#######################################################
#       12 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE         #
#                    Apr 10, 2010                     #
#                    YEAR 11 of 12                     #
#                                                     #
#           VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES             #
#           -----------------------------             #
#         HOME   http://www.RashiYomi.Com             #
# WEEKLY RASHI   http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rule.htm    #
#  DAILY RASHI   http://www.RashiYomi.Com/calendar.htm#
#                                                     #
#  Reprinted with permission from WEEKLY RASHI,       #
#  (c) 1999-2010, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President #
#   Permission to reprint with this header PROVIDED   #
#          it is not printed for profit               #
#                                                     #
#######################################################


#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2010, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
      7. RASHI METHOD: FORMATTING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Inferences from Biblical formatting: --bold,italics, and paragraph structure.
      • Use of repetition to indicate formatting effects: bold,italics,...;
      • use of repeated keywords to indicate a bullet effect;
      • rules governing use and interpretation of climactic sequence;
      • rules governing paragraph development and discourse
      This example applies to Rashis Gn03-16a,Gn03-16b,Gn03-16c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1310.htm
      Brief Summary: 1) Pain/Depression of raising children 2) Pregnancy ordeal 3) labor pains

The climax principle asserts that a sequence of similar phrases should be interpreted climactically even if the words and grammatical constructs used do not directly suggest this. That is the fact of the sequence justifies reading into the Biblical text a climactic interpretation even if no other textual source justifies it. For this reason we consider the climax method a distinct and separate method.

    Verse Gn03-16 discussing the punishment of women for eating from the forbidden fruit is written in a climactic manner as shown. For convenience we have inserted the Rashi comments clarifying the nature of the climax in brackets
  • I will increase your pain [ the pain of raising children (Which already existed in Paradise) ]
  • and your pregnancy ordeal [ the pain of going through pregnancy ]
  • in pain will you give birth [ the pain of labor. ]

As can be seen Rashi takes the 3 phrases to correspond to three pains/ordeals unique to women. Rashi lists the pain of raising children first since that is the weakest of the pains and already existed in paradise. Rashi next mentions the pain of pregnancy since that is more intense. Finally Rashi concludes with the pain of labor since that is the most intense. As can be seen the list of pains is climactic.

      8. RASHI METHOD: DATABASES
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi makes inferences from Database queries. The precise definition of database query has been identified in modern times with the 8 operations of Sequential Query Language (SQL).
      This example applies to Rashis Gn01-22a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n15.htm
      Brief Summary: God blessed those created items that are vulnerable - animals, humans- but did not bless stars and plants which would survive anyway.

Today we ask the database query: Which created items did God bless and which did he not bless? The query uncovers half a dozen examples. An examination of these examples justifies the Rashi assertion that God blessed those items which were vulnerable to extinction for example, animals and humans. However items which were not vulnerable were not blessed: Stars, which are indestructible, received no blessing, plants received no blessing (since they reproduce anyway) and beasts which are not hunted were also not blessed. The table below presents results of the query along with illustrations of Rashi's comment.

Verse Created Item Was it blessed? Is it vulnerable?
Gn01-14 Stars No No - Stars are indestructible
Gn01-11 Plants No Plants germinate in all environments
Gn01-24 Beasts No Animals are hunted; beasts are not hunted
------- ---- ---- -----
Gn01-22a Animals Yes Animals are hunted - hence they need blessing
Gn01-27 Humans Yes Humans are vulnerable to nature and animals 


#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2010, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#