The 6 usages of the word >THE<:#3 of 35 ########################################################### # 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # Mar 14, 2001 # # Rashis 643-644 Of 7800 (8.3%) # # # # 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 word >THE< can be used in 4 ways --to refer to something that immediately follows eg Dt04-32c >Has anyone heard THIS GREAT THING-that God saved a nation enslaved in another nation with great miracles< Thus the phrase >THIS 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 unit we bring verses where >THE< refers to a concept mentioned in some >OTHER VERSE< The most straightforward example is the reference in Nu28-06a that speaks about the >HOLIDAY OF BIKURIM< A simple search shows that >BIKURIM< occurs by the Holidays in Lv23-17 where it refers to the holiday of Shavuoth. Hencewe interpret >THE HOLIDAY OF BIKURIM< in Nu28-06a to refer to SHAVUOTH. REFERENCE: ========= This module comes from the following digest in the Rashi-is-Simple series http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h9n14.htm #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* EXAMPLES 6-7: ============ --------------------------------------------------------- In the following verses >THE< refers to a known concept that is mentioned elsewhere --------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE 6: Nu13-33a THE Nefilim*1 ========== This refers to the identical phrase in Gn06-04 where it refers to >Sons of Prophets< EXAMPLE 7: Nu04-13a THE Altar ========= This refers to the identical phrase in Ex27-01 where it refers to the >Copper Altar<*2 -------------------------NOTES-------------------------------- *1 This footnote shows how Rashi used Agaddic material The simple meaning of the text is that the word >THE NEFILLIM< refers to >THE NEFILLIM< mentioned in Gn06-04. Furthermore, the >NEFILLIM< in Gn06-04 are described as a gang of people that came from judges grabbing women. But the Hebrew word for JUDGES used there is E-L-O-H-I-M. So it seems reasonable to interpret this word as referring to prophecy. It then seems reasonable to interpret the verse that >THE STUDENTS OF PROPHETS HAD FAILED IN THEIR SPIRITUAL GOALS AND WERE NOW INSTEAD TAKING WOMEN< The Legend expresses this metaphorically >The NEFILLIM refers to the angels AZAZEL etc that FELL FROM HEAVEN< This is simply a metaphor. >ANGELS< means >PROPHETS< >FELL FROM HEAVEN< means >FALLEN FROM THE PROPHETIC PATH< >AZAZEL< literally means >HELL< a fitting name for such people. Thus NEFILIM refers to people who defected from prophecy (Cf the example of the Saul who later sought advice from witches). Thus although the Rashi is a bit fantastic nevertheless Rashi is based on a solid simple meaning; and when the legend is properly interpreted it seems reasonable. To sum up Rashi has two components ---a simple component--that THE NEFILLIM references Gn06-04 ---a reasonable supplement--that these NEFILLIM were defected prophets A person who doesnt fully believe the reasonable component should instead focus on the simple component. In my TRADITION article (Winter 1980) I call this the principle of STAGES. *2 There are 2 altars--the copper altar and the gold altar The copper altar is referred to as >THE ALTAR< while the gold altar is not so referred. Hence Rashi cleverly interprets the verse as referring to the COPPER ALTAR. (Cf Ex27-01 vs Ex30-01--notice how it is the COPPER ALTAR that has the word >THE< while the Gold altar does not have THE! So Rashi bases himself on GRAMMAR not on LOGIC As the Rav (Soloveitchick) has said >When learning Chumash it is best to avoid the stormy waters of philosophy and stick to the placid waters of grammar< #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*