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      3. RASHI METHOD: GRAMMAR
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi explains verses using grammar principles, that is, rules which relate reproducable word form to word meaning. Grammatical rules neatly fall into 3 categories
      • (a) the rules governing conjugation of individual words,Biblical roots,
      • (b) the rules governing collections of words,clauses, sentences
      • (c) miscellaneous grammatical, or form-meaning, rules.
      This examples applies to Rashis Nu16-10a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: Brief Summary: God brought ONLY you to serve as Levites.

Two familiar functions of grammar in all languages are pronoun reference and plurality.

Hebrew is more flexible than English in pronoun reference. In other languages a a pronoun refers to the last mentioned person. However in Hebrew pronoun reference can be determined by the most logical connection even if it is not the last mentioned noun.

    Biblical Hebrew, in general, has two methods of indicating pronouns
    • Suffix: For example if I wanted to say Help him I would add a suffix Nun-Vav to the verb meaning help. The suffix nun-vav means that the indirect object of the help should be him.
    • Full word: However when a full word is used for a pronoun it indicates emphasis: Only to that person.
    This beautiful suffix-word distinction was developed by the great modern commentator, Malbim. Malbim uses this principle numerous times, especially throughout Leviticus to explain various exegetical laws.

We can apply this suffix-word distinction to the translation of verse Nu16-10a: and that He hath brought only you near, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee? and will ye seek the priesthood also? Here we have embedded the Rashi comment: Only you, the Levites may assist in Temple service; Lay Israelites may not do so, in the translation as indicated by the underlined word only. Rashi's point is that Moses seemed to counter their rebellion-point we have been left out by a counter argument only you the Levites may assist in the Temple.


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