Rabbi Ishmael Example Method:#19 of 36
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REFERENCE:
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Todays unit is extracted from Rashi is SImple volume 3
Number 18. To see the whole issue visit
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h3n18.htm
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 & RABBI ISHMAEL'S PRINCIPLES
-----------------------------------
b) The principle of climax is associated with the RabbiIshmael
style 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 how people become overweight,
physically or spiritually. (Sorry for the length of yesterdays
posting--so I am going back to some shorter postings)
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#
VERSE: Dt32-15a
Dt32-15b
BACKGROUND
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The verse accuses the Jews of "becoming (spiritually) overweight"
It lists 3 stages OVEREATING, OVERWEIGHT, FLABBY. Thus
* OVEREATING=a bad habit
* OVERWEIGHT=a symptom that comes from OVEREATING
* FLABBy=set in ones ways; can't go back.
THE EXAMPLES
------------
The verse Dt32-15 lists 3 words as follows
EXAMPLE 54:>Dt32-15a ShMNTA = OVEREAT, from the ROOT ShMN, OIL
>------------------- AViSA = OVERWEIGHT, from the root AV, THICK
EXAMPLE 55:>Dt32-15b CShiTha = FLABBY, from the root CSH, COVERED
NOTES
-----
Comparable verses (where CSH=COVER=FLABBY) are
>For his face is flabby with his fat(Job 15:27)
>..making wrinkles(?) on his fat (Job 15:27)
ANALOGY
-------
Rashi does not give the ANALOGY. Several analogies are
given by the Sifrah. We mention only one and invite the reader
to try and produce others. The Sifrah notes that {LIST3}
>OVEREAT = Reign of YRAVAM when they made idols
>OVERWEIGHT=Reign of ACHV when they followed idolatrous
practices (eg ACHV hired false witnesses to
kill Navoth and steal his land a common
procedure in Non jewish reigns. Achav learned
this from his heathen wife Izevel)
>FLABBY=Reign of YEHU when they were set in their
practices and couldn't desert idolatry.
OUTREACH
---------
Note how the ANALOGY has implications for OUTREACH. People don't
just sin.
---First they do something ritualistic (like idol worship)
---then they become influenced by the immoral practices of the
cult(killing Navoth)and
---finally they become 'set' in their ways.(Flabby)
The analogy with OVEREATING, OVERWEIGHT, FLABBY is apropos--it
emphasizes the GRADUALNESS of deterioration. This is all summarized
in {LIST2} and {LIST3}.
{LIST2} {Suggested NUANCES of words in Dt32-15 based on
the principle of climax.}
5-32-15 SUGGESTED MEANING ROOT ROOT MEANING
======= ================= ==== ============
ShMNTa Overeat ShMN Oil/FAT *1
AViTha Overweight AVH Thick *2
CSiTha Flabby CSH Covered *3
FOOTNOTES
---------
*1 Perhaps
>eating fatty foods
would be a better translation.
*2 The translation
>overweight
fits nicely with the root meaning
>thick.
This would therefore constitute a DERIVED or NEW MEANING.
The source of this DERIVED meaning would be CONTEXT
*3 Rashi SUPPORTS (but does not DERIVE) this meaning from Job15-27
>For his face is flabby with his fat
>..making wrinkles(?) on his fat
Again meaning is derived from CONTEXT. But the idea of
>flabby
fits nicely with the root meaning
>covered.
The verse in Job then lends plausibility to this translation.
{LIST3} {One possible ILLUSTRATION of the weight gain analogy
in 5-32-15 applied to the deterioration of Israel.
This illustration is given in the Sifrah which also
gives several others. The purpose of the illustration
is not to EXHAUST the meaning of the text but to
provide one possibility of interpretation enrichment}
WEIGHT STAGE ANALOGY IN KINGDOM DEED CHARACTERISTICS
============ ================== ========= ====================
Overeat Yaravam *1 Idols Bad habits
Overweight Achav *2 Murder Bad (societal)health
Flabby Yayhu *3 Stagnated Hard to change
FOOTNOTES
*1 1King12:25-33. Note that OVEREATING and IDOLATRY are seen
as bad habits that don't necessary affect physcial/social health
In fact the text just quoted states that Yaravam made the idols
>to preserve social stability (ie his reign)
*2 1King21. Note how OVEREATING is seen as a bad state of health
that comes from overeating. Similarly Achav's hire of false
witnesses and ultimate murder of Navoth is seen as a bad state
of social health that came from the involvement with idolatry
(Once they started worshipping idols they became involved in
idolatrous judicial proesses which resulted in Navoth's death)
*3 2King10:18-29. Flabbyness indicates a state of overweight
where you have become stagnated in your ways and cannot change
Similarly YayHus reign showed that the people could not easily
WALK AWAY from the idolatrous practices they had gotten use
to in the times of ACHAV.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#