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#       12 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE         #
#                    NOV 23 rd, 2006                  #
#          Rashis 3775-3775 Of 7700 (49%)             #
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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2006, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
Rashi examines inferences between general and detail statements.
This examples applies to Rashis Gn25-31b Gn25-32a Gn25-34a
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn25-31b.htm

We have explained the Theme-detail-Theme style in our article Biblical Formatting which will appear in the Jewish Bible Quarterly in Dec 2006. The Theme-detail-Theme style creates a paragraph structure and consequently all items in the detail section of the paragraph more broadly reflect the theme section.

Hence the Rashis on the above paragraph: The Firstborn originally functioned as priests; shortly after the receipt of the Torah the priests took over their function. But the priesthood requires abstention and abstention was contrary to Esauv's life of eating, and drinking. Thus Esauv's current life contradicted the life required for the Priesthood/FirstBorn. So Esauv acknowledged that he didn't really want the priesthood.

Sermonic Points: Rashi teaches us basic politics. Jacob could have said: Look the Priesthood will be given to me and not to you; why don't you just cooperate and willfully give it to me; that way it looks better for you. This is an argument based on power and authority. Instead the Bible approaches this as an argument based on lifestyle. Jacob's lifestyle belonged with the Priesthood; Esauv's lifestyle did not. It is always best to approach appointments based on merit instead of authority.

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