The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat Shemoth
 Vol  2#12 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Jan 19 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 at all levels to acquire a familiarity and facility with the major exegetical methods.
  
IN THIS ISSUE: a)How did Rashi know Shifrah was Yocheved? b)Pharoh's daughter's hand stretched several feet?

2. RASHI METHOD: WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Ex04-16b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex04-16b.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 Special Connective Word method.  All languages have special connective words--e.g. because, also, nevertheless--which facilitate connecting sentence parts. Rashi frequently focused on one special connective word and gave its meanings.

Verse Ex04-16 states And he [Aaron] shall be your mouth; and he shall be to you instead of a mouth, and you shall be to him instead of God. וְדִבֶּר-הוּא לְךָ, אֶל-הָעָם; וְהָיָה הוּא יִהְיֶה-לְּךָ לְפֶה, וְאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה-לּוֹ לֵאלֹהִים

Rashi explains the underlined phrase shall be your mouth is an  idiom meaning will be your spokesman.  Here the word mouth  is interpreted by its function, to communicate.

In a similar vein verse Ex02-05 states And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her hand to fetch it.  וַתֵּרֶד בַּת-פַּרְעֹה לִרְחֹץ עַל-הַיְאֹר, וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ הֹלְכֹת עַל-יַד הַיְאֹר; וַתֵּרֶא אֶת-הַתֵּבָה בְּתוֹךְ הַסּוּף, וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת-אֲמָתָהּ וַתִּקָּחֶהָ. 

Rashi first explains that her hand is an idiom meaning her handmaid or her right hand (as in the English idiom). Startlingly after Rashi gives this perfectly reasonable explanation Rashi states: But the Talmudic sages interpreted this to mean she sent her actual hand which stretched many feet so as to get the baby.

This 2nd Rashi comment is also explainable as an idiom: Rashi is stating that the handmaid referred to in the verse (to get the baby) was not any handmaid but rather her personal handmaid -- using English idioms we would say she was not her hand but  her right hand. 

Rashi's point is well taken: Her father decreed death on these children. If Pharoh's daughter sent any old maid to get the baby then the word would leak! Therefore to protect herself from exposure and confrontation with her father she sent her personal maid, her right hand. Hence the picturesque, punchy but true Rashi: It wasn't a maid but rather her actual hand! 

Praise be Him who chose them and their learning!

3. RASHI METHOD: GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Ex01-07a
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex01-07a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One part of grammar deals with transformation of verbs, nouns and adjectives. For example to bud is a verb derived from the noun bud. It means to create buds.

The following verses illustrate the technique of new word meanings arising from grammatical shifts in word function. When a verb is formed from a noun it can mean 3 things 
•	It can mean to remove the object designated by the noun. For example, to dust. 
•	It can mean to create the object designated by the noun. For example, to flower.
•	It can mean to use the object designated by the noun. For example, to hammer. 

Here are some verses where these noun-verb transformations take effect. 
•	To Worm (to create worms):  Verse Ex16-20 states   Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it wormed worms, and rotted; and Moses was wroth with them.   וְלֹא-שָׁמְעוּ אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, וַיּוֹתִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִמֶּנּוּ עַד-בֹּקֶר, וַיָּרֻם תּוֹלָעִים, וַיִּבְאַשׁ; וַיִּקְצֹף עֲלֵהֶם, מֹשֶׁה.  
•	To Ash the altar (to remove the ashes):  Verse Nu04-13 states   And they shall ash the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon.   וְדִשְּׁנוּ, אֶת-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ; וּפָרְשׂוּ עָלָיו, בֶּגֶד אַרְגָּמָן.  
•	To children (to create children):  Verse Gn50-23 states   And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh were also childrened upon Joseph's knees.   וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף לְאֶפְרַיִם, בְּנֵי שִׁלֵּשִׁים; גַּם, בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן-מְנַשֶּׁה--יֻלְּדוּ, עַל-בִּרְכֵּי יוֹסֵף.  
•	To gold the hand (to place gold rings on the hand):  (That is to use gold on the hand in the standard manner--by wearing rings.) Verse Gn49-24 states   But his bow abode firm, and his hands were golded [he became prime minister] by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, from thence, from the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel,   וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ, וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו; מִידֵי אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב, מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל.  
•	To insectify (to wildly produce children like an insect colony):Verse Ex01-07a states  And the people of Israel insectified, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ--בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד; וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ, אֹתָם.

4. RASHI METHOD: ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Ex04-07a
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex04-07a.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 occurrences of bosom in the following verses

Ex04-06. (God brings disease on Moses) And the Lord said furthermore to him, 
•	Put now your hand into your bosom. 
•	And he put his hand into his bosom; 
•	and when he took it out, 
•	behold, his hand was diseased, white as snow.

Ex04-07 (God brings curing on Moses) And he said, 
•	Put your hand into your bosom again. 
•	And he put his hand into his bosom again; 
•	and when he took it out of his bosom, 
•	behold, it was cured again as his other flesh.

Ex04-06
•	 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לוֹ עוֹד,
•	 הָבֵא-נָא יָדְךָ בְּחֵיקֶךָ,
•	 וַיָּבֵא יָדוֹ, בְּחֵיקוֹ;
•	 וַיּוֹצִאָהּ,
•	 וְהִנֵּה יָדוֹ מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג

Ex04-07
•	.   וַיֹּאמֶר,
•	 הָשֵׁב יָדְךָ אֶל-חֵיקֶךָ,
•	 וַיָּשֶׁב יָדוֹ, אֶל-חֵיקוֹ;
•	 וַיּוֹצִאָהּ, מֵחֵיקוֹ
•	, וְהִנֵּה-שָׁבָה, כִּבְשָׂרוֹ

The bold phrases indicate a contrast: 
•	When God brought disease on Moses in Ex04-06 Moses had to take his hand all the way out
•	By contrast, when God brought cure on Moses in Ex04-07 Moses only had to take his hand out of his bosom

Hence the Rashi comment: We see from this that God's promises of good come quicker than God's promises of bad.
Needless to say each person can philosophically extend the implications of this Rashi to many personal areas.

5. RASHI METHOD: CONTRADICTION 
This example applies to Rashis Ex05-01a
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex05-01a.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. 

•	Verse Ex03-16:18 states Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt; And I have said, I will bring you out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall listen to your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him, The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now let us go, we beseech you, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
 לֵךְ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת-זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם נִרְאָה אֵלַי, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, לֵאמֹר:  פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, וְאֶת-הֶעָשׂוּי לָכֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם.  וָאֹמַר, אַעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם מֵעֳנִי מִצְרַיִם, אֶל-אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּי, וְהָאֱמֹרִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי--אֶל-אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב, וּדְבָשׁ.   וְשָׁמְעוּ, לְקֹלֶךָ; וּבָאתָ אַתָּה וְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אֵלָיו יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִיִּים נִקְרָה עָלֵינוּ, וְעַתָּה נֵלְכָה-נָּא דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְנִזְבְּחָה לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ.  

•	The idea that the elders should come to Pharoh is echoed again in verses Ex04-29:31 
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel; And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
 .    וַיֵּלֶךְ מֹשֶׁה, וְאַהֲרֹן; וַיַּאַסְפוּ, אֶת-כָּל-זִקְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.   וַיְדַבֵּר אַהֲרֹן--אֵת כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים, אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיַּעַשׂ הָאֹתֹת, לְעֵינֵי הָעָם.   וַיַּאֲמֵן, הָעָם; וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כִּי-פָקַד יְהוָה אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכִי רָאָה אֶת-עָנְיָם, וַיִּקְּדוּ, וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ.

•	But verse Ex05-01 seems to contradict this idea that the elders went with Moses and Aaron:  And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus said the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast for me in the wilderness.
   וְאַחַר, בָּאוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה:  כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שַׁלַּח אֶת-עַמִּי, וְיָחֹגּוּ לִי בַּמִּדְבָּר.  ה,ב וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה--מִי יְהוָה 

We see the contradiction. Which is it? Did the elders go with Moses or not?

Rashi resolves this contradiction using the rule of stages:
•	initially the elders were suppose to go with Moses
•	but they apparently chickened out at the last minute.

6. RASHI METHOD : STYLE
This example applies to Rashis Ex01-20b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex01-20b.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 basic idea of the general-detail method is that the general meaning of the first clause is exhausted by the details of the second clause. This is illustrated by the following verses and Rashis:

•	Verse Nu03-06 states   'Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.  And they shall guard the [Temple] watch....הַקְרֵב, אֶת-מַטֵּה לֵוִי, וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ אֹתוֹ, לִפְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן; וְשֵׁרְתוּ, אֹתוֹ.   
•	Verse Ex01-11 states   Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses.   וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי מִסִּים, לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָם; וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת, לְפַרְעֹה--אֶת-פִּתֹם, וְאֶת-רַעַמְסֵס.  RASHI:  Thus the taxes consisted of labor to build cities 
•	Verse Nu05-12:13 states   Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: If any man's wife go aside, and act unfaithfully against him,  and a man lie with her carnally... דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם:  אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי-תִשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ, וּמָעֲלָה בוֹ מָעַל	. 
•	Verse Gn45-23 states   And to his father he sent as follows:  ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and victual for his father by the way.   וּלְאָבִיו שָׁלַח כְּזֹאת, עֲשָׂרָה חֲמֹרִים, נֹשְׂאִים, מִטּוּב מִצְרָיִם; וְעֶשֶׂר אֲתֹנֹת נֹשְׂאֹת בָּר וָלֶחֶם וּמָזוֹן, לְאָבִיו--לַדָּרֶךְ.  
•	Verse Gn49-04 states   Unstable as water, thou will not have the excellency; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it--he went up to my couch.    פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל-תּוֹתַר, כִּי עָלִיתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ; אָז חִלַּלְתָּ, יְצוּעִי עָלָה.   
•	Verse Ex01-20:21. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied, and became very mighty And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses.
      וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים, לַמְיַלְּדֹת; וַיִּרֶב הָעָם וַיַּעַצְמוּ, מְאֹד.  א,כא וַיְהִי, כִּי-יָרְאוּ הַמְיַלְּדֹת אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים; וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם, בָּתִּים

In each of the above verses all Rashi does is connect the 2 underlined parts of the sentence: Thus the God dealt well with the midwives in Ex01-20 refers to the He made them [respectable] Households; similarly the unfaithfulness in Nu05-12:13 refers to the carnal lying with an other man; similarly Reuven's unstability mentioned in Gn49-04 refers to his defilement of his father's couch.

7. RASHI METHOD : Formatting
This example applies to Rashis  Ex03-19a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex03-19a.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 

Note the bulleted structure of Ex03-19:20

And I am sure that the king of Egypt 
•	will not let you go, 
•	and not by a mighty hand. 
•	And I will stretch out my hand, and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you  go.

  וַאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי--
•	כִּי לֹא-יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, לַהֲלֹךְ:
•	  וְלֹא, בְּיָד חֲזָקָה.
•	וְשָׁלַחְתִּי אֶת-יָדִי, וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶת-מִצְרַיִם, בְּכֹל נִפְלְאֹתַי, אֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה בְּקִרְבּוֹ; וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן, יְשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם

The  repeating keyword not creates a bulleting effect. The passage therefore reads as follows
 
•	Pharoh   will not   let you go when you ask him
•	Pharoh will not let you go even when I, God show force
•	But Pharoh will let you go  when  I strike him with my full military force

8. RASHI METHOD: DATABASES
This example applies to Rashis Ex04-14a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex04-14a.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 happens when God loses his temper?  The query returns the 5 results listed below. 

In each of the following four verses we find God's loss of temper immediately followed by a punishment.

•	Dt29-26 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book;
•	Nu22-22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the Lord stood in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. As a follow up we read in Nu31-07:08 that And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them who were slain; that is, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian; Balaam, the son of Beor, they also slew with the sword.
•	Nu32-13 And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.
•	 Nu12-09:10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the Tent; and, behold, Miriam had become leprous, white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous

Rashi's logic is simple:
Notice in the other verses how God's kindling of anger is immediately followed by some type of punishment. Hence we assume the underlined phrase Aaron the Levite in Ex04-14 also indicates a punishment. 

Rashi refers to the following verse
Ex04-14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he comes forth to meet you; and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

Rashi continues his theme:
Apparently God would have made Moses the priestly tribe and Aaron would have remained a Levite; but because Moses sinned (he requested not to go) God's anger was kindled and gave the Priesthood to Aaron  Hence the phrase Aaron the Levite.

Note: Many Rashi commentators think that Rashi is commenting on the extra words Aaron the Levite or that Rashi is bothered by the strange phrase. Our position is that this is only part of the explanation of Rashi. The core of the explanation lies in the database query and analysis which shows that explicit punishment must follow God's kindling of Anger.

The Hebrew verses cited are as follows
•	Dt29-26   וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה, בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא, לְהָבִיא עָלֶיהָ אֶת-כָּל-הַקְּלָלָה, הַכְּתוּבָה בַּסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה
•	Nu22-22   וַיִּחַר-אַף אֱלֹהִים, כִּי-הוֹלֵךְ הוּא, וַיִּתְיַצֵּב מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה בַּדֶּרֶךְ, לְשָׂטָן לוֹ; וְהוּא רֹכֵב עַל-אֲתֹנוֹ, וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו עִמּוֹ.
The follow up execution is in Nu31-07:08   וְאֶת-מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן הָרְגוּ עַל-חַלְלֵיהֶם, אֶת-אֱוִי וְאֶת-רֶקֶם וְאֶת-צוּר וְאֶת-חוּר וְאֶת-רֶבַע--חֲמֵשֶׁת, מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן; וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן-בְּעוֹר, הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב
•	Nu32-13   וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה, בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיְנִעֵם בַּמִּדְבָּר, אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה--עַד-תֹּם, כָּל-הַדּוֹר, הָעֹשֶׂה הָרַע, בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה
•	 Nu12-09:10  וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה בָּם, וַיֵּלַךְ.   וְהֶעָנָן, סָר מֵעַל הָאֹהֶל, וְהִנֵּה מִרְיָם, מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג; וַיִּפֶן אַהֲרֹן אֶל-מִרְיָם, וְהִנֵּה מְצֹרָעַת.
•	Ex04-14  וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה בְּמֹשֶׁה, וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלֹא אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ הַלֵּוִי--יָדַעְתִּי, כִּי-דַבֵּר יְדַבֵּר הוּא; וְגַם הִנֵּה-הוּא יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתֶךָ, וְרָאֲךָ וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ

9. RASHI METHOD : SPREADSHEETS
This example applies to Rashis  Ex01-15d Ex01-15c Ex01-15b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex01-15d.htm

We say that Rashi uses the spreadsheet  method on any clarification of a verse that is in addition to its meaning. 

Rashi will very often take a verse whose meaning is already understood and add a consequence to the verse. This consequence does not illumine a comparison with any other verse but simply illustrates further something understood. We call this the spreadsheet method since spreadsheets are very often used to derive consequences of otherwise understood data.  The spreadsheet method is also used when either a) Rashi gives an algebraic or computational explanation of a difficult verse or b) Rashi presents geometric diagrams to clarify the meaning of the verse. Any of these three methods: a) actual spreadsheets b) geometric diagrams or c) additional consequences of a verse is called the spreadsheet method. 

Ex01-15 states that Shifra and Pooah were two Jewish Midwives. Out of nowhere Rashi claims that Shifrah and Pooah were Yocheved and Miryam. Rashi commentators are astonished at this. One Rashi commentator went so far as to invent a principle that the Bible likes to conserve names and identify as many different names as possible as belonging to the same person. This of course is ridiculous---there is no such principle of conservation of names. Here is the verse Ex01-15

And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, and the name of one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, לַמְיַלְּדֹת הָעִבְרִיֹּת, אֲשֶׁר שֵׁם הָאַחַת שִׁפְרָה, וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית פּוּעָה.

Rashi here uses the spreadsheet rule

Recall that Pharoh ordered all male babys murdered. Moses was not murdered when born but was kept in hiding for 3 months. His mother put him in a box floating on the Nile. When Pharoh's daughter found the box Miryam, Moses' sister, approached Pharoh's daughter to ask if she wanted help from a Midwife. Here are the verses Ex02-03:07

And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark made of reeds, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child in it; and she laid it in the rushes by the river’s brink. And his sister stood far away, to see what would be done to him And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child; and, behold, the baby wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call for you a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?
 וְלֹא-יָכְלָה עוֹד, הַצְּפִינוֹ, וַתִּקַּח-לוֹ תֵּבַת גֹּמֶא, וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת; וַתָּשֶׂם בָּהּ אֶת-הַיֶּלֶד, וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף עַל-שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר. וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ, מֵרָחֹק, לְדֵעָה, מַה-יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ. וַתֵּרֶד בַּת-פַּרְעֹה לִרְחֹץ עַל-הַיְאֹר, וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ הֹלְכֹת עַל-יַד הַיְאֹר; וַתֵּרֶא אֶת-הַתֵּבָה בְּתוֹךְ הַסּוּף, וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת-אֲמָתָהּ וַתִּקָּחֶהָ.  וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת-הַיֶּלֶד, וְהִנֵּה-נַעַר בֹּכֶה; וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו--וַתֹּאמֶר, מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה.  ב,ז וַתֹּאמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ, אֶל-בַּת-פַּרְעֹה, הַאֵלֵךְ וְקָרָאתִי לָךְ אִשָּׁה מֵינֶקֶת, מִן הָעִבְרִיֹּת; וְתֵינִק לָךְ, אֶת-הַיָּלֶד.

If Miryam was a nobody this would have aroused suspicion Why was she mysteriously appearing to offer help right after the baby was found.

Therefore Miryam was probably a professional midwife. She could offer help without suspicion. Similarly Yocheved must have been a midwife...she made her living thru nursing and delivering so nobody would suspect her of being the mother. In fact the verse Ex02-09 emphasizes the monetary aspect of the nursing: The woman was to get her standard wage---this hints that there was no suspicion.

And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.  וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ בַּת-פַּרְעֹה, הֵילִיכִי אֶת-הַיֶּלֶד הַזֶּה וְהֵינִקִהוּ לִי, וַאֲנִי, אֶתֵּן אֶת-שְׂכָרֵךְ; וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה הַיֶּלֶד, וַתְּנִיקֵהוּ. 

This proof is not iron clad---rather the identification of Miryam and Yocheved as midwives alleviates some of the "coincidences" that happen in the story.

After establishing that Shifrah and Poah are Yocheved and Miryam Rashi does two more things

1st) He explains why Yocheved and Miryam are nicknamed Shifrah and Poah. The Hebrew root Poah refers in general to crying like tones. It can refer to snake-hissing or the moaning of a woman in childbirth. In the context of midwifing it could easily refer to making 'goo-goo' sounds to placate the baby.

Shifrah means Just Right. Thus we have JustRight words or a JustRight portion. In the context of midwifing JustRighting a baby would mean that every aspect of the delivery is done just right---not excessive nor too little.

2nd We have to ask the following question: If one of the midwives  goo-gooed and the other was JustRight how did Rashi know
which one was Yocheved and which one was Miryam? The answer is Rashi didn't know; but it is very very reasonable that the mother (Yocheved) was the JustRight midwife while the daughter (Miryam) did the goo-goo-ing.

This Rashi explanation illustrates the delicate balance between textual and logical derivation. It also illustrates how logical inferences of Rashi can be quite reasonable.

10. RASHI METHOD: SYMBOLISM
This example applies to Rashis  Ex03-02a
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex03-02a.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 Ex03-02a  which describes how God appeared to Moses from a thorn bush. 

It is understood that prophetic visions from God should be interpreted symbolically. The classical examples are plentiful: a) The almond branch vision (Jr01-11:12) b) the boiling pot vision (Jr01-13:17) c) the consumed book vision (Ez03-01:03) d) the sprouting rods vision (Nu17-16:24) etc. A detailed list of verses would take too much room but the reader is invited to peruse the above citations. 

Similarly animal and plants when interpreted symbolically are interpreted via their function: For example, lions indicate bravery, gazelles indicate grace etc. Gn49 contains many animal symbols.

Verse Ex03-02 states And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a thorn bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.     וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה אֵלָיו, בְּלַבַּת-אֵשׁ--מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה; וַיַּרְא, וְהִנֵּה הַסְּנֶה בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ, וְהַסְּנֶה, אֵינֶנּוּ אֻכָּל.  The function of the thorn is to prick and cause pain. Rashi's comment is therefore straightforward: God appeared to Moses amidst the pain and suffering. This illustrates the verse/principle I, God am with him (the Jews) in painful times.

Conclusion

This week's parshah contains examples of all Rashi rules except the other verse rule. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ for further details and examples.