The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat Bo 
 Vol  2#14 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Feb-02-2006 
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: What are the three methods for resolving contradictions?

1. RASHI METHOD : OTHER VERSES   
This example applies to Rashis Ex12-01b Ex12-14b 
URL Reference : (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex12-01b.htm 

The other verse  method seeks to illuminate the contents of a target verse by cross referencing other verses which either 
•	(a) confirm the target text or 
•	(b) add details to it. Additionally the other verse  method can 
•	(c) shed light on word meaning. 

The other verse method brought today is a bit more richer and challenging than the other examples we have previously seen. 

Ex12-06 describes the offering of the pascal lamb on the 14th of Nissan Verse Ex12-06 states   and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk.   וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת, עַד אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה; וְשָׁחֲטוּ אֹתוֹ, כֹּל קְהַל עֲדַת-יִשְׂרָאֵל--בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם.  

Ex12-12:13 describes the smiting of the first born on that evening (the pre-eve of the 15th) Verse Ex12-12:13 states   Verse Ex12-12:13 states   For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.   וְעָבַרְתִּי בְאֶרֶץ-מִצְרַיִם, בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה, וְהִכֵּיתִי כָל-בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, מֵאָדָם וְעַד-בְּהֵמָה; וּבְכָל-אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים, אֲנִי יְהוָה.  וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת, עַל הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם שָׁם, וְרָאִיתִי אֶת-הַדָּם, וּפָסַחְתִּי עֲלֵכֶם; וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף לְמַשְׁחִית, בְּהַכֹּתִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.  

The drama comes in Ex12-14 which states And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.   וְהָיָה הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן, וְחַגֹּתֶם אֹתוֹ חַג לַיהוָה:  לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תְּחָגֻּהוּ.  

Which day is this day? Is it the day of the chapter-- 14 Nissan. Or perhaps it refers to the day following the smiting of the first born when they left Egypt(the 15th)? 

Rashi answers this inquiry by carefully citing several other verses:

Nu33-03 states   And they journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,   וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרַעְמְסֵס בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן, בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן:  מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח, יָצְאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיָד רָמָה--לְעֵינֵי, כָּל-מִצְרָיִם.  We conclude that the Jews left on the 15th. 

Ex13-03 states  And Moses said unto the people: 'Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place; there shall no leavened bread be eaten.   וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם, זָכוֹר אֶת-הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים, כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד, הוֹצִיא יְהוָה אֶתְכֶם מִזֶּה; וְלֹא יֵאָכֵל, חָמֵץ.  We conclude that the 15th is a Memorial day. 

Hence, concludes Rashi when Ex12-14 states and this day shall be a remembrance the phrase this day refers to the 15th. 

2. RASHI METHOD : WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Ex10-05a Ex12-05b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex10-05a.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 idiom, new meaning method.  An idiom is a group of words whose collective meaning differs from the aggregate meaning of its constituent words. 

Rashi explains that the literal sequence of Biblical words, in the verses cited below, son of a year, really means one year old. Similarly the literal sequence of Biblical words eye of the earth really means the appearance of the earth. 

Here, Rashi uses the metonymy principle: Eye is clearly related to appearance. Similarly son of a year is related in an obvious figurative manner to one year old. 

These translations of Rashi apply to the following verses: Verse Ex10-05 states   and they shall cover the appearance of the earth, that one shall not be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field;   וְכִסָּה אֶת-עֵין הָאָרֶץ, וְלֹא יוּכַל לִרְאֹת אֶת-הָאָרֶץ; וְאָכַל אֶת-יֶתֶר הַפְּלֵטָה, הַנִּשְׁאֶרֶת לָכֶם מִן-הַבָּרָד, וְאָכַל אֶת-כָּל-הָעֵץ, הַצֹּמֵחַ לָכֶם מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה.  Verse Ex12-05 states   Your lamb shall be without blemish, a one year old male; ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats;   שֶׂה תָמִים זָכָר בֶּן-שָׁנָה, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם; מִן-הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן-הָעִזִּים, תִּקָּחוּ.  

3. RASHI METHOD : GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Ex10-08a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex10-08a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One component of grammar deals with indication of the passive. 

There are 4 methods for indicating the grammatical passive. Statistically most modes are active. Hence Rashi will frequently indicate and comment when the passive mode is used. We bring today a list of all 4 passive modes. The passive in the following verses is indicated by an underline. 
•	Participle: Verse Dt32-36 states   For the LORD will judge His people, and repent Himself for His servants; when He seeth that their stay is gone, and there is none protected or strengthened.   כִּי-יָדִין יְהוָה עַמּוֹ, ...  וְאֶפֶס עָצוּר וְעָזוּב.    Note that this sentence has two participles as indicated. Rashi makes an additional point---that the Hebrew root עזב Ayin Zayin Beth can mean to strengthen as we find in Verse Ne03-08 states   Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths.  And next unto him repaired Hananiah one of the perfumers, and they strengthened Jerusalem even unto the broad wall.    עַל-יָדוֹ הֶחֱזִיק, עֻזִּיאֵל בֶּן-חַרְהֲיָה צוֹרְפִים,    וְעַל-יָדוֹ הֶחֱזִיק, חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן-הָרַקָּחִים; וַיַּעַזְבוּ, יְרוּשָׁלִַם, עַד, הַחוֹמָה הָרְחָבָה.    
•	Nifal: Verse Lv27-27 states   And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall ransom it according to thy valuation, and shall add unto it the fifth part thereof; or if it not be redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy valuation.   וְאִם בַּבְּהֵמָה הַטְּמֵאָה וּפָדָה בְעֶרְכֶּךָ, וְיָסַף חֲמִשִׁתוֹ עָלָיו; וְאִם-לֹא יִגָּאֵל, וְנִמְכַּר בְּעֶרְכֶּךָ.  
•	Pual: Verse Ex10-08 states   And Moses and Aaron were brought back unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them: 'Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are they that shall go?'   וַיּוּשַׁב אֶת-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת-אַהֲרֹן, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה, וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם, לְכוּ עִבְדוּ אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם; מִי וָמִי, הַהֹלְכִים.  
•	Hafal: Verse Lv16-10 states   But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel, shall remain alive before the LORD, to make atonement over him, to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness.   וְהַשָּׂעִיר, אֲשֶׁר עָלָה עָלָיו הַגּוֹרָל לַעֲזָאזֵל, יָעֳמַד-חַי לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, לְכַפֵּר עָלָיו--לְשַׁלַּח אֹתוֹ לַעֲזָאזֵל, הַמִּדְבָּרָה.  Rashi makes an additional point here: The Azazel Goat remains alive until it is sent to the wilderness and killed. In other words, even though it is a sacrifice, we don't slaughter the animal and then also throw it down the cliffs in the wilderness but rather we let it live until it dies by being thrown down. 

4. RASHI METHOD : ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Ex11-05a Ex11-05b Ex12-29d 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex11-05a.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 underlined differences in the following two aligned verses. 
•	Verse Ex11-05 states   and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.   וּמֵת כָּל-בְּכוֹר, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם--מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל-כִּסְאוֹ, עַד בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה אֲשֶׁר אַחַר הָרֵחָיִם; וְכֹל, בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה.  
•	Verse Ex12-29 states   And it came to pass at midnight, that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the prison; and all the first-born of cattle.   וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה, וַיהוָה הִכָּה כָל-בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, מִבְּכֹר פַּרְעֹה הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל-כִּסְאוֹ, עַד בְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית הַבּוֹר; וְכֹל, בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה.  

Rashi suggests that the separate mention of the maids and prisoners corresponds to two distinct reasons for punishing the Egyptians. 
•	The maids who themselves were slaves were superior slaves to the Jewish slaves. The maids use to use the Jewish slaves. Hence they were punished. 
•	The prisoners although they obviously did not use the Jews would, as is the custom among prisoners, jeer at the Jews in a variety of ways (including not acknowledging the miracles of the Jewish God). Hence the prisoners were punished. 
In summary, God brought the plague of the firstborn for either (a) using the Jews in any way (maids ) or (b) just jeering at the Jews (prisoners ) even if they did not use them. 

5. RASHI METHOD : CONTRADICTION 
This example applies to Rashis  Ex11-04a Ex11-09a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex11-04a.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. 

As a special treat, today, we review all three Rashi methods of resolving contradiction. 

We first review last week's contradiction example.

Note the contradiction in the following verses:Verse Ex07-10:12 states   And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so, as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.   וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה; וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אַהֲרֹן אֶת-מַטֵּהוּ, לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה וְלִפְנֵי עֲבָדָיו--וַיְהִי לְתַנִּין.  וַיִּקְרָא, גַּם-פַּרְעֹה, לַחֲכָמִים, וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים; וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם-הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם--כֵּן.  וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ אִישׁ מַטֵּהוּ, וַיִּהְיוּ לְתַנִּינִם; וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה-אַהֲרֹן, אֶת-מַטֹּתָם.  

We see the contradiction. If the rods became snakes then how could the rods devour the rods (It should say Aaron's snake devoured the Egyptian snakes)?

Rashi resolves this using the method of two stages 
•	1st: They each had rods 
•	2nd:  The rods became snakes 
•	3rd:  (Not explicitly mentioned in the BIble) The snakes returned to their rod state 
•	4th:  The rod of Aaron devoured the Egyptian rods. 

Someone pointed out to me that the Sforno commentary offers a different resolution to this contradiction. Using the literary device of metonymy which justifies naming something by something related the Sforno suggests that since the rods became snakes therefore the meaning of the word rods becomes extended to include snakes. Hence the verse the rod of Aaron devoured the rods of the Egyptians is interpreted to mean that the snake of Aaron devoured the snakes of the Egyptians. 

Notice how this explanation of the Sforno uses one of our Rashi rules: Namely the Rashi rule of resolving contradiction through the use of broad vs. literal interpretation (the word rod is interpreted broadly to mean snake).  Rashi by contrast resolved the contradiction through the use of two stages. Here we see how our list of Rashi rules enables the advanced student who reviews many commentaries to succinctly formulate controversies between commentaries. In this case the controversy between Rashi and Sforno is a controversy on which contradiction resolution method to use: two stages or broad-literal.

We now turn to this week's parshah where there are several contradictory verses. 

First, notice the contradiction in the following verses: 
•	Verse Ex10-29 states   And Moses said: 'Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more.'    וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, כֵּן דִּבַּרְתָּ:  לֹא-אֹסִף עוֹד, רְאוֹת פָּנֶיךָ.   
•	Verse Ex11-04 states   And Moses said [to Pharoh]: 'Thus saith the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;   וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה:  כַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה, אֲנִי יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרָיִם.  

We see the contradiction: If Moses promised Pharoh never to see him again, then how could he tell him about the next plague? 

Rashi resolves this contradiction through the method of two stages. Rashi also uses the principle that the order of Biblical paragraphs is not necessarily a chronological order in time. Rashi suggests that (1st) Moses told Pharoh about the plague of the first born and (2nd) he promised never to see him again. (This necessitates changing the order in biblical paragraphs). 

Our second contradiction in this week's parshah comes from the following verses: 
•	Verse Ex11-01 states   And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.   וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עוֹד נֶגַע אֶחָד אָבִיא עַל-פַּרְעֹה וְעַל-מִצְרַיִם--אַחֲרֵי-כֵן, יְשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם מִזֶּה:  כְּשַׁלְּחוֹ--כָּלָה, גָּרֵשׁ יְגָרֵשׁ אֶתְכֶם מִזֶּה.  
•	Verse Ex11-09 states   And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.'   וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, לֹא-יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה--לְמַעַן רְבוֹת מוֹפְתַי, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.  

We see the contradiction: If God plans to bring many more miracles (plural) then why does God speak about one more plague?

Rashi resolves this contradiction thru the use of the method of two aspects. There will be only one more of the plagues; however there will be many more miracles besides the 10 plagues such as the miracles by the red sea. 

6. RASHI METHOD : STYLE
This example applies to Rashis  Ex12-14c 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex12-14c.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 Ex12-14 states   And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.   וְהָיָה הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן, וְחַגֹּתֶם אֹתוֹ חַג לַיהוָה:  לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תְּחָגֻּהוּ.  

Note the theme-detail structure. Hence the Rashi The commemorative holiday is a requirement for all generations (not just for the immediate generations that went out of Egypt and personally saw God's hand) 

9. RASHI METHOD : SPREADSHEETS
This example applies to Rashis  Ex10-11b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex10-11b.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 are 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. 

Verse Ex10-09 states   And Moses said: 'We will go with 
•	our young and with 
•	our old, with 
•	our sons and with 
•	our daughters, with 
•	our flocks and with 
•	our herds we will go; 
for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.' 
  וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה,
•	 בִּנְעָרֵינוּ
•	 וּבִזְקֵנֵינוּ נֵלֵךְ;
•	 בְּבָנֵינוּ
•	 וּבִבְנוֹתֵנוּ
•	 בְּצֹאנֵנוּ
•	 וּבִבְקָרֵנוּ, נֵלֵךְ
--כִּי חַג-יְהוָה, לָנוּ.  This verse spells out Moses request for the Jews to serve God. 

Verse Ex10-11 states   Not so; go now ye that are male men (Adults), and serve the LORD; for that is what ye desire.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.    לֹא כֵן, לְכוּ-נָא הַגְּבָרִים וְעִבְדוּ אֶת-יְהוָה--כִּי אֹתָהּ, אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים; וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֹתָם, מֵאֵת פְּנֵי פַרְעֹה.    

Rashi points out that Pharoh did not negate the cattle to go...he just negated the youth to go since religion is for the male men (Adults). 

The following spreadsheet summarizes Rashi's argument. 
___________________________________________________________________
ITEM 	Txt of Ex10-09      CAN GO Proof in Ex10-11b     COMMENTS 
---- -------------------- ------ --------------------- ------------
-1-  with our YOUNGSTERS  NOT SO ONLY MALE MEN(Adults) 
-2-  with our ELDERS      OK     ONLY MALE MEN(Adults) 
-3-  with our SONS        NOT SO ONLY MALE MEN(Adults) 
-4-  with our DAUGHTERS   NOT SO ONLY MALE MEN(Adults) 
-5-  with our SHEEP       OK     ONLY MALE MEN(Adults) negates youth 
-6-  with our CATTLE      OK     ONLY MALE MEN(Adults) negates youth 
___________________________________________________________________

Conclusion

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