SUCCINCT SUMMARY:
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One of Rashis 10 major goals is to illustrate complex
geometric designs or algebraic complications. This is
called the Rashi method of SPREADSHEETS, since
SPREADSHEETS are one method of clarifying a complex
relationship. The SPREADSHEET method can refer to
any illustration of a verse that clarifies it.
EXAMPLE Nu21-13b
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Nu21-13b states
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From there they moved, and camped
on the other side of Arnon, which
is in the wilderness that comes out
of the borders of the Amorites; for
Arnon is the border of Moab, between
Moab and the Amorites.
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Rashi clarifies the complex geometric design
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EMORI LAND | MOAB LAND |
----------------| |
EMORI LAND x2 |x1Arnon |
----------------| |
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Rashi clarifies that
- if we picture EMORI and MOAB as rectangles
- then EMORI has a PROTRUSION cutting into Moab
- this PROTRUSION end at ARNON
Hence
- ARNON is the BORDER between Moab and EMORI
- The Jews camped at spot X2
Now let us re-examine the verse
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VERSE PICTURE
----------------- ------------------------
They camped on They camped at
OTHER SIDE OF ARNON x2
arnon in wilderness x2 in protrusion
comes past Emori borders protrudes
ARnon is border x1-x2 is border
of Moab and Emori x2 to Emori;x1 to Arnon
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This example nicely illustrates why I call this
the SPREADSHEET method---Rashi's main goal
is to clarify a complex relationship that is
hard to visualize.
LIST690L below summarizes this spreadsheet pattern.
LIST690a presents other Rashis where the SPREADSHEET rule
is used.
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