Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a example form.
In other words an example of a law is stated rather than the full
general rule. The reader's task is to generalize the example.
The idea that all Biblical laws should be perceived as examples (unless
otherwise indicated) is explicitly stated by Rashi (Pesachim 6.).
This is a rule of style since the rule requires that a text be perceived
as an example rather than interpreted literally. The Rabbi Ishmael style
rules govern the interpretation of style.
Verse
Gn43-30a
discussing
Joseph's reaction after seeing his brother Benjamin after 17 years
states
And Joseph hurried - because his feelings churned towards his brother
and he wanted to cry - and he went towards a room and cried there.
The Rabbi Ishmael example rule requires generalization
of this passage. In this case we simply generalize
from
feelings churned towards his brother
to
examples of these feelings such as
reciprocal feelings and conversations from Benjamin to
Joseph, for example, Benjamin could have explained how each
of his 10 children were named after his missing brother.
Advanced Rashi: Rashi literally says that Benjamin explained the
names of each of his 10 children and how they related to Joseph's absence. For example
one child was named head since Joseph was the head/oldest brother; another child
was named swallow because they claimed that Joseph was swallowed by a wild
animal. It is important to emphasize Rashi's approach. Rashi follows Biblical style
and sees the churning of emotions and the crying as examples of a more
general phenomena. It is perfectly consistent with Biblical style to fill in
details and explain supplementary sources for these emotions not explicitly given by the
Biblical text. I have to emphasize that the reader is expected to see these details as if they
are actually in the text. This is analagous to Ex21-35 when an owned ox gores
a friends ox.... Clearly this law applies whether an ox or any other animal
damages and applies whether the ox gores the ox of a friend or distant person. It is a matter
of Biblical style that the Bible talks this way - it speaks in examples and
expects the reader to generalize.
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