The 10 RashiYomi Rules 
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat TzaV
 Vol  2#23 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple  
Visit The RashiYomi Website : http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
 (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr Hendel President, Apr-6-2006 
NEW: Starting this month, English translations of the Bible come from http://www.Tachash.Org/METSUDAH/
Other 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 WEEKS RASHIs:  How do you know it is not prohibited to drink grasshopper blood?
 
 1. RASHI METHOD : OTHER VERSES   
This example applies to Rashis  Lv08-09a 
URL Reference : (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv08-09a.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. 

Verse Lv08-09 states    He placed the turban on his head and he placed, on the front of the turban, the golden Tzitz-Mask, the crown of holiness, just as Ad-noy commanded Moshe.    וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-הַמִּצְנֶפֶת, עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ; וַיָּשֶׂם עַל-הַמִּצְנֶפֶת אֶל-מוּל פָּנָיו, אֵת צִיץ הַזָּהָב נֵזֶר הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה, אֶת-מֹשֶׁה.  This sounds as if the Tzitz-mask is placed on the Turban . Rashi clarifies  with two sets of other verses. 

 Verse Ex39-30:31 states    They made a Tzitz-mask--- a holy crown, of pure gold. They wrote upon it a writing in the manner of a signet (ring), Holy unto Ad-noy.   They put (fastened) on it a greenish-blue wool cord, to fasten it to the turban from above, just as Ad-noy commanded Moshe.    וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת-צִיץ נֵזֶר-הַקֹּדֶשׁ, זָהָב טָהוֹר; וַיִּכְתְּבוּ עָלָיו, מִכְתַּב פִּתּוּחֵי חוֹתָם--קֹדֶשׁ, לַיהוָה.  וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, לָתֵת עַל-הַמִּצְנֶפֶת מִלְמָעְלָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה, אֶת-מֹשֶׁה.   Verse Ex28-36:37 states    You shall make a tzitz-mask of pure gold, and engrave on it in the manner of a signet [ring], Holy unto Ad-noy.   Set [fasten] it on a greenish-blue wool cord, so that it will be on the turban. It shall be near the front of the turban.    וְעָשִׂיתָ צִּיץ, זָהָב טָהוֹר; וּפִתַּחְתָּ עָלָיו פִּתּוּחֵי חֹתָם, קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָה.  וְשַׂמְתָּ אֹתוֹ עַל-פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, וְהָיָה עַל-הַמִּצְנָפֶת; אֶל-מוּל פְּנֵי-הַמִּצְנֶפֶת, יִהְיֶה.  

 Hence the Rashi The Tzitz-mask itself is not on the turban. Rather the Tzitz-mask is held by Azure threads; these Azure threads fold onto the Turban 

2. RASHI METHOD : WORD MEANINGS / new meanings 
This example applies to Rashis Lv07-30b
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/lv07-30b.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 Metonomy  method. Metonomy states that items are named by related items: For example, the wood fueling the fire may itself be called the fire. Other examples are presented below. 

In the following verses the word fire names fire-related items. Hence this is an example of metonomy. 
•	Fire refers to the fat to be offered Verse Lv07-30 states    His hands shall bring the fire-offerings of Ad-noy; he shall bring the fat on the breast and the breast [itself] to wave them as a wave-offering before Ad-noy.    יָדָיו תְּבִיאֶינָה, אֵת אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה; אֶת-הַחֵלֶב עַל-הֶחָזֶה, יְבִיאֶנּוּ--אֵת הֶחָזֶה לְהָנִיף אֹתוֹ תְּנוּפָה, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה.  
•	Fire refers to the wood fuel producing the fire Verse Lv04-35 states    He shall remove all its fat in the same manner as was removed the fat of the lamb of the peace-offering. The kohein shall burn them on the altar on the fires of Ad-noy. The kohein will atone for him, for his sin which he committed and he will be pardoned.    וְאֶת-כָּל-חֶלְבָּהּ יָסִיר, כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּסַר חֵלֶב-הַכֶּשֶׂב מִזֶּבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים, וְהִקְטִיר הַכֹּהֵן אֹתָם הַמִּזְבֵּחָה, עַל אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה; וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן עַל-חַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-חָטָא, וְנִסְלַח לוֹ.   
•	Fire refers to the whole offerings some of whose parts go on the altar fire Verse Dt18-01 states    They will not have--- the kohanim, the Levites, the entire tribe of Levi--- a portion or an inheritance with Yisroel; Ad-noy's fire-[offerings] and His inheritance will they eat.    לֹא-יִהְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם כָּל-שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי, חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה--עִם-יִשְׂרָאֵל; אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה וְנַחֲלָתוֹ, יֹאכֵלוּן.  

In all these verses the sole purpose of Rashi's comment is to identify fire with fire related items, such as wood, organs, or the whole sacrifice. Because of the rich diversity these examples are a particuarly good example of the metonomy principle. 

3. RASHI METHOD : GRAMMAR / conjugation 
This example applies to Rashis  Lv08-15a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/lv08-15a.htm  

The grammar  method seeks to apply and teach Hebrew grammar.  One component of grammar deals with the method for transforming nouns to verbs. Examples are provided immediately below.. 

Rashi uncovered three ways for nouns to become verbs-- 
•	(a) to remove the noun (e.g. to dust ) 
•	(b) to create the noun (e.g. to flower ) 
•	(c) to use the noun in the traditional manner it is used (e.g. to hammer ) 

The Hebrew word Cheth-Teth-Aleph חטא means to be sloppy , to miss the mark (as in archers missing the mark).Hence it refers to sin thru negligence. Hence the verb form to sloppiize would mean to remove sloppiness, to make formal, just as to dust means to to remove the dust 

Rashi applies this meaning in Lv08-15a which states  And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar around with his finger, and formaly made the altar , and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement upon it. אֶת-הַדָּם וַיִּתֵּן עַל-קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סָבִיב בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ,  וַיִּשְׁחָט, וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה  
 וַיְחַטֵּא, אֶת-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ; וְאֶת-הַדָּם, יָצַק אֶל-יְסוֹד הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ, לְכַפֵּר עָלָיו 

4. RASHI METHOD : ALIGNMENT
This example applies to Rashis  Lv07-30a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.RashiYomi.com/lv07-30a.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 . 

Note the alternation of fat and breast in the following three verses. 
•	Verse Lv07-30 states    His hands shall bring the fire-offerings of Ad-noy; he shall bring the fat on the breast and the breast [itself] to wave them as a wave-offering before Ad-noy.    יָדָיו תְּבִיאֶינָה, אֵת אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה; אֶת-הַחֵלֶב עַל-הֶחָזֶה, יְבִיאֶנּוּ--אֵת הֶחָזֶה לְהָנִיף אֹתוֹ תְּנוּפָה, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה.  
•	Verse Lv10-15 states    The thigh that is the separated portion and the breast that is the wave-offering, on top of the fats of the fire offering, they shall bring, to wave as a wave-offering before Ad-noy. It will be for you and for your sons with you an everlasting statute, just as Ad-noy commanded.     שׁוֹק הַתְּרוּמָה וַחֲזֵה הַתְּנוּפָה, עַל אִשֵּׁי הַחֲלָבִים יָבִיאוּ, לְהָנִיף תְּנוּפָה, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה; וְהָיָה לְךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָ אִתְּךָ, לְחָק-עוֹלָם, כַּאֲשֶׁר, צִוָּה יְהוָה.  
•	Verse Lv09-20 states    They put the fats on top of the breasts and he burned the fats on the altar.    וַיָּשִׂימוּ אֶת-הַחֲלָבִים, עַל-הֶחָזוֹת; וַיַּקְטֵר הַחֲלָבִים, הַמִּזְבֵּחָה.  

Apparently the three verses describe 3 distinct stages in the peace offering procedure. Three different people are involved and each one holds the breast and fat differently 
•	The owner: The owner brings the fat on the breast so that the fat is above and the breast is on bottom. 
•	The waiving priest: The waiving priest waives the breast on the fat so that the breast is above.
•	The offering priest: The offering priest offers the fat on the breast so that the fat is above. 

This Rashi affords a very simple but illustrative example of the alignment method. 

5. RASHI METHOD : CONTRADICTION 
This example applies to Rashis  Lv07-30d 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv07-30d.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. 

Note the contradiction in the following verses 
•	Verse Lv07-30 states    His hands shall bring the fire-offerings of Ad-noy; he shall bring the fat on the breast and the breast [itself] to wave them as a wave-offering before Ad-noy.    יָדָיו תְּבִיאֶינָה, אֵת אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה; אֶת-הַחֵלֶב עַל-הֶחָזֶה, יְבִיאֶנּוּ--אֵת הֶחָזֶה לְהָנִיף אֹתוֹ תְּנוּפָה, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה.  
•	Verse Lv07-34 states    Because the breast wave-offering and the thigh [that is] the uplifted portion I have taken from Bnei Yisroel. from their peace-offerings and I have given them to Aharon the kohein and to his sons, as an everlasting statute, from Bnei Yisroel.    כִּי אֶת-חֲזֵה הַתְּנוּפָה וְאֵת שׁוֹק הַתְּרוּמָה, לָקַחְתִּי מֵאֵת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִזִּבְחֵי, שַׁלְמֵיהֶם; וָאֶתֵּן אֹתָם לְאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וּלְבָנָיו, לְחָק-עוֹלָם, מֵאֵת, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  

Which is it? Is the breast offered on the altar fire or is the breast given to the priest? 

Rashi resolves this contradiction using the two-case method: 
•	The breast goes to the priest: Verse Lv07-34 states    Because the breast wave-offering and the thigh [that is] the uplifted portion I have taken from Bnei Yisroel. from their peace-offerings and I have given them to Aharon the kohein and to his sons, as an everlasting statute, from Bnei Yisroel.    כִּי אֶת-חֲזֵה הַתְּנוּפָה וְאֵת שׁוֹק הַתְּרוּמָה, לָקַחְתִּי מֵאֵת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִזִּבְחֵי, שַׁלְמֵיהֶם; וָאֶתֵּן אֹתָם לְאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וּלְבָנָיו, לְחָק-עוֹלָם, מֵאֵת, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  
•	The fat is offered on the fire: Verse Lv03-03 states    And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the Lord; the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is upon the entrails,     הַמְכַסֶּה אֶת-הַקֶּרֶב, וְאֵת כָּל-הַחֵלֶב, אֲשֶׁר עַל-הַקֶּרֶב  וְהִקְרִיב מִזֶּבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים, אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה--אֶת-הַחֵלֶב, 

Hence Rashi would translate Lv07-30d as follows: The owner brings the [for-the-altar] fire: [namely]the fat on the breast is brought; to waive it [that is the breast not the fat] before God. 

6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
This example applies to Rashis  Lv01-02c 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv01-02c.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 verse has a General-Detail format as shown. Verse Lv07-26 states    
•	You shall not eat any blood, in all your dwelling places, 
•	be it of fowl or of beast.   

•	 וְכָל-דָּם לֹא תֹאכְלוּ, בְּכֹל מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם,
•	 לָעוֹף, וְלַבְּהֵמָה.  

The General-detail format is interpreted restrictively: You are only restricted in eating blood only from birds and animals. As Rashi notes You may eat the blood of fish and grasshoppers (Provided the animals themselves are kosher!-- in other words if you eat their blood there has been no violation of eating blood) 

Note there is a biological explanation to this: The higher animals have more differentiation of function in their organs so blood is really blood. However the blood of grasshoppers is not really blood since the grasshopper is much lower on the animal complexity scale than the higher mammals. 

7. RASHI METHOD : Formatting
This example applies to Rashis  Lv05-13b 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv05-13b.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 

Note the following bulleted structure of verse Lv07-11:14 which states    
This is the law of the peace-offering that one will bring to Ad-noy.   If he brings it as thanksgiving offering he shall bring along with his thanksgiving offering 
•	matzoh [unleavened] loaves mixed with oil, 
•	matzoh [unleavened] wafers anointed with oil and 
•	loaves of saturated fine flour mixed with oil.   
•	With loaves of leavened bread 
he shall bring his offering, along with his peace-offering of thanksgiving.   From it, he shall bring one from each offering as separated portion to Ad-noy. To that kohein who sprinkles the blood of the peace-offering, it shall belong to him.   
 וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת, זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים, אֲשֶׁר יַקְרִיב, לַיהוָה.  אִם עַל-תּוֹדָה, יַקְרִיבֶנּוּ--וְהִקְרִיב עַל-זֶבַח הַתּוֹדָה
•	 חַלּוֹת מַצּוֹת בְּלוּלֹת בַּשֶּׁמֶן,
•	 וּרְקִיקֵי מַצּוֹת מְשֻׁחִים בַּשָּׁמֶן;
•	 וְסֹלֶת מֻרְבֶּכֶת, חַלֹּת בְּלוּלֹת בַּשָּׁמֶן
•	.  עַל-חַלֹּת לֶחֶם חָמֵץ,
 יַקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹ, עַל-זֶבַח, תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו.  וְהִקְרִיב מִמֶּנּוּ אֶחָד מִכָּל-קָרְבָּן, תְּרוּמָה לַיהוָה; לַכֹּהֵן, הַזֹּרֵק אֶת-דַּם הַשְּׁלָמִים--לוֹ יִהְיֶה.  

Rashi comments simply: As the bullets show there are 4 sets of loaves offered with a Thanksgiving offering 

Here the bulleted structure is not revealed by keywords but rather by content: Four distinct bread offerings are mentioned. 

8. RASHI METHOD : DATABASES
This example applies to Rashis  Lv08-03a 
URL reference :(c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv08-03a.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 verses appear to suggest that a small space accomodated a large number of people or items?  The query returns the 4 results listed below. Rashi only cites one example. A complete set of examples is presented in the Midrash Leviticus Rabbah, 10:9.

The following are good examples of small spaces holding alot. 
•	The whole nation congregates to the temple door: Verse Lv08-03 states    Assemble the entire congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.    וְאֵת כָּל-הָעֵדָה, הַקְהֵל, אֶל-פֶּתַח, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.  
•	A handfull of soot spreads over all of Egypt Verse Ex09-08:09 states    Ad-noy spoke to Moshe and Aharon, Both of you take full handfuls of furnace soot and let Moshe throw it heavenward before the eyes of Pharaoh.   It will become a fine dust [and settle] over the whole land of Egypt. It will settle on man and beast causing a rash which will break out into boils [affecting] the whole land of Egypt.     וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן, קְחוּ לָכֶם מְלֹא חָפְנֵיכֶם, פִּיחַ כִּבְשָׁן; וּזְרָקוֹ מֹשֶׁה הַשָּׁמַיְמָה, לְעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה.  וְהָיָה לְאָבָק, עַל כָּל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם; וְהָיָה עַל-הָאָדָם וְעַל-הַבְּהֵמָה, לִשְׁחִין פֹּרֵחַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹת--בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.  
•	The whole nation asks questions at Moses tent Verse Ex18-13 states   And it came to pass on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening. וַיְהִי, מִמָּחֳרָת, וַיֵּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה, לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת-הָעָם; וַיַּעֲמֹד הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה, מִן-הַבֹּקֶר עַד-הָעָרֶב
•	The whole nation gathers by the rock:  Verse Nu20-08 states Take the rod, and gather the assembly together, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their beasts drink.קַח אֶת-הַמַּטֶּה, וְהַקְהֵל אֶת-הָעֵדָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל-הַסֶּלַע לְעֵינֵיהֶם, וְנָתַן מֵימָיו; וְהוֹצֵאתָ לָהֶם מַיִם מִן-הַסֶּלַע, וְהִשְׁקִיתָ אֶת-הָעֵדָה וְאֶת-בְּעִירָם

Obviously this database query was just for fun. Some of the verses have obvious explanations: For example Ex18-13 does not mean that all 600,000 Jews came to Moses every day... rather it means that people from all over the nation barged in and out all day to ask Moses questions. 

Conclusion

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