The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat AyQueV 
 Vol  1#26 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Aug-25-2005 
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 Dt09-20a Dt09-20c 
URL Reference : (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt09-20a.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. 

Verse Dt09-20 states   Moreover the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him; and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.   וּבְאַהֲרֹן, הִתְאַנַּף יְהוָה מְאֹד--לְהַשְׁמִידוֹ; וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל גַּם-בְּעַד אַהֲרֹן, בָּעֵת הַהִוא.  

Rashi explains why the Lord was very angry with Aaron by citing an other verse Ex32-21:25 which states   And Moses said unto Aaron: 'What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?' And Aaron said: 'Let not the anger of my lord wax hot; thou knowest the people, that they are set on evil. So they said unto me: Make us a god, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And I said unto them: Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off; so they gave it me; and I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.' And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose--for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies--   וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-אַהֲרֹן, מֶה-עָשָׂה לְךָ הָעָם הַזֶּה:  כִּי-הֵבֵאתָ עָלָיו, חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה.  וַיֹּאמֶר אַהֲרֹן, אַל-יִחַר אַף אֲדֹנִי; אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת-הָעָם, כִּי בְרָע הוּא.  וַיֹּאמְרוּ לִי--עֲשֵׂה-לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים, אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ:  כִּי-זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ, אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם--לֹא יָדַעְנוּ, מֶה-הָיָה לוֹ.  וָאֹמַר לָהֶם לְמִי זָהָב, הִתְפָּרָקוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ-לִי; וָאַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ, וַיֵּצֵא הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה.  וַיַּרְא מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הָעָם, כִּי פָרֻעַ הוּא:  כִּי-פְרָעֹה אַהֲרֹן, לְשִׁמְצָה בְּקָמֵיהֶם.  

Rashi also explains the nuances of God wanted to destroy Aaron by citing an other verse Nu03-01:04 which states   Now these are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke with Moses in mount Sinai. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests that were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.    וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת אַהֲרֹן, וּמֹשֶׁה:  בְּיוֹם, דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה--בְּהַר סִינָי.  וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי-אַהֲרֹן, הַבְּכֹר נָדָב, וַאֲבִיהוּא, אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר.  אֵלֶּה, שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, הַכֹּהֲנִים, הַמְּשֻׁחִים--אֲשֶׁר-מִלֵּא יָדָם, לְכַהֵן.  וַיָּמָת נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא לִפְנֵי יְהוָה בְּהַקְרִבָם אֵשׁ זָרָה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, וּבָנִים, לֹא-הָיוּ לָהֶם; וַיְכַהֵן אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר, עַל-פְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֲבִיהֶם.   From this other verse we see that 2, that is 50%, of Aaron's 4 children died. Hence the Rashi comment Rashi: The biblical statement God wanted to destroy Aaron refers to the death of children. 

2. RASHI METHOD : WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Dt07-01a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex03-05a.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 Biblical-verses  method. Rashi, may sometimes explain the meaning of a known word by examining several Biblical verses using this word: Rashi's purpose is not necessarily to give the basic meaning, which may be known, but rather, to give the precise nuances of the word which may differ from what is commonly thought.

The Hebrew word נשל, Nun-Shin-Lamed, is sometimes translated as to take off, but really means to fall off. 

The following verses support this superior interpretation of נשל as meaning falling off vs taking off: 

•	Verse Dt28-40 states   Thou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy borders, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olives shall fall off.   זֵיתִים יִהְיוּ לְךָ, בְּכָל-גְּבוּלֶךָ; וְשֶׁמֶן לֹא תָסוּךְ, כִּי יִשַּׁל זֵיתֶךָ.  
•	Verse Dt19-05 states   as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head drops off from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live;   וַאֲשֶׁר יָבֹא אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ בַיַּעַר, לַחְטֹב עֵצִים, וְנִדְּחָה יָדוֹ בַגַּרְזֶן לִכְרֹת הָעֵץ, וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל מִן-הָעֵץ וּמָצָא אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ וָמֵת:  הוּא, יָנוּס אֶל-אַחַת הֶעָרִים-הָאֵלֶּה--וָחָי.  
•	Verse Ex03-05 states   And He said: 'Draw not nigh hither; slip off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.'   וַיֹּאמֶר, אַל-תִּקְרַב הֲלֹם; שַׁל-נְעָלֶיךָ, מֵעַל רַגְלֶיךָ--כִּי הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו, אַדְמַת-קֹדֶשׁ הוּא.  
•	Verse Dt07-01 states   When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and many nations shall drop out before thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;   כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר-אַתָּה בָא-שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ; וְנָשַׁל גּוֹיִם-רַבִּים מִפָּנֶיךָ הַחִתִּי וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁי וְהָאֱמֹרִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי, וְהַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי--שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם, רַבִּים וַעֲצוּמִים מִמֶּךָּ.  

3. RASHI METHOD : GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt10-12a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex19-05a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One component of grammar deals with the grammatical function of connective special words such as if-then, because, also... . 

The keyword, ועתה, and now, is used in the Bible to indicate progressive contrast. In other words and now indicates a three-stage process with 
•	(a) an initial state 
•	(b) that has begun to change 
•	(c) and now will or might continue to change. 

In each of the following verses one can see the three stages 
•	Gn03-22: (a) Man was not sinning, (b) he ate from the tree of knowledge, (c) and now he might sin further by eating from the tree of life. Verse Gn03-22 states   And the LORD God said: 'Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.'   וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ, לָדַעַת, טוֹב וָרָע; וְעַתָּה פֶּן-יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ, וְלָקַח גַּם מֵעֵץ הַחַיִּים, וְאָכַל, וָחַי לְעֹלָם.  
•	Ex19-05: (a) God redeemed the Jews from Egypt (b) They accepted certain commandments (such as Passover, Sabbath...) (c) and now at Sinai, if they accept the Torah they will become a nation of priests. Verse Ex19-05 states   Now therefore, if ye will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine;   וְעַתָּה, אִם-שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי, וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם, אֶת-בְּרִיתִי--וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים, כִּי-לִי כָּל-הָאָרֶץ.  
•	Ex32-32 (a) The Jews sinned with the Golden calf (b) they began to repent by executing those who worshipped it (c) and now,  Moses says, if You, God, forgive their sin, fine, (and if not I, Moses doesn't want to live) Verse Ex32-32 states   And now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written.'   וְעַתָּה, אִם-תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם; וְאִם-אַיִן--מְחֵנִי נָא, מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ.  
•	Dt10-12 (a) The Jews had sinned but (b) God forgave them (c) and now all God asks of the Jews is that they fear Him. Verse Dt10-12 states   And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul;   וְעַתָּה, יִשְׂרָאֵל--מָה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שֹׁאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ:  כִּי אִם-לְיִרְאָה אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל-דְּרָכָיו, וּלְאַהֲבָה אֹתוֹ, וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשֶׁךָ.  
The Rashi on Dt10-12 is instructive: Even though (a) you have sinned nevertheless (b) God still has mercy and endearment for your (c) and only asks you to fear Him. Thus Rashi explicitly identifies three stages. Note that the three stages are not all identified in Dt10-12. Rather knowledge of context reveals two prior stages and Dt10-12, beginning with the connective words and now introduces the third stage. As this Rashi text shows the proper procedure when seeing and now in a verse is to re-examine context and ascertain the three stages.

If one carefully examines the Rashi's on the above verses one sees in all of them an emphasis on a three-stage progressive contrast. 

4. RASHI METHOD : ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Dt04-07a
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/dt07-04a.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 .

Both the following verses mention the prohibition and consequences of intermarriage:
•	Verse Dt07-03:04 states   neither shalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For he will turn away thy son from following Me, that they may serve other gods; so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and He will destroy thee quickly.   וְלֹא תִתְחַתֵּן, בָּם:  בִּתְּךָ לֹא-תִתֵּן לִבְנוֹ, וּבִתּוֹ לֹא-תִקַּח לִבְנֶךָ.  כִּי-יָסִיר אֶת-בִּנְךָ מֵאַחֲרַי, וְעָבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים; וְחָרָה אַף-יְהוָה בָּכֶם, וְהִשְׁמִידְךָ מַהֵר.  Verse Ex34-16 states   and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go astray after their gods, and make thy [grand] sons go astray after their gods.   וְלָקַחְתָּ מִבְּנֹתָיו, לְבָנֶיךָ; וְזָנוּ בְנֹתָיו, אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶן, וְהִזְנוּ אֶת-בָּנֶיךָ, אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶן.  

As the underlined passages show Dt07-03:04 mentions both possibilities of intermarriage 
•	A Jewish woman and non-Jewish man 
•	A Jewish man and non-Jewish woman 
while by contrast, Ex34-16 only mentions an intermarriage of a
•	 Jewish woman and non-Jewish man 

As the bolded text shows both passages mention Jewish men going astray after non-Jewish gods.

The juxtaposition in Ex34-16, hilighted by the alignment, of  (a) the possibility of grandchildren going astray from God but only in  (b) an intermarriage of a Jewish man and non-Jewish woman immediately leads to the Rashi comment, Rashi: We consequently infer that the child's religious status, (Jewish or non-Jewish) follows the mother, not the father, since the possibility of going astray is only coupled with an intermarriage of a Jewish man and a non-Jewish woman. 

Quite fascinating is the startling fact that Rashi inference, while it is based on the Exodus verse, Ex34-16, is nevertheless not made by Rashi in Exodus but rather, is made by Rashi on Dt07-04! A person reviewing Dt07-03:04 would be at a lost to ascertain how Rashi made this inference from that verse. The proper inference procedure is to align Dt07-04 with the almost identical verse Ex34-16. The alignment immediately virtually speaks to us and points out the connection between a non-Jewish mother and going astray. Such criss-crossing of Rashis is in fact common. The serious Rashi student must therefore be very careful in correctly understanding Rashi's reasons. 

5. RASHI METHOD : CONTRADICTION 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt07-07a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt07-07a.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.

A comparison of verse Dt07-07 which states   The LORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people--for ye are the fewest of all peoples--   לֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים, חָשַׁק יְהוָה בָּכֶם--וַיִּבְחַר בָּכֶם:  כִּי-אַתֶּם הַמְעַט, מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים, with verse Dt09-01 which states   Hear, O Israel: thou art to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than [even] thyself, cities great and fortified up to heaven,   שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן, לָבֹא לָרֶשֶׁת גּוֹיִם, גְּדֹלִים וַעֲצֻמִים מִמֶּךָּ--עָרִים גְּדֹלֹת וּבְצֻרֹת, בַּשָּׁמָיִם.  implies two contradictory attributes of the Jews 
•	The Jews are small (Dt07-07 ) 
•	The biblical phrase in Dt09-01 nations greater than thyself implies that the Jews themselves are great (just not as great as the Canaanite nations). 

Rashi resolves the contradiction by seeing these two verses as speaking about two aspects of the Jewish people. Rashi distinguishes the following two aspects of the Jewish people: (a) Numbers (b) Military Strength. 
•	Numerically the Jews are small 
•	Militarily the Jews are strong.

6. RASHI METHOD : STYLE
This example applies to Rashis  Dt07-05a Dt07-05b Dt07-05c Dt07-05d 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/example8.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 Dt07-05 states   
•	But thus shall ye deal with them: 
•	ye shall break down their altars, 
•	and dash in pieces their monuments, 
•	and hew down their luxury trees, and 
•	burn their graven idols with fire.  
 כִּי-אִם-כֹּה תַעֲשׂוּ, לָהֶם--
•	מִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶם תִּתֹּצוּ
•	, וּמַצֵּבֹתָם תְּשַׁבֵּרוּ;
•	 וַאֲשֵׁירֵהֶם, תְּגַדֵּעוּן,
•	 וּפְסִילֵיהֶם, תִּשְׂרְפוּן בָּאֵשׁ.  

As can be seen Dt07-05 has a detail-general style. The general-theme sentence is indicated in the bolded phrase burn their graven idols in fire. Consequently, because these items are in one paragraph we similarly interpret the other details as referring to idol-connected items. Hence the Rashis 
•	their altars Rashi: altar buildings 
•	their monuments Rashi: single-stone (vs building) altars 
•	their luxury-trees Rashi: This refers to trees planted for worshiping purposes 
•	Their idols Rashi: This refers to the actual idols themselves. 

To recap: The paragraph structure of Dt07-05 leads to perceiving each of the paragraph items as reflecting some aspect of idolatry, the theme sentence of the paragraph. 

7. RASHI METHOD : Formatting
This example applies to Rashis  Dt10-18a Dt10-18b
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt10-17a.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. 

The bulleting of verse Dt10-17:18 which states   
For the LORD your God, 
•	He is God of gods, 
•	and Lord of lords, 
•	the great God, the mighty, and the awful, 
•	who regardeth not persons, 
•	nor taketh reward. 
•	He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, 
•	and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
כִּי, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם-
•	הוּא אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים,
•	 וַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים:
•	  הָאֵל הַגָּדֹל הַגִּבֹּר, וְהַנּוֹרָא,
•	 אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יִשָּׂא פָנִים,
•	 וְלֹא יִקַּח שֹׁחַד.
•	  עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפַּט יָתוֹם, וְאַלְמָנָה;
•	 וְאֹהֵב גֵּר, לָתֶת לוֹ לֶחֶם וְשִׂמְלָה. 
immediately and clearly leads to the Rashi comment: Rashi: The climax and purpose of God's might is that He cares for widows and gives them food and clothing. 

Conclusion

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