The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat MaSAy 
Vol  1#23 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Aug-04-2005 
English and Hebrew translations of the Bible come mostly from the www.MECHON-MAMRE.org  translation with changes made by me 

The goal of this Weekly Rashi Digest is to use the weekly Torah portion to expose students at all levels to the ten major methods of commentary used by Rashi. It is hoped that continual weekly exposure to these ten major methods will enable students of all levels to acquire a familiarity and facility with the major exegetical methods.

1. RASHI METHOD: OTHER VERSES   
This example applies to Rashis Nu33-54b 
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/nu33-54b.htm

The other verse  method seeks to confirm the contents of a target verse by cross referencing other verses which either confirm the target text or add details to it. Additionally the other verse  method can shed light on word meaning. 

The concerns and issues raised in the Verse Nu36-03:04 which states   And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong; so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then will their inheritance be added unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong; so will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.'   וְהָיוּ לְאֶחָד מִבְּנֵי שִׁבְטֵי בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְנָשִׁים, וְנִגְרְעָה נַחֲלָתָן מִנַּחֲלַת אֲבֹתֵינוּ, וְנוֹסַף עַל נַחֲלַת הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶינָה לָהֶם; וּמִגֹּרַל נַחֲלָתֵנוּ, יִגָּרֵעַ.  וְאִם-יִהְיֶה הַיֹּבֵל, לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנוֹסְפָה נַחֲלָתָן, עַל נַחֲלַת הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶינָה לָהֶם; וּמִנַּחֲלַת מַטֵּה אֲבֹתֵינוּ, יִגָּרַע נַחֲלָתָן  these concerns and issues are explained and clarified by the other verse Verse Nu33-54 which states   And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families--to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; wheresoever the lot falleth to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit.   וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ בְּגוֹרָל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶם, לָרַב תַּרְבּוּ אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ וְלַמְעַט תַּמְעִיט אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ--אֶל אֲשֶׁר-יֵצֵא לוֹ שָׁמָּה הַגּוֹרָל, לוֹ יִהְיֶה:  לְמַטּוֹת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם, תִּתְנֶחָלוּ.  The other verse clearly states that the conquest of Israel is by tribe. Further clarifying remarks on inheritance by tribe will be provided in rule #10 below. 

2. RASHI METHOD: WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Nu33-52a Nu32-39a 
URL reference:(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ nu33-52a.htm 

The word meaning  method seeks to present dictionary meaning. Rashi uses 10 vehicles to infer word meaning. A major word meaning submethod is the meanings of words based on root and grammatical mode  method. It is well known that Hebrew roots may be conjugated in 7 grammatical modes. Very often the meaning of the root will change based on the grammatical mode used.. 

The Hebrew root Yud-Resh-Shin, יָרֵשׁ, means 
•	to inherit in the active, Kal mode. An sample verse might be Verse Gn21-10 states   Wherefore she said unto Abraham: 'Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not inherit with my son, even with Isaac.'   וַתֹּאמֶר, לְאַבְרָהָם, גָּרֵשׁ הָאָמָה הַזֹּאת, וְאֶת-בְּנָהּ:  כִּי לֹא יִירַשׁ בֶּן-הָאָמָה הַזֹּאת, עִם-בְּנִי עִם-יִצְחָק.  
•	to make poor in the intensive, Piel mode. A sample verse might be Verse Dt28-42 states   All thy trees and the fruit of thy land shall the locust impoverish.   כָּל-עֵצְךָ, וּפְרִי אַדְמָתֶךָ, יְיָרֵשׁ, הַצְּלָצַל.  Notice, in this verse how the concepts of make poor and inherit comingle. Indeed, the locusts make the plants poor and so to speak inherit from them. 
•	to conquer in the causative, hifil mode. Some sample verses might be Verse Nu32-39 states   And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and conquered the Amorites that were therein.   וַיֵּלְכוּ בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן-מְנַשֶּׁה, גִּלְעָדָה--וַיִּלְכְּדֻהָ; וַיּוֹרֶשׁ, אֶת-הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר-בָּהּ.  Verse Nu33-52 states   then ye shall conquer all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places.   וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאִבַּדְתֶּם, אֵת כָּל-מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָם; וְאֵת כָּל-צַלְמֵי מַסֵּכֹתָם תְּאַבֵּדוּ, וְאֵת כָּל-בָּמוֹתָם תַּשְׁמִידוּ.  Notice, in these verses, how the concepts of inherit and conquer comingle. Indeed, Novax simultaneously conquered Kenath and thereby as it were caused the Kenathites, so to speak, to inherit their land to him. 

3. RASHI METHOD: GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Nu33-52a Nu32-39a 
URL reference:(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ nu33-52a.htm 

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One component of grammar deals with It is well known that Hebrew roots may be conjugated in 7 grammatical modes. Very often the meaning of the root will change based on the grammatical mode used.. 

We have covered the root+preposition principle in the word meaning rule, rule #2 immediately above. This example simultaneously illustrates use of grammar and word meaning . 

4. RASHI METHOD: ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Nu36-08b Nu35-20a Nu35-23a 
URL reference:(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ nu36-08b .htm

The alignment  method seeks to extract nuances from the minor differences in the alignment  of two almost identical verses. The contrast of the two almost identical verses points either to a) two cases , b) several nuances , or c) an equality of the verses which leads to an understanding in meaning .

Alignment shows that the following two consecutive Biblical paragraphs contrastively talk about willful vs negligent murder. 
•	Willful Murder: Verse Nu35-20:21 states   And if he pushed him of hatred, or threw at him any thing, lying in ambush, so that he died; or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death: he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meeteth him.   וְאִם-בְּשִׂנְאָה, יֶהְדֳּפֶנּוּ, אוֹ-הִשְׁלִיךְ עָלָיו בִּצְדִיָּה, וַיָּמֹת.  אוֹ בְאֵיבָה הִכָּהוּ בְיָדוֹ, וַיָּמֹת--מוֹת-יוּמַת הַמַּכֶּה, רֹצֵחַ הוּא:  גֹּאֵל הַדָּם, יָמִית אֶת-הָרֹצֵחַ--בְּפִגְעוֹ-בוֹ.  
•	Negligent Murder: Verse Nu35-22:23 states   But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw upon him any thing without lying in ambush, or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;   וְאִם-בְּפֶתַע בְּלֹא-אֵיבָה, הֲדָפוֹ, אוֹ-הִשְׁלִיךְ עָלָיו כָּל-כְּלִי, בְּלֹא צְדִיָּה.  אוֹ בְכָל-אֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר-יָמוּת בָּהּ, בְּלֹא רְאוֹת, וַיַּפֵּל עָלָיו, וַיָּמֹת--וְהוּא לֹא-אוֹיֵב לוֹ, וְלֹא מְבַקֵּשׁ רָעָתוֹ.  

It is the contrast in the beginning phrases of each paragraph, 
•	Verse Nu35-20 states   And if he thrust him of hatred, 
•	Verse Nu35-22 states   But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, 
that clearly shows that the first paragraph is speaking about willful murder while the 2nd paragraph is speaking about negligent murder. 

Rashi studies two further alignments in the above passage indicated by the bold and underlined words. 

First we study the verbs used by the verses to describe murder:
•	Willful Murder:  push, throw, smite
•	Negligent Murder: push, throw, ....
Rashi: The murder verb smite is conspicuously omitted in the paragraph dealing with negligent murder; the explanation is easy: Clearly push, throw could be acts of negligence while smite connotes willful intent. 

Next we study the words used by the verses to describe hatred:
•	Willful Murder: enmity, with ambush, hatred
•	Negligent Murder: no enmity, with no ambush, not his enemy
Rashi The alignment of hatred with not his enemy shows that the Hebrew word used, which we translated as hatred, connotes a negative emotion with a desire to destroy. Similarly the other emotional words used in these verses -- enmity, with ambush -- connote negative emotions, like hatred, with a desire to destroy. 

The meanings of these words can also be inferred by their context in other verses. The alignment adds sharpness to our focus on the nuances involved. For example, the real meaning of the Hebrew word Tzade-Daleth-Yud-Hey, צְדִיָּה., is hunting. However because of the alignment Rashi translates this word as meaning ambush, a concept that is closely related to hunting, but has nuances relevant to murder. Such commentary, emphasizing nuances vs. meaning, is typical of the alignment method. 

7. RASHI METHOD: Formatting
This example applies to Rashis  Nu33-40a 
URL reference:(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ nu34-06c .htm
 
Modern formatting  has a variety of vehicles which the writer uses to either create emphasis  or point to an underlying unity . Three common examples of modern formatting are (a) bold-italic-underline , (b) paragraph indentation including use of line spaces, (c) use of bulleted lists . 

Authors use these formatting  devices as follows: (a) All authors know that bold-italic-underline indicates emphasis . The Bible did not use bold-italic-underline but instead uses repetition  to indicate emphasis . (b) Modern authors use indentation  and line spaces between paragraphs to point to an underlying unity  in a paragraph. The Bible indicates paragraph unity  by using the theme-detail-theme , detail-theme , or theme-detail  styles. (c) Modern authors use bulleted lists  to indicate contrastive emphasis --the bullets  together are seen as spanning a domain of ideas while each individual bullet  is seen as indicating a separate and distinct idea. The bible indicates bulleted lists  by either using repeated keywords or parallel structure . 

The reader will recognize the theme-detail-theme , detail-theme  and theme-detail  methods as three of the 13 exegetical methods of Rabbi Ishmael. What we have added is the explanation that the Rabbi Ishmael rules focus on biblical examples : Are these biblical examples understood as exhaustive of the whole law or are they understood as examples to be generalized? Similarly the reader will recognize that we have called the bullet  method is the Rabbi Ishmael rule of context . What we have added to the Rabbi Ishmael exposition is the idea that parallel structure  and repeated keywords are two methods of making inferences from context 

Notice the repetition of the word borders in the following verse Verse Nu34-06 states   And for the western border, ye shall have the Mediterranean Sea for the border; this shall be your west border.   וּגְבוּל יָם, וְהָיָה לָכֶם הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל וּגְבוּל; זֶה-יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, גְּבוּל יָם.  The verse could have either (a) omitted the second reference to borders or (b) could have used a pronoun as follows: Nu34-06 could state   And for the western border, ye shall have the Mediterranean Sea for it; this shall be your west border. Because of the repetition we interpret the word border broadly. Hence the Rashi: Because of the broad interpretation of border the islands,the natural borders of the Mediterranean, are included in Israel's border. In other words we interpret the verse as follows: Verse Nu34-06 states   And for the western border, ye shall have the Mediterranean Sea and its islands (the borders of the Mediterranean); this shall be your west border. 

We add one slight technical point for those who know Hebrew. The Hebrew letter Vav,  וּ,  can mean any conjunction. Hence 
•	if we interpret border as meaning border then we interpret the Vav as meaning for: ...the Mediterranean sea for the border
•	if we interpret border as meaning islands (the borders of the border) we interpret the Vav as meaning and...the Mediterranean Sea and its borders.

9. RASHI METHOD: SPREADSHEETS
This example applies to Rashis  Nu36-03a 
URL reference:(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ nu36-03a .htm

The spreadsheet  method seeks to explain complicated biblical inferences using geometry, algebra and spreadsheets .  We use the term spreadsheet loosely to denote anything specific (not tone) and complicated. The Rashi need not use algebra and geometry. Rashi might simply illustrate a complicated example.

The following verses, already presented above in rule #1, describe the possible problem of Israeli tribal states shifting land because of loopholes in the inheritance laws. Verse Nu36-02:04 states   and they said: 'The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel; and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters. And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong; so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then will their inheritance be added unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong; so will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.'   וַיֹּאמְרוּ, אֶת-אֲדֹנִי צִוָּה יְהוָה, לָתֵת אֶת-הָאָרֶץ בְּנַחֲלָה בְּגוֹרָל, לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַאדֹנִי, צֻוָּה בַיהוָה, לָתֵת אֶת-נַחֲלַת צְלָפְחָד אָחִינוּ, לִבְנֹתָיו.  וְהָיוּ לְאֶחָד מִבְּנֵי שִׁבְטֵי בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְנָשִׁים, וְנִגְרְעָה נַחֲלָתָן מִנַּחֲלַת אֲבֹתֵינוּ, וְנוֹסַף עַל נַחֲלַת הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶינָה לָהֶם; וּמִגֹּרַל נַחֲלָתֵנוּ, יִגָּרֵעַ.  וְאִם-יִהְיֶה הַיֹּבֵל, לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנוֹסְפָה נַחֲלָתָן, עַל נַחֲלַת הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶינָה לָהֶם; וּמִנַּחֲלַת מַטֵּה אֲבֹתֵינוּ, יִגָּרַע נַחֲלָתָן.  

Rashi clarifies this loophole in the inheritance laws that allows property of one tribe to transfer to another tribe.

The following illustrative example of 7 events shows the loophole in inheritance laws:
•	Step 1: A father (State #1 ) Has only 1 daughter 
•	Step 2: The father dies 
•	Step 3: The daughter  inherits him (Land of state #1 ) 
•	Step 4: The daughter marries an other-state man (state #2 ) 
•	Step 5: The daughter gives birth to a grandchild 
•	Step 6: The daughter and her husband both die 
•	Step 7: The grandchild of state #2 inherits the state #1 land. 
Note that the grandchild's state is the state of the father (state #2 ), (tribality follows the father), and hence the land he inherits from his grandfather in state #1 is now classified as state #2 land. Thus Rashi has shown how states can shift land due to loopholes in the inheritance laws. 

Conclusion

This week's parshah contains no examples of the contradiction, style, database, symbolism method. This concludes this weeks edition. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/for further details and examples.