The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat Devarim 
 Vol  1#24 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Aug-11-2005 
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 Dt02-17c 
URL Reference : (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt02-15a.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. 

Today we use a collection of three other verses to infer the meaning of a phrase. The phrase men of war occurs in Verse Dt02-16:17 which states   So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,  that the LORD spoke unto me saying:   וַיְהִי כַאֲשֶׁר-תַּמּוּ כָּל-אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה, לָמוּת--מִקֶּרֶב הָעָם.   וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֵלַי לֵאמֹר.  By citing the other verse  Nu01-03 which states   from twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: ye shall number them by their hosts, even thou and Aaron.   מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, כָּל-יֹצֵא צָבָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל--תִּפְקְדוּ אֹתָם לְצִבְאֹתָם, אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן.  by citing this verse we clarify that the age of military conscription is 20. This suggests that the phrase men of war could refer to, twenty year olds, the admissible age of military conscription. This equation is confirmed by Verse Nu14-29 which states   your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, ye that have murmured against Me;   בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִפְּלוּ פִגְרֵיכֶם וְכָל-פְּקֻדֵיכֶם, לְכָל-מִסְפַּרְכֶם, מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, וָמָעְלָה:  אֲשֶׁר הֲלִינֹתֶם, עָלָי.  which explicitly states that God only punished people 20 years and above Combining the three verses we could retranslate Verse Dt02-16:17 as follows  So it came to pass, when all the men of admissible military age, 20 and above, were consumed and dead from among the people,  that the LORD spoke unto me saying:   וַיְהִי כַאֲשֶׁר-תַּמּוּ כָּל-אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה, לָמוּת--מִקֶּרֶב הָעָם.   וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֵלַי לֵאמֹר.  

2. RASHI METHOD : WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Dt01-37a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ dt01-37a.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 three letter Hebrew roots based on meanings of similar roots  method. Rashi knew that Hebrew verbs were conjugated from 3 letter roots. Rashi additionally believed that the meaning of a three letter roots could be obtained by decomposing them into special letters and two letter roots. 

Verse Dt01-37 states   Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying: Thou also shalt not go in thither;   גַּם-בִּי הִתְאַנַּף יְהוָה, בִּגְלַלְכֶם לֵאמֹר:  גַּם-אַתָּה, לֹא-תָבֹא שָׁם.  Rashi translates the Hebrew root Aleph-Nun-Pay אַנַּף as meaning anger But the Hebrew word Aleph Pay, אַף also means anger. Here we see that the two roots which differ by the letter Nun have related meanings. 

Although Rashi does not explicitly state this we can augment our appreciation and understanding of Rashi by noting other Hebrew root pairs that differ in the letter Nun whose meanings are related . The following root pairs illustrate this principle 
•	Anger Anger אנפ אפ  
•	Mother Nursemaid אַמִּנַּ אַמִּ
•	Window Hollow חלנ חלל  
•	Sun Sun-god חמנ חמה  
•	Damage Sparks נזק זיק  

3. RASHI METHOD : GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt02-16a Dt01-31a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ dt11-14a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One component of grammar deals with the fact that a single sentence can be formed from several verses.. 

The following two verses form one sentence which states that God spoke to me when the people died Verse Dt02-16:17 states   So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,  that the LORD spoke unto me saying:   וַיְהִי כַאֲשֶׁר-תַּמּוּ כָּל-אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה, לָמוּת--מִקֶּרֶב הָעָם.   וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֵלַי לֵאמֹר.  

Similarly the following two verses form one sentence which states that 
God will save you as he saved you 
•	(#1) from Egypt and 
•	(#2) from the dessert 
Verse Dt01-30:31 states   
The LORD your God who goeth before you, He shall fight for you, 
•	according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes; 
•	and in the desert, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bore thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came unto this place.   יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם, הוּא יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם:  כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם, בְּמִצְרַיִם--לְעֵינֵיכֶם.  וּבַמִּדְבָּר, אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ, אֲשֶׁר נְשָׂאֲךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא-אִישׁ אֶת-בְּנוֹ--בְּכָל-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הֲלַכְתֶּם, עַד-בֹּאֲכֶם עַד-הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.  

Without Rashi the text does not flow as smoothly. By perceiving the two verses as one verse Rashi makes the verse punchier. 

4. RASHI METHOD : ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Dt01-17e 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ dt01-17e .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 .

The following three verses all deal with the fact that in the Judicial system Moses tried hard and difficult cases. 
•	Verse Ex18-22 states   And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves; so shall they make it easier for thee and bear the burden with thee.   וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת-הָעָם, בְּכָל-עֵת, וְהָיָה כָּל-הַדָּבָר הַגָּדֹל יָבִיאוּ אֵלֶיךָ, וְכָל-הַדָּבָר הַקָּטֹן יִשְׁפְּטוּ-הֵם; וְהָקֵל, מֵעָלֶיךָ, וְנָשְׂאוּ, אִתָּךְ.  
•	Verse Dt01-17 states   Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; ye shall hear the small and the great alike; ye shall not be afraid of the face of any man; for the judgment is God's; and the cause that is too hard for you ye shall bring unto me, and I will hear it.'   לֹא-תַכִּירוּ פָנִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּט, כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדֹל תִּשְׁמָעוּן--לֹא תָגוּרוּ מִפְּנֵי-אִישׁ, כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹהִים הוּא; וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם, תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי וּשְׁמַעְתִּיו.  
•	Verse Nu09-06:08 states   But there were certain men, who were unclean by the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day. And those men said unto him: 'We are unclean by the dead body of a man; wherefore are we to be kept back, so as not to bring the offering of the LORD in its appointed season among the children of Israel?' And Moses said unto them: 'Stay ye, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.'    וַיְהִי אֲנָשִׁים, אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ טְמֵאִים לְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם, וְלֹא-יָכְלוּ לַעֲשֹׂת-הַפֶּסַח, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא; וַיִּקְרְבוּ לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה, וְלִפְנֵי אַהֲרֹן--בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא.  וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָהֵמָּה, אֵלָיו, אֲנַחְנוּ טְמֵאִים, לְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם; לָמָּה נִגָּרַע, לְבִלְתִּי הַקְרִיב אֶת-קָרְבַּן יְהוָה בְּמֹעֲדוֹ, בְּתוֹךְ, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם, מֹשֶׁה:  עִמְדוּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָה, מַה-יְצַוֶּה יְהוָה לָכֶם.   

Notice the contrast indicated by the alignment: Nu09-08 speaks about hearing decisions from God while Dt01-17 speaks about hearing from Moses 

Rashi paraphrased comments: Conspicuous absence of the phrase hearing from God shows Moses ego, his improper focus on himself 

There are in fact 4-5 cases where Moses had to go to God for advice. Rashi cites one of these 4-5 cases; we chose the Nu09-08 example, not brought by Rashi, since the parallel words bring, hear are mentioned there. 

Rashi also cited the alignment in terms of punishment: Moses was punished for not referring to God but rather himself; his punishment consisted of forgetting 4-5 laws and having to ask God. Here we feel Rashi was using the exaggeration method. It is not necessary to see the verses as describing a willful or inadvertent sin of Moses. Rather we view the verses as describing a general lapse focusing on his ego. 

5. RASHI METHOD : CONTRADICTION 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt01-22d 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ dt01-25b .htm

 The contradiction  method seeks to derive Biblical content by assuming a resolution to contradictory  verses. Rashi had 3 main methods to resolve contradiction : The two contradictory verses could be speaking about a) two stages  of one process, b) two aspects  or attributes of one entity, or c) the contradictory verses could be resolved assuming a broad or literal interpretation  of the words causing the contradiction.

Compare the following two verses 
•	Verse Dt01-22 states   And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said: 'Let us send men before us, that they may search the land for us, and bring us back word of the way by which we must go up, and the cities unto which we shall come.'   וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי, כֻּלְּכֶם, וַתֹּאמְרוּ נִשְׁלְחָה אֲנָשִׁים לְפָנֵינוּ, וְיַחְפְּרוּ-לָנוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ; וְיָשִׁבוּ אֹתָנוּ, דָּבָר--אֶת-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר נַעֲלֶה-בָּהּ, וְאֵת הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר נָבֹא אֲלֵיהֶן.  
•	Verse Nu33-52:53 states   then ye shall drive out 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. And ye shall drive out the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein; for unto you have I given the land to possess it.   וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאִבַּדְתֶּם, אֵת כָּל-מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָם; וְאֵת כָּל-צַלְמֵי מַסֵּכֹתָם תְּאַבֵּדוּ, וְאֵת כָּל-בָּמוֹתָם תַּשְׁמִידוּ.  וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וִישַׁבְתֶּם-בָּהּ:  כִּי לָכֶם נָתַתִּי אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, לָרֶשֶׁת אֹתָהּ.  

One verse speaks about conquering all of Israel while the other verse speaks about which cities to conquer implying partial conquest of Israel. 

Rashi resolves this contradiction using the principle of stages: The people wanted to first conquer the easy cities and then conquer the rest of the land. That is, the request which cities to conquer was really a request of which cities to conquer first.

6. RASHI METHOD : STYLE
This example applies to Rashis  Dt01-17a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ dt01-17a .htm 

The Rabbi Ishmael Style  rules are usually thought of as applying to technical legal matters. However in a broader sense they apply to paragraph styles. The fundamental focus of the Rabbi Ishmael style rules is to precisely delineate the relationship between paragraph themes  and development details : 
•	 Are the details examples  of a general theme , or, do the details  exhaust the paragraph theme? In other words 
•	should the examples  and details be interpreted literally and exclusively or should they be interpreted broadly and generally? 
Still another way of looking at style is that it answers the question: 
•	 How should the paragraph theme  and details / examples  be integrated? 

Verse Dt01-17 states   
•	Ye shall not favor persons in judgment; 
•	ye shall hear the small and the great alike; 
•	ye shall not be afraid of the face of any man; 
•	for the judgment is God's; and the cause that is too hard for you ye shall bring unto me, and I will hear it.'  

•	 בַּמִּשְׁפָּט לֹא-תַכִּירוּ פָנִים
•	, כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדֹל תִּשְׁמָעוּן--
•	לֹא תָגוּרוּ מִפְּנֵי-אִישׁ,
•	 כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹהִים הוּא; וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם, תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי וּשְׁמַעְתִּיו.  
This verse shows a detail-theme paragraph structure. The theme of the paragraph is that Judgement belongs to God;some details of this theme are (#1) lack of favoritism, (#2) not differentiating big vs small, (#3) not fearing people in rendering a verdict. 

A priori we could take all three details as referring to the litigants: That is, (#1)there should be no favoritism shown to litigants, (#2) both big and small litigants should be respected and (#3)no litigant should be feared by the judge. 

However because this entire unit forms one paragraph, Rashi feels justified in generalizing the details in such a way as to more fully explain the paragraph theme 
•	(#1) Don't show favoritism in picking Judges 
•	(#2) Don't differentiate between big and small cases 
•	(#3) Don't fear any litigant 

What drives Rashi to this stretched interpretation is neither the meaning of the words, nor the grammar, nor even the repetitiveness in the verse: Rather what drives Rashi to this interpretation is the paragraph structure which requires us to view the details as illustrating the overall theme; hence Rashi generalizes as much as possible.

8. RASHI METHOD : DATABASES
This example applies to Rashis  Dt01-22a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ gn19-01d .htm 

The database  method seeks to discover biblical ideas using the methods of modern database theory and sequential query language (SQL). The Talmudic sages and Rashi were totally familiar and frequently used all aspects of modern database theory. 

Today we ask the query: What is the proper style when referring to delegated acts, of a city or nation, by its people and representatives. ? The query returns the several results listed below.

The following table shows numerous examples of verses, some of which use a proper inquiry method and some of which use an improper method. 
======================================================================
VERSE(S)   (IM)PROPER ORDER  SOCIAL ORDER MENTIONED IN VERSE 
---------- ----------------  ------------------------------ 
Nu32-03    PROPER            Moses Elazar Princes 
Nu27-02    PROPER            Moses Elazar Princes 
Ex24-01    PROPER            Moses Aaron Priests elders 
Gn50-07:08 PROPER            Joseph(VP) Elders Joes-Brothers 
Ex34-31:32 PROPER            Aaron Elders Nation 
Lv09-0:03  PROPER            Aaron Priests Elders Nation 
---------- ----------------  ------------------------------ 
Dt05-20    PROPER            Your elders approached me 
Dt01-22a   IMPROPER          You*(1) approached me 
---------- ----------------  ------------------------------ 
Gn19-04    IMPROPER          Kids and Elders of Sedom 
Gn19-11c   IMPROPER          Kids and Elders of Sedom*(2) ============================================================== 

*(1) Notice the contrast of Dt05-20 and Dt01-22 Rashi's comment is terse and to the point: They did not make their request properly.  Here Rashi is making an inference based on the contrastive style of the verses. 

*(2)Notice the improper order, kids Elders, mentioned in Gn19-04 by the attempted homosexual rape in Sedom: Rashi's comment is also terse and to the point: the youth instigated the attempted rape and the elders just stood by (without protest) 

Conclusion

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