Rashi and Rashbam on Genesis 4,7 Honors
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ByNachshon Carmi
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9th grade Honors
בראשית ד׳:ז׳
(ז) הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ׃
Genesis 4:7
(7) Surely, if you do right, There is uplift. But if you do not do right Sin couches at the door; Its urge is toward you, Yet you can be its master.”
רש"י על בראשית ד׳:ז׳:א׳-ד׳

(א) הלא אם תיטיב כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: Its meaning is as the Targum (Onkelos to Arameic) gives it: “if thou wilt improve thy doings, thou shalt be forgiven”.

(ב) לפתח חטאת רובץ לְפֶתַח קִבְרְךָ חָטְאֲךָ שָׁמוּר:

(ג) ואליך תשוקתו שֶׁל חַטָּאת הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, תָּמִיד שׁוֹקֵק וּמִתְאַוֶּה לְהַכְשִׁילְךָ:

(ד) ואתה תמשל בו אִם תִּרְצֶה תִּתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו:

Rashi on Genesis 4:7:1-4
(1) הלא אם תטיב IF THOU MENDEST — Its meaning is as the Targum gives it: “if thou wilt improve thy doings, thou shalt be forgiven”. (2) לפתח חטאת רובץ SIN CROUCHETH AT THE ENTRANCE — Right up to the door of your grave (until your death) your sin will be preserved. (3) ואליך תשוקתו AND UNTO THEE IS ITS LONGING — The longing of sin; it refers to the evil inclination. This is continually longing and desiring to make you sin. (4) ואתה תמשול בו NEVERTHELESS THOU MAYEST RULE OVER IT — If you desire to, you can gain the victory over it (Kiddushin 30b).

Use previous handouts

Answer with full sentences

Targum Onkelos-use Sefaria

  1. What is the language of the Targum Onkelos?

  2. When and where was it written ?

  3. What was its purpose according to Luzzatto ?

  4. How do Yemenite Jewish communities use this translation today?

Rashi Text

  1. How does Rashi understand שאת?

  2. How does Rashi understand חטאת?

  3. What is the overall message that Rashi conveys regarding the purpose of the YR -Yetzer Hara ?

  4. What is Rashi's message about free will?

  5. What do you think Rashi is talking about when he mentions the opening to the grave?

  6. Rashi is using a midrash from the Talmud Bavli (Kiddushin 30b). Find the two relevant paragraphs on that Talmud page in sefaria and paste them here.

  7. What is the antidote to the YR according the Midrash?

Reflection question:

  1. How is the YR viewed in this midrash in comparison to what we read in the article (You can look back at your YT and YR assignment) in https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-birth-of-the-good-inclination/#

רשב"ם

ואם לא תיטיב - לפתח חטאתך [תהיה] רובץ.

כלומר: ואם תעשה עונות הרבה, תהיה רובץ תחת החטאת והעון

שלא תוכל לשאת ולסבול אותם.

  1. Who is the subject of the verb רובץ according to the Rashbam?
  2. How is Rashbam's understanding different from Rashi's?
  3. Is the answer to question 1 supported by the rest of the verse? In other words does the subject stay the same?