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    9. RASHI METHOD: SPREADSHEETS
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: The common denominator of the 3 submethods of the Spreadsheet method is that inferences are made from non textual material. The 3 submethods are as follows:
    • Spreadsheet: Rashi makes inferences of a numerical nature that can be summarized in a traditional spreadsheet
    • Geometric: Rashi clarifies a Biblical text using descriptions of geometric diagrams
    • Fill-ins: Rashi supplies either real-world background material or indicates real-world inferences from a verse. The emphasis here is on the real-world, non-textual nature of the material.
    This example applies to Rashis Nu03-39b Nu03-50a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/nu03-39b.htm
    Brief Summary: (22300 Levites) minus (300 Levite 1st born) = 22000 non first born levites vs. 22273 first born leaves 273 unpaired firstborn.

Recall that originally the First Born served as priests. After the sin of the Golden calf the first born were replaced by the Levites. The Bible at Nu03-39 tells us that there were 22,000 Levites. But if we subtotal all the Levite tribes we find 22,300 Levites. Rashi explains that there were in fact 22,000 non-first-born levites, since the 300 first born levites replaced themselves. There were 22,273 first born. Hence the 22,000 Levites could replace all but 273 first born. These 273 first born had to be redeemed with five dollars per person.

These details are summarized in the spreadsheet below. This is a good example of the spreadsheet method since Rashi literally uses a spreadsheet structure to illuminate the verses. Note particularly the column labeled Source. Here each comment is either a verse or some derived mathematical computation. These derived mathematical computations are in fact the contents of the Rashi comments. The spreadsheet below simply makes the Rashis clearer and more obvious.

Line Item Count of Verse Count Source
Line 1 Gershon Nu03-22 7,600 Verse
Line 2 Kehath Nu03-28 5,600 Verse
Line 3 Merari Nu03-33 6,200 Verse
Line 4 All Levites ' 22,300 Total #1-#3
Line 5 All [Non 1stBorn] Levites: Verse Subtotal Nu03-39b 22,000 Verse
Line 6 1st Born Levites ' 300 Inference: Line #4 - #5
Line 7 1st Born Israelites Nu03-43 22,273 Verse
Line 8 Unpaired 1st Born-Levite Nu03-46a 273 Verse: Line #7 - #5

    Advanced Rashi: Rashi makes some additional clarifications one of which is surprisingly modern.
    • There were 22,000 Levites and 22,273 firstborn.
    • The 22,000 first born were redeemed by the 22,000 Levites.
    • The remaining 273 firstborn were redeemed at $5 per person, resulting in a collection of $5 x 273 = $1365.
  • Moses distributed 22,273 bags. 22,000 were labeled, "Redemption by Levite replacement," while 273 were labeled, "Kindly place $5 in the bag to redeem yourself." By using this random bag method Moses achieved equity and fairness in selecting 273 firstborn to give $5. [Such allocation methods are in fact very modern in flavor.] 


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