The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshath SheLaCh
Volume 18, Number 13
This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables
will be accessible, on Sunday, at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1813.htm
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, June 15 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 Nu15-25a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n23;
    Brief Summary: The SACRIFICE and SIN-OFFERING mentioned in Nu15-25a refer to the OX-UP and GOAT-SIN offering in Nu15-24.

Verse Nu15-25a
Hebrew Verse וְכִפֶּר הַכֹּהֵן עַל כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנִסְלַח לָהֶם כִּי שְׁגָגָה הִוא וְהֵם הֵבִיאוּ אֶת קָרְבָּנָם אִשֶּׁה לַי־הֹוָ־ה וְחַטָּאתָם לִפְנֵי יְ־הֹוָ־ה עַל שִׁגְגָתָם:
English Verse The kohen shall atone on behalf of the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was an error, and they have brought their offering as a fire offering to the Lord and their sin offering before the Lord because of their error.
Rashi Header Hebrew הביאו את קרבנם אשה לה'
Rashi Text Hebrew זה האמור בפרשה הוא פר העולה שנאמר אשה לה':
Rashi Header Enlish and they have brought their offering as a fire-offering to the Lord
Rashi Text English This refers to [the offering] stated in the passage [in verse 24], namely the bull [which is brought as a] burnt offering, as it says [here], “a fire-offering to the Lord.” - [Sifrei Shelach 37]

Verse Nu15-25a discussing the communal sin offering for negligent idolatrous worship states And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance; and they have brought their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance; Rashi clarifies the underlined words offering...sin offering by referencing verse(s) Nu15-24, also discussing the communal sin offering for negligent idolatrous worship which states Then it shall be, if anything is committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for an up offering, for a sweet savor to the Lord, with its meal offering, and its drink offering, according to the prescribed ordinance, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. Hence the Rashi comment: The offering and sin offering mentioned in Nu15-25 refer to the ox up offering and goat sin offering mentioned in Nu15-24.

Text of Target verse Nu15-25 Text of Reference Verse Nu15-24
And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance; and they have brought their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance; Then it shall be, if anything is committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for an up offering, for a sweet savor to the Lord, with its meal offering, and its drink offering, according to the prescribed ordinance, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
Rashi comments: The offering and sin offering mentioned in Nu15-25 refer to the ox up offering and goat sin offering mentioned in Nu15-24.

Advanced Rashi: Note especially that Nu15-24 refers to the up offering while Nu15-25 simply refers to the offering. Frequently when using the reference method subtle nuances like the above emerge.

      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 Nu013-33c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n23.htm
      Brief Summary: The Hebrew Ayin-Nun-Kuph, sometimes translated as giants or mighty, comes from a Hebrew root meaning TO BEAR - trucker type people who effortlessly carry big loads.

Verse Nu13-33c
Hebrew Verse וְשָׁם רָאִינוּ אֶת הַנְּפִילִים בְּנֵי עֲנָק מִן הַנְּפִלִים וַנְּהִי בְעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲגָבִים וְכֵן הָיִינוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם:
English Verse There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, descended from the giants. In our eyes, we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes.
Rashi Header Hebrew ענק
Rashi Text Hebrew שמעניקים חמה בקומתן:
Rashi Header Enlish Anak
Rashi Text English [The name עִנָק is given] because the sun was draped around the neck מַעֲנִיקִים because of their height. — [Sotah 34b]

When Rashi uses the synonym method he does not explain the meaning of a word but rather the distinction between two similar words both of whose meanings we already know.

There are a variety of words in Hebrew which mean mighty. The Hebrew Biblical root Ayin-Nun-Kuph means to bear a heavy weight. Hence the Ayin-Nun-Kuph-Yud-Mem, the Anakim, refer to husky muscular truck-driver like people. You can usually recognize these people by their big bulging muscles. These people can effortlessly carry big loads.

Hence Rashi would translate Nu13-33 as And we saw there the pushers the sons of the big-muscles who came from the pushers and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so were we in their sight. In this translation we have translated Nun-Pay-Lamed-Yud-Mem, from the Hebrew Nun-Pay-Lamed, to fall, as pushers, that is people who push other people down (so they fall).

Advanced Rashi: But Rashi does not literally say what we have said above. Instead Rashi says that Anakim means people who bear great heat/anger thru their height.

The approach of this email list is to see Rashis as supplementing common-sense explanations with further details. The common-sense explanation to the word Anakim is muscular people who bear heavy weights. To this common-sense explanation Rashi adds Such people also cause freight/anger simply by their stature and appearance. In other words whereas we looked at the physical meaning of the word - to bear heavy weights - Rashi supplemented this and reviewed the emotional impact of the word - They bear anger/freight/hostility simply by their height and appearance. Such a reading of Rashi - as a comment that supplements the natural comment we would make by ourselves - adds richness to Rashi. Rashi of course embellishes his comment by punning on the word to bear. Rashi could equally have said these people cause freight by their very appearance. Instead Rashi says They bear freight/anger/hostility by their very appearance.

This approach - regarding Rashi as supplementing obvious comments and explanations - is a fundamental approach in this email newsletter. This approach provides deeper, richer and more natural insights into Rashi.

      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 Nu15-22a Nu15-22b Nu15-27a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n23.htm
      Brief Summary: Brief Summary: This sin offering is brought for violating ALL commandments if IT was done inadvertently. This speaks about IDOLATRY sins, a SINGLE sin equal to ALL commandments.

Verse Nu15-22a
Hebrew Verse וְכִי תִשְׁגּוּ וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֶל מֹשֶׁה:
English Verse And if you should err and not fulfill all these commandments, which the Lord spoke to Moses.
Rashi Header Hebrew וכי תשגו ולא תעשו
Rashi Text Hebrew עבודה זרה היתה בכלל כל המצות שהצבור מביאין עליהן פר, והרי הכתוב מוציאה כאן מכללן לידון בפר לעולה ושעיר לחטאת:
Rashi Header Enlish And if you should err and not fulfill
Rashi Text English Idolatry was included in “all the commandments” (Lev. 4:13) for which the community brings a bull [as a sin-offering], but here Scripture removes it from that category to apply to it the law of a bull for a burnt offering and a he-goat for a sin-offering. - [Sifrei Shelach 22]

These Rashi comments involve 5 Rashi rules. The reader can read each rule separately, or, read in the following sequence: Rule #3, Rule #4, Rule #5, Rule #7, Rule #8. By viewing the Rashi's from many perspectives we obtain a more wholistic view.

Two familiar functions of grammar in all languages are pronoun reference and plurality.

    To appreciate the Rashi comment note the shifting plural and singular in verses Nu14-22:25 And if you have erred, and not observed
  • all these [plural] commandments [plural], which the Lord ...
  • Then it shall be, if it [singular] is committed by ignorance ...
  • that all the congregation shall offer ... and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their inadvertent sin [singular];

We see contradictory indications - the sin is simultaneously plural and singular. We have laid the grammatical foundation for this contradiction here in the grammar rule. We will resolve the contradiction below in rule #5. In rule #4 we will further support the contradiction by comparing to other sin offerings.

Rashi's basic approach is that we are talking about a sin offering for one commandment that is akin to all commandments: that is, the sin of idolatry.

    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 Nu15-41c
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1221.htm
    Brief Summary: (a) I AM GOD - that took you out of Egypt and (b) I AM GOD that punishes you when you are wicked.

Verse Nu15-41c
Hebrew Verse אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:
English Verse I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord, your God.
Rashi Header Hebrew אשר הוצאתי אתכם
Rashi Text Hebrew על מנת כן פדיתי אתכם שתקבלו עליכם גזרותי:
Rashi Header Enlish Who took you out
Rashi Text English I redeemed you on condition you accept My decrees upon yourselves. - [Sifrei Shelach 73]

The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Nu15-41b. Both verses/verselets discuss God as he runs the world. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that: (A) I am the God who took you out of Egypt and can redeem you from future problems. (B) I am the God who punishes you and other nations when they misbehave.

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Nu15-41c
  • I am the Lord your God who took you out of Egypt to be your God
  • I am the Lord your God [who leaves you in Egypt-like tyrannies when you don't observe the commandments.]
(A) I am the God who took you out of Egypt and can redeem you from future problems. (B) I am the God who punishes you and other nations when they misbehave.
Nu15-41c
  • I am the Lord your God who took you out of Egypt to be your God
  • I am the Lord your God [who leaves you in Egypt-like tyrannies when you don't observe the commandments.]

Advanced Rashi: We can clearly see the aligned underlined phrases, I am the Lord your God. The first aligned passage explicitly states ...who took you out of Egypt. But what justifies our interpreting the second aligned passage ...who leaves you in Egypt-like tyrannies when you don't observe the commandments. This is not stated in the text!

To properly understand this we must understand the universal literary phenomenon of ellipsis, statements implied but not explicitly stated. Rashi used ellipsis. For example, Ex22-22 states don't abuse any widow or orphan If you dare abuse them.... Rashi explains The phrase If you dare abuse them is an ellipsis. It doesn't say what will happen if you abuse them but it is implicitly understood: If you dare abuse them you will be heavily punished. Gangsters frequently used such elliptical threats since they induce fear.

I think a similar approach of ellipsis applies to the verse we are studying in Nu15-41: It is implicit that the second I am the Lord your God is a threat and threats are better communicated elliptically. The justification for interpreting the ellipsis in this manner is the contrast implied by the two aligned phrases.

I am indebted to Dr. Aviva Zornberg's new book, The Murmuring Deep: Reflections of the Biblical Unconscious, for inspiring the understanding of this Rashi. I was at the launching of this book at Pardes in June a few weeks ago. There professor David Shulman used Indian philosophy to describe Aviva's book as studying silence. The book describes several types of silences and the communications implicit in them. Aviva picked up this theme in her own talk on her book. Using Kabbalistic terminology she distinguished between voice and words Frequently the Biblical text will give voice without words and it is important to understand the implied content. You can google the book title to find reviews or purchase it. I believe the ellipsis I am the Lord your God is an elliptical silence indicating punishment, a wordless voice which effectively communicates.

      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 Nu14-18b, Nu14-18c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1221.htm
      Brief Summary: God is long suffering and very merciful...although he cleanses [sin] he sometimes does not cleanse sin - when the sins of parents can be visited on children [which repeat their parents sin]

Verse Nu14-18b
Hebrew Verse יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וָפָשַׁע וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה פֹּקֵד עֲוֹן אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים עַל שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל רִבֵּעִים:
English Verse The Lord is slow to anger and abundantly kind, forgiving iniquity and transgression, Who cleanses [some] and does not cleanse [others], Who visits the iniquities of parents on children, even to the third and fourth generations.'
Rashi Header Hebrew ונקה
Rashi Text Hebrew לשבים:
Rashi Header Enlish cleanses
Rashi Text English those who repent. - [Yoma 86a]

The table below presents presents two contradictory verses/verselets. Both verses/verselets talk about God's attributes on dealing with sinners. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse/verselet says God cleans sins while the other verse says God doesn't clean sins. Which is it? Does God clean sins or not? Rashi simply resolves this using the two aspects method: God cleans sins when people repent. But if people don't repent and the children continue their parents behavior God doesn't clean sins but visits the sins on both parents and children.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
God cleans sin Nu14-10
    God, [you are] long suffering and very merciful, you lift sin and iniquity;
    • [although] you clean [sin]
    • you [sometimes] don't clean [sin]
    [namely when you can] visit the sins of parents on their children [because the children uphold their parents sin]
God doesn't clean sins Nu14-10
    God, [you are] long suffering and very merciful, you lift sin and iniquity;
    • [although] you clean [sin]
    • you [sometimes] don't clean [sin]
    [namely when you can] visit the sins of parents on their children [because the children uphold their parents sin]
Resolution: 2 Aspects God cleans sins when people repent. But if people don't repent and the children continue their parents behavior God doesn't clean sins but visits the sins on both parents and children.

Advanced Rashi: Note especially how this Rashi can give rise to a flowing translation of the verse. In the above table our suggested flowing translation is indicated by the bracketed words. I believe that the form X not X as in cleans doesn't clean should be interpreted as a Biblical idiomatic style requiring the above-indicated bracketed expressions.

Verse Nu11-04c
Hebrew Verse וְהָאסַפְסֻף אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבּוֹ הִתְאַוּוּ תַּאֲוָה וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ מִי יַאֲכִלֵנוּ בָּשָׂר:
English Verse But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, Who will feed us meat?
Rashi Header Hebrew מי יאכלנו בשר
Rashi Text Hebrew וכי לא היה להם בשר, והלא כבר נאמר (שמות יב, לח) וגם ערב רב עלה אתם וצאן ובקר וגו'. ואם תאמר אכלום, והלא בכניסתם לארץ נאמר (במדבר לב, א) ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן וגו', אלא שמבקשים עלילה:
Rashi Header Enlish Who will feed us meat?
Rashi Text English Did they not have meat? Does it not say, “Also a great mixed multitude went up with them, and flocks and cattle” (Exod. 12:38)? You might argue that they had already eaten them. But when they were about to enter the Land, is it not written that, “the children of Reuben had much cattle” (Num. 32:1)? The answer is that they were seeking a pretext. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:4]

      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 example applies to Rashis Nu15-02a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1221.htm
      Brief Summary: A) These people who have tested me 10 times will not see the land but their children will B) The sinners died in a plague; the nation tried to repent but was defeated C) [But] When you DO come to Israel.

Verse Nu15-02a
Hebrew Verse דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם:
English Verse Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When you arrive in the Land of your dwelling place, which I am giving you,
Rashi Header Hebrew כי תבאו
Rashi Text Hebrew בשר להם שיכנסו לארץ:
Rashi Header Enlish When you arrive
Rashi Text English He informed them that they would enter the Land.)

    The Formatting rule includes the methods of writing consecutive paragraph or sentences. Just as a paragraph is a collection of sentences unified by a topic sentence and developed by supporting sentences, so too, a chapter very often has a theme that is developed by a skillfully sequenced set of paragraphs. Rashi new of 3 methods of writing consecutive paragraphs
    • Cause-effect: The second paragraph is the effect of the first paragraph. The first paragraph is the cause of the second paragraph.
    • Contrast: The two paragraphs illustrate contrasting sides of a theme.
    • Unified theme: The two or more paragraphs illustrate a common theme. For example a common theme may be illustrated by a sequence of example-paragraphs; each paragraph exemplifies and illustrates one example of the basic theme.
    The above three principles indicate methods for paragraph development into chapters as well as methods for sentence development into paragraphs.

We formerly classified methods of paragraph and chapter development under the grammar rule. However we think it more proper to devote the grammar rule to the relation between meaning and form, for example how verb conjugational forms indicates meaning. As indicated in the opening boxed in table to this section, the formatting rule governs use of sequence to indicate climax and paragraph sequencing.

    Rashi on Nu15-02a explains the sequenceing of three paragraphs:
  • Nu14-11:25. The spies slandered God; the Jewish people tested God 10 times. They must be punished
  • Nu14-26:45. The spies and Jewish people will die out while their children will come to the land.
  • Nu15-01:16. When you come to the land and offer sacrifices.

Rashi's comment on this is obvious: The people were just told that they tested God 10 times and therefore they would not come into the land but their children would. The doubts on this are clear. Perhaps their children would also sin. Perhaps the sight of war would temp their children to rebel. God therefore emphasized in the next paragraph When you come to the land.... Here Rashi uses the contrast method of paragraph development: You will not come but your children will come to Israel and that is a promise.

      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 Nu15-31a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1221.htm
      Brief Summary: Blasphemy/Idolatry is the only commandment described as DESPISING GODS WORD. And indeed Idolatry was the only commmandment PERSONALLY given by God (not Moses).

Verse Nu15-31a
Hebrew Verse כִּי דְבַר יְ־הֹוָ־ה בָּזָה וְאֶת מִצְוָתוֹ הֵפַר הִכָּרֵת תִּכָּרֵת הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא עֲוֹנָה בָהּ:
English Verse For he has scorned the word of the Lord and violated His commandment; that soul shall be utterly cut off for its iniquity is upon it.
Rashi Header Hebrew דבר ה'
Rashi Text Hebrew אזהרת עבודה זרה מפי הגבורה, והשאר מפי משה:
Rashi Header Enlish the word of the Lord
Rashi Text English The warning against idolatry was [heard directly] by the word of the Divine; the rest was by the word of Moses. - [Hor. 8a]

We ask the following database queries: (1) How does the Bible describe sins as attacking God? (2) Can any commandments be said to be personally delivered by God (instead of Moses)? The reader is encouraged to perform the queries using a standard Biblical Konnkordance or search engine. These database queries yield the list below. The list justifies the following Rashi inference: (1) Of all commandments only idolatry/blasphemy is categorized as despising Gods word. (2) Of all commandments only the prohibition of idolatry/blasphemy can be categorized as given personally by God. The 2 lists below presents the results of the database query and show examples

Verse Commandment Description of sin abuse
Lv18-21 Offering Children to the Molech idolatry Desecration of God's name
Lv19-12 Swearing false oaths Descecration of God's name
Lv19-29 Raising your daughter as a prostitute Prostituting the land
Lv21-05 Violating Priest obligations Descecrating God's name
Lv22-02 Violating Priest Temple obligations Descecrating God's name
Gn17-13 Violating Circumcision Nullifying my convenant
Nu15-31 Idolatry / Blasphemy Despising the word of God; nullifying His commandment

As can be seen the normal rankout for violation of a serious commandment is descecrating God's name. The rankout despising God's word is only used by Idolatry / Blasphemy.

Verse Commandment From God or Moses? Grammatical Proof
Ex20-01,03 Idolatry, Commandments #1 & #2 God I am the Lord thy God;...You will have no other Gods in my presence
Ex20-07 False oaths, Commandment #3 Moses Don't bear God's name for nought...He will not forgive...
Dt05-12 Sabbath, Commandment #4 Moses Observe the Sabbath... as God commanded you
Dt05-16 Honoring parents, commandment #5 Moses Honor your parents ... as God commanded you

In the Decalogue table the inferences are based on whether God is referred to in the first vs 3rd person. I and my indicate a direct communication from God while as God commanded or he indicate something spoken by Moses in the name of God. We infer from this that God personally delivered the commmandment prohibiting idolatry while the other commandments were given by Moses in the name of God.

Advanced Rashi: This example is a peach of a Rashi aptly illustrating the database method. Without the database method Rashi appears to be picky on words: The verse says For he despised God's word. And indeed we find that only the commandment prohibiting idolatry was personally spoken by God vs. Moses Such an approach to Rashi based on minutae is neither appealing nor convincing.

However the database method exposes a certain broadness to the Rashi. The phrase despising God's word is rare. The usual term to indicate violation of a serious commandment is descecrating God's name. This database observation allows us to focus on the uniqueness in the phrase despising God's word. Similarly the database study of the Decalogue clearly shows a difference between the 1st two commandments which were said in first person and the other commandments which were said in third person. Thus the database queries expose certain minutae as reflective of broader categories: There is emphasis on God's word since that phrase is never used and there is even more emphasis on God vs. Moses. This broader emphasis provided by the database queries allows us to fullly appreciate the Rashi comments as emanating from clearly intended nuances vs. picky minutae.

    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:
    • 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 example applies to Rashis Nu13-21a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1417.htm
    Brief Summary: Spies went from SE (Tzin Dessert) to SW (Mediterranean) to NW (Mount Mount, Chamath)

Verse Nu13-21a
Hebrew Verse וַיַּעֲלוּ וַיָּתֻרוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ מִמִּדְבַּר צִן עַד רְחֹב לְבֹא חֲמָת:
English Verse So they went up and explored the land, from the desert of Zin until Rehov, at the entrance to Hamath.
Rashi Header Hebrew ממדבר צן עד רחב לבא חמת
Rashi Text Hebrew הלכו בגבוליה באורך וברוחב כמין גאם, הלכו רוח גבול דרומית ממקצוע מזרח עד מקצוע מערב, כמו שצוה משה עלו זה בנגב, דרך גבול דרומית מזרחית עד הים, שהים הוא גבול מערבי. ומשם חזרו והלכו כל גבול מערבי על שפת הים עד לבא חמת, שהוא אצל הר ההר במקצוע מערבית צפונית, כמו שמפורש בגבולות הארץ בפרשת אלה מסעי:
Rashi Header Enlish from the desert of Zin until Rehov at the entrance to Hamath
Rashi Text English They walked along the length and width of its borders, [so that their path looked] like a [Greek] gamma. They walked along the side which was the southern border, from the eastern corner to the western corner, as Moses had directed them: “Go up this way in the south”-by way of the southeastern border until the sea, for the sea was its western border. From there they turned and walked along the entire western border, which is the coast, until the entrance to Hamath, which is near Mount Hor, in the northwestern corner, as is described in the borders of the Land in the portion [beginning with the words,] “These are the travels” (34:6).

Verse Nu13-17 describing Moses instructions to the spies states: And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them: 'Get you up here into the South, and go up to the Mount; Verse Nu13-21 describing the actual journey of the spies states they went up, and spied out the land from the TZin desert unto Rehob, at the entrance to Hamath.

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