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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>From: <A
href="mailto:harveybenton@yahoo.com">harveybenton@yahoo.com</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
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size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>>> chumash: "And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that
land,<BR> that Reuven went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine,
and Israel<BR> heard."<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>...Rashi cites the midrash brought on Shabbat 55b:<BR><BR>Because he
switched around his [father's] bed, the Torah treats him as if he slept with
her. <BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>....the "headline" for this midrash as it appears on Shabbat 55b is: "If
you think that Reuven sinned, you are mistaken." How are we to understand this
rabbinic statement? Clearly Reuven sinned -- it is explicitly written in the
Torah text! <<</FONT></DIV><FONT
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<DIV><BR>>>>>></DIV>
<DIV>When it says "Anyone who thinks he sinned is mistaken" it MEANS "Anyone who
thinks he committed this particular sin is wrong." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>You have the same language used in reference to Dovid Hamelech, where Nasan
Hanavi tells Dovid Hamelech that he has sinned and Dovid acknowledges it and
immediately confesses and repents, yet Chazal say, "If you think he sinned
you are mistaken." It clearly means, "If you think that
he committed actual adultery, then you are mistaken." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Bas-sheva's husband had given her a get so Dovid gets off on a technicality
but his "non-sin" is nevertheless treated very seriously indeed. The same
with Reuven, he didn't actually sleep with Bilhah, but interfering with his
father's marital arrangements was a serious misdeed nevertheless.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><FONT color=#000000></FONT><BR><STRONG>--Toby
Katz<BR>=============<BR></STRONG><I><BR><BR><BR><BR><STRONG>_______________</STRONG></I></FONT></DIV></FONT><DIV CLASS="aol_ad_footer" ID="1fde323a1288e06eb8df605a9576a834"><br/><font style="color:black;font:normal 10pt arial,san-serif;"> <hr style="margin-top:10px"/>Recession-proof vacation ideas. <a href="http://travel.aol.com/travel-ideas/domestic/national-tourism-week?ncid=emlcntustrav00000002">Find free things to do in the U.S.</a></font></DIV></BODY></HTML>