The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshath MiShPaTiM
Volume 15, Number 22
This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables
Is accessible at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1522.htm
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, January 27 th, 2011
Visit the Rashi website http://www.Rashiyomi.com

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. Although I frequently use my own English translations of biblical verses and Rashi comments, the Hebrew and English translations in the source tables are derived from online parshah files at chabad.org who in turn acknowledges the Judaica Press Complete Tanach, copyright by Judaica Press.

    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
    • (1a) further details,
    • (1b) confirm citations, or
    • (1c) clarify word meaning.
    This examples applies to Rashis Ex23-19a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
    Brief Summary: The command to bring first-fruits to the temple (Ex23-19) is detailed in Dt26-02

Verse Ex23-19a
Hebrew Verse רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ תָּבִיא בֵּית יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ:
English Verse The choicest of the first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the Lord, your God. You shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk.
Rashi Header Hebrew ראשית בכורי אדמתך
Rashi Text Hebrew אף השביעית חייבת בבכורים, לכך נאמר אף כאן בכורי אדמתך. כיצד, אדם נכנס לתוך שדהו, ורואה תאנה שבכרה, כורך עליה גמי לסימן ומקדישה. ואין בכורים אלא משבעת המינין האמורין במקרא (דברים ח ח) ארץ חטה ושעורה וגו':
Rashi Header Enlish The choicest of the first fruits of your soil
Rashi Text English Even in the seventh year, the offering of bikkurim is obligatory. Therefore, it is stated here, too: “the first fruits of your soil.” How are the bikkurim chosen? A person enters his field and sees a fig that has ripened. He winds a blade of grass around it as a sign and sanctifies it. Bikkurim are [brought as an offering] only from the seven species enumerated in Scripture: “A land of wheat and barley, and vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-yielding olives and honey” (Deut. 8:8). -[From Bik. 3:1]

Verse Ex23-19a discussing the command to bring first fruits to the Temple states The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of HaShem thy G-d. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk. Rashi clarifies the underlined words first fruits by referencing verse Dt26-01:02 which states And it shall be, when you come in to the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and live in it; That you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the earth, which you shall bring of your land that the Lord your God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose to place his name there. Hence the Rashi comment: (a) 'When you come take the first fruit' implies that when you go down to your field and see the first date or olive that you tie a string around it and declare 'This is first fruit.' (b) Other laws are inferred from Dt26-02: It says that you should take from the first fruit emphasizing that not all first fruits are given but only special ones such as the first fruit of the 7 species for which Israel was known. Other details to these laws are also stated in Dt26.

Text of Target verse Ex20-19a Text of Reference Verse Dt26-01:02
The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of HaShem thy G-d. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk. And it shall be, when you come in to the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and live in it; That you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the earth, which you shall bring of your land that the Lord your God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose to place his name there.
Rashi comments: (a) 'When you come take the first fruit' implies that when you go down to your field and see the first date or olive that you tie a string around it and declare 'This is first fruit.' (b) Other laws are inferred from Dt26-02: It says that you should take from the first fruit emphasizing that not all first fruits are given but only special ones such as the first fruit of the 7 species for which Israel was known. Other details to these laws are also stated in Dt26.

      2. RASHI METHOD: WORD MEANING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: The meaning of words can be explained either by
      • (2a) translating an idiom, a group of words whose collective meaning transcends the meaning of its individual component words,
      • (2b) explaining the nuances and commonality of synonyms-homographs,
      • (2c) describing the usages of connective words like also,because,if-then, when,
      • (2d) indicating how grammatical conjugation can change word meaning
      • (2e) changing word meaning using the figures of speech common to all languages such as irony and oxymorons.
      This examples applies to Rashis Ex23-08c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1207.htm
      Brief Summary: SLF doesn't mean to MAKE CROOKED but rather means to BURDEN

Verse Ex23-08c
Hebrew Verse וְשֹׁחַד לֹא תִקָּח כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר פִּקְחִים וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִים:
English Verse You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe will blind the clear sighted and corrupt words that are right.
Rashi Header Hebrew ויסלף
Rashi Text Hebrew כתרגומו ומקלקל:
Rashi Header Enlish and corrupt
Rashi Text English Heb. וִיסַלֵף, as the Targum [Onkelos and Jonathan] renders: וּמְקַלְקֵל, [meaning] and spoils.

    Today's meaning example uses three Rashi meaning methods:
  • We use the root-meaning deriving the meaning of a word from the meaning of its underlying Biblical root;
  • We use the metonomy / synechdoche method which derives meaning from related items; for example honey refers to anything sweet and give me a hand refers to lending help. We have frequently singled out what we have called the triple FFF rule of metonomy: Form, Function , and Feel. This rule states that words can be named by form: e.g. the pentagon is a building with a pentagonal form; Furnction: e.g. the United Nations is a building whose function is to unite nations of the world; or Feel: e.g. a hardship feels like something hard, not soft;
  • We use the synonym method which focuses not only on the meaning of a word but also on its nuances.

    Before explaining the meaning we wish to we clarify Rashi/Rav Hirsch's position on two-letter roots. We have clarified numerous times that Rashi and Rav Hirsch believed that
  • Grammatical roots are triliteral and are conjugated according to rules found in Grammar textbooks
  • Rashi and Rav Hirsch additionally believed that just as Hebrew words have an underlying three letter root so too Hebrew roots have underlying two letter roots, which determine not their conjugation but their meaning.
  • Here is an alternative way to look at this.
    • 2 letter roots determine root meaning
    • 3 letter roots determine verb conjugation.

With this background we translate Ex23-08 as follows: And you shall take no bribe; for the bribe blinds the wise, and burdens the words of the righteous. Here we have translated the Biblical root Samech-Lamed-Pay as meaning burden. We derive this meaning from the underlying two-letter root, Samech-Lamed which means moving up a hill or inclined surface. The list below shows that a terminal pay indicates application of metonomy, meaning related to the meaning of the other two letters. It follows that Samech-Lamed-Pay is something with the same feel (metonomy) as an incline or hill. Hence we have translated Samech-Lamed-Pay as meaning burden. The idea seems to be that if a judge takes bribes he will not outright distort justice but will make it burdensome to achieve (in the hope of helping the briber). The Bible prohibited bribes because the resulting burdensome atmosphere is poisonous to the legal system.

This list illustrates the idea that a terminal pay indicates a meaning reasonably related to the meaning of the other two letters.
Hebrew Biblical Root Meaning Meaning of First two root letters Metonomyc relation between 1st 2 letters and whole root
Aleph-Shin-Pay Trash Fire A trashpile has the same form as the remains of something burnt
Gimel-Resh-Pay clumped, fist drag The form or physical attributes of something dragged (e.g. snow removal) would be that it is clumped (A fist is simply a clumped hand)
Dalet-Lamed-Pay Drip Pull a pail from a pit; growth of a branch The form of a dripping motion resembles slow growth of a branch or the pulling of a pail from a pit - the pail gets pulled drop by drop; the branch grows drop by drop
Samech-Lamed-Pay Burden move up an incline or hill the emotional feel of moving up an incline or hill is burdensomeness; the act can be accomplished but with burden.

      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
      • (a) the rules governing conjugation of individual words,Biblical roots,
      • (b) the rules governing collections of words,clauses, sentences
      • (c) miscellaneous grammatical, or form-meaning, rules.
      This examples applies to Rashis Ex21-15b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1207.htm
      Brief Summary: A person who delivers a non-fatal blow to EITHER his father or mother receives a death penalty.

Verse Ex21-15b
Hebrew Verse וּמַכֵּה אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מוֹת יוּמָת:
English Verse And one who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
Rashi Header Hebrew אביו ואמו
Rashi Text Hebrew או זה או זה:
Rashi Header Enlish his father or his mother
Rashi Text English Either this one or that one. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 85b]

The bulk of traditional Biblical Hebrew grammar deals with the conjugation of verbs and nouns. However Biblical Hebrew grammar also deals with other issues such as a) pronoun reference, b) gender/ plurality agreement, c) adjectives /adverbs / determiners, d) compound nouns/ verbs/ sentences, e) possessives, and f) use of connective words.

Today Rashi deals with the connective Biblical word, Vav. In Biblical Hebrew Vav can be translated as meaning any logical connective such as and, or, but, if, then,...

    To fully understand this Rashi we cite a beautiful Malbim explaining the use of the Hebrew Vav. Malbim suggests three principles:
  • In a simple command Vav means and; For example, Take on the first day of Succoth an ethrog, and lulav, and myrtles and willows (Lv23-40.)
  • In a simple prohibition vav means or; for example, don't abuse [either] a widow or an orphan (Ex22-21)
  • In a conditional statement there is a controversy between Rabbi Oshia and Rabbi Yonathan whether Vav means and or or. Malbim ingeniously cites two dozen Talmudic passages where this controversy occurs. Rashi translates in accordance with the opinion that it means or. For example Rashi translates Ex21-15 as follows: [if] you smite [either] your father or your mother [then] you receive a death penalty.

    4. RASHI METHOD: ALIGNMENT
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: Aligning two almost identically worded verselets can suggest
    • (4a) 2 cases of the same incident or law
    • (4b) emphasis on the nuances of a case
    • (4c) use of broad vs literal usage of words
    This examples applies to Rashis Ex23-13b,c
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm Brief Summary: a) Do ALL commandments b1) No mention of IDOLATRY b2) No CAUSE of MENTION of idolatry.

Verse Ex23-13b
Hebrew Verse וּבְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם תִּשָּׁמֵרוּ וְשֵׁם אֱ־לֹהִים אֲחֵרִים לֹא תַזְכִּירוּ לֹא יִשָּׁמַע עַל פִּיךָ:
English Verse Concerning all that I have said to you you shall beware, and the name of the gods of others you shall not mention; it shall not be heard through your mouth.
Rashi Header Hebrew לא תזכירו
Rashi Text Hebrew שלא יאמר לו שמור לי בצד עבודה זרה פלונית או תעמוד עמי ביום עבודה זרה פלונית. דבר אחר ובכל אשר אמרתי אליכם תשמרו ושם א-להים אחרים לא תזכירו ללמדך ששקולה עבודה זרה כנגד כל המצות כולן, והנזהר בה כשומר את כולן:
Rashi Header Enlish you shall not mention
Rashi Text English That one should not say to another, “Wait for me beside such-and-such an idol,” or “Meet me on the day [dedicated to] such-and-such an idol” (Mechilta, Sanh. 63b). Another explanation: Concerning all that I have said to you, you shall beware, and the name of the gods of strangers you shall not mention -[this comes] to teach you that idolatry is tantamount to all the commandments [combined], and whoever is careful with it is considered as if he has observed them all. -[see Kid. 40a, Ned. 25a, Shev. 29a, Chul. 5a, Rashi on Num. 15:23, Deut. 12:28, Er. 69b]

The table below presents an aligned extract of verselets in Ex23-13b,c Both verselets discuss the obligation to observe commandments and avoid idolatry The alignments justify the Rashi assertions that (a) The abstention from idolatry is equivalent in moral worth to observing the entire Torah. (b) One should not (b1) mention idolatry casually, e.g. 'We will meet by that statute' nor (b2) cause others to mention idolatry, e.g. bring a person to court and force him to swear by his god.

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Ex23-13 And in all things that I have said unto you take ye heed; Do all the commandments
Ex23-13
  • and make no mention of the name of other gods,
  • neither cause it to be heard by your order.

We can align do all the commandments and avoid idolatry to infer that abstention from idolatry is equivalent in moral impact to observance of the entire Torah.

From the sub-alignment no mention of other gods vs. no cause of mention by your order we infer that one should neither casually mention idolatry as e.g. telling someone 'meet me by that statute' nor should one cause others to mention idolatry as e.g. by suing someone in court and forcing them to swear by their god.

Advanced Rashi: Notice the unusual features of two alignments in the verse. The two verse halves from an alignment - do all commandments, don't associate with idols - and the two halves of the second verse also align suggesting a spectrum of mentioning of idolatry from casual to serious.

      5. RASHI METHOD: CONTRADICTION
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi resolves contradictory verses using 3 methods.
      • (5a) Resolution using two aspects of the same event
      • (5b) Resolution using two stages of the same process
      • (5c) Resolution using broad-literal interpretation.
      This example applies to Rashis Ex21-04a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1207.htm
      Brief Summary: If a master gives his slave a [non jewish] woman, the slave goes free but but the woman and her children belong to the master.

Verse Ex21-04a
Hebrew Verse אִם אֲדֹנָיו יִתֶּן לוֹ אִשָּׁה וְיָלְדָה לוֹ בָנִים אוֹ בָנוֹת הָאִשָּׁה וִילָדֶיהָ תִּהְיֶה לַאדֹנֶיהָ וְהוּא יֵצֵא בְגַפּוֹ:
English Verse If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone.
Rashi Header Hebrew אם א-דניו יתן לו אשה
Rashi Text Hebrew מכאן שהרשות ביד רבו למסור לו שפחה כנענית להוליד ממנה עבדים. או אינו אלא בישראלית, תלמוד לומר האשה וילדיה תהיה לאדוניה, הא אינו מדבר אלא בכנענית, שהרי העבריה אף היא יוצאה בשש, ואפילו לפני שש אם הביאה סימנין יוצאה, שנאמר (דברים טו יב) אחיך העברי או העבריה, מלמד, שאף העבריה יוצאה בשש:
Rashi Header Enlish If his master gives him a wife
Rashi Text English From here we deduce that his master has the option to give him [the slave] a Canaanite maidservant [in order] to beget slaves from her. Or, perhaps this means only an Israelite woman? Therefore, Scripture says: “The woman and her children shall belong to her master.” Thus, He is speaking only about a Canaanite woman, for a Hebrew woman she, too, goes free after six [years], and even before six [years], when she develops signs [of puberty], she goes free, as it is said: “your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman [that one shall serve you for six years]” (Deut. 15:12). [This] teaches [us] that a Hebrew [maidservant] also goes free after six [years]. — [From Mechilta, Kid. 14b]

The table below presents two contradictory verses / verselets. Both verses speak about female slaves. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says the woman goes out after 6 years while the other verse states the woman belongs to her master We see the contradiction---which is it? Do women remain slaves or do they go free at six? Rashi simply resolves this contradiction using the 2 aspects method: Jewish female slaves go free at 6 years; however, non-Jewish female slaves remain with their master.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Both male/female Jewish slaves are freed at 6 years Dt15-12 And if your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, and serves you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.
The [non Jewish] female slave remains with her master Ex21-04a If his master give him a wife, and she bear him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
Resolution: 2 Aspects Jewish female slaves go free at 6 years Non-Jewish female slaves remain with their master.

Advanced Rashi: The literal language of Rashi shows more clearly the underlying logic: When the verse says If his master give him a wife it could refer to either a non-Jewish or Jewish woman. Since however the verse continues He goes free but the woman remains with the master and another verse explicitly states that ....Jewish female slaves...go free in the seventh year I therefore conclude that the verse must be speaking about a non-Jewish wife that the master gives him. In other words Rashi does not emphasize contradiction but rather describes the derivation as selection between competing alternatives. This alternative viewpoint helps us understand the contradiction Rashi rule.

    6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
    Rashi examines how rules of style influences inferences between general and detail statements in paragraphs.
    • Example: Every solo example stated by the Bible must be broadly generalized;
    • Theme-Detail: A general principle followed by an example is interpreted restrictively---the general theme statement only applies in the case of the example;
    • Theme-Detail-Theme: A Theme-Detail-Theme unit is interpreted as a paragraph. Consequently the details of the paragraph are generalized so that they are seen as illustrative of the theme.
    This examples applies to Rashis Ex22-03b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
    GENERAL: On any dispute DETAILS: On oxen, on donkeys, on kids, on garments [movables of value] GENERAL: Any dispute of ownership That comes before the court for payment of double.

Verse Ex22-03b
Hebrew Verse אִם הִמָּצֵא תִמָּצֵא בְיָדוֹ הַגְּנֵבָה מִשּׁוֹר עַד חֲמוֹר עַד שֶׂה חַיִּים שְׁנַיִם יְשַׁלֵּם:
English Verse If the stolen article is found in his possession whether a bull, a donkey, or a lamb live ones he shall pay twofold.
Rashi Header Hebrew ומשור עד חמור
Rashi Text Hebrew כל דבר בכלל תשלומי כפל בין שיש בו רוח חיים בין שאין בו רוח חיים, שהרי נאמר במקום אחר (פסוק ח) על שה על שלמה על כל אבדה וגו' ישלם שנים לרעהו:
Rashi Header Enlish whether a bull, a donkey
Rashi Text English Everything is included in the [obligation to make a] twofold payment, whether it is a living thing or something that is not alive, for it says elsewhere (verse 8): “for a lamb, for a garment, for any lost article,… [he] shall pay twofold to his neighbor.” -[From B.K. 62b]

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a Theme-Development-Theme form. In other words a broad general idea is stated first followed by the development of this broad general theme in specific details. The paragraph-like unit is then closed with a repetition of the broad theme. The Theme-Detail-Theme form creates a unified paragraph. The detailed section of this paragraph is therefore seen as an extension of the general theme sentences. Today's example illustrates this as shown immediately below.

    Biblical verses Ex22-08 form a Biblical paragraph with a theme-detail-theme structure. The paragraph discusses on which theft disputes is there a fine of double payment.
    • General: On any dispute of transgression
    • Detail:
      • On oxen
      • On donkeys
      • on sheep/goat kids
      • on garments
    • General: On any loss on which he says This is it...it will come to court....if convicted he will pay double

Rashi generalizes the detail clause oxen, donkeys, kids, and garments as illustrative of the general clause, disputes of transgression and states: This double-fine law applies to all disputes of movables of worth whether living, like oxen, or non living, like garments. The law does not apply to disputes of real-estate which is dissimilar to oxen, donkeys, kids and garments, and it similarly does not apply to bonds and IOUs which do not have intrinsic worth like oxen, donkeys, kids and garments.

      7. RASHI METHOD: FORMATTING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Inferences from Biblical formatting: #NAME?
      • Use of repetition to indicate formatting effects: bold,italics,...;
      • use of repeated keywords to indicate a bullet effect;
      • rules governing use and interpretation of climactic sequence;
      • rules governing paragraph development and discourse
      This examples applies to Rashis Ex23-05c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
      Brief Summary: PERHAPS you will see the donkey of your enemy overburdened with transport and you will abstain from helping him? You must, WITH HIS HELP, UNLOAD UNLOAD.

Verse Ex23-05c
Hebrew Verse כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ:
English Verse If you see your enemy's donkey lying under its burden would you refrain from helping him? You shall surely help along with him.
Rashi Header Hebrew עזב תעזב עמו
Rashi Text Hebrew עזיבה זו לשון עזרה, וכן (דברים לב לו) עצור ועזוב, וכן (נחמיה ג ח) ויעזבו ירושלם עד החומה, מלאוה עפר לעזוב ולסייע את חוזק החומה. כיוצא בו (דברים ז יז) כי תאמר בלבבך רבים הגוים האלה ממני וגו', שמא תאמר כן, בתמיה, לא תירא מהם. ומדרשו, כך דרשו רבותינו כי תראה וחדלת פעמים שאתה חדל ופעמים שאתה עוזר. הא כיצד, זקן ואינו לפי כבודו, וחדלת, או בהמת נכרי ומשאוי ישראל, וחדלת:
Rashi Header Enlish You shall surely help along with him
Rashi Text English Heb. עָזֹב ךְתַּעִזֹב עִמוֹ. This עִזִיבָה is an expression of help, and similarly, “restrained or assisted (וְעָזוּב) ” (Deut. 32:36, I Kings 14:10), and similarly, “and they strengthened (וַיַּעַזְבוּ) Jerusalem until the… wall” (Neh. 3:8), [which means] they filled it with earth to strengthen and reinforce the strength of the wall. Similarly, [following Rashi’s rendering that the word כִּי means “perhaps,”] “Will you perhaps כִּי say in your heart, ‘These nations are more numerous than I’” (Deut. 7:17) ? Will you perhaps say so? This is the interrogative. [The verse thus tells you:] “Do not fear them.” Midrashically, our Rabbis interpreted it [the verse] as follows: If you see…, you may refrain; [meaning that] sometimes you may refrain [from helping someone], and sometimes you must help. How so [can this be judged]? An elder who [finds it] beneath his dignity [to unload a donkey]- “You may refrain” (Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, Midrash Hagadol). Or if the animal belongs to a gentile and the burden belongs to an Israelite, you may refrain. -[From Mechilta, B.M. 32b]

We have explained in our article Biblical Formatting located on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/biblicalformatting.pdf, that the Biblical Author indicates bold, italics, underline by using repetition. In other words if a modern author wanted to emphasize a word they would either underline, bold or italicize it. However when the Biblical author wishes to emphasize a word He repeats it. The effect - whether thru repetition or using underline - is the same. It is only the means of conveying this emphasis that is different.

Verse Ex23-05c states perhaps you will see the donkey of your enemy overburdened with transport and you will abstain from helping him? You must, with his help, unload unload. Rashi commenting on the repeated words unload unload connoting an unspecified emphasis states You must always unload the donkey even e.g. if the person is elderly and cannot help you.

    Advanced Rashi: To fully appreciate this Rashi we bring in other aspects of the verse which come from the use of the Grammar, Rule #3 and the Contradiction, Rule #5. We have fully dealt with these aspects of Rashi elsewhere but bring them lightly here to more fully appreciate the current Rashi.
    • From the use of a full word to indicate with him we infer that you shoud only help when the owner of the donkey participates with the unloading (Use of a full-word pronoun indicates a restrictive emphasis - only help him when he is with you, not if he is sitting on the side.; the traditional indication of a pronoun is through a suffix letter.)
    • but from the repeated unload unload we infer that you must always unload even if the owner is not there.
    Thus these two emphasii - only with him vs. always unload - create two contradictory albeit unspecified emphasis. Such appearances of dual emphasis occurs frequently in the exegetical literature. Rashi following the mechiltah and talmud resolves this by skillfully identifying two cases
    • Obviously if the person is elderly you must still unload even though he can't help
    • But equally obviously if the person is a smart-alec who sits down and says 'You are obligated to unload - go do it' then you do not have to assist.

The above Rashi is therefore fundamental and illustrative of a broad class of Rashi comments with talmudic flavor. The serious student of exegesis would do well to study it throughly.

      9. RASHI METHOD: NonVerse
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: The common denominator of the 3 submethods of the NonVerse method is that inferences are made from non textual material. The 3 submethods are as follows:
      • Spreadsheet: Rashi makes inferences of a numerical nature that can be summarized in a traditional spreadsheet
      • Geometric: Rashi clarifies a Biblical text using descriptions of geometric diagrams
      • Fill-ins: Rashi supplies either real-world background material or indicates real-world inferences from a verse. The emphasis here is on the real-world, non-textual nature of the material.
      This examples applies to Rashis Ex24-04b Ex19-01a Ex19-03a Ex19-08a Ex19-09c Ex19-11b Ex19-15a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1206.htm
      Brief Summary: a) Jews arrive at Sinai on 1st of Month b) Moses receives instruction on 2nd; c) transmits message on 3rd; d) transmits reply on 4th; e)waits 3 days. Torah given on 6th or 7th.

Verse Ex24-04b
Hebrew Verse וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל דִּבְרֵי יְ־הֹוָ־ה וַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ תַּחַת הָהָר וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַצֵּבָה לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
English Verse And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and he arose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and twelve monuments for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Rashi Header Hebrew וישכם בבקר
Rashi Text Hebrew בחמשה בסיון:
Rashi Header Enlish and he arose early in the morning
Rashi Text English on the fifth of Sivan. -[From Mechilta on Exod. 19: 10, Shab. 88a]

We all know that Shavuoth happens on the 6th of Sivan and that the Torah was either received on Shavuoth itself or on the 7th of Sivan. (Rav Hirsch explains that if the Torah was received on Shavuoth then Shavuoth celebrates the receipt of the Torah. However if the Torah was received on the 7th of Sivan then Shavuoth celebrates our preparation and being ready for receipt of the Torah - that is, the preparation to receive the Torah would be considered the primary thing to celebrate).

The Table below presents the verses that support the calculation that the Torah was received on the 6th or 7th of Sivan.

Justifying Verse Event Date of Occurrence Rational
Ex19-01a Jews arrive at Sinai 1st Day of Sivan Verse explicitly says: On 1st of 3rd month they arrived at Sinai.
Ex19-03a Moses receives prophetic orders 2nd Day of Sivan Reasonable assumption that each event was done on a new day giving time to prepare responses.
Ex19-08a Moses relates prophetic orders of day 2 to nation 3rd day of Sivan Reasonable assumption that each event was done on a new day giving time to prepare responses.
Ex19-09c Moses relates response of nation to orders of God 4th day of Sivan Reasonable assumption that each event was done on a new day giving time to prepare responses.
Ex19-11b God, after receiving nation's affirmative response, asks for 3 days of separation Days 4,5,6 of Sivan The 3 days began on the 4th and hence were concluded on 6th.
Ex24-04b Nation offers sacrifices in preparation for receipt of Torah; prophetic visions happen Day 5 of Sivan The response of the nation - We will do [the convenant] is explicitly mentioned at both Ex19-08 and Ex24-03. As pointed out two rows ago, this happened on the 4th. The next verse Ex24-04 states Moses got up in the morning and built an altar. We consequently infer that the sacrifices happened on the 5th.
Ex19-15b Nation receives Torah (Prophetic revelation of decalogue) Day 6 or 7 of Sivan We know there were 3 days of preparation ordered by God. Moses commanded a triplet of days of preparation. Hence either the Torah was received on the 3rd of these 3 days (day 6) or after them (day 7). We can read the text either way.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi points out that Ex24, the sacrifices prior to the receipt of the Torah happened on the 5th of Sivan while the Decalogue itself is stated in a prior chapter Ex20. Rashi concludes that Textual Biblical sequence does not necessarily indicate temporal sequence. It is important to supplement this Rashi comment with the grammatical observation that in Biblical Hebrew, the past, as indicated by a future conjugation preceded by a vav, indicates the simple past, while the past, as indicated by the past conjugation, indicates the past perfect (Which in English is indicated with the participle had.) Hence Ex24-01, stated in a chapter that occurs after the chapter with the description of the revealed law, states, And God had told Moses to come up for revelation... The use of the past perfect, had told gives grammatical support to the temporal precedence of Ex24 to the revelation mentioned in Ex20, Ex21, Ex22, Ex23. This simple but convincing grammatical proof for the dictum Textual Biblical sequence does not indicate temporal sequence seems to be an innovation of mine not mentioned by other Biblical commentators.

      10. RASHI METHOD: SYMBOLISM
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi provides symbolic interpretations of words, verses, and chapters. Rashi can symbolically interpret either
      • (10a) entire Biblical chapters such as the gifts of the princes, Nu-07
      • (10b) individual items, verses and words
      The rules governing symbolism and symbolic interpretation are presented in detail on my website.

      This examples applies to Rashis Ex24-10b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
      Brief Summary: The vision of God had a WORK of SAPHHIRE BRICK at God's feet. God's redemption RESTED (Feet) on the STORY (SAPPHIRE=SIPUR=Story) of the MIRACULOUS WORKS [redemption] from the BRICK labor in Egypt.

Verse Ex24-10b
Hebrew Verse ַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹהַר:
English Verse and they perceived the God of Israel, and beneath His feet was like the forming of a sapphire brick and like the appearance of the heavens for clarity.
Rashi Header Hebrew כמעשה לבנת הספיר
Rashi Text Hebrew היא היתה לפניו בשעת השעבוד לזכור צרתן של ישראל, שהיו משועבדים במעשה לבנים:
Rashi Header Enlish like the forming of a sapphire brick
Rashi Text English that was before Him at the time of the bondage, to remember Israel’s straits [i.e.,] that they were enslaved in the making of bricks. -[From Lev. Rabbah 23:8]

    Verse Ex24-09:10b discussing the revelation at Sinai states Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; And they visioned the God of Israel; and there was
    • under his feet [Rashi: God supported his trek from Exodus to Revelation]
    • a kind of paved work [Rashi: God's work - his miracles.]
    • of a sapphire [Rashi: The word Sapphire, comes from the Hebrew root, Samech-Pay-Resh which means to tell a story - in fact, the Sapphire is simply a precious gem that everyone tells stories about because of its great beauty.]
    • bricks, [Rashi: The story of the brick-labor in Egypt.]
    Rashi explains the Symbolism as indicated in the bracketed comments in the above verse.Rashi explains that the work of Sapphire brick at God's feet, refers to God treking from Egypt to Revelation on the story of the miraculous works by which he saved the Jews from the brick-labor in Egypt.

Advanced Rashi: I have added to Rashi's literal statements additional explanations of works as symbolizing miracles, feet as symbolizing God's trek through history, and the sapphire, the story gem as symbolizing the stories of the exodus. Such supplementing of Rashi symbolic comments is justified since the text uses 4 keywords - feet, sapphire, work, brick - but Rashi only explains one of them, brick. Hence the teacher is obligated to complement Rashi by explaining the others.

Conclusion

This week's issue contains no examples of the database Rashi method. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com for further details and examples.