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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 Gn43-30a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1319.htm
    Brief Summary: EXAMPLE: Joseph wept because of how much he felt for his brother GENERALIZATION: Benjamin told how much he missed Joseph e.g. how he named each of his children after Joseph.

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a example form. In other words an example of a law is stated rather than the full general rule. The reader's task is to generalize the example. The idea that all Biblical laws should be perceived as examples (unless otherwise indicated) is explicitly stated by Rashi (Pesachim 6.). This is a rule of style since the rule requires that a text be perceived as an example rather than interpreted literally. The Rabbi Ishmael style rules govern the interpretation of style.

Verse Gn43-30a discussing Joseph's reaction after seeing his brother Benjamin after 17 years states And Joseph hurried - because his feelings churned towards his brother and he wanted to cry - and he went towards a room and cried there. The Rabbi Ishmael example rule requires generalization of this passage. In this case we simply generalize from feelings churned towards his brother to examples of these feelings such as reciprocal feelings and conversations from Benjamin to Joseph, for example, Benjamin could have explained how each of his 10 children were named after his missing brother.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi literally says that Benjamin explained the names of each of his 10 children and how they related to Joseph's absence. For example one child was named head since Joseph was the head/oldest brother; another child was named swallow because they claimed that Joseph was swallowed by a wild animal. It is important to emphasize Rashi's approach. Rashi follows Biblical style and sees the churning of emotions and the crying as examples of a more general phenomena. It is perfectly consistent with Biblical style to fill in details and explain supplementary sources for these emotions not explicitly given by the Biblical text. I have to emphasize that the reader is expected to see these details as if they are actually in the text. This is analagous to Ex21-35 when an owned ox gores a friends ox.... Clearly this law applies whether an ox or any other animal damages and applies whether the ox gores the ox of a friend or distant person. It is a matter of Biblical style that the Bible talks this way - it speaks in examples and expects the reader to generalize.


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