1. RASHI METHOD: REFERENCES BRIEF EXPLANATION: Commentary on a verse is provided thru a cross-reference to another verse. The cross references can either provide (1a) further details, (1b) confirm citations, or (1c) clarify word meaning. This examples applies to Rashis Lv24-23a URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1216.htm Brief Summary: The statement THE JEWS DID AS GOD COMMANDED (Lv24-23a) references ALL Biblical discussions of stoning including requirements of SHOOTING DOWN (Ex19-13),and HANGING (Dt21-22:23)

Verse Lv24-23a discussing how the Jews did as required with the death sentence of the blasphemer states And Moses spoke to the people of Israel, that they should bring forth him who had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the people of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses. Rashi notes that the underlined words, And the people of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses. references verses Ex19-13, Dt21-22:23 discussing other requirements of stoning such as hanging and shoving the person from a height. Hence the Rashi comment The statement The Jews did as God commanded Lv24-23a references not only the requirements on stoning listed in this chapter but generally references the requirements in all verses discussing stoning including the requirements of shooting down the person, that is, shoving him/her from a height Ex19-13 and hanging Dt21-22:23.

Text of Target Verse Lv24-23a	Text of Reference Verse Ex19-13, Dt21-22:23
And Moses spoke to the people of Israel, that they should bring forth him who had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the people of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.	There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot down; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live; when the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mount. ....And if a man has committed a sin deserving death, and he is to be put to death, and you hang him on a tree;
Rashi comments: The statement THE JEWS DID AS GOD COMMANDED (Lv24-23a) references ALL Biblical discussions of stoning including requirements of SHOOTING DOWN (Ex19-13),and HANGING (Dt21-22:23) The statement The Jews did as God commanded Lv24-23a generally references not only the requirements on stoning listed in this chapter but generally references the requirements in all verses discussing stoning including the requirements of shooting down the person, that is, shoving him/her from a height Ex19-13 and hanging Dt21-22:23.

Advanced Rashi: The traditional Rashi-ists would explain this Rashi using the concept of redundancy. A typical explanation is that the verse says they stoned him.....the Jews did as God commanded. The repetition of they stoned him and also They did as God commanded suggests that something else was done. The traditional Rashi-ists will also use terms like the redundancy bothered Rashi and he explained it by referring to other verses.

The position of this email newsletter is that reference is a method in its own right - it does not need the support of other methods. So although the redundancy or repetition does suggest an emphasis which could point to references to other verses this is not necessary. Reference is a method in its own right. Reference is simply a method of enriching our understanding of the text independent of any problems.