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      7. RASHI METHOD: FORMATTING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Inferences from Biblical formatting: --bold,italics, and paragraph structure.
      • Use of repetition to indicate formatting effects: bold,italics,...;
      • use of repeated keywords to indicate a bullet effect;
      • rules governing use and interpretation of climactic sequence;
      • rules governing paragraph development and discourse
      This example applies to Rashis Lv06-02b Lv07-08a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1408.htm
      Brief Summary: The principles of the ELEVEATION OFFERING, ELEVATION OFFERING - The Repetion implies: it stays on altar even if originally invalid

We have explained in our article Biblical Formatting located on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/biblicalformatting.pdf, that the Biblical Author indicates bold, italics, underline by using repetition. In other words if a modern author wanted to emphasize a word they would either underline, bold or italicize it. However when the Biblical author wishes to emphasize a word He repeats it. The effect - whether thru repetition or using underline - is the same. It is only the means of conveying this emphasis that is different.

With this in mind let us revisit verse Lv06-02b which we studied above in rules #2,#3. Command Aaron and his sons, saying: These are the general principles of the elevation-offering: ... an elevation offering on its firewood upon the altar all night unto the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereby. Rashi comments on the repeated underlined words: The repeated underlined words create emphasis: It is always an elevation offering in all circumstances. The Talmud provides specificity to this emphasis by focusing on a case where the offering was invalid - for example it had a blemish - it should not have been brought. Nevertheless if it was already brought onto the altar fire then we let it remain there because it is always an elevation offering.

    Advanced Rashi: As we have presented this Rashi it looks quite reasonable. However the Rashi can become confusing because of conflicting and different Rashi rules on the verse. We review the Rashis on this verse discussed in rules #2,3,7:
  • In rule 2 we saw that the word motifs broadly extends the law to all cases All elevation offerings may have their organs on the altar fire all night
  • In Rule 3 we saw that the redundant pronoun it which we have interpreted only it is restrictive--only proper elevation offerings can continue to remain on the altar fire; but not e.g. if bestiality has been committed.
  • In rule 7 we see that the the repetition elevation offering elevation offering is emphatic that it is still called an elevation offering (even if it shouldn't have come up, e.g. because of a blemish!).

The advanced student of Rashi can now appreciate the problem with reading this verse. Any one of the above 3 points reads smoothly by itself. But when the verse simultaneously has the restrictive only it and the broadening elevation offering elevation offering indicators the student can easily become confused. It begins to look arbitrary when the Talmud restricts in one area and broadens in another.

Actually however we can redeem the intuitiveness of the Rashis by exploiting our idea of unspecified emphasis. We agree to interpret it as only it and to interpret elevation offering elevation offering as a bolded word. The verse then reads as follows Command Aaron and his sons, saying: These are motifs [of all] elevation-offerings - [in all circumstances, even if they shouldn't have gone up, say, because of a blemish] only them, [that is, only those that have been properly offered but not e.g. an animal that committed bestiality, even if it was placed on the altar]; they are placed on the altar fire the whole night till morning

The serious student of Rashi should carefully study the above verse with its interpolated Rashi comments. As I indicated above each Rashi comment stands by itself. To see all the Rashi comments simultaneously one has to combine the verse phrases in the right way. One also has to stay on one's Rashi toes. There are three different principles involved: word meaning, grammar, repetition. Only by fully grasping all the intricacies of the verse can one really appreciate it. Finally I have endeavored to capture all the Rashi comments in one punchy translation a technique I advocated in my article Peshat and Derash


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