Rabbi Ishmael Example Method:#18 of 36
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# Aug 27, 2000 #
# Rashis 230-232 Of 7800 (2.9%) #
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For those who are interested the Rashi Website has free
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(I plan to create a similar download for this RashiYomi
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REFERENCE:
----------
Todays unit is extracted from Rashi is SImple volume 3
Number 17. To see the whole issue visit
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h3n17.htm
The URL given yesterday (Volume 5 Number 17 was incorrect--
the correct URL is Volume 3 Number 17)
THIS MODULE
-----------
This module deals with the principle of CLIMAX. We review
Rashis on verses where the motivating interpretive force of
Rashi is the climactic development of verses.
WHAT IS THE RULE OF CLIMAX
--------------------------
a) 3 or more consecutive similar phrases **should**
be interpreted as developing CLIMACTICALLY. 1st step one,
then step 2, then step 3 etc
EXAMPLE: The verse Dt19-11 describes murder using 4 phrases
--------
--When a person HATES somebody
--and he STALKS him
--and CONFRONTS him
--and HITS HIM LETHALLY so that he dies.
We **could** interpret this to mean "When someone murders
someone". But because of the principle of CLIMAX we interpret
the 4 phrases as CLIMACTICALLY leading to MURDER. Murder
happens in 4 stages
a) EMOTIONAL: You HATE the person
b) OBSERVATIONAL: You OBSERVE the person CONSTANTLY(obsession)
c) SOCIAL: You CONFRONT the person
The above 3 will naturally lead to murder.
CLIMAX WITHOUT GRAMMAR
----------------------
b) This principle of CLIMAX, **by itself** can be used to decide
the meaning of ambiguous phrases(even if nothing else besides
CLIMAX supports the decision)
EXAMPLE: In the above example from Dt19-11 I could have
interpreted RISE UP ON HIM to **either** mean KILL or
CONFRONT. For the verb to RISE UP does mean both.
The only reason I chose CONFRONT vs KILL is that the
principle of CLIMAX requires a CLIMACTIC development.
CLIMAX vs SIMPLE MEANING OF THE TEXT
------------------------------------
c) Note that it is legitimate to hold the position that
"These 3 or 4 phrases all say the **same** thing and this is
common in poetry;but BECAUSE of the principle of CLIMAX I
am justified in assuming that each phrase has a distinct
meaning and that the 3 or 4 phrases build up to a CLIMAX."
EXAMPLE: There is nothing wrong in Dt19-13 in stating that
"The Bible is simply talking about murder and is using
a conversational style. However the principle of CLIMAX
additionally teaches me HOW murders take place."
In general the principle of CLIMAX can be vigorously used
to teach outreach. For each example of CLIMAX, by
teaching us HOW something happens can be reversed and show
us how to stop it.
CLIMAX & RABBI ISHMAEL'S PRINCIPLES
-----------------------------------
d) The principle of climax is associated with the RabbiIshmael
principle of the DETAIL-GENERAL style.
EXAMPLE: The last phrase in Dt19-13 is MURDER,
something GENERAL. The other phrases---HATRED, STALKING,
CONFRONTATION are DETAILS associated with murder.
The RabbiIshmael Rule of DETAIL-GENERAL requires a broad
interpretation of the DETAILS to be consistent with the
GENERAL principle---and this is exactly what the principle
of CLIMAX teaches---that the DETAILS lead up to the GENERAL
Todays posting deals with the "ideal lecture" and shows the
4 stages needed by a good teacher.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#
Recall yesterday that we interpreted Rashi on Dt32-02 as
follows
1) May my TEACHINGS(LECTURES) BREAKOUT like Rain
2) May my SUMMARY STATMENTS SPRINKLY like DEW (small droplets)
3) Like MISTS on a Meadow (corresonding to student dialogue
after a lecture)
4) Like a heavy downpour (Corresponding to expertise and mastery)
What we do today is give the lists that explain the translation
of the above words.
EXAMPLE 50: Dt32-02 ARF which means
*NECK also means
*TO NECK=TO SLAUGHTER and hence can refer to an
*OUTBREAK of BLOOD or a
*SUDDEN OUTBREAK of rain
Here is a list of meanings of ARF
{LIST1} {Meanings of ARF}
MEANING VERSE TEXT
========= ======= =============================================
Neck Jer2-27 They have faced me with their neck
Stubborn 5-32-9 For you are a stiff necked nation
Slaughter 5-21-4 And you will NECK the calf (ie slaughter)
RainBreak 5-32-2 My teachings will BREAK like rain *1
Fog??? 5-4-11 Darkness, clouds and fog??? *2
Stubborn ? Isa5-30 The nation is dark..darkness in the stubborn*3
FOOTNOTES
*1 Several comments are in order
--There are only two verses (5-32-2 and 5-33-28) where RAIN
BREAKING is mentioned using the ROOT ARF
--It would appear the the etymology is as follows:
>ARF means neck
>ARF as a verb means to kill (slaughter the neck)
>When you slaughter the blood breaks out
>So ARF came to mean a sudden outpour of liquid
In other words the NUANCES of ARF would be a completely
calm day which all of a sudden BREAKS out in a storm.
--For this reason I have translated ARF as BREAK. Needless
to say this is an English approximation. The above explanation
should enrich this translation with the proper nuances. If
anyone has a better translation kindly email it.
--BOTH the RDK in his book ROOTS and RASHI (on this verse)
translate ARF as having a meaning like DRIP. This has a
nuance different than BREAK. However as I have indicated
in the BRIEF EXPLANATION section the reader need not
accept my etymology. All that is necessary is that the
reader believe two things
>That ARF has a meaning like TZL = sprinkle/pour
>that ARF is a stronger term than TZL=sprinkle
(This follows from the fact that ARF is associated
with RAIN while TZL is associated with DEW and
RAIN 'breaks' harder than dew)
*2 It is not clear weather ARFL should be on this list. It is
possible it comes from a 3 letter root. However it is also
possible it comes from 2, two letter roots and is itself a
4 letter root. The derivation would be as follows
> ARH = Feel
> FLA = To distinguish
> ARFL (fog) = You have to feel (ARH) to Distinguish (FLA)
and would denote a state where you have to grope to
'see' things (You have to 'feel' your way around).
*3 This word (AReeFeHa) occurs only once in the Bible. It has
been translated as
>darkness (Like ARFL--see footnote *2)
>Pillars
The translation of AReeFeHa is not relevant to this posting. My
own opinion is that since the chapter (Isa5) is speaking about
a powerful nation that will descend on the sinful people
it makes sense to translate the verse consistently with the
theme of the chapter
> and if you look to the people you see darkness
> her stubborn people are dark.
EXAMPLE 51: Dt32-02 SAAR means
*HAIR
*and refers to a thin hair like mist
Here are some meanings of SAAR with the controversy
between Rashi and Radack on the meaning of SAAR
{LIST3} {Meanings of SAR, courtesy of RDK}
MEANING VERSE RELATION OF MEANING TO HAIR
======= ======== ===============================================
Hair 3-13-3 Hair
Wheat 5-8-8 Wheat on a field looks like hair on a head
Goat 3-4-24 Because Goats HAVE a lot of Hair
Wheat 5-8-8 Wheat on a field LOOKS like hair on a head
ToAttack Dan11-40 Goats are agressive animals
Mist 5-32-2 A moist mist FEELS like lightly brushing hair*1
FOOTNOTES
*1 Some comments are in order
---Both Rashi and RDK translate SAR has a LIGHT RAIN.
---RDK emphasizes that SAR is a HAIR LIKE rain (Hence
we have translated it as MIST)
---RASHI emphasizes that it is rain brought by winds (Hence
again we have translated it as mist)
---The Sifsay Chachamim suggests that Rashi believes that
SAR (with a SIN) means the same as SAR with a SAMECH because
of letter interchange (SAMECH and SIN sound the same).
However there is no reason to believe that Rashi and RDK
differ. They both would agree that
>SAR is a HAIR LIKE rain
which is consistent with the other meanings of SAR.
Rashi simply ADDS the dimension of rain carried by the wind.
Hence we have translated it as MIST which carries both nuances
>a hair like rain
>rain supported by wind
---Again, it is not necessary to accept my translation of MIST
for purposes of this posting. All that is necessary is to
>to understand that SAR means some type of rain
>to see SAR as a LIGHTER rain than MTR(Rain) RVV(Storm)
The particular nuances of WHAT type of light rain it is
whether MIST or WIND CARRIED or whatever is not relevant to
the posting.
EXAMPLE 52: Dt32-02 DSHE = MEADOW (a collective noun)
That is DSHE is like the English HERBIAGE
and refers to the whole of the meadow
{LIST4} {Collective nouns. The words in the right column denote
INDIVIDUALS or SPECIES. The words in the left column
denote SOME TERRITORY BEING COVERED WITH
LOTS OF SPECIES. So for example ANIMALS can refer
>to individual animals
>to whole species
while the JUNGLE refers to the
>state of some territory being covered by
those species. The examples should all be
clear. The nouns on the right are all collective
nouns except for PEOPLE.}
WORD COLLECTIVE
DENOTING NOUN DENOTING
STATE OF SPECIES and/or
SOMETHING EXPLANATION OF STATE INDIVIDUALS
============ ================================== ==============
MEADOW State of ground covered with grass GRASS
JUNGLE State of many animals roaming ANIMALS
POPULACE State of land covered with people PEOPLE
SMORGESBOARD State of table covered with food FOOD
EXAMPLE 53: Dt32-02 RVH means a heavy ongoing Rain
Rashi and Radack debate whether the meaning comes from
* RVVH=10000=lots of raindrops or
* RVH = shoot an arrow = strong descent of raindrops
Here is a list of meanings of RVH
{LIST5} {Controversy of RDK and RASHI on the eytmology of RVH=RAIN.
They both agree that RVV/RVH means MANY. The controversy
is whether the MANYNESS is in the NUMBER of drops or
the INCHES/DISTANCE that each drop travels.
RDK hold that the RainStorm means ALOT of DROPS, from the
root RVV which means ALOT, while RASHI holds that the
RainStorm means that each drop has alot of FORCE, from
the root RVH which can mean a good archer *1}
WORD MEANING ROOT RELATION TO MANY RDK/RASHI
====== ================= ==== ================ =========
HRBH Many RVV Many
RVVH 10000 RVV Many things
RVU Fruitful/Multiply RVH Many children
RVH Archer RVH Long distance
RVeViM RainStorm RVV Many drops RDK
RVeVim RainStorm RVH Much force RASHI
FOOTNOTES
*1 Some would translate
>RVH KShaTH as a TEACHER OF ARCHERY
I would suggest that
>RVH KShaTH means an EXPERIENCED ARCHER
someone who can shoot long distances.
{LIST6} {The analogy in 5-32-2. The 4 phrases in the
verse illustrate 4 stages in TEACHING. The main analogy is
>TEACHING WISDOM = RAINING/GIVING WATER
The 4 types of RAIN mentioned in the verse 5-32-2 correspond
to 4 types of teaching. This is elaborated on in the
footnotes and in column 3.The analogy may look too specific.
Therefore the footnotes ENLARGE on the analogy,broadening it
to more general settings}
SUMMARY OF INTERPRETATION OF DT32-02:
-------------------------------------
TEACHING PHRASE IN Analogy between RAIN/TEACHING
COMPONENT VERSE 5-32-2
=============== ================= ================================
The Lecture My teachings will Raindrops=words of wisdom *1
*1 break like a rain Giving raindrops=Teaching wisdom
Homework My sayings will Sayings=Main points/Hilights *2
*2 drip like dew Dew=small drops=short review
Class discussion Like a windy mist Windy mist=Class dialog *3
/recitation on a meadow Meadow=Variety student types
/review *3
Specialization Like a rainstorm Long range drops=big applications
*4 on grass Grass=Species=Each specialization
FOOTNOTES
*1 LECTURE can be replaced by ANY delivery of ideas such as
>Sermons
>Counseling of Rabbis to congregants
>Teaching known laws (Shulchan Aruch)
>Teaching Talmudic analysis
>Telling stories to little children
>Vocational teaching
The LECTURE is characterized by
> transmitting ALOT of ideas
Similary the RAINSTORM (vs dew) is charecterized by
> transmitting ALOT of drops
*2 HOMEWORK can be enlarged to include ANY type of individual review
>Doing problems assigned by the teacher
>Gathering sayings illustrating hilights
>Reciting over summaries to people who didn't hear lecture
>Composing SHORT ANSWER sheets to review material
HOMEWORK is characterized by
> Short answer specific questions that review material
> Going over (instead of receiving) material
Similary DEW in contrast to rain is characterized by
> small droplets rather than downpours
> being surrounded by droplets (vs coming down)
*3 RECITATION can be enlarged to include ANY class discussion
> debate in class over meanings of lecture
> debate in class over consequences of taught material
> debate in class
RECITATION is characterized by
> many types of students
> a small number of ideas per student(vs many from teacher)
> a give-take atmosphere
Similarly MIST ON MEADOW is characterized by
> many types of grass (MEADOW)
> hair like rain vs downpour
> wind carrying ideas
*4 SPECIALIZATION could be enlarged to any APPLICATION of the
teachers ideas (eg going out and building a Mechiza after
learning the laws).
SPECIALIZATION corresponds to
> long term applications
> by people who specialize in that application
Similarly RAINSTORM ON GRASS is characterized by
> droplets with force (Rashis etymology of ReVeeVim)
> Grass=specific species
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#