The special word method deals with the few dozen special words that exist in all languages. Familiar examples are also, when, that, because, only, this,.... Rashi's job, when he comments on a special connective words, is to list the varied nuances and usages of the word. The most famous example is the Hebrew word Kaph Yud which can mean because, that, when, perhaps, rather, if. Sometimes Rashi explicitly gives all meanings of a connective word as happens with Kaph Yud while at other times Rashi does not give all meanings at once. In such a case the student must gather all the meanings together from various places.

Today we deal with the special connective word this, Zayin-Aleph-Tauv. The word this always indicates an unspecified emphasis. This unspecified emphasis will clarify the application of the alignment discussed immediately below.

The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Nu08-24a, Lv21-17 Both verses/verselets discuss requirements of people - priests, levites - serving in the Temple. The alignment justifies the Rashi assertion that One verse says that blemished priests may not serve. One verse says that young/old levites may not serve. There are 3 approaches to interpreting this alignment. Approach 1 - Shared: Both priests and levites are prohibited from serving if they are either blemished or young/old. Approach 2 - Additive: Priests may not serve if blemished. Levites may not serve if blemished or young/old. Approach 3 - Contrastive: Priests may not serve if blemished. Levites may not serve if young/old. The true approach: The true approach is given by the special connective word, this, introducing the Levite law. In other words This law only applies to the Levites but not to the priests. Hence the alignment is interpreted contrastively - blemishes only invalidate Priests while age only invalidates Levites.

Verse	Text of Verse	Rashi comment
Nu08-24a	This is it what concerns the Levites: from 25 years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tent of Meeting;	One verse says that blemished priests may not serve. One verse says that young/old levites may not serve. There are 3 approaches to interpreting this alignment. Approach 1 - Shared: Both priests and levites are prohibited from serving if they are either blemished or young/old. Approach 2 - Additive: Priests may not serve if blemished. Levites may not serve if blemished or young/old. Approach 3 - Contrastive: Priests may not serve if blemished. Levites may not serve if young/old. The true approach: The true approach is given by the special connective word, this, introducing the Levite law. In other words This law only applies to the Levites but not to the priests. Hence the alignment is interpreted contrastively - blemishes only invalidate Priests while age only invalidates Levites.
Lv21-17	Speak to Aaron, saying, Whoever he is of your seed in their generations who has any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

Advanced Rashi: Special note should be made of the possible three approaches to interpreting the alignment. Indeed we do find alignments whose interpretation uses the shared approach, the additive approach or the contrastive approach. There is no reason, a priori, to chose one over the other. A position of this email group is that interpretations are not politically motivated but rather grammatically motivated. That is the Bible indicated through special words, phrases and styles which approach should be emphasized. In this case the introductory word this is what applies to the Levites emphasizes a contrastive approach - this law only applies to the Levites, not to the Priests. We believe that this observation is one of the most important contributions of this email newsletter.