Gn30-37b (C) Dr Hendel, Jan-03
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SUCCINCT SUMMARY
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A powerful Rashi technique is the ALIGNMENT method in which
almost similar verses are aligned. The minor differences
between them sheds light on nuances and details. An equally
powerful use of alignment is to infer meaning of unknown terms
EXAMPLE 1,2 Gn32-16a Gn32-16b
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In Gn32-15:17 we see listed 5 types of animals
- she goats----------------he-goats
- ewes---------------------rams
- camels-------------------children
- cows---------------------bulls
- she-donkeys--------------he-donkeys
Notice how every pair is FEMALE-MALE except for the camels.
Rashi infers the nuance that camels are modest in their
marital relationship and hence the Bible didnt explicitly
mention male camels.
From the five fold alignment of female-male pairs we infer
the meaning of the last mentioned animal--it MUST mean
he-donkeys.
Note the simplicity with which Rashi makes his inferences
EXAMPLE 3 Gn33-07a
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Similarly in Gn33-06:07 we have listed the following pairs
- The maids---------------and their children
- Leah--------------------and her children
- Joseph------------------and his mother Rachel
Notice the reversal in the last Row--the child is mentioned
prior to the mother. Rashi again infers a nuance of modesty.
Joseph was worried how uncle Esauv would react to his
beautiful mother so he stood in front of her so he shouldnt
get aroused.
EXAMPLE 4 Gn32-10a
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Jacob refers to God in this verse as
- Lord of Abraham
- Lord of Isaac
- God
Rashi aligns the names of God in these verses
with the names of God in other verses to show
that Jacob hinted at two promises of safety from God
Gn28-13:15 I am LORD OF ABRAHAM, LORD OF ISAAC: I will watch you
Gn31-03 I GOD will be with you
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ITEM
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DETAIL
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RASHI RULE CLASS:
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ALIGNMENT
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RASHI SUBRULE CLASS
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NUANCES
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RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE
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#11
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SEE BELOW
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LIST307v
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List of verse with
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5 pairs of male-female animals
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SEE BELOW
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LIST307w
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List of verses with
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3 pairs of mothers-children
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SEE BELOW
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LIST307x
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List of verses with
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Names of God - promises of safety
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RASHI SUBRULE CLASS
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MEANING
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RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE
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#12
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SEE BELOW
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LIST343c
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List of verses showing
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AaYRM = male donkeys
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