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    6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
    Rashi examines how rules of style influences inferences between general and detail statements in paragraphs.
    • Example: Every solo example stated by the Bible must be broadly generalized;
    • Theme-Detail: A general principle followed by an example is interpreted restrictively---the general theme statement only applies in the case of the example;
    • Theme-Detail-Theme: A Theme-Detail-Theme unit is interpreted as a paragraph. Consequently the details of the paragraph are generalized so that they are seen as illustrative of the theme.
    This examples applies to Rashis Ex39-32a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex39-32a.htm

    Biblical verse Ex30-32 is written in a General-Detail style as follows:
  • General: Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting finished;
  • Detail: [because] the people of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they do.

We have inserted the type-faced word because into the above translation to conform to Rashi's comment - Rashi sees the General clause, The Temple was completed as being clarified and explained by the detail clause, the Jews did as God commanded them.

Advanced Rashi: The above explanation of Rashi may appear simplistic. Using it we explain a very wild Rashi presented below. We give a simple explanation to this wild Rashi making it straightforward.

Verse Ex40-17:18 states And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was erected. And Moses erected the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and erected its pillars. Rashi comments on the passive was erected: After completing all the utensils the Jews could not erect the Tabernacle because of the heaviness of the boards. Moses also attempted to erect the Temple but the boards were too heavy for him. If nobody could erect the Temple how then did the Temple get erected? The verse explicitly says that the Temple was erected that is, by itself. The boards stood upright and fit together.

Because every utensil was made exactly as commanded therefore the erection of the temple went smoothly: For example if the wood boards were not smooth they would not remain standing after erected. Precisely because they were cut properly therefore they stood in place. And precisely because the Jews worked as a team therefore, all Temple parts were made to precision. We learn this from the emphasis in Ex30-32: The Temple was erected because the Jews did as God commanded.

Thus the miracle did not consist of boards floating upwards! Rather the miracle consisted of all staff precisely following orders so that the boards and parts fit togethere smoothly and enabled a quick efficient erection. The emphasis here is on the compliance of the Jews with Gods commands.

Rashi citing a Midrash simply states this in a pictueresque way: The boards helped erect themselves by the spirit of God. But again: The emphasis is that the building fit together quickly and smoothly because the Jews did as God commanded.


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