellipsis, statements implied but not explicitly stated. Rashi used ellipsis. For example, Ex22-22 states don't abuse any widow or orphan If you dare abuse them.... Rashi explains The phrase If you dare abuse them is an ellipsis. It doesn't say what will happen if you abuse them but it is implicitly understood: If you dare abuse them you will be heavily punished. Gangsters frequently used such elliptical threats since they induce fear. I think a similar approach of ellipsis applies to the verse we are studying in Nu15-41: It is implicit that the second I am the Lord your God is a threat and threats are better communicated elliptically. The justification for interpreting the ellipsis in this manner is the contrast implied by the two aligned phrases. I am indebted to Dr. Aviva Zornberg's new book, The Murmuring Deep: Reflections
of the Biblical Unconscious, for inspiring the understanding of this Rashi. I was at the launching of this book at Pardes in June a few weeks ago. There professor David Shulman used Indian philosophy to describe Aviva's book
as studying silence. The book describes several types of silences and
the communications implicit in them. Aviva picked up this theme in her own
talk on her book. Using Kabbalistic terminology she
distinguished between voice and words Frequently
the Biblical text will give voice without words and it is important to
understand the implied content. You can google the
book title to find reviews or purchase it. I believe the ellipsis I am the
Lord your God is an elliptical silence indicating punishment, a wordless
voice which effectively communicates.
These Rashi comments involve 2 Rashi
rules. The reader can read each rule separately, or, read in the following
sequence: Rule #3 and Rule #5. By viewing the Rashi's
from many perspectives we obtain a more wholistic view. HEBREW
VERSE: כב. וְכִי
תִשְׁגּוּ
וְלֹא
תַעֲשׂוּ
אֵת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת
הָאֵלֶּה
אֲשֶׁר
דִּבֶּר
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
אֶל מֹשֶׁה: ENGLISH VERSE: 22. And if you should err and not fulfill all
these commandments, which the Lord spoke to Moses. HEBREW
RASHI: וכי
תשגו וגו': בעבודה זרה
הכתוב מדבר,
או אינו אלא
באחת מכל המצות,
תלמוד לומר
את כל המצות
האלה, מצוה
אחת שהיא ככל
המצות, מה
העובר על כל
המצות פורק
עול ומפר
ברית ומגלה
פנים, אף מצוה
זו פורק בה עול
ומפר ברית
ומגלה פנים
ואיזו, זו
עבודה זרה: ENGLISH
RASHI: If you err: Scripture
speaks of idolatry, or perhaps only to one of the other commandments?
Scripture therefore states, “all of these commandments.” One commandment which is equivalent to all the commandments.
Just as someone who transgresses all the commandments, casts off the yoke [of
the Torah], violates the covenant, and acts brazenly [toward the Torah], so
one who transgresses this commandment, casts off the yoke, violates the
covenant, and acts brazenly. Which [one] is this? This is idolatry. - [Sifrei Shelach 33] The table below presents two contradictory verses. Both verses talk about the number of sins required for the sin offering discussed in Nu14-22:27 The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says all commandments have been violated while the other verse says this sin, if it was done inadvertently. Which is it? Is the Nu sin offering brought because of violation of one sin or many sins. Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Aspects method. method: The sin offering described in Nu14-22:27 is idolatry. Numerically idolatry is a single sin. But impact-wise idolatry is a denial of all commandments, of the entire religion.
HEBREW
VERSE: ב. דַּבֵּר
אֶל בְּנֵי
יִשְׂרָאֵל
וְאָמַרְתָּ
אֲלֵהֶם
כִּי
תָבֹאוּ אֶל
אֶרֶץ
מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם
אֲשֶׁר
אֲנִי נֹתֵן
לָכֶם: ENGLISH VERSE: 2. Speak
to the children of Israel and say to them: When you arrive in the Land of
your dwelling place, which I am giving you, HEBREW
RASHI: כי
תבאו: בשר
להם שיכנסו
לארץ: ENGLISH RASHI: When you arrive: He
informed them that they would enter the Land.) The
Formatting rule includes the methods of writing consecutive paragraph
or sentences. Just as a paragraph is a collection of sentences unified by a
topic sentence and developed by supporting sentences, so too, a chapter very
often has a theme that is developed by a skillfully sequenced set of
paragraphs. Rashi new of 3 methods of writing consecutive
paragraphs
The
above three principles indicate methods for paragraph development into
chapters as well as methods for sentence development into paragraphs. We formerly classified methods of paragraph and chapter development under the grammar rule. However we think it more proper to devote the grammar rule to the relation between meaning and form, for example how verb conjugational forms indicates meaning. As indicated in the opening boxed in table to this section, the formatting rule governs use of sequence to indicate climax and paragraph sequencing. Rashi
on Nu15-02a explains the sequenceing of
three paragraphs:
Rashi's comment
on this is obvious: The people were just told
that they tested God 10 times and therefore they would not come into the land
but their children would. The doubts on this are clear. Perhaps their
children would also sin. Perhaps the sight of war would temp their children
to rebel. God therefore emphasized in the next paragraph When you come to
the land.... Here Rashi uses the contrast
method of paragraph development: You will not come but your
children will come to Israel and that is a promise.
HEBREW
VERSE: כב. וְכִי
תִשְׁגּוּ
וְלֹא
תַעֲשׂוּ
אֵת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת
הָאֵלֶּה
אֲשֶׁר
דִּבֶּר
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
אֶל מֹשֶׁה: ENGLISH VERSE: 22. And if you should err and not fulfill all
these commandments, which the Lord spoke to Moses. HEBREW
RASHI: וכי
תשגו ולא
תעשו: עבודה
זרה היתה
בכלל כל
המצות
שהצבור
מביאין עליהן
פר, והרי
הכתוב
מוציאה כאן
מכללן לידון בפר
לעולה ושעיר
לחטאת: ENGLISH RASHI: And if
you should err and not fulfill: Idolatry was included in
“all the commandments” (Lev. 4:13) for which the community brings
a bull [as a sin-offering], but here Scripture removes it from that category
to apply to it the law of a bull for a burnt offering and a he-goat for a
sin-offering. - [Sifrei Shelach
22] Today we ask the database query: What communal sin offerings are connected with an Ox The query uncovers 5 examples. An examination of these examples justifies the Rashi assertion that Only the Idolatry sin offering uses an ox for an up offering. The table below presents results of the query along with illustrations of Rashi's comment.
Advanced Rashi: The offerings brought on occasions of sin sometimes involve both sin and up offerings. As can be seen, and as Rashi / Sifra /Sifray state: Among communal sin offerings the idolatry sin offering is the only occasion when the ox is used for an up offering. In the other sin offerings the ox is used for the sin offering. We however have expanded the database inquiry to include all communal offerings involving a sin offering. The slight expansion includes a) the Omer offering and b) the Temple consecration offerings. These offerings while not primarily sin offerings do involve sin offerings. The broader class allows a more thorough analysis. In fact three offerings - idolatry sin offering, Temple consecration offerings, omer offering - involve an ox for an up offering and a goat for a sin offering. These three offerings deal with Jewish leadership in the world: a) Judaism introduced the idea of lack of idolatry, b) the Prince offerings were brought at the dedication of the Temple which was a beacon of light for the whole world, c) the Omer offering, connected with the celebration of the Exodus and the receipt of the Torah also indicates Jewish leadership. But then the symbolism of the offerings is clear: By way of background the animal brought for a sin offering symbolizes how sin is to be avoided. The animal brought for an up offering indicates how are strivings to go up to God should be focused. We can therefore make the following distinctions. For ordinary communal sin offerings, the way the community rectifies its sin is to behave like an ox - that is, it must focus its energies on ploughing God's nation of people and caring for the community. A different analysis applies to sin offerings connected with Jewish leadership among world nations. When leading the world, the Jews must help God (up offering) to plough the human fields producing new national produce; The Jews must resist againt the sin of defection with goat-like tenacity to all tempatations to defect to other religions. Here is still another perspective. The sin offerings - communal negligence and Yom Kippur - deal with passion sins. Hence the sin offering is an ox symbolizing that greater attention to the community must be given. By contrast the world-leadership offerings - the Omer-exodus offering, the Temple consecration offering and the idolatry offering - deal with social imitation sins. They require, to avoid sin, resisting the temptation to follow and imitate non-Jewish values. Notice how Rashi,
Sifra, Sifray, dealt with
one problem while we have broadened it and obtained a slightly broader
perspective. This is typical to the approach that should be
used when dealing with the database methods.
HEBREW
VERSE: כא. וַיַּעֲלוּ
וַיָּתֻרוּ
אֶת הָאָרֶץ
מִמִּדְבַּר
צִן עַד
רְחֹב לְבֹא
חֲמָת: ENGLISH VERSE: 21. So they went up and explored the land,
from the desert of Zin until Rehov,
at the entrance to Hamath. HEBREW
RASHI: ממדבר
צן עד רחב לבא
חמת: הלכו
בגבוליה
באורך
וברוחב כמין
גאם, הלכו רוח
גבול דרומית
ממקצוע מזרח
עד מקצוע מערב,
כמו שצוה משה
עלו זה בנגב,
דרך גבול
דרומית
מזרחית עד
הים, שהים הוא
גבול מערבי.
ומשם חזרו
והלכו כל
גבול מערבי
על שפת הים עד
לבא חמת, שהוא
אצל הר ההר
במקצוע
מערבית
צפונית, כמו
שמפורש
בגבולות
הארץ בפרשת
אלה מסעי: ENGLISH RASHI: from the
desert of Zin until Rehov
at the entrance to Hamath: They
walked along the length and width of its borders, [so that their path looked]
like a [Greek] gamma. They walked along the side which
was the southern border, from the eastern corner to the western corner, as
Moses had directed them: “Go up this way in the south”-by way of
the southeastern border until the sea, for the sea was its western border.
From there they turned and walked along the entire western border, which is
the coast, until the entrance to Hamath, which is
near Mount Hor, in the northwestern corner, as is
described in the borders of the Land in the portion [beginning with the
words,] “These are the travels” (34:6). Verse Nu13-17 describing Moses instructions to the spies states: And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them: 'Get you up here into the South, and go up to the Mount; Verse Nu13-21 describing the actual journey of the spies states that they went up, and spied out the land from the TZin desert unto Rehob, at the entrance to Hamath. Rashi
comments:
The diagram below illustrates this diagrmatic Rashi as well as supply scriptural references for the various underlined places mentioned in the above two verses describing their journey. |NW Mount Mount, Chamath (Nu34-07:08) ^ | | ^ | | | ^ START -------<---------------<-----------<------------- SW Mediterranean (Nu34-05) SE Tzin Desert (Nu34-03)
HEBREW VERSE: מא.
אֲנִי
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
אֲשֶׁר
הוֹצֵאתִי
אֶתְכֶם
מֵאֶרֶץ
מִצְרַיִם
לִהְיוֹת
לָכֶם
לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי
יְ־הֹוָ־ה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: ENGLISH VERSE: 41. I am the Lord, your God, Who took you
out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord, your God. HEBREW RASHI: על כנפי
בגדיהם: כנגד
(שמות יט, ד)
ואשא אתכם על
כנפי נשרים. על
ארבע כנפות
ולא בעלת שלש
ולא בעלת חמש,
כנגד ארבע
לשונות של
גאולה שנאמר
במצרים (שמות
ו, ו - ז) והוצאתי
והצלתי
וגאלתי
ולקחתי: ENGLISH
RASHI: on
the corners of their garments: Corresponding to [the verse said in connection with the exodus
from Egypt]“I carried you on the wings (כַּנְפֵי) of eagles”
(Exod. 19:4). On the four corners, but not on a garment of
three or five [corners]. [This] corresponds to the four expressions of
redemption that were said in Egypt:“I will
take you out…I will save you…I will redeem you…I will take
you” (Exod. 6:6-7). - [Mid. Aggadah] The commandment of tzitzith is discussed in both Nu15-38-41 and Dt22-12 The Bible clearly states that the reason for wearing Tziztzith is that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord... I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt We are however told that this requirement of remembering God's commandments only applies to four corner garments which you wear. Rashi
explains the symbolism of four corner garments. The Bible explicitly connects Tzitzith
with our obligation to observe commandments because of the Exodus. But the Exodus is identified has having four stages - Ex06-06:07. The message is that we have a specific requirement
of remembering God's commandments in each of these 4 stages of life:
Conclusion This week's parshah does not contain examples of the Rashi style methods. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com for further details and examples. |
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