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    6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
    Rashi examines how rules of style influences inferences between general and detail statements in paragraphs.
    • Example: Every solo example stated by the Bible must be broadly generalized;
    • Theme-Detail: A general principle followed by an example is interpreted restrictively---the general theme statement only applies in the case of the example;
    • Theme-Detail-Theme: A Theme-Detail-Theme unit is interpreted as a paragraph. Consequently the details of the paragraph are generalized so that they are seen as illustrative of the theme.
    This examples applies to Rashis Ex29-42b Ex29-43a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex28-42b.htm

    Biblical verses Ex29-42:43 are written in a specific-general style as follows: Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar: two lambs of the first year day by day continually. ...
  • Specific: It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before HaShem, where I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee.
  • General: And there I will meet with the children of Israel;

Rashi comments on the specific-general style: The specific clause states that the daily offerings which were offered on the copper altar, are designated as the meeting place for Moses. Recall from Ezekiel Chapter 1 that prophecies take place in the form of fire visions. In other words the prophet saw the fire on the copper altar in a prophetic vision and this symbolized Divine Revelation. The general clause similarly designates this place for Divine Revelation. Hence we generalize and infer that all prophets prophetically see the Copper Altar Fire as a symbol of Divine revelation.

    Advanced Rashi: Several other comments and opinions are made in Rashi. We explain all of them now.
  • There is an opinion that God did not reveal himself on the copper altar but rather revealed himself on the Kaporeth, the ark-Cover, which held the Kerubim. This is explicitly stated in Ex25-22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the ark-cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. I would resolve these two opinions -- revelation from copper altar vs revelation from Ark Cover -- as referring to two types of prophets. To ordinary prohpets like Ezekiel God revealed Himself using the Copper Altar Fire. However Moses had a special grade of prophecy and God revealed Himself in the form of the Goldish-hues of the Ark. It would appear to me that Gold is the color of fire. Moses was known for his emphasis of learning the Torah which resided in the Ark. Hence the Fire for Mosaic prophecy used the symbolism of the Gold-colored Ark while the Fire for other prophets used the Fire of the copper altar
  • We have already explained the phrase God revealed Himself there to mean that the prophet prophetically saw the Fire on the Copper Altar (or the Ark) and this symbolized Divine revelation. Such an explanation is consistent with Ezekiel Chapter 1.
  • Finally we note that the verse, Ex29-42 has an extra underlined phrase It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before HaShem, where I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee. Based on Nu07-89 Rashi on Ex25-22a states
    • Moses stood at the door of the tent
    • But God's voice emanated from the Kerubim
    All of this of course happened in a vision. Moses would see himself at the door of the Tent symbolizing the need to enter and learn Torah and Moses would hear God's voice from the Fire Colored Ark symbolizing Torah instruction.

    We conclude that
  • God revealed Himself to prophets in the form of fire Visions
  • To prophets like Moses who emphasized learning God revealed Himself using the Goldish Fire hues of the Ark while to prophets like Ezekiel God revealed Himself using the Fire of the Copper altar
  • In the prophetic vision the prophet saw himself standing at the Temple entrance but heard God's voice as coming from the copper altar or the Ark


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