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Their presence in Rashis on Parshat TeZaVeH Vol 5 #9 - Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple Visit the RashiYomi website: http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, Mar 1, 2007 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:
REFERENCES
BRIEF EXPLANATION: Commentary on a verse is provided thru a cross-reference to another verse. The cross references can either provide URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex29-42a.htm
2. RASHI METHOD:
WORD MEANING
BRIEF EXPLANATION: The meaning of words can be explained either by URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt22-09b.htm There are close to two dozen Rashis on the enigmatic Hebrew word, KaDoSh, Kuph Daleth Shin typically translated as Holy. To fully understand the meaning of this word we view it as a homograph that is as one word with multiple meanings which are however unified.
We cannot convince the reader of this new perspective on holiness in 3 paragraphs of a posting. Rather we will pursue this topic throughout the year, visiting each Rashi on Kuph Daleth Shin as it arises. Such a slow methodological approach will add credibility to the thesis and allow the reader to adjust to it. Today we start modestly with a simple example. The traditional JPS translation of Ex28-01:03a is And bring thou near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for splendour and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to sanctify him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office. We however think the translation formal and inaugurate/dedicate is preferred. And bring thou near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make formal garments for Aaron thy brother, for [the] splendour and for [the] beauty [of his profession.] And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to inaugurate & dedicate him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office. Advanced Rashi: The above technique of homographs, finding a unifying theme to disparate meanings thru a punchy choice of translation was first advocated in my article Peshat and Derash: A New Intuitive Approach which can be found on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rashi.pdf. I believe exposing the reader to the thesis gradually will facilitate acceptance.
3. RASHI METHOD:
GRAMMAR
BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi explains verses using grammar principles, that is, rules which relate reproducable word form to word meaning. Grammatical rules neatly fall into 3 categories URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn24-02a.htm Rashi translates the verse Ex28-11, speaking about the construction of the Priestly garments as follows: The work of an engraver of stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel; thou shalt make them to be inclosed in settings of gold. Rashi's point here is that the Hebrew word Cheth Resh Shin is punctuated with a Kamatz Patach indicating a construct state: Cheth Resh Shin, [engraver of] Had it been punctuated Kamatz Kamatz we would translate as follows The work of an engraver: [the work of] stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel; thou shalt make them to be inclosed in settings of gold. In other words the proper translation is engraver of vs engraver.
4. RASHI METHOD:
ALIGNMENT
BRIEF EXPLANATION: Aligning two almost identically worded verselets can suggest URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex29-02c.htm
Advanced Rashi: Notice how Rashi adds that for the cake offering the oil was mixed with the raw flour while for the wafer offering the oil was spread on the cooked flour. Rashi, following the Talmud derives this from logic. You can't mix oil with a hard substance and you can't spread oil on a mushy substance. Hence Rashi assumes that for the cake offerings the mixing was done before cooking while for the wafer offerings the spreading was done after cooking.
5. RASHI METHOD:
CONTRADICTION
BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi resolves contradictory verses using 3 methods. URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex21-03c.htm
We see the contradiction: Which is it: Was the mask on the turban or opposite the turban?
The following diagram clarifies
(A)
(A)/----------------|
/ | (B) |(A)
mask/ Priest Head |
\ | |
eyes \ |
(A)\ | (B) |(A)
\---------------|
(A)
Hence we see that there are two aspects to the Priestly Mask/Turban relationship. There is a mask on the Turban and there is a mask around the Turban. Advanced Rashi: The above Rashi requires two techniques: The Contradiction technique and the spreadsheet technique. We will therefore repeat this example below in rule #9.
6. RASHI METHOD:
STYLE
Rashi examines how rules of style influences inferences between general and detail statements in paragraphs. URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex28-42b.htm
Rashi comments on the specific-general style: The specific clause states that the daily offerings which were offered on the copper altar, are designated as the meeting place for Moses. Recall from Ezekiel Chapter 1 that prophecies take place in the form of fire visions. In other words the prophet saw the fire on the copper altar in a prophetic vision and this symbolized Divine Revelation. The general clause similarly designates this place for Divine Revelation. Hence we generalize and infer that all prophets prophetically see the Copper Altar Fire as a symbol of Divine revelation.
7. RASHI METHOD:
FORMATTING
BRIEF EXPLANATION:Inferences from Biblical formatting: --bold,italics, and paragraph structure. URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex28-06b.htm -->
Hence the Rashi on Ex28-06b A separate and distinct gold thread is put into the blue threads and a separate and distinct gold thread is put into the purple thread and similarly for the scarlet and linen. Furthermore just as the linen was six-ply so too all the threads were six-ply. Each six-ply thread had one thread of gold added to it making it seven-ply. The 4 seven-ply threads were woven together to make a 28-ply thread. The various priestly garments were woven from these 28-ply threads. Advanced Rashi: Rashi is subtle here. The actual verse exegetical comment occurs on Ex39-03. However the Rashi comment is found on Ex28-06 which states And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skilful workman. In other words it is not clear from Ex28-06 whether there are separate gold threads for each of the blue, purple scarlet and linene or whether there is one gold thread woven with the 4 threads. Hence Rashi brings Ex39-03 to clarify and illuminate Ex28-06. Here Rashi uses the reference method. It is the repeating keyword into in Ex39-03 which emphasizes that separate gold threads are woven with each of the 4 threads.
8. RASHI METHOD:
DATABASES
BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi makes inferences from Database queries. The precise definition of database query has been identified in modern times with the 8 operations of Sequential Query Language (SQL). This example applies to Rashis Ex29-22a Ex29-22b Ex29-22c Ex29-22d URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex29-22a.htm The Bible is filled with laws relating to sacrifices. Consequently we can make database queries such as Which parts of the animal are common to all sacrifices; which parts of the animal receive different treatments in different sacrifices; who - altar, Priest, owner - consumes the various animal parts?
Rashi notes the extra underlined phrase the fat thereof, the fat tail entire which he shall take away hard by the rump bone Rashi comments This extra part the fat tail is only offered when the offering comes from sheep but not if the offering comes from goat or oxen. Using this distinction we can understand the Rashi on Ex29-22 which states Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat, and the fat tail, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right thigh; for it is a ram of consecration; Rashi states The fat tail is only offered by sheep and rams but not by goats and oxen. We infer this from the passages in Lv03
9. RASHI METHOD:
SPREADSHEETS
BRIEF EXPLANATION: The common denominator of the 3 submethods of the Spreadsheet method is that inferences are made from non textual material. The 3 submethods are as follows: URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex21-03c.htm
We see the contradiction: Which is it: Was the mask on the turban or opposite the turban?
The following diagram clarifies
(A)
(A)/----------------|
/ | (B) |(A)
mask/ Priest Head |
\ | |
eyes \ |
(A)\ | (B) |(A)
\---------------|
(A)
Hence we see that there are two aspects to the Priestly Mask/Turban relationship. There is a mask on the Turban and there is a mask around the Turban. Advanced Rashi: The above Rashi requires two techniques: The Contradiction technique and the spreadsheet technique. We will therefore repeat this example below in rule #9.
10. RASHI METHOD:
SYMBOLISM
BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi provides symbolic interpretations of words, verses, and chapters. Rashi can symbolically interpret either This examples applies to Rashis Ex29-25c Ex29-25d URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex29-25c.htm Verse Ex29-05 states And thou shalt take them from their hands, and make them smoke on the altar upon the burnt-offering, for a sweet savour before HaShem; it is an offering made by fire unto HaShem. Rashi explains The sacrifice is placed for fire for the sake of God We argue that this Rashi is interpreting fire symbolically as referring to prophecy. We have seen in rule #6, style that fire symbolizes prophecy. There we cited Ezekiel 1 proving that God appears in Fire-Dreams. We further argued that each prophet experiences a fire dream based on their personal experiences. So Moses experienced the Fire-like Goldish hues of the Ark which contains the Torah since Moses was close to learning; by contrast Ezekiel experienced the Copper-Altar Fire since Ezekiel was a priest and offered animals on the Copper Altar. Sermonic points: Our main article on symbolism may be found on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gen-1.htm There we argued that the primary purpose of sacrifices was to create a symbolic environment conducive to prophecy. Hence our prayers for restoration of sacrifices is really a prayer for restoration of prophecy!
Conclusion
This week's parshah contains examples of all Rashi methods. This concludes this weeks edition. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com for further details and examples. |