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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2011, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
    4. RASHI METHOD: ALIGNMENT
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: Aligning two almost identically worded verselets can suggest
    • (4a) 2 cases of the same incident or law
    • (4b) emphasis on the nuances of a case
    • (4c) use of broad vs literal usage of words
     This examples applies to Rashis Nu03-09b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1414.htm
    Brief Summary: The Levites are given to Aaron from the MIDST of the Jewish people

The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Nu03-09b,Nu08-19 Both verses/verselets discuss the gift of the Levites to the priests Israel. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that: The statement Nu03-09b that the Levites are given as a gift to the priests from the Jewish people means what is stated in verse Nu08-19 that the Levites are given as a gift to the priests from the midst of the Jewish people. In other words the Levites are 1)a gift from God, 2) taken from the midst of the Jewish people.

Alignment
 Rashi comment
Nu08-19 and I give the Levites -------- Given to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the Jews
Nu03-09 and you give the Levites to Aaron and his sons Given Given to him from the Jews
The statement Nu03-09b that the Levites are given as a gift to the priests from the Jewish people means what is stated in verse Nu08-19 that the Levites are given as a gift to the priests from the midst of the Jewish people. In other words the Levites are 1)a gift from God, 2) but taken from the midst of the Jewish people.

    Advanced Rashi: At first blush Rashi appears to simply equating the meaning of the aligned words, from and from the midst of. However a careful reading shows that Rashi is removing an ambiguity in the word from which can equally indicate the source,giver or the place from which something is given. Rashi is clarifying that
  • the Levites are given as a gift from God who is the source of the gift and that
  • the Levites are taken from the midst of the Jewish people Nu08-19

The above alignment shows many more problems which however were not answered by Rashi. For example why does one verse say given while the other verse says given given. Why is to Aaron and his sons repeated in one verse but not the other? My opinion is that Rashi pointed out the basic idea of the alignment and solved one alignment problem - the difference of from vs. from the midst of. Rashi left it to the teacher and student to try and tackle the other alignment problems that exist in the verse. Even if the teacher can't solve them the proper teaching method is to complete the entire alignment and to show the student all problems.


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