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      5. RASHI METHOD: CONTRADICTION
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi resolves contradictory verses using 3 methods.
      • (5a) Resolution using two aspects of the same event
      • (5b) Resolution using two stages of the same process
      • (5c) Resolution using broad-literal interpretation.
      This example applies to Rashis Lv19-20e
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1216.htm
      Brief Summary: (1)There is a DEATH penalty for KILLING a person (2) There is a MONETARY penalty for WOUNDING an animal. (3) There is a DEATH penalty for WOUNDING a person (parents).

The table below presents presents two contradictory verses. Both verses talk about penalties for damages. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says a death penalty applies when you smite the entire soul of a person while the other verse says a death penalty applies when you smite a person. Which is it? Is there a death penalty simply for wounding / smiting or does the death penalty require murder / smiting the whole soul? Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Aspects method: (1) There is a death penalty for smiting people only if death occurs. (2) There is a death penalty for smiting parents even if wounding, not death, occurs.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
There is a death penalty for killing people Lv24-17 And he who the smites the entire soul of a human shall surely be put to death.
There is a death penalty for smiting parents Lv24-21 And he who kills a beast, he shall restore it; and he who smites a man, shall be put to death
Resolution: 2 Aspects: (1) There is a death penalty for smiting people only if death occurs. (2) There is a death penalty for smiting parents even if wounding, not death, occurs.

    Advanced Rashi: But how did Rashi know to apply the 2nd verse to parents? The contradiction method frequently (not always) finds supportive resolution from other verses. In this case Ex21-14:17 explicitly states
    • But if a man comes wilfully upon his neighbor, to slay him treacherously; you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
    • And he who strikes his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
    • And he who steals a man, and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
    • And he who curses his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
    Here the context of four items deserving a death penalty
    • Murder
    • Smiting parents
    • Kidnapping
    • Cursing parents
    lends credibility to the suggestion that just striking parents requires a death penalty.

This Rashi is a good example of the contradiction method since the contradiction is inferred from the alignment of the entire soul of a person vs. person. Furthermore the resolution is supported by an explicit verse stating that smiting parents in and of itself is punished by a death penalty.


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