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      8. RASHI METHOD: DATABASES
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi makes inferences from Database queries. The precise definition of database query has been identified in modern times with the 8 operations of Sequential Query Language (SQL).

      This example applies to Rashis Lv02-08a Lv02-08c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1212.htm
      Brief Summary: Minchah procedures: a) By Owner: spill oil, placing frankincense,bringing to priest b) By Priest: the handful, bringing to altar, offering on fire

We ask the following database query: What Minchah procedures (rest-offering procedures) are offered and who (owner/priest) must/may do them. The reader is encouraged to perform the query using a standard Biblical Konnkordance or search engine. This database query yields the list below. The list justifies the following Rashi-Midrashic inference: 1) All procedures until taking the handful may be done by the owner. This includes, mixing with oil, placing the frankincense and bringing to the Priest. 2) From the handful procedure to the end only Priests may officiate. This includes taking the handful, bringing it to the altar, offering oil-flour on altar, offering frankincense on altar. The list below presents the results of the database query.

The list below has an unusual construction: The left hand column mentions all procedures of the Minchah offering. The other 4 columns list 4 textual passages dealing with Minchah. The table itself reflects which procedures are mentioned in which textual passages. Taking the table as a whole shows how Rashi following the Talmud inferred the laws of Minchah.

Minchah Procedure Lv02-01:03 Lv02-08:10 Lv05-12 Lv06-07:09
Spilling oil on flour Mentioned ' ' '
Place Frankincense on flour-oil Mentioned ' ' '
Bringing offering to Priest Mentioned Mentioned Mentioned '
Bringing Minchah to altar corner ' Mentioned (Priests) ' Mentioned (Priests)
Taking a fistful of flour/oil Mentioned (Priests) Mentioned (Priests) Mentioned (Priests) Mentioned
Offering the flour/oil fistful with the Frankincense Mentioned (Priests) Mentioned Mentioned Mentioned
Eating remains of offering Mentioned (Priests) Mentioned (Priests) ' Mentioned (Priests)

Advanced Rashi: Rashi states The requirement of priest starts with the lifting of the fistful procedure. But a review of the above table shows that the requirement of priest starts with the bringing of the Minchah to the altar corner. Why did Rashi deviate from the implications of the above list?

The above table answers this. The bringing to the altar corner is not mentioned in the Lv02-01:03 passage. In that passage the requirement of Priest is first mentioned in the taking of the fistful procedure. Hence the Rashi comment The requirement of priest starts with the taking the fistful procedure is not a statement about legal requirements but rather a statement about the textual listing of the word priest among all procedures. In the Lv02-01:03 text the word Priest first occurs in the the taking of fistful procedure. However to infer the correct legal requirements we have to not only review this passage but all passages discussing Minchah. When we do that we find that the legal requirement of priest begins with bringing the Minchah to the altar corner.


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