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    9. RASHI METHOD: NonVerse
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: The common denominator of the 3 submethods of the NonVerse method is that inferences are made from non textual material. The 3 submethods are as follows:
    • Spreadsheet: Rashi makes inferences of a numerical nature that can be summarized in a traditional spreadsheet
    • Geometric: Rashi clarifies a Biblical text using descriptions of geometric diagrams
    • Fill-ins: Rashi supplies either real-world background material or indicates real-world inferences from a verse. The emphasis here is on the real-world, non-textual nature of the material.
    This examples applies to Rashis Nu03-39b Nu03-46a Nu03-49a Nu03-50a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1414.htm
    Brief Summary: 300 Firstborn Levites remained. 22000 Firstborn redeemed by Levites. 273 firstborn redeemed @ 5 per head=$1365. Redeemers identified by lottery

Background: Originally the firstborn served at the sacrifices. When the Jews sinned by the Golden calf God took this privilege away from them and gave it to the Levites. The process of transfer of responsibility from the firstborn to the Levites was called a redemption process. The redemption process is described in the table below. Because this aspect of the Bible involves computations and spreadsheets we classify this Rashi as non-verse/spreadsheets.

    Very roughly there are 3 types of redemption:
  • The 300 Levites that were firstborn remained in service
  • There was an exchange of 22000 Levites for 22000 Firstborn
  • The remaining 273 non Levite firstborn were redeeemed at $5 shekel per person or $1,365 aggregate.

There was the further problem of who to collect the $1,365 from. After all each particular firstborn could claim he corresponded to an actual Levite and didn't have to pay. Therefore the redemption was done by lottery which picked 273 firstborn each of whom paid $5 shekel.

Item Amount Justification (Verse/logic)
Gershon Levites 7500 Nu03-22
Kehath Levites 8600 Nu03-28
Merari Levites 6200 Nu03-34
Total Levites 22,300 Nu03-17
Firstborn Levites 300 Logic
Remaining Levites 22,000 Subtraction
Firstborn redeemed by Levites 22,000 Logic
Total Firstborn 22,273 Nu03-43
Remaining non Levite Firstborn 273 Nu03-46
Redemption of remaining non Levite Firstborn 1,365=273 x 5 Nu03-47

Advanced Rashi: Rashi also mentions the 20 silver price by which Joseph was sold. We will discuss this aspect of Rashi in a later year.


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