The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat VaEthChaNaN 
 Vol  1#25 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Aug-17-2005 
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 Dt03-24c 
URL Reference : (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt03-24c.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 following verse can simply be seen as a prayer of Moses to God for forgiveness, and for the right to enter Israel. Verse Dt03-24 states:   'O Lord GOD, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy mighty acts?   אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת-עַבְדְּךָ, אֶת-גָּדְלְךָ, וְאֶת-יָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה--אֲשֶׁר מִי-אֵל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶׂה כְמַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְכִגְבוּרֹתֶךָ.  The underlined words greatness, strong seem to have their ordinary meaning. 

However Rashi uncovers additional nuances in these terms by citing a parallel prayer in an other verse with the same words. Verse Nu14-17:198 states:   And now, I pray Thee, let the power of the LORD be great, according as Thou hast spoken, saying: The LORD is slow to anger, and plenteous in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation. Pardon, I pray Thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy lovingkindness, and according as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.'   וְעַתָּה, יְגְדַּל-נָא כֹּחַ אֲדֹנָי, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ, לֵאמֹר.  יְהוָה, אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב-חֶסֶד, נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן, וָפָשַׁע; וְנַקֵּה, לֹא יְנַקֶּה--פֹּקֵד עֲוֹן אָבוֹת עַל-בָּנִים, עַל-שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל-רִבֵּעִים.  סְלַח-נָא, לַעֲוֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה--כְּגֹדֶל חַסְדֶּךָ; וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה, מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד-הֵנָּה.  The word greatness in this verse refers to Gods capacity to forgives. Similarly the term power in this verse refers to Gods capacity to withhold his anger. 

Consequently, Rashi thinks it reasonable to interpret the similar terms, used in Dt03-24, greatness and strength, to also refer to God's capacity to forgive and God's capacity to withhold his anger. 

After reaching this conclusion Rashi goes a step further and identifies the word hand, used in Dt03-24 as meaning a Divine Hand open to sinners. 

This does appear homiletic. But when taken in the context of the other two interpretations, 
•	greatness means God's capacity to forgive, and 
•	power, strength means God's capacity to withhold anger, 
•	when taken in this context, Rashi's suggestion that hand means God's capacity to open His Hand to sinners, 
this suggestion although not supported by the other verse cited above, no longer seems homiletic, but rather natural and consistent with the other textual interpretations inferred from the other verse.

2. RASHI METHOD : WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Dt08-08a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/dt08-08a.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 new meaning or the idiom method: Rashi besides explaining the meaning of individual words sometimes explains the meaning of whole phrases: Definitional novelty may be produced since the phrase as a whole may mean more than the sum of its parts.

Verse Dt08-08 states   a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olives of oil and honey;   אֶרֶץ חִטָּה וּשְׂעֹרָה, וְגֶפֶן וּתְאֵנָה וְרִמּוֹן; אֶרֶץ-זֵית שֶׁמֶן, וּדְבָשׁ.  Rashi interprets the phrase olives of oil to mean oil-producing olives. The construction and interpretation of this idiom seems natural and intuitive. 

3. RASHI METHOD : GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt11-02b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/dt10-15a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  Very often the sole purpose of a Rashi is to alert us to the fact that a single sentence is formed from several verses.. 

Rashi comments on the six-verse sentence: Verse Dt11-02:07,  which states   And know ye this day; for I speak 
not with your children that have not known, and that have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, 
•	His greatness, His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm, and 
•	His signs, and His works, which He did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land; and 
•	what He did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how He made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day; and 
•	what He did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came unto this place; and 
•	what He did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living substance that followed them, in the midst of all Israel; 
but your eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD which He did.   וִידַעְתֶּם, הַיּוֹם, כִּי לֹא אֶת-בְּנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדְעוּ וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא-רָאוּ, אֶת-מוּסַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:  אֶת-גָּדְלוֹ--אֶת-יָדוֹ הַחֲזָקָה, וּזְרֹעוֹ הַנְּטוּיָה.  וְאֶת-אֹתֹתָיו, וְאֶת-מַעֲשָׂיו, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרָיִם--לְפַרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ-מִצְרַיִם, וּלְכָל-אַרְצוֹ.  וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְחֵיל מִצְרַיִם לְסוּסָיו וּלְרִכְבּוֹ, אֲשֶׁר הֵצִיף אֶת-מֵי יַם-סוּף עַל-פְּנֵיהֶם, בְּרָדְפָם, אַחֲרֵיכֶם; וַיְאַבְּדֵם יְהוָה, עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.  וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָכֶם, בַּמִּדְבָּר, עַד-בֹּאֲכֶם, עַד-הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.  וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְדָתָן וְלַאֲבִירָם, בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב בֶּן-רְאוּבֵן, אֲשֶׁר פָּצְתָה הָאָרֶץ אֶת-פִּיהָ, וַתִּבְלָעֵם וְאֶת-בָּתֵּיהֶם וְאֶת-אָהֳלֵיהֶם--וְאֵת כָּל-הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם, בְּקֶרֶב כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל.  כִּי עֵינֵיכֶם הָרֹאֹת, אֶת-כָּל-מַעֲשֵׂה יְהוָה הַגָּדֹל, אֲשֶׁר, עָשָׂה.  As can be seen all Rashi does is connect the beginning and end of the multi-verse sentence. Rashi shows that the two phrases 
•	your children did not see 
•	but your eyes have seen 
contrast with each other. Because these phrases are separated by several verses, the reader of the Bible may overlook the connection.  One way of summarizing this multi-verse sentence is as follows: You should know today, that it wasn't your children who did not see God's greatness - in Egypt, on the Reed sea, in the desert, and against Korach - but rather it was you who personally saw these miracles. 

4. RASHI METHOD : ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Dt04-07b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ dt04-07b .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 .

It is well known that the 10 commandments are repeated twice in the Torah: Once in Deuteronomy and once in Exodus. The alignment of the two versions reveals numerous nuances. For example, by aligning the two verses
•	Dt05-17:18 which states Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's wife;  neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.     וְלֹא תַחְמֹד, אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ;    וְלֹא תִתְאַוֶּה בֵּית רֵעֶךָ, שָׂדֵהוּ וְעַבְדּוֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ שׁוֹרוֹ וַחֲמֹרוֹ, וְכֹל, אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ.  
•	Verse Ex20-13:14 states   Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house;  thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.     לֹא תַחְמֹד, בֵּית רֵעֶךָ;    לֹא-תַחְמֹד אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ, וְעַבְדּוֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ וְשׁוֹרוֹ וַחֲמֹרוֹ, וְכֹל, אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ.  
we infer that the Hebrew Aleph Vav Hey, אַוֶּה, means to covet. 

6. RASHI METHOD : STYLE
This example applies to Rashis  Dt06-13a Dt10-20a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ dt04-22a .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? 

The following two verses are almost identical: Verse Dt06-13 states   
•	Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; and 
•	Him shalt thou serve, and 
•	by His name shalt thou swear.   

•	אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא
•	, וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד;
•	 וּבִשְׁמוֹ, תִּשָּׁבֵעַ.  
Verse Dt10-20 states  
•	Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; 
•	Him shalt thou serve; 
•	and to Him shalt thou cleave, 
•	and by His name shalt thou swear.  

•	 אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא,
•	 אֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד;
•	 וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק,
•	 וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ. 
 By viewing these verses as a paragraph with 
•	a terminal theme sentence 
•	initial detail-developing sentences 
by viewing the verses with this paragraph structure we gain insight into the meaning of the verse: 

(Rashi ) Swearing by God does not in and of itself impress anyone. After all prostitutes swear by God all the time. However when a person is known as a person who 
•	fears God 
•	worships/serves God 
•	hangs around with Godly people (clings to God)
then, after the above three characteristics have been established, the oaths of such a person connote seriousness. In other words the paragraph structure of the verse helps shed light on when swearing has impact and significance. 

7. RASHI METHOD : Formatting
This example applies to Rashis  Dt11-13b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt11-13b .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 

Verse Dt11-13 states   And it shall come to pass, if ye hearken hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,   וְהָיָה, אִם-שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל-מִצְוֹתַי, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם, הַיּוֹם--לְאַהֲבָה אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וּלְעָבְדוֹ, בְּכָל-לְבַבְכֶם, וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁכֶם.  The repeated word hearken hearken connotes emphasis: If you obey all laws, whether those that are new or old established laws. Such emphasis, created by repeated words, and emphasizing all cases is common in the Bible. 

8. RASHI METHOD : DATABASES
This example applies to Rashis  Dt03-23c 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt03-23c .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: In how many verses, where Moses spoke to God, do we find the Hebrew word Lamed Aleph Mem Resh,לֵאמֹר, which means to say (back), indicating that Moses demanded that God answer him! ? The query returns the 5 results listed below.

The Hebrew word Lamed Aleph Mem Resh,לֵאמֹר, means for purposes of saying (back). We in fact find five verses using the word Lamed Aleph Mem Resh,לֵאמֹר,  where Moses spoke to God and demanded, so to speak, that God answer him back!: 
•	Moses' supplication to appoint a leader: Verse Nu27-15 states   And Moses spoke unto the LORD, for purposes of saying (back):   וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה, אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר.  
•	Moses supplication to cure Miriam: Verse Nu12-13 states   And Moses cried unto the LORD, for purposes of saying (back): 'Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee.'    וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה, אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר:  אֵל, נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ.   
•	Moses supplication for Gods forgiveness so that he could enter Israel.  Verse Dt03-23 states   And I entreatied to the LORD at that time, for purposes of saying (back):   וָאֶתְחַנַּן, אֶל-יְהוָה, בָּעֵת הַהִוא, לֵאמֹר.  

•	Moses complaint that the Jews would kill him if he didn't provide water: Verse Ex17-04 states   And Moses cried unto the LORD, for purposes of saying (back): 'What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.'   וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה; עוֹד מְעַט, וּסְקָלֻנִי.  
•	Moses complaint that the Jews are tired and will not listen to a message of deliverance. Verse Ex06-12 states   And Moses spoke before the LORD, for purposes of saying (back): 'Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?'    וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לֵאמֹר:  הֵן בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא-שָׁמְעוּ אֵלַי, וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה, וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם.   
By reviewing these five verses together, we more fully appreciate the Rashi comment, common to all verses, that Moses insisted that God answer him on the matters he prayed. 

Interestingly it is the Sifray-Sifray that presents all five verses. Rashi himself only presents three of the five verses. The great Rashi commentator, the Sifsay Chachamim, explains that Rashi selected the three verses dealing with supplication.  Such a selection hilights the point that Moses was deeply concerned about the matters he was praying about and consequently demanded that God give him an answer. 

10. RASHI METHOD : SYMBOLISM
This example applies to Rashis  Dt03-28c
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt03-28c.htm 

The symbolism method seeks to extract meaningful inferences from the symbolism of the biblical text.  The concept of symbolic interpretation is very involved. A good, compact, clear reference explaining when symbolism can be used and how to apply it may be found in my article Genesis 1 speaks about the creation of prophecy not the world which you can find at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gen-1.htm . Today we explore the symbolism in Dt03-28c  which describes the physical actions, such as lifting eyes, which connote prayer .

•	Verse Ex17-11 states   And it came to pass, when Moses raised his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.   וְהָיָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ--וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ, וְגָבַר עֲמָלֵק.  The Talmud, cited by Rashi, comments: Does raising of hands win a war? Rather, the intent of the verse is that when Moses raised his hands in prayer the Jews were victorious. 
•	Verse Nu21-08 states   And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live.'   וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף, וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ, עַל-נֵס; וְהָיָה, כָּל-הַנָּשׁוּךְ, וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ, וָחָי.  The Talmud, cited by Rashi, comments: Does seeing a snake effect a cure? Rather the intent is lifting eyes in prayer,  effects a cure. 
•	Verse Dt03-28 states   But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over (lead) before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.'   וְצַו אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְחַזְּקֵהוּ וְאַמְּצֵהוּ:  כִּי-הוּא יַעֲבֹר, לִפְנֵי הָעָם הַזֶּה, וְהוּא יַנְחִיל אוֹתָם, אֶת-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶה.  Rashi, consistent with the above two verses explains: Joshua's leadership by itself did not guarantee military success. But rather Joshua's spiritual leadership guaranteed military success. 
In all three verses Rashi interprets some physical act as symbolically affirmative of something spiritual: (a) raising hands in prayer, (b) lifting eyes in prayer, (c) leading spiritually. Rashi also cites the story told in Joshua Chapter 7 to illustrate that when Jews sinned they were not successful militarily (so indeed it was the spiritual leadership that caused victory not just mere leadership)

Conclusion

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