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    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 Lv09-23b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1409.htm
    Brief Summary: GENERAL: Aaron BLESSED the nation PARTICULAR: ...doing of the sin and elevation offering GENERAL: ...They BLESSED the NATION. NEW PARAGRAPH: God appeared in a vision of fire animals

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

    Verse Lv09-22:24 discussing the blessings and prophecies on the day of consecrating the Temple states
    • General: Aaron lifted his hands towards the nation and blessed them
    • Detail: And he descended from doing
      • the sin offering
      • the elevation offering
      • and the peace offering
    • General: And Moses and Aaron came to the (Prophetic) Meeting Tent, and they went out and blessed the nation
    This paragraph - blessing - offering - blessing - is followed by a another paragraph
    • The Honor of God prophetically appeared to the nation
    • (The prophetic vision appeared as ) An issuing fire from God consuming the elevation animal and its fat

Rashi generalizes the detail clause - sin, elevation, peace offering - as illustrative of the general clause, - blessing, - and as connected causally to the following paragraph dealing with prophetic visions. Rashi states: The blessing was that the offerings should facilitate a prophetic vision. We believe this comment evident and consistent with the Rabbi Ishmael style guidelines.

    Summary: So Rashi in effect reads the verses as follows:
  • Aaron blessed the nation that their sin, elevation and peace offerings should be blessed [and facilitate prophetic inspiration] and immediately
  • An actual prophetic vision occurred; the prophetic vision appeared as a consuming fire on the altar enveloping the elevation animals in fire.

Advanced Rashi: Recall that the Patriarch Jacob blessed his children with animal symbols. Combining the above Rashi with the Patriarch Jacob's blessing we see that the Jews present at the consecration of the Desert-Temple achieved the Patriarchal blessing of a prophetic fire-animal vision. This is a very high and lofty blessing. This is also the opinion of the Talmudic sages who state that Even the bondmaids received prophetic visions similar to those of Ezekiel, that is the Jews of the Desert-Temple received prophetic fire animal visions like those of Ezekiel.


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