*1 The CAPPED phrases indicate the main ideas
- GOD GIVES TORAH
- JEWS ACCEPT TORAH YOLK
- ACCEPT TORAH PERMANANTLY
- GOD IS KING; UNITED NATION
Based on this GENERAL THEME Rashi makes further comments
on UNKNOWN passages*10

*2 The KEYWORD column shows the KEYWORDS confirming our
interpretation. For example, the KEYWORDS, SINAI and
LAW OF FIRE indicate that we are talking about the
acceptance of the Torah.

*3 The OTHER VERSE column shows OTHER VERSES that echo
the poetic metaphors used---for example Ex19-17 speaks
about MOUNT SINAI SMOKING BECAUSE GOD DESCENDED IN FIRE
thus confirming the metaphor in Dt33-02, LAW OF FIRE.

*4 The inference is from an ALIGNMENT
-----------------------------
Ex24-03 Nation said we will DO
Ex24-07 nation said we will DO AND LISTEN
-----------------------------

So the verses emphasize that
- Jewish ACCEPTANCE
- PRECEDES knowledge of what they accept (DO, then LISTEN)

*5 All verbs in Ex19-02 are in the plural except one
-----------------------------------
- THEY(Jews) journeyed from Refidim
- THEY came to Sinai
- ...
- HE (Nation as whole) CAMPED
-----------------------------------
So emphasis is on JEWISH UNITY at time of RECEIPT OF TORAH

*10 The following further Rashi comments are made
----------------------------------------------------
BIBLICAL TEXT: God shown forth from the land of Seir
----------------------------------------------------

Rashi states (Dt33-02c)
----------------------------------------------------
God had offered the Torah to the residents of Seir
(the descendants of Esauv) but they did not want it
(Only the Jews wanted the Torah)
----------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------
BIBLICAL TEXT: God appeared from Mount Paran
----------------------------------------------------

Rashi states (Dt33-02d Dt33-02e)
----------------------------------------------------
God offered the Torah to residents of Mount Paran,
the Arabs, but they did not want the Torah
(Only the Jews wanted the Torah)
----------------------------------------------------

Here, Rashi, interprets the verses as referring to
events (offering the Torah to the Arabs) which are
NOT JUSTIFIED by other Torah verses.

However Rashi is justified using the Rabbi Ishmael
rule of CONTEXT. The reasoning is as follows and
is consistent with the way we interpret poetic
passages
-------------------------------------------------
The rules we have laid down for poetic passages are
as follows
- Identify what is ALREADY known in the passage
- See the BROAD outline of the passage
- See the STAGES of the passage
- Then, fill in the meaning of the remainder of
the passage using reasonable fill-ins and
the principles of development
Here we use the Rabbi Ishmael rule of CONTEXT
Because the CONTEXT of the poetic passage deals
with a specific topic therefore we are justified
in interpreting the unknown words and phrases as
dealing with the CONTEXT
--------------------------------------------------

Let us apply the principle:
- It is clear that Dt33-02:05 is dealing with
the receipt of the Torah by the Jews
- Hence we are justified in seeing the references
to the Arab nations (God came from Arab lands)
as possibly meaning that God offered them the
Torah but they refused.
- This is a reasonable interpretation of an unknown
passage based on the Rabbi Ishmael rule of
CONTEXT!