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      5. RASHI METHOD: CONTRADICTION
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi resolves contradictory verses using 3 methods.
      • (5a) Resolution using two aspects of the same event
      • (5b) Resolution using two stages of the same process
      • (5c) Resolution using broad-literal interpretation.
      This examples applies to Rashis Gn03-07a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1310.htm
      Brief Summary: a) They (physically) SAW the tree; b) There (intellectual) EYES were opened b') and they KNEW they were naked.

The table below presents two contradictory verses/verselets. Both verses/verselets talk about awarenesses of Adam and Eve after they had sinned. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says they saw the tree while the other verse says their eyes were [first]opened. Which is it? Did they see the tree first or were their eyes first opened after they ate from the tree. Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 aspects method: They physically saw the tree; they ate from her fruit and then their spiritual eyes were opened and they became aware that they were naked.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
They (physically) saw Gn03-06:07a
  • And the woman [physically] saw that the tree was good for food,
  • and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
  • and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate, and gave also to her husband with her; and he ate.
  • And the [intellectual] eyes of them both were opened, and
  • they became aware that they were naked;
Their spiritual eyes were opened Gn03-07a
  • And the woman [physically] saw that the tree was good for food,
  • and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
  • and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate, and gave also to her husband with her; and he ate.
  • And the [intellectual] eyes of them both were opened, and
  • they became aware that they were naked;
Resolution: 2 Aspects They physically saw the tree; they ate from her fruit and then their spiritual eyes were opened and they became aware that they were naked.

Advanced Rashi: Recall that the classical way to resolve a contradiction between two verses is to find a third verse. In this case Rashi takes the end of Gn03-11 which states they became aware that they were naked as proving that the previous phrase their eyes were opened refers to spiritual eyes, not physical eyes. However, as we have pointed out many times, a third verse pointing to the resolution is not always present and consequently the resolution of the contradiction must sometimes be through logic alone.


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