The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat NiTzaViM 
 Vol  1#31 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Sep-29-2005 
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 Dt29-25b 
URL Reference : (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt29-11b.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 Dt29-25 states   and went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods that they knew not, and that He had not allotted unto them;   וַיֵּלְכוּ, וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ, לָהֶם:  אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְדָעוּם, וְלֹא חָלַק לָהֶם.  

Although Rashi does not explicitly cite an other verse nevertheless, the following verse, which also speaks about idolatry and also uses the underlined phrase, allot seems to be the source for Rashi's explanation of this word. 

Verse Dt04-19 states   and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven.   וּפֶן-תִּשָּׂא עֵינֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה, וְרָאִיתָ אֶת-הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת-הַיָּרֵחַ וְאֶת-הַכּוֹכָבִים כֹּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְנִדַּחְתָּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לָהֶם, וַעֲבַדְתָּם--אֲשֶׁר חָלַק יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֹתָם, לְכֹל הָעַמִּים, תַּחַת כָּל-הַשָּׁמָיִם.  

It is clear that just as the Hebrew root חלק means allotted in Dt04-19 so to it means allotted in Dt29-25 

Thus we would translate Dt29-25 as follows:   and went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods that they knew not, and that He had not assigned unto them;   וַיֵּלְכוּ, וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ, לָהֶם:  אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְדָעוּם, וְלֹא חָלַק לָהֶם.  

Rashi in his commentary actually combines both verses one of which states that God did not assign idols to the other nations and the other of which states that God did not assign them to the Jews. Hence Rashi tersely but wryly states: God did not create idols to be assigned to anybody. 

This ability of Rashi to combine serious scholarship with cute, biting remarks is characteristic. 

2. RASHI METHOD : WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Dt29-25a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/dt29-25a.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 synonyms  method. Rashi will sometimes take a work whose meaning is known and give a similar but different translation that will illuminate the nuances of the word.. 

The Hebrew word ידע is well known and traditionally is translated as meaning to know. Rashi in about a dozen verses shows that a better translation is to appreciate.  Appreciation is more than cognitive knowledge; it is knowledge coupled with emotional appreciation. For example the well known idiom, Adam knew his wife would be better translated as Adam appreciated his wife. Here, appreciation is a better word to connote intimacy than know. 

We present below several verses where ידע is translated as appreciation. 
•	Verse Dt29-25 states   and went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods that they appreciated not, and that He had not allotted unto them;   וַיֵּלְכוּ, וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ, לָהֶם:  אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְדָעוּם, וְלֹא חָלַק לָהֶם.  
•	Verse Ex18-11 states   Now I appreciate that the LORD is greater than all gods; yea, for that they dealt proudly against them.'   עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי, כִּי-גָדוֹל יְהוָה מִכָּל-הָאֱלֹהִים:  כִּי בַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם.  
•	Verse Gn42-23 states   And they did not appreciate that Joseph understood them; for the interpreter was between them.   וְהֵם לֹא יָדְעוּ, כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ יוֹסֵף:  כִּי הַמֵּלִיץ, בֵּינֹתָם.  
•	Verse Ex01-08 states   Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who no longer appreciated Joseph.   וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ-חָדָשׁ, עַל-מִצְרָיִם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדַע, אֶת-יוֹסֵף.  
•	Verse Gn22-12 states   And he said: 'Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I appreciate that thou art a God-fearing man, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me.'   וַיֹּאמֶר, אַל-תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל-הַנַּעַר, וְאַל-תַּעַשׂ לוֹ, מְאוּמָה:  כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי, כִּי-יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה, וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ אֶת-בִּנְךָ אֶת-יְחִידְךָ, מִמֶּנִּי.  
In all the above verses the translation, appreciate flows better. Also, in all the above verses knowledge was already present. For example in Gn42-23 they were speaking right in front of Joseph and hence they knew that Joseph was listening. However, they didn't appreciate it because they were speaking in Hebrew while they thought that he only spoke Egyptian. 

3. RASHI METHOD : GRAMMAR / puns 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt30-03a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/dt30-03a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One component of grammar deals with puns. Puns are a universal literary phenomenon in all languages: Puns indicate a distortion of the text in order to impart relevant secondary meaning.

Verse Dt30-03 states   that then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the peoples, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.   וְשָׁב יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת-שְׁבוּתְךָ, וְרִחֲמֶךָ; וְשָׁב, וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים, אֲשֶׁר הֱפִיצְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שָׁמָּה.  Note the word והשיב is in the causative mode and means return your exiles; However Dt30-03 uses the Hebrew word ושב which means He will return since it is in the active not the causative mode. 

The use of the Hebrew word for he will return vs. the Hebrew word for he will return your exiles motivates the Rashi comment: As it were, God himself is exiled with us. And when we return He will return. 

Note that this use of mis-spelled words to evoke secondary thoughts is an example of a pun.  Puns, as indicated above, are normal literary vehicles in all cultures. Many literary scholars consider puns as intended by the author. I have a paper coming out at the end of 2006 in the Jewish Bible Quarterly which discusses the whole phenomena of Biblical Puns and shows their rich diversity. 

4. RASHI METHOD : ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Dt31-12a Dt31-12b Dt31-12c 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/dt31-12a.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 .

Notice the contrast in underlined phrases in the alignment of the following verses. 
•	Verse Dt31-10:12 states   And Moses commanded them, saying: 'At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which He shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law;   וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה, אוֹתָם לֵאמֹר:  מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, בְּמֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה--בְּחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת.  בְּבוֹא כָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵרָאוֹת אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בַּמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר:  תִּקְרָא אֶת-הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת, נֶגֶד כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל--בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם.  הַקְהֵל אֶת-הָעָם, הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף, וְגֵרְךָ, אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ--לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ וּלְמַעַן יִלְמְדוּ, וְיָרְאוּ אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְשָׁמְרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת, אֶת-כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת.  
•	Verse Dt31-13 states   and that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.'    וּבְנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדְעוּ, יִשְׁמְעוּ וְלָמְדוּ--לְיִרְאָה, אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:  כָּל-הַיָּמִים, אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם חַיִּים עַל-הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן שָׁמָּה, לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.   

This contrast of the underlined verses makes simple sense: 
•	Men women (Adults): Come to listen,learn, fear and observe 
•	Children who do not yet understand: Come to listen, learn, and fear but not to observe since they are not yet adults. 

Rashi actually goes one step beyond the verse. Rashi attempts to explain each of the groups listed in the verse. Rashi explains 
•	Men: Come to listen,learn, fear, observe 
•	Women(Rashi) & young children: Come to listen,learn, fear 
•	Infants: Come to enable reward to those who bring them (Rashi)
•	Alien non jews Come to learn to respect prophecy  since the Torah is being read (My own suggestion) 

The last interpretation is my own. I am suggesting that besides the seven noachide laws, non-jews also have an 8-th law--the obligation to respect and obey prophecy. The reader need not agree with me. But it is important the reader understand the motivation for my comments: the alignment emphasizes that each of the groups listed - men, women, infants, children - have different requirements at the listening of the law every seven years. This rule explains my search for the requirements for aliens. (In passing neither Rashi nor the Talmud makes a comment on the requirements of aliens). 

5. RASHI METHOD : CONTRADICTION 
This example applies to Rashis  Dt28-30b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt28-30b.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.

Notice the slight contradiction in the following 2 verses. 
•	Verse Dt31-29 states   For I know that after my(Moses) death ye will in any wise deal corruptly, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the end of days; because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him through the work of your hands.'   כִּי יָדַעְתִּי, אַחֲרֵי מוֹתִי כִּי-הַשְׁחֵת תַּשְׁחִתוּן, וְסַרְתֶּם מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ, אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם; וְקָרָאת אֶתְכֶם הָרָעָה, בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים--כִּי-תַעֲשׂוּ אֶת-הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה, לְהַכְעִיסוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיכֶם.  
•	Verse Jo24-31 states   And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of the LORD, that He had wrought for Israel.   וַיַּעֲבֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-יְהוָה, כֹּל יְמֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ; וְכֹל יְמֵי הַזְּקֵנִים, אֲשֶׁר הֶאֱרִיכוּ יָמִים אַחֲרֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וַאֲשֶׁר יָדְעוּ אֵת כָּל-מַעֲשֵׂה יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.  

Note the contradiction: On the one hand 
•	Dt31-29 states that after Moses dies the people will rebel 
•	Jo24-31 states that the Jews did not rebel after Moses death but rather kept the law while Joshua was alive.
•	
Rashi resolves this contradiction by broadly interpreting the word Moses to refer to both Moses and his disciples. In other words a person's name can refer to the school of disciples he creates. We may now reread the two verses cited above: 
•	Verse Dt31-29 states   For I know that after the death of my school of disciples that ye will in any wise deal corruptly, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the end of days; because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him through the work of your hands.'   כִּי יָדַעְתִּי, אַחֲרֵי מוֹתִי כִּי-הַשְׁחֵת תַּשְׁחִתוּן, וְסַרְתֶּם מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ, אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם; וְקָרָאת אֶתְכֶם הָרָעָה, בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים--כִּי-תַעֲשׂוּ אֶת-הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה, לְהַכְעִיסוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיכֶם.  
•	Verse Jo24-31 states   And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of the LORD, that He had wrought for Israel.   וַיַּעֲבֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-יְהוָה, כֹּל יְמֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ; וְכֹל יְמֵי הַזְּקֵנִים, אֲשֶׁר הֶאֱרִיכוּ יָמִים אַחֲרֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וַאֲשֶׁר יָדְעוּ אֵת כָּל-מַעֲשֵׂה יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.  

7. RASHI METHOD : Formatting
This example applies to Rashis  Dt30-15a Dt30-16a Dt30-16b Dt30-17a Dt30-18a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt30-15a.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 following Biblical paragraph has a distinct paragraph structure as shown: Verse Dt30-15:20 states   
See, I have set before thee this day 
---A1--- life and 
---A2--- good, and 
---B1--- death and 
---B2--- evil, 

---A2--- in that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances; 
---A1--- then thou shalt live and multiply, and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it. 
---B2--- But if thy heart turn away, and thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 
---B1--- I declare unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish; ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over the Jordan to go in to possess it. 

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee 
---A1--- life and 
---B1--- death, the 
---A2--- blessing and the 
---B2--- curse; 
therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; to love the LORD thy God, to hearken to His voice, and to cleave unto Him; for that is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.    
רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם
, אֶת-הַחַיִּים---A1--- 
 וְאֶת-הַטּוֹב,---A2---
 וְאֶת-הַמָּוֶת,---B1---
 וְאֶת-הָרָע.

אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ, הַיּוֹם, לְאַהֲבָה אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו, וְלִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֹתָיו וְחֻקֹּתָיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו;---A2---
 וְחָיִיתָ וְרָבִיתָ--וּבֵרַכְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-אַתָּה בָא-שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.---A1--- 
 וְאִם-יִפְנֶה לְבָבְךָ, וְלֹא תִשְׁמָע; וְנִדַּחְתָּ, וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים--וַעֲבַדְתָּם.----B2---
 הִגַּדְתִּי לָכֶם הַיּוֹם, כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן:  לֹא-תַאֲרִיכֻן יָמִים, עַל-הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹבֵר אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן, לָבוֹא שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ---B1---.

  הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם, אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ--
הַחַיִּים---A1--- 
 וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ,---B1---
 הַבְּרָכָה---A2---
 וְהַקְּלָלָה;---B2---
 וּבָחַרְתָּ, בַּחַיִּים--לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה, אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ.  לְאַהֲבָה אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקֹלוֹ וּלְדָבְקָה-בוֹ:  כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ, וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ--לָשֶׁבֶת עַל-הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב, לָתֵת לָהֶם.   

All Rashi does is indicate the structure as we have shown above. Rashi first concentrates on the first  verse Dt30-15 which states   See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil,   רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם, אֶת-הַחַיִּים וְאֶת-הַטּוֹב, וְאֶת-הַמָּוֶת, וְאֶת-הָרָע.  

Rashi perceives the first verse as an introductory overview. Rashi then shows how each of the 4 underlined items--life, death, good, evil -- are developed in the verses that below. All this is shown in the outline above: For example, the promise of life (A1) in the introductory verse corresponds to the entire verse  then thou shalt live and multiply, and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.

Rashi also notes that the first verse, Dt30-15 speaks about the life and the good while the following verse Dt30-16, which develops the first verse, speaks about if you do good then you will have life.  In other words the overview verse, Dt30-15 uses the connective and while the followup verse, Dt30-16 uses the connective if-then. 

Many other associations can be inferred from the above structure such as the identification of  (a) good, (b) observance of commandments and (c) blessing (A2).

9. RASHI METHOD : SPREADSHEETS
This example applies to Rashis  Dt31-21b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt31-21b.htm 

 We say that Rashi uses the spreadsheet  method if he either (a) uses spreadsheets and algebra or (b) geometric illustrations or (c) any other type of illustration, even if it doesn't involve algebra and geometry, to explain a verse. We also use the term spreadsheet method  if Rashi (d) gives consequences and inferences from a verse whose meaning and structure is clear and is consistent with other biblical verses. In summary, any clarification of a verse that is in addition to its meaning is called spreadsheets.

Verse Dt31-21 states   then it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are come upon them, that this song shall testify before them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed; for I know their imagination how they do even now, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.'   וְהָיָה כִּי-תִמְצֶאןָ אֹתוֹ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת, וְצָרוֹת, וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְפָנָיו לְעֵד, כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ:  כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת-יִצְרוֹ, אֲשֶׁר הוּא עֹשֶׂה הַיּוֹם, בְּטֶרֶם אֲבִיאֶנּוּ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי.  

Rashi is amazingly simple on this verse. Rashi does not explain the meaning of the underlined phrase since we all understand it. Rashi does not bring in other verses because they are not necessary. Rashi does not exhibit structure in this verse since it is a simple sentence. 

Rather Rashi states an inference from this verse: Since this biblical poem will never be forgotten, therefore, the Torah itself can also never be totally forgotten because the poem is part of the Torah. 

Conclusion

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