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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 example applies to Rashis Lv19-13c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w2n13.htm
      Brief Summary: The employer is given 12 hours (all day or all night) to pay an employee for services completed at the end of the night or day respectively.

The table below presents presents two contradictory verses. Both verses talk about paying laborers/employees in a timely manner. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says pay him by morning while the other verse says pay him by sunset. Which is it? Is the requirement to pay by morning or evening. Rashi simply resolves this using both the 2 aspects method: If a worker completes his services at night then you have from morning to evening (12 hours) to obtain money to pay him. On the other hand if a worker completes his services by day you have from sunset to dawn to obtain money to pay him. In each case the Torah gave the employer time - half a 24 hour period - to obtain money to pay the employee.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Pay the worker by morning Lv19-13 You shall not defraud your neighbor, nor rob him; the wages of he who is hired shall not remain with you all night until the morning
Pay the worker by sunset Dt24-14:15 #####
Resolution: 2 Aspects: If a worker completes his services at night then you have from morning to evening (12 hours) to obtain money to pay him. On the other hand if a worker completes his services by day you have from sunset to dawn to obtain money to pay him. In each case the Torah gave the employer time - half a 24 hour period - to obtain money to pay the employee.

Advanced Rashi: Rabbi Dr Isidore Twersky, the Talner Rebbe, pointed out in his doctoral thesis that we tend to use cliches on Rishonim which upon closer examination are not universal. For example Rabbi Twersky points out that we typically think of the Rambam as a rationalist and the Raavad as a more spiritual emotional person. Rabbi Twersky in his doctoral thesis, shows examples to the contrary, when Raavad was the rationalist and Rambam was the mystic.

Following this thought I observe that we tend to think of Rashi as terse and Rambam as more comprehensive. However in discussion of worker rights we find the reverse. Rambam is terse, simply citing the law; while Rashi goes out of his way to explain the law as indicated in the underlined passages above. 


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