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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2007, 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 examples applies to Rashis Nu22-12a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n2.htm
    Brief Summary: (a) Do not go with Moab to curse the Jew, (b) Don't curse the Jews yourself. The reason for this is THEY ARE ALREADY BLESSED.

We have explained in our article Biblical Formatting located on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/biblicalformatting.pdf, that the Biblical Author indicated a bulleted or table structure by skillful use of repated keywords.

That is, if a modern author wanted to get a point across using a table then the Biblical Author would use repeated keywords.

We illustrate this using verse Nu22-12a which we present in modern bulleted notation. The repeating keywords indicating the bulleted structure are underlined.

    Verse Nu22-12a describing God's prohibition to Bilam to work with the Moabites, seeking the Jews destruction, states And G-d said unto Balaam:
    • thou shall not go with them;
    • thou shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.'

The verse has a bulleted structure indicated by the repeating keyword phrase thou shalt. This bulleted structure requires a distinct emphasis in each bulleted item. The Rashi comment is based on this distinct emphasis.

    Rashi states:
  • Don't curse the Jews for Moab
  • Don't curse the Jews by yourself.

Advanced Rashi: A variety of Rashis and verses indicate that, it was by Bilam's advice, that Moab sent Moabite women to seduce the Jews and cause God's anger. Twenty four thousand people died in the resulting plague. Despite the participation of the Jewish men this act of seduction was considered an act of war.

This fact enriches our understanding of Nu22-12a by showing that God explicitly prohibited independent activity by Bilam in cursing the Jewish people. Hence the Rashi comment: Don't curse the Jews for Moab; don't curse them yourself [as I know you are going to do] for the Jews are blessed.

Rashi further adds the following: Bilam said to God: I will bless them. God replied: They are already blessed. This is similar to the Israeli adage: Not from your honey and not from your sting. My own thinking is that the parallel structure only indicates two prohibitions: a) not to curse for Moab and b) not to curse by himself. Furthermore we cite Bilam's blessings in our daily prayers: How proper are Jewish homes, Israeli Temples. Consequently I view this added Rashi comment as an embellishment rather than as a genuine exegetical statement on the verse.


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