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Their presence in Rashis on Parshath TeRuMaH Volume 15, Number 23 This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables Is accessible at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1523.htm (c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, February 3rd, 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.
Verse Ex26-25a discussing the 8 boards constituting the western wall of the tabernarcle states And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. Rashi clarifies the underlined words eight boards by referencing verses Ex26-22,23 which states And for the sides of the tabernacle westward you shall make six boards. And two boards shall you make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. Hence the Rashi comment: The eight boards of the western wall mentioned in Ex26-25a refer to the six boards mentioned in verse Ex26-22 and the two corner boards mentioned in Ex26-23.
When Rashi uses, what we may losely call, the hononym method, Rashi does not explain new meaning but rather shows an underlying unity in disparate meanings. Rashi will frequently do this by showing an underlying unity in the varied meanings of a Biblical root. In my article Peshat and Derash found on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rashi.pdf. I advocate enriching the Rashi explanation using a technique of parallel nifty translations in modern English. Today's examples show this.
Applying the above translation to Ex25-07 discussing items used in building the temple we obtain Onyx stones, and stones to be set on the breast garment and the breastplate to set in the garments In providing this English translation notice that we have used the English idiom set a stone which mirrors the Hebrew filling stones since we fill the setting with the stone.
Today Hebrew grammar is well understood and there are many books on it. Rashi, however, lived before the age of grammar books. A major Rashi method is therefore the teaching of basic grammar. Many students belittle this aspect of Rashi. They erroneously think that because of modern methods we know more. However Rashi will frequently focus on rare grammatical points not covered in conventional textbooks.
Today we deal with the Biblical rules governing indication of apposition. Since starting this series on apposition I have found out that the concept of resumptive modifier may be a more correct term. Let us look at examples. A simple example of apposition or resumptive modifier occurs in Is63-07 which states, The graces of God I will remember, the praises of God. This sentence is equivalent to I will remember the graces of God, the praises of God If we interpret this last sentence using the principle of apposition then the underlined phrase praises of God modifies the phrase graces of God. Apposition simply refers to placing to phrases one next to the other with the second phrase modifying the first. However Isiah did not directly say I will remember the graces of God, the praises of God. Rather Isiah said The graces of God I will remember and then Isiah resumes what he remembers - he also remembers the praises of God. This approach uses the technique of resumptive modifiers. A resumptive modifier is often used when you have a complicated message and you want to first summarize it and then elaborate on it. Let us know apply these principles to Ex25-34b. Verse Ex25-34b states In the Candellabrah there were four stems. Her buds and flowers were almond-like. This is the first approach we will use. We have not used any principles like apposition or resumptive modifiers. But this verse can also be read using the principles of apposition and resumptive modifiers. Using these techniques the verse would say In the Candellabrah there were four almond-like stems,' - Her buds and flowers. Here buds and flowers resume the items that almond-like modifies. Both readings of the verse are equally valid. Use of resumptive modifiers, although it sounds awkward, is very common in all languages including Biblical Hebrew. The issue between the two interpretations is whether the stems alone were almond-like or whether the buds and flowers were also almond like. Advanced Rashi: Rashi mentioens that there are 4 other verses where two interpretations are possible. Actually there are quite a few more than 4. We will therefore discuss this aspect of Rashi on another occasion.
The table below presents an aligned extract of verses in Ex27-09:14 All verses discuss the obligation of making Temple walls with pillars, stakes and hoooks. The alignment justifies the Rashi assertions that The pillars, stakes and hooks - whether in north, south, east and west - must be copper.
Advanced Rashi: In the above Rashi we have only cited the verses with the south and west side. Rashi cites a similar alignment of the verses for the north and east side.
The table below presents two contradictory verses / verselets. Both verses speak about national Temple taxes. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says taxes are voluntary while the other verse states taxes are obligatory. We see the contradiction---which is it? Are taxes voluntary or obligatory? Rashi simply resolves this contradiction using the 2 aspects method: Two Temple taxes are levied: One was half a dollar and obligatory; the other was completely voluntary.
Note that we have explained this Rashi in both rule #5, Contradiction and rule #8, Database. Both are equally good explanations of this Rashi comment.
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.
Rashi generalizes the detail clause make a 1 Tepach border for the Table, as illustrative of the general clause, make a gold crownlet, and states: The Table's gold crownlet is made on top of the 1-tepach border. In other words there are not two gold crownlets, one for the table and one for the 1-tepach border but rather the gold crownlet for the table is in fact the gold crownlet that is place on the 1-tepach border.
Today we ask the database query: How many ways was money obtained for the Temple? How was the obtained money used? The reader is encouraged to perform the query using a standard Biblical Konnkordance or search engine. This database query yields the list below. The query yields the list below. The list justifies the following Rashi-Midrashic inference. Money for the Temple was obtained in two ways: a) Voluntary gifts, b) Obligatory taxes. The obtained money was used for I)Temple construction II) silver utensils III) daily offerings and upkeep The list below presents the results of the database query and shows examples.
Advanced Rashi: Notice that the Torah does not explicitly state where the daily offerings come from. Rather, Rashi infers this from as a reasonable supposition: There was a requirment for the community to offer 730 lambs throughout the year. It is reasonable that these daily offerings were funded from the yearly half-dollar tax. Note that we have explained this Rashi in both rule #5, Contradiction and rule #8, Database. Both are equally good explanations of this Rashi comment.
A diagram is presented below: ' WEST ' ------------------------------- Cubit 30 ' | | ' | | <= The Holy of Holies N ' S | | O ' O ------------------------------- Cubit 20, Paroceth R ' U | Gold Altar | T ' T | | H ' H | Candellabrah Table | ' | | ' - - Cubit 10 ' | | ' | | ' | | ' ------------------------------- Cubit 0, Entrance Advanced Rashi: Rashi adds The Table and Candellabrah were 2.5 cubits from their respective walls. Rashi derived this from considerations of aesthetics: The width of the Temple is 10 cubits. So if we place three objects in the Temple it makes sense to place one of them, the Golden Altar, at the center, and place the other two of them at the quarter and three quarter mark, which is in fact 2.5 cubits from their respective walls.Such an even spacing creates an aesthetic appearance.
The Bible does not give us much information on the symbolism of copper, silver, and gold. It is possible to give various symbolic associations: For example, copper vessels are used with fire while silver,gold vessels are more precious and not used with fire. We may therefore say that copper atones for fiery emotions. Rashi states that Copper atones for brazenness. Perhaps Rashi focuses on the Hebrew root of copper, Nun-Cheth-Shin which is also the root of the word snake, which possibly symbolizes brazenness or similar emotions. I think it important to emphasize that the symbolic interpretation should be objective. Therefore we are not focusing on lingual coincidences. We are instead focusing on something common to all interpretations: Copper, silver, Gold form a hierarchy of metals. Using this basic idea we symbolically interpret: There are three stages of people: Ordinary, medium and spiritually advanced corresponding to copper, silver, and gold. Thus the copper altar atones for the ordinary people. Such an approach which doesn't emphasize particular traits of ordinary people - such as brazenness - seems the most acceptable; something that can be agreed to by all people. That is all people can agree that at least the Bible is talking about atonment for ordinary people. Then each person can add more detail such as acts of brazenness. The idea of ordinary could be accepted by everybody while the focus and specficitiy on particular emotions, like brazenness, would only be accepted by those people who believe them.
Conclusion
This week's parshah contains no examples of Formatting Rashi method. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com and http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule.htm for further details and examples. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||