Today's grammar example deals with paragraph unification rules. We use to include these rules under the main grammar rule. However we have switched our thinking and intend to reclassify these paragraph unification rules under the format rule. In todays digest we present two paragraphs unified by sentence contrast. One example is presented under the Grammar rule and the second below is presented under the format rule.

An important task for any writer is sentence unification within each paragraph and paragraph unification within each chapter. Rashi used three main methods of unification:
• unification by contrast
• unification by cause-effect-consequence
• unification by commonality.
The unification principle is not cosmetic. It is powerful leading to novelty in meaning and interpretation. Today's example shows this.

Verse Lv21-10:12a discussing the prohibition of the High Priest from becoming ritually impure at funerals of his parents uses a contrastive sentence unification method as shown below:
• And he who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured,...shall not uncover his head, ... Neither shall he go to any dead body, ... for his father, or ... mother;
• [but rather]Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary,... for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him; I am the Lord.
We have indicated Rashi's contrastive intepretation by interpolating the bracketed words [but rather]. Rashi interprets The High priest shall not become ritually impure by leaving the temple to attend funerals of parents but rather he shall remain in the Temple and continue to offer sacrifices. Rashi continues Hence we infer that a High Priest should offer sacrifices even if his parents have died and it is pre-burial (Note that other Israelites are exempt from positive commandments during this period.)

The advanced student may wish to supplement his reading of this Rashi with a sister Rashi presented below on Rule #6, style.