SUCCINCT SUMMARY
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Just as Rashi can make inferences from WORD MEANINGS and
GRAMMAR so too he can make inferences from OVERALL PARAGRAPH
STRUCTURE. We call this the Rashi rule of BULLET/PARAGRAPHS.
Sometimes Rashi will simply make an inference from the
overall structure of the paragraph. We call this the
Rashi rule of PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE. This is identical to
the Rabbi Ishmael rule of inference from context. What
we have added to the Rabbi Ishmael rule is an explanation
of HOW Rashi infers from context...he infers from context
by studying PARAGRAPH UNITY.
Another method of studying paragraph structure is to study
the bulleted lists in a paragraph. The Bible implements
bullet structure by repeating keywords. We call this the
Rashi subrule of KEYWORDS AS BULLETS. Here too we see
the Rabbi Ishmael rule of inference from context. We have
added the idea that Rashi infers from context by studying
parallel repeating keywords.
The examples below clarify these general ideas.
EXAMPLE Gn32-02:13
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Gn32-02:13 is one paragraph which describes how Jacob
prepared for his meeting, after 20 years, with his
brother Esauv who wanted to kill him. In this paragraph
the Hebrew keywords
- MALACH (which can mean MESSENGER or ANGEL)
- CAMPS
are repeated. Here is a summary text
---------------------------------------------
Jacob went on his way
Jacob met MALACHs of God (ANGELS)
Jacob said ...this is a CAMP OF GOD
Jacob called the place TWO-CAMPS
Jacob then sent MALACHs to Esauv his brother
Jacob sent a message of greeting to Esauv
But the MALACHs returned to Jacob and told him
that Esauv was on his way to meet Jacob
Jacob was very frightened
Jacob divided his camp into TWO CAMPS
Jacob said if Esauv slays one camp then
the other will remain
Jacob then prayed to God
- God you have been kind to me
- I went over the river with only my staff
- and now I have become TWO CAMPS
- Save me from my brother
- Please keep your promises of greatness
---------------------------------------------
Rashi, on Gn32-03a states
----------------------------------------
TWO-CAMPS refers to the
- Camp 1) camp of angels he had just met
- Camp 2) the angels (and people) that were
already with him during his journey
----------------------------------------
Notice how the word TWO-CAMPS is repeated
three times in the paragraph. Clearly, the
CONTEXT shows that TWO CAMPS refers to
- Jacobs original camp
- the Camp of angels that he met
(Rashi assumes that when Rebecca sent
Jacob to Esauv she sent angels to protect
him...this is very reasonable--but Rashis
main point is that the TWO-CAMPS refers
to the ORIGINAL and NEW CAMP).
LIST107c below summarizes the paragraph structure
of Gn32-02:13.
EXAMPLE: Gn47-24
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The Biblical text at Gn47-24 states
----------------------------------------
Joseph said: Since Pharoh owns your land
I will tax you on produce 20% but let you keep 80%
- FOR - field seed
- FOR - your personal eating needs
- FOR - eating needs of your household
- FOR - eating needs of your children
----------------------------------------
Rashi notes the REPEATING KEYWORD, FOR.
Rashi treats this REPEATING KEYWORD as
a bullet. Each bullet refers to a distinct
entity. Rashi states
-----------------------------------------
- FOR FIELD SEED means for sowing ones field
- FOR PERSONAL NEEDS means food for person and family
- FOR HOUSEHOLD NEEDS means food for staff-servants and maids
- FOR CHILDREN means food for infants.
-----------------------------------------
Rashi, here, in his commentary does two things
- he identifies the repeating KEYWORD as a bullet
- he sees the 4 bullets as defining 4 broad categories:
FIELD, FAMILY, STAFF, INFANTS
Perhaps Rashi was using the principle of CLIMAX here.
In times of need one must cut back. Rashi indicates
how cutbacks are made when resources are scarce:
- 1st priority is producing more food (FIELD SEED)
- 2nd priority are the family adults
- 3rd priority is your staff
- 4th priority are little children
(In times of need, the children consume but do not
produce while the servants and maids consume and
produce...such priority lists were witnessed
in survivor stories from Nazi Germany)
LIST109a below summarizes this bullet structure.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
---------------
The issue of MALACH meaning MESSENGER vs ANGEL was
brought up by Jeffrey Zucker in Volume 46 Number 17
of the Email Group, mljewish located at http://mail-jewish.org/
I submitted a synopsis of parts of this posting to Mail Jewish.
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