SUCCINCT SUMMARY
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The FORMATTING rule seeks to explain Rashis based on
the FORMATTING of the Biblical text. FORMATTING techniques
in modern writing include use of bold, italics,underline,
bullets, paragraph indentation and similar items. The Bible
indicated FORMATTING using its own techniques: For example
- the Bible indicates bold,italics, underline thru REPETITION
- the BIble indicates bulleting, thru REPEATING keywords
The Bible can also indicate formatting thru meaning without
any formal structure.
EXAMPLE Dt12-17c Dt12-17d
-------------------------
Verse Dt12-17 states
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You cannot eat in ordinary cities[outside Jerusalem
- your tithes
- your first born animals
- vows and voluntary offerings
- raised items
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The BULLETED list of examples suggests
CONTRASTIVE EMPHASIS. Rashi interprets the
BULLETS to reflect this contrast as follows
---------------------------------------------------
You cannot eat in ordinary cities[outside Jerusalem
- your tithes-------------------GRAIN HOLY ITEMS
- your first born animals-------PRIEST HOLY ITEMS
- vows and voluntary offerings--PERSONAL HOLY ITEMS
- raised items------------------1st FRUIT OFFERING
(vs animal offering)
---------------------------------------------------
What drives Rashi to this interpretation is not
the meaning of the words: Indeed RAISED ITEMS
normally refers to the TERUMAH eaten by the
priests. But rather because of the contrastive
emphasis of the bullets Rashi gives the items
as wide as an interpretation as possible: Hence
Rashi interprets RAISED ITEMS as referring to
FRUIT OFFERINGS vs ANIMAL OFFERINGS.
LIST107n below summarizes this argument.
EXAMPLE Dt13-07b Dt13-07c Dt13-07e
----------------------------------
Dt13-07 states
-----------------------------------
When pressure is placed on you by
- a brother
- the son of your mother
- OR a son
- OR a daughter
- OR your wife
- OR your friend
- [he who is] like your very self
in secret as follows: Worship idols
...Do not listen.
------------------------------------
Without the BULLET principle (indicated by the repeating
keyword OR) we would interpret this verse as follows
-----------------------------------
When pressure is placed on you by
- a brother the son of your mother
- OR a son
- OR a daughter
- OR your wife
- OR your friend like your very self
in secret as follows: Worship idols
...Do not listen.
------------------------------------
However BECAUSE of the BULLET principle, that BULLETS
connote contrastive emphasis, Rashi seeks as wide
and contrasting an interpretation as possible. Rashi
therefore translates the verse as follows
-----------------------------------
When pressure is placed on you by
- a brother [Rashi: From your FATHER]
- the son of your mother [Rashi: From your MOTHER]
- OR a son
- OR a daughter
- OR your wife
- OR your friend
- [he who is] like your very self [Rashi:Your FATHER]
in secret as follows: Worship idols
...Do not listen.
------------------------------------
LIST107O below summarizes this argument.
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