THE GOD = Judicial Process:#2 of 4 ########################################################### # 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # May 31, 2000 # # Rashis 76-77 Of 7800 (0.9%) # # # # Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, # # (c) 1999-Present, Dr. Hendel # # http://www.shamash.org/rashi # # # #Permission to reprint with this header but not for profit# # # # WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS # ########################################################### In this small module we will examine the Biblical phrase >THE ELO-HIM (Not just "ELO-HIM" but "THE ELO-HIM") which occurs several times in Tnach. Rashis' basic thesis is that >THE ELO-HIM = Judicial Process That is THE ELO-HIM refers either to God or to Human judicial process. We will break up the examples into two sets. The first set, in last issue, were >obvious examples--- where >THE ELO-HIM obviously refers to >Judicial process. The second set, which will occur in this and the next issue will be >non-obvious examples. This breaking of data sets into OBVIOUS and NON OBVIOUS examples is a hallmark of advanced data analysis. In fact the skillful use of >OBVIOUS vs NON OBVIOUS EXAMPLES is one of the hallmarks of a true Biblical scholar. #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# EXAMPLE 4:Gn06-09c ------------------ >Gn06-09c >Noach WALKED with "THE JUDGE" >RASHI >By Abraham it says >walk BEFORE me Gn24-40 >By Noach it however says >walked WITH me Gn06-09c > >What is the difference between >walked WITH vs BEFORE > >Noach was like someone who came >to synagogue now and then while Abraham >was like a congregational pastor who >devoted his life to the synagogue. > >In a nutshell: >Walked BEFORE = Total Devotion >Walked WITH = invovled with We have to explain how Rashi knew that Abraham was totally devoted to God while Noach was just so so. Of course this is obvious since Abraham was a patriarch But if we follow the interpretation that >THE JUDGE = God in his Judicial Capacity then we can simply note that >Abraham frequently >CALLED PEOPLE TO GOD ------------------------------------------------- |QUESTION 1: | |---------- | |Can you find verses showing that Abraham did | |indeed | | >Call people to God | |Can you find comparable verses by Noach? | |How many verses can you find? What tools would | |you use? (Answer below) | ------------------------------------------------- >Noach never CALLED PEOPLE TO GOD Rashi (Gn-06-09) identifies this calling to God with >rebuke for sins--recognition of God as Judge! Rashi states >Noach did not urge his generation to repent >Abraham however taught people the way of God(Gn18-19) However Noach did, for the flood, >build the ark >bring all the animals there So rashi is simple: Noach recognized Gods judgement (he walked WITH God) But he did not rebuke people (Walk BEFORE God). Example 5: Gn44-16a ------------------- Recall that after Joseph's brothers brought down Binyamin to Egypt Joseph planted some silver in their briefcases in order to frame them. When they were caught they said to Joseph >Gn44-16a >The Judge (ie God) has found our sin(of selling >Joseph)--we will now be slaves to our lord >(just as we sold him into slavery) >RASHI >The phrase >The Judge >refers to God (not to Joseph). Why did Rashi interpret >The Judge as referring to >God and not to >Joseph. There are 2 possible approaches--philosophical and grammatical.The PHILOSOPHICAL approach would cite >Gn42-21 But we feel guilty on not hearing Joseph's >screams when he pleaded with us In other words the interpretation >The JUDGE = God is consistent with the emotional milieu of Joseph's brothers By contrast the GRAMMATICAL approach emphasizes that >THE JUDGE = Judicial Process Joseph's finding planted silver in their briefcases could obviously NOT be termed Judicial a process.Rather the judicial process must refer to the brothers being JUDGED for what they did to Joseph. Indeed >They sold him into slavery and now, >they themselves are being sold-- >they avoided his screams of innocence and now >their screams of innocence are being avoided. So indeed they spoke correctly when they said >We are being Judged Truly Notice how in the end the GRAMMATICAL explanation is like a seed that flowers into the PHILOSOPHICAL explanation. For indeed their explicit statement that they felt guilty >makes sense when combined with the grammatical observation that >THE JUDGE = Judicial Process -------------------------------------------------------- ANSWERS: ------- #1: Gn12-08, Gn13-04, Gn21-33, Gn26-35 #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*