The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshath TeRuMaH
Volume 17, Number 24
This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables
will be accessible, on Sunday, at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1724.htm
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, Feb 23 2012
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 Ex26-25a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1208.htm
    Brief Summary: The west side of the Temple has 6 boards and 2 corner boards (Ex26-22:23) ....And they shall be 8 boards (Ex26-25)

Verse Ex26-25a
Hebrew Verse וְהָיוּ שְׁמֹנָה קְרָשִׁים וְאַדְנֵיהֶם כֶּסֶף שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אֲדָנִים שְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד וּשְׁנֵי אֲדָנִים תַּחַת הַקֶּרֶשׁ הָאֶחָד:
English Verse And there shall be eight planks and their silver sockets, sixteen sockets two sockets under one plank and two sockets under one plank.
Rashi Header Hebrew והיו שמנה קרשים
Rashi Text Hebrew הם האמורים למעלה (פסוקים כב - כג) תעשה ששה קרשים ושני קרשים תעשה למקצעות, נמצאו שמנה קרשים בסדר מערבי. כך שנויה במשנת מעשה סדר הקרשים במלאכת המשכן (פרק א) היה עושה את הא-דנים חלולים, וחורץ את הקרש מלמטה רביע מכאן ורביע מכאן, והחריץ חציו באמצע, ועשה לו שתי ידות כמין שני חמוקין ולי נראה שהגרסא כמין שני חווקין, כמין שתי שליבות סולם המובדלות זו מזו ומשופות להכנס בחלל האדן כשליבה, הנכנסת בנקב עמוד הסולם, והוא לשון משולבות, עשויות כמין שליבה, ומכניסן לתוך שני א-דנים, שנאמר (פסוק יט) שני א-דנים ושני א-דנים, וחורץ את הקרש מלמעלה אצבע מכאן ואצבע מכאן ונותן לתוך טבעת אחת של זהב כדי שלא יהיו נפרדים זה מזה, שנאמר (פסוק כד) ויהיו תואמים מלמטה וגו'. כך היא המשנה, והפרוש שלה הצעתי למעלה בסדר המקראות:
Rashi Header Enlish And there shall be eight planks
Rashi Text English Those are the [same] ones mentioned above: “you shall make six planks. And you shall make two planks at the corners of the Mishkan at the end” (verses 22, 23) [thereby there were eight planks on the western wall]. The following is the Mishnah concerning the making of the order of the planks in the [Baraitha] Melecheth HaMishkan (ch. 1): He made the sockets hollow and he cut out the plank from below, one-fourth from here and one-fourth from there, and the cut-away [area] was one half in the middle. He made for it [the plank] two square pegs like sort of two legs (חֲמוּקִים). I believe that the reading is: like sort of two חַוָּקִין, [which means] like sort of two rungs of a ladder which are separated from one another, and planed [in order] to be inserted into the hollow of the socket, like the rung, which is inserted into the hole of the side of the ladder. This is the word מְשׁוּלָּבֹת, [i.e.,] made like a sort of rung. He would insert them [the square pegs] into the two sockets, as it is said: “two sockets…two sockets…” (verse 25), and he would cut away the plank on top, [the width of] a finger from one side and [the width of] a finger from the other side, and he would insert [the edges of the two planks] into one golden ring so that they would not separate from one another, as it is said: “And they shall be matched evenly from below, etc.” (verse 24). This is [the wording of] the Mishnah [in Baraitha Melecheth HaMishkan], and I presented its explanation above in the sequence of the verses.

Verse Ex26-25 discussing the construction of the west side of the Temple 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 notes that the underlined words, eight boards references verses Ex26-22:23 discussing the construction of the west side of the Temple. Hence the Rashi comment There were 6 boards each 1.5 cubits in width. So they spanned 6 x 1.5 = 9 cubits. The two corner boards had .5 cubits exposed on each side and 1 cubit corresponding to the north and south walls as show in the diagram The total interior was 10 cubits spanned by 8 boards.

                
'               Corner  Board #1   #2    #3      #4      #5        #6     Corner#2
		------- -------- ------- ------- ------- -------- ------- -------
'               xxxx .5 1.5      1.5     1.5     1.5     1.5      1.5     .5 xxxx
'               xxxx                                                         xxxx South wall
'               xxxx	      10 cubits interior                             xxxx

Text of Target Verse Ex25-25 Text of Reference Verse Ex25-22:23
And they shall be eight boards, .... 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.
Rashi comments: There were 6 boards each 1.5 cubits in width. So they spanned 6 x 1.5 = 9 cubits. The two corner boards had .5 cubits exposed on each side and 1 cubit corresponding to the north and south walls as show in the diagram The total interior was 10 cubits spanned by 8 boards. [Pictures are given above]

      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 Ex26-26a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
      Brief Summary: Beth-Resh-Cheth refers to a paradox when an open space is protective as in FLEEING, CENTER-BOARDS.

Verse Ex26-26a
Hebrew Verse וְעָשִׂיתָ בְרִיחִם עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים חֲמִשָּׁה לְקַרְשֵׁי צֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן הָאֶחָד:
English Verse And you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the planks of one side of the Mishkan,
Rashi Header Hebrew בריחם
Rashi Text Hebrew כתרגומו עברין ובלעז אישברש [מוטות]:
Rashi Header Enlish bars
Rashi Text English Heb. בְרִיחִם, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: עַבְּרִין, and in Old French espar(re)s, cross-bars.

Today is a peach of an example showing the greatness of the Talmudic sages in understanding all aspects of the Biblical text and language.

Rashi believed that Biblical verbs are conjugated using triliteral roots. Rashi also believed that just as 3 letter roots are useful for grammatical conjugation, so too, are 1 and 2 letter roots useful for semantic conjugation, that is, for understanding the meaning of the words. Rashi, like other Talmudic sages, used their great power of analyticity to expose underlying unities in the disparate meanings of the same root. These two techniques - the 2 letter root and the unifying meaning - are beautifully illustrated in today's example.

Verse Ex26-28 states And the center bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. Rashi explains: What is the center-bar. The wall of the Temple consisted of a series of upright boards. These boards were hollowed and a center-board was placed through them thus providing support for the wall.

Rashi inferred this from the Hebrew root used:Beth-Resh-Cheth. The Hebrew letter Beth means house. The Hebrew 2-letter root Resh-Cheth means open space. Using the 2-letter method we infer that Beth-Resh-Cheth means the open space is a house.

Let us test this proposed explanation - the open space is a house - against the two meanings of the Hebrew root Beth-Resh-Cheth. Beth-Resh-Cheth means fleeing. A Fleer is a person who finds a refuge and home in open spaces. There is a paradox here. The fleer does not feel at home in his own home and house. He must flee because of danger. The open space which homes normally protect from by giving shelter paradoxically gives the fleer a new home.

The second meaning of Beth-Resh-Cheth is center board. Here too we see a paradox. Normally a hollow in a board is a sign of structural weakness. However the center-board by filling this hollow creates home-like-protection precisely through this open space.

So both the center board and fleer find or give protection in an open space, where protection is normally not found. This confirms the etymological derivation a home in open space.

Praise be Him who chose them and their learning.

      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 Ex26-36c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1208.htm
      Brief Summary: The curtains were the work of an embroiderer.

Verse Ex26-36c
Hebrew Verse וְעָשִׂיתָ מָסָךְ לְפֶתַח הָאֹהֶל תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵם:
English Verse And you shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen the work of an embroiderer.
Rashi Header Hebrew רקם
Rashi Text Hebrew שם האומן, ולא שם האומנות, ותרגומו עובד צייר. מדת המסך כמדת הפרוכת, עשר אמות על עשר אמות:
Rashi Header Enlish an embroiderer
Rashi Text English Heb. רֹקֵם, the name of the craftsman, not the name of the craft. Its Aramaic translation is עוֹבַד צַיָיר, work of an artist, but not עוֹבֵד צִיוּר, work of artistry. The measurements of the screen were the same as the measurements of the dividing curtain, [namely] ten cubits by ten cubits. — [from Baraitha Melecheth HaMishkan, ch. 4]

Most people are aware that Hebrew verbs come from three-letter roots. Each root is conjugated in the 8 dimensions of person, gender,plurality, tense, activity, modality, direct-object, and prepositional connective. For example the root Shin Mem Resh means to watch. The conjugations Shin-Mem-Resh-Tauv-Yud and Nun-Shin-Mem-Resh-Nun-Vav mean I watched and we were watched respectively.

The rules for Hebrew grammar are carefully described in many modern books and are well known. Rashi will sometimes comment when a verse is using a rare conjugation of an odd grammatical form.

When presenting grammatical Rashis my favorite reference is the appendix in volume 5 of the Ibn Shoshan dictionary. This very short appendix lists most conjugations.

Verse Ex26-36c discussing the construction of the temple curtain states And you shall make a curtain for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the craftmanship of an embroiderer. Rashi translates the Biblical word Resh-Vav-Kuph-Mem as coming from the Biblical root Resh-Kuph-Mem which means to embroider. We have conveniently embedded the Rashi translation in the translation of the verse. The closet conjugation rule governing this Biblical word may be found by using table(s) 1 in the Ibn Shoshan dictionary for the Kal mode

Advanced Rashi: The translation is obvious. Rashi explains his point. The verse should not be translated as embroidered craftmanship but rather as the craftmanship of an embroiderer. That is the present tense conjugation of a verb should not be translated as a verb but rather as a noun - it refers to the person who does the act, the embroiderer.

Rashi does not further explain this point. We leave in a mechanistic age: Embroidery is seen as an attribute of a cloth rather than as a creation by an embroiderer. We tend to think of the Temple as being simply ordered by God. But this is not so! In several places we find an emphasis that people properly interpreted and implemented the orders of God. In this Rashi also - the important point (after stating the materials of embroidery) is to emphasize that an expert embroiderer was needed to create the curtain. It was important, no matter how many prophetic orders were given, to also obtain the experience of expertise.

I think this emphasis on the person vs. the created object is especially important in our modern mechanistic age.

    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 Ex25-22a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1403.htm
    Brief Summary: 1) The Keruvim were a designated place for prophetic meetings 2) The Keruvim were also the place where prophecies happened.

Verse Ex25-22a
Hebrew Verse וְנוֹעַדְתִּי לְךָ שָׁם וְדִבַּרְתִּי אִתְּךָ מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים אֲשֶׁר עַל אֲרֹן הָעֵדֻת אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
English Verse I will arrange My meetings with you there, and I will speak with you from atop the ark cover from between the two cherubim that are upon the Ark of the Testimony, all that I will command you unto the children of Israel.
Rashi Header Hebrew ונועדתי
Rashi Text Hebrew כשאקבע מועד לך לדבר עמך, אותו מקום אקבע למועד שאבא שם לדבר אליך:
Rashi Header Enlish I will arrange My meetings with you there
Rashi Text English When I arrange a meeting for you to speak with you, [it is at] that place that I will arrange for the meeting where I will come to speak to you.

    The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Ex25-22a Both verses/verselets discuss the importance of the Keruvim. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that: The Keruvim were designated both a) for prophetic meetings b) for prophecies

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Ex25-22a
  • (1)I will be prophetically met,
  • (2)there
  • (1')I will prophetically talk with you all things which I will give you in commandment to the people of Israel.
  • (2')above the ark-cover, between the two kerubim which are upon the ark of the Testimony,
The Keruvim were designated both a) for prophetic meetings b) for prophecies
Ex25-22a
  • (1)I will be prophetically met,
  • (2)there
  • (1')I will prophetically talk with you all things which I will give you in commandment to the people of Israel.
  • (2')above the ark-cover, between the two kerubim which are upon the ark of the Testimony,

    Advanced Rashi: Rashi's point is that
    • The word there aligns with above the ark-cover, between the two kerubim which are upon the ark of the Testimony. This is indicated by (2) and (2').
    • The phrase will I be prophetically met aligns with prophetically talk to you. This is indicated by (1) and (1').
    Hence Rashi is justified in inferring two purposes for the Keruvim: a) A designated place of prophetic meeting and b) the place where prophetic talk actually happens. Rashi's actual language is When I designate a time to prophetically speak to you, it is understood that the place of meeting will be that place.

      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 examples applies to Rashis Ex25-22b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1403.htm
      Brief Summary: a) GOD spoke to Moses from the KERUVIM b) MOSES listened to God from the TEMPLE ENTRANCE

Verse Ex25-22b
Hebrew Verse וְנוֹעַדְתִּי לְךָ שָׁם וְדִבַּרְתִּי אִתְּךָ מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים אֲשֶׁר עַל אֲרֹן הָעֵדֻת אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
English Verse I will arrange My meetings with you there, and I will speak with you from atop the ark cover from between the two cherubim that are upon the Ark of the Testimony, all that I will command you unto the children of Israel.
Rashi Header Hebrew ודברתי אתך מעל הכפורת
Rashi Text Hebrew ובמקום אחר הוא אומר (ויקרא א א) וידבר ה' אליו מאהל מועד לאמר, זה המשכן מחוץ לפרכת, נמצאו שני כתובים מכחישים זה את זה, בא הכתוב השלישי והכריע ביניהם (במדבר ז פט) ובבא משה אל אהל מועד וישמע את הקול מדבר אליו מעל הכפרת וגו', משה היה נכנס למשכן וכיון שבא בתוך הפתח, קול יורד מן השמים לבין הכרובים, ומשם יוצא ונשמע למשה באהל מועד:
Rashi Header Enlish and I will speak with you from atop the ark cover
Rashi Text English But elsewhere it says: “and the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying…” (Lev. 1:1). That is the Mishkan, outside the dividing curtain [whereas the ark was within the dividing curtain]. The two verses are found to contradict one another. The third verse comes and reconciles them. And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting…he heard the voice speaking to him from atop the ark cover (Num. 7:89). [The solution is that] Moses would enter the Mishkan and as soon as he came within the doorway, a voice would descend from heaven to [the place] between the cherubim, from where it emanated and was heard by Moses in the Tent of Meeting. — [from Sifrei, end of Naso]

The table below presents two contradictory verses/verselets. Both verses speak about Mosaic prophecy. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse/verselet says God spoke to Moses from the Keruvim, while the other verse/verselet says God spoke to Moses from the Test of Meeting (that is the Temple entrance). We see the contradiction Which is it? Did God speak from the Keruvim or the Temple entrance? Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Aspects method: a) God spoke from the Keruvim while b) Moses however heard God from the Temple entrance.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Prophecy to Moses was from the Keruvim Ex25-22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the ark-cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Prophecy occurred at the Tent of Meeting (Temple Entrance) Lv01-01 And He paged Moses; and God cited to Moses, from the Tent of Meeting to say over.
Resolution: 2 Aspects a) God spoke from the Keruvim while b) Moses however heard God from the Temple entrance.

Advanced Rashi: Many contradictions are resolved through logic. Rashi points out that this contradiction (like many others) is resolved through an explicit verse, Nu07-89, which states, And when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of One speaking to him from the covering that was upon the ark of Testimony, from between the two kerubim; and he spoke to Him. This verse contains the 2 aspects that we mentioned above: 1) Tent of meeting vs. 2) Kerubim.

    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 Ex25-25b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
    GENERAL: Make a golden crownlet for the table DETAIL: Make a 1-tepach boarder around the table GENERAL: Make a golden crownlet for its border around it RASHI: Make a single crownlet consisting of a border with a Gold crownlet on it.

Verse Ex25-25b
Hebrew Verse וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ מִסְגֶּרֶת טֹפַח סָבִיב וְעָשִׂיתָ זֵר זָהָב לְמִסְגַּרְתּוֹ סָבִיב:
English Verse And you shall make for it a frame a handbreadth [wide] all around, and you shall make a golden crown for its frame all around.
Rashi Header Hebrew ועשית זר זהב למסגרתו
Rashi Text Hebrew הוא זר האמור למעלה, ופירש לך כאן שעל המסגרת היתה:
Rashi Header Enlish and you shall make a golden crown for its frame
Rashi Text English That is the crown mentioned above, and here He explains to you that it was on the frame.

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 Ex25-24:25 form a Biblical paragraph with a theme-detail-theme structure. The paragraph discusses the required Golden crownlet for the Table.
    • General: ....make a gold crownlet for the table
    • Detail: make a 1-Tepach border around the table;
    • General: make a gold crownlet for the table border.

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.

Verse Ex19-12c
Hebrew Verse וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ אֶת הָעָם סָבִיב לֵאמֹר הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם עֲלוֹת בָּהָר וּנְגֹעַ בְּקָצֵהוּ כָּל הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהָר מוֹת יוּמָת:
English Verse And you shall set boundaries for the people around, saying, Beware of ascending the mountain or touching its edge; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.'
Rashi Header Hebrew ונגע בקצהו
Rashi Text Hebrew אפילו בקצהו:
Rashi Header Enlish or touching its edge
Rashi Text English Even the edge of it.

      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 Ex25-02d Ex25-02c Ex25-02b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n8.htm
      Brief Summary: Two temple sources: Voluntary donations for initial construction; obligatory tax for upkeep.

Verse Ex25-02d
Hebrew Verse דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי:
English Verse Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering.
Rashi Header Hebrew תקחו את תרומתי
Rashi Text Hebrew אמרו רבותינו שלש תרומות אמורות כאן, אחת תרומת בקע לגלגלת, שנעשו מהם הא-דנים, כמו שמפורש באלה פקודי (שמות לח כו - כז), ואחת תרומת המזבח בקע לגלגלת לקופות לקנות מהן קרבנות צבור, ואחת תרומת המשכן נדבת כל אחד ואחד. שלשה עשר דברים האמורים בענין כולם הוצרכו למלאכת המשכן או לבגדי כהונה, כשתדקדק בהם:
Rashi Header Enlish you shall take My offering
Rashi Text English Our Rabbis said: [The word תְּרוּמָה, mentioned three times, denotes that] three offerings are mentioned here. One is the offering of a beka [half-shekel] per head, from which they made the sockets, as is delineated in [Exod. 38:26, 27, in the parsha] “ אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי, These are the accounts.” Another is the offering of a beka per head for the [community] coffers, from which to purchase the communal sacrifices, and another is the offering for the Mishkan, each one’s [Israelite’s] donation (Talmud Yerushalmi, Shekalim 1:1; Meg. 29b). The thirteen materials mentioned in this section [i.e., this chapter] were all required for the work of the Mishkan or for the garments of the kohanim, [as you will find] when you study them closely (Tan. 5, Song Rabbah 4:25).

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.

Verse Verse Text Money Obtained by Money used for
Ex25-02:08 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering; of every man who feels like donating ye shall take My offering And this is the offering which you shall take from them; gold, and silver, and bronze...and they shall make me a Temple Voluntary donation Temple Construction
Ex30-12:14, Ex38-27 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto HaShem, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, ....And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; a hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. Obligatory Tax Temple Construction
Ex30-12:14, Nu28-03 This they shall give, every one who passes among those who are counted, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary ...And you shall say to them, This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord; two lambs of the first year, without spot, day by day, for a continual burnt offering Obligatory Tax Daily Temple upkeep, Daily offerings

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.

      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 Ex27-08a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1208.htm
      Brief Summary: The altar constructed from wood was hollow inside.

Verse Ex27-08a
Hebrew Verse נְבוּב לֻחֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה אֹתְךָ בָּהָר כֵּן יַעֲשׂוּ:
English Verse You shall make it hollow, out of boards; as He showed you on the mountain, so shall they do.
Rashi Header Hebrew נבוב לחת
Rashi Text Hebrew כתרגומו חליל לוחין. לוחות עצי שטים מכל צד והחלל באמצע, ולא יהא כולו עץ אחד שיהא עביו חמש אמות על חמש אמות כמין סדן:
Rashi Header Enlish hollow, out of boards
Rashi Text English Heb. נְבוּב לֻחֹת as the Targum [Onkelos and Jonathan] renders: חִלִיל לוּחִין. [There should be] boards of acacia wood from all sides with a space in the middle. But all of it shall not be [made of] one piece of wood [that would measure] five cubits by five cubits, like a sort of anvil [i.e., like one solid block].

Verse Ex27-08a discussing the construction of the altar states Hollow-boarded shall you make it; as it was shown to you in the mount, so shall they make it Rashi explains The wooden boards forming the altar are used to make a skeleton with a hollow inside, not with a filled-in inside. Since this Rashi explains geometric diagrams we classify it a NonVerse Diagrammatic Rashi.

Advanced Rashi: Although Rashi does not go into it we feel that this hollow requirement has symbolic meaning. It means that the altar is only a container and not something filled in and complete. This corresponds to the idea that sacrifices are not an end but are symbolic of proper behavior. Using the construction symbolism we would say Each person's personal altar must be filled in with actions.

      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 Ex27-02b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1208.htm
      Brief Summary: The altar was overlaid with COPPER. COPPER pots (vs silver/gold) are used with FIRE. Coppers corresponds to BRAZENNESS. The altar addresses/atones BRAZENNESS.

Verse Ex27-02b
Hebrew Verse וְעָשִׂיתָ קַרְנֹתָיו עַל אַרְבַּע פִּנֹּתָיו מִמֶּנּוּ תִּהְיֶיןָ קַרְנֹתָיו וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ נְחֹשֶׁת:
English Verse And you shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be from it, and you shall overlay it with copper.
Rashi Header Hebrew וצפית אותו נחשת
Rashi Text Hebrew לכפר על עזות מצח, שנאמר (ישעיה מח ד) ומצחך נחושה:
Rashi Header Enlish and you shall overlay it with copper
Rashi Text English to atone for brazenness, as it is said: “and your forehead is brazen (נְחוֹּשָה)” (Isa. 48:4). [I.e., נְחֹשֶת, which means copper, is also used idiomatically to mean brazen or bold.]-[from Tanchuma 11]

    The three metals used in the temple were
    • Copper
    • Silver
    • Gold.
    They form a hierarchy - for example, Gold is the best metal while copper is the lowest metal. The copper altar corresponds to the ordinary people and atones for their sins. The Golden altar corresponds to the priestly people and addresses their needs.

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 issue contains no examples of the format Rashi method. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com for further details and examples.