#######################################################
#       12 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE         #
#                    Sep 23, 2009                     #
#                    YEAR 10 of 12                     #
#                                                     #
#           VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES             #
#           -----------------------------             #
#         HOME   http://www.RashiYomi.Com             #
# WEEKLY RASHI   http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rule.htm    #
#  DAILY RASHI   http://www.RashiYomi.Com/calendar.htm#
#                                                     #
#  Reprinted with permission from WEEKLY RASHI,       #
#  (c) 1999-2009, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President #
#   Permission to reprint with this header PROVIDED   #
#          it is not printed for profit               #
#                                                     #
#######################################################


#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2009, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
      6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
      Rashi examines how rules of style influences inferences between general and detail statements in paragraphs.
      • Example: Every solo example stated by the Bible must be broadly generalized;
      • Theme-Detail: A general principle followed by an example is interpreted restrictively---the general theme statement only applies in the case of the example;
      • Theme-Detail-Theme: A Theme-Detail-Theme unit is interpreted as a paragraph. Consequently the details of the paragraph are generalized so that they are seen as illustrative of the theme.
      This examples applies to Rashis Lv25-04a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1217.htm
      Brief Summary: GENERAL: The LAND shall have a sabbatical DETAIL: FIELDS will not be sown, VINYARDS will not be pruned.

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a Theme-Development form. In other words a broad general idea is stated first followed by the development of this broad general theme in specific details. The Theme-Detail form creates a unified paragraph. The detailed section of this paragraph is seen as an modifying and explaining the general theme sentences. Today's example illustrates this as shown immediately below.

    Verse Lv25-04 discussing the land sabbatical states
  • General: But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest to the land, a sabbath for the Lord
  • Detail:
    • Your field should not be sown and
    • your vineyard should not be pruned

Rashi interprets the general-detail form as forming a Biblical paragraph with the detail clause explaining the general clause. That is the Bible informs us that the land is given a sabbatical by not working the fields and vineyards

Advanced Rashi: A typical Rashi-ist would approach these verses by emphasizing redundancy and exploring alternate interpretations. The requirement of letting the land have a sabbath could e.g. mean that it is prohibited to build Therefore the verse specifies that only field and vineyard work are prohibited However other forms of land work are permissable. This is the essence of the theme-development method. We have, in this newsletter, added, the nuance that this Rashi content can be neatly and naturally understood if we perceive the Biblical text as a paragraph with a theme-development form. It is not necessary to employ the traditional exploration of alternate methods. It is sufficient to focus on the paragraph form. 


#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2009, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#