The 6 usages of the word >THE<:#12 of 35 ########################################################### # 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # Mar 25, 2001 # # Rashis 664-665 Of 7800 (8.5%) # # # # VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES # # ----------------------------- # # http://www.RashiYomi.Com/calendar.htm # # # # Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, # # (c) 1999-Present, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President # #Permission to reprint with this header but not for profit# # # # WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS # # # ########################################################### RULE ==== The words >THE< can be used in 4 ways --to refer to something that immediately follows eg Dt04-32c >Has anyone heard THE GREAT THING-that God saved a nation enslaved in another nation with great miracles< Thus the phrase >THE GREAT THING< refers to the verse that follows >That God saved a nation enslaved in another nation< In other words the >GREAT THING< is Gods freeing one nation from another. --to refer to a concept, story or thing mentioned ELSEWHERE (but not immediately afterwards) eg Nu13-33a >We saw there THE Nefilim< refers to the NEFILLIM nation mentined in Gn06-04 --to refer to the best known of a class eg Dt01-07e >THE Mount< -- This refers to The Kings Mountain --to refer to a qualitative best eg Dt05-18a >You will do the good and upright< -- ie compromise GOALS: ===== A person completing this module will be able to correctly identify the specific usages of >THE< in the Bible. TODAYS UNIT =========== In the next few days we bring verses where >THE< refers to >THE BEST KNOWN IN ITS CLASS< REFERENCE: ========= This module comes from the following digest in the Rashi-is-Simple series http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n14.htm http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n16.htm #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* EXAMPLES 27,28: =============== --------------------------------------------------------- In the following verses >THE< refers to the best known example of a class. We therefore re-translate these verses as meaning >THE SPECIAL ...< --------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE 27: Ex04-20a ========== Ex04-20a they traveled by THE (SPECIAL) donkey RASHI: This was a special species of donkey that was only used domestically and NEVER USED for military purposes. This is the same species of donkey that the Messiah will ride on and that Abraham rode on when he returned from Mount Moriah*6 EXAMPLE 28: Ex08-02a ========== BACKGROUND ---------- The Bible is talking about the 2nd of the 10 plagues brought on Egypt by Moses at the word of God. Ex08-02a THE (SPECIAL) Frog went up over Egypt RASHI: This was a special species of frogs known for their jumping capacity (hence this plague humiliated them much more)*7 --------------------------NOTES---------------------------- *6 Rashi literally says that >The phrase THE Donkey teaches us that this is the same donkey used by Abraham when he sacrificed Isaac and the same donkey that King Messiah will use to ride on< But it is rediculous to assume that a donkey is living several thousand years. A more palatable approach is that >THE DONKEY< refers to a special species of DONKEY known as ONLY being used for domestic purposes (some donkey species are used for both domestic and military purposes)---thus the phrase >THE DONKEY< would refer to this special species of donkeys known specifically for their domestication. Again such an approach makes the midrash appear palatable and deep. We do not in my opinion increase respect for Chazal by being literal on every midrash. TO SUMMARIZE: The Midrash is stating that the donkey used by Abraham at the sacrifice of Isaac, the donkey used by Moses when he went to free the Jews, and the donkey used by King Messiah are all DONKEYS FROM THE DONKEY SPECIAL DONKEY SPECIES KNOWN FOR THEIR DOMESTICATION ---these 3 leaders did not use military tactics. They instead achieved success thru their spirit. *7 Shame on the Malbim for doubting Rashis finesse! Rashi here is commenting on the verse >And THE FROG went up over Egypt<. As Malbim notes the word >THE< is not needed with a species. Compare the sentences >I had OXEN..< (Gn32-05) or >He took money from FIRSTBORN (but it does not say THE FIRSTBORN)< (Nu03-50). So if it says >THE FROG< in this verse it must be referring to a SPECIAL SPECIES of FROG known for its jumping and hopping capacity. This was the 2nd of the plagues that Moses brought on the Egyptians at the hand of God and the humiliation of jumping frogs would be intensified by a species known for its jumping. Malbim gets into trouble since he interprets Rashi as giving two possible meanings: (a) ONE frog came and jumped all over Egypt (b) the frog species is collectively called frog. But Rashi is saying neither. Malbim got into this trouble because he used an abstract approach. What I have contributed is the use of intuitive idioms to help clarify Rashi.(This was in fact the contribution of my article in Tradition in Winter 1980--- I introduced the idea of intuitive models) By interpreting the verse as >THE (SPECIAL) (Jumping) Frogs< we combine both meanings of Rashi and also make the 2nd plague plausible. It was not 1 frog that jumped; it was also not all frogs that jumped; it was rather the special jumping frogs that jumped and hence the >THE< in >& THE FROG came over Egypt<. Again Shame on Malbim (and anyone else) who doubts that Rashi-is-Simple. #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*