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VERSE: Gn25-31b

RASHIS COVERED: Gn25-31b Gn25-32c Gn25-34d

========================== Gn25-31b ============================

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals is to indicate paragraph
structure. The modern author can indicate paragraph
structure thru either
- indentation or
- white space: blank lines surrounding the paragraph.

One method by which the Bible indicates paragraph
structure is to use a THEME-DETAIL-THEME style--that is
- a THEME sentence is stated,
- followed by some DETAILS of that theme and concluding
- with a repetition of the THEME sentence.
Thus the opening and closing THEME sentence form
brackets indicating a paragraph unit.

Recall that in modern writing, the details of
a paragraph develop the theme sentence of the paragraph.
Since the THEME-DETAIL-THEME structure
indicates a biblical paragraph, therefore the
DETAILs are seen as the DEVELOPMENT of the paragraph

We call this Rashi method the THEME-DETAIL-THEME
or GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL submethod of the
RABBI ISHMAEL STYLE method. The name RABBI ISHMAEL
STYLE method reflects the fact that the
THEME-DETAIL-THEME structure is mentioned
among the 13 exegetical rules of Rabbi Ishmael.


EXAMPLE Gn25-31:34
------------------
List of clauses in Gn25-31:34-NoPriest:Material:NoPriest
Gn25-31:34 is a Biblical paragraph written
- THEME-DETAIL-THEME form. The Rabbi Ishmael style
guidelines require seeing the DETAILS as reflective
of the GENERAL THEME. Here is the paragraph
---------------------------------------------------
SECTION  BIBLICAL TEXT
-------  ------------------------------------------
General  I will die; why FIRSTBORN
Detail                               Bread, lentils
Detail                               Eat,drink
Detail                               Get up,go
General  Esauv Despises FIRSTBORN
---------------------------------------------------

   To understand Rashi we first IDENTIFY
   - the FIRSTBORN status and
   - the PRIESTLY status
   This is justified by the many verses which explicitly
   identify the PRIESTS as the successors to the 1stborn
   For example Nu08-17:19 states
   ----------------------------------------------------
   - I, God, acquired the 1st born by smiting the
     Egyptian 1st born but sparing the Jewish 1st born
   - And I placed the Levites as substitutes for
     the first born
   - SO THAT THE LEVITES WILL NOW WORK WITH THE PRIESTS
     IN THE SERVICE OF THE TEMPLE
   ----------------------------------------------------

   We now understand Rashi's interpretation of the
   above Biblical paragraph in Gn25-31:34
   -----------------------------------------------
   THEME: I Esauv don't need 1stBorn=Priesthood
   DETAILS: I lead a material life, eating & drinking
            I dont practice the abstentions needed
            to earn the spiritual life and I know
            I will one day die
   THEME: Therefore I don't really care(=despise)
          the spiritual life
   ------------------------------------------------

   In the above translation we have followed the
   THEME-DETAIL-THEME style guidelines, and
   - interpreted the DETAILS--EAT,DRINK,BREAD,LENTILS
   - as being reflective of the THEME-no priesthood

   The 3 Rashi comments literally translated state
   ----------------------------------------
   Jacob reminded Esauv that the priesthood
   requires abstention from wine etc.
   Esau said, if so, I don't want it
   ----------------------------------------

   ----------------------------------------
   The paragraph shows that Esauv really
   did not want the priesthood
   ----------------------------------------

   ----------------------------------------
   Priesthood(service of God) was formerly
   done by the firstborn. Jacob reasoned
   that a person like Esauv involved in
   wickedness should not get it and he
   therefore wanted
   ----------------------------------------


LIST460u below summarizes this arguments.
==============================================================
ITEM                     DETAIL
======================== =====================================
RASHI RULE CLASS:        STYLE
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS      GENERAL-DETAIL-GENERAL
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #25
SEE BELOW                LIST460u
List of clauses in       Gn25-31:34-NoPriest:Material:NoPriest
==============================================================

======================= LIST460u =======================
List of clauses in Gn25-31:34-NoPriest:Material:NoPriest
========================================================
STYLE    THEME                       DETAILS
======== =========================== ===================
General  I will die; why FIRSTBORN
Detail                               Bread, lentils
Detail                               Eat,drink
Detail                               Get up,go
General  Esauv Despises FIRSTBORN

Notes
-----
*1 To understand Rashi we first IDENTIFY
   - the FIRSTBORN status and
   - the PRIESTLY status
   This is justified by the many verses which explicitly
   identify the PRIESTS as the successors to the 1stborn
   For example Nu08-17:19 states
   ----------------------------------------------------
   - I, God, acquired the 1st born by smiting the
     Egyptian 1st born but sparing the Jewish 1st born
   - And I placed the Levites as substitutes for
     the first born
   - SO THAT THE LEVITES WILL NOW WORK WITH THE PRIESTS
     IN THE SERVICE OF THE TEMPLE
   ----------------------------------------------------

   We now understand Rashi's interpretation of the
   above Biblical paragraph in Gn25-31:34
   -----------------------------------------------
   THEME: I Esauv don't need 1stBorn=Priesthood
   DETAILS: I lead a material life, eating & drinking
            I dont practice the abstentions needed
            to earn the spiritual life and I know
            I will one day die
   THEME: Therefore I don't really care(=despise)
          the spiritual life
   ------------------------------------------------

   In the above translation we have followed the
   THEME-DETAIL-THEME style guidelines, and
   - interpreted the DETAILS--EAT,DRINK,BREAD,LENTILS
   - as being reflective of the THEME-no priesthood

   The 3 Rashi comments literally translated state
   ----------------------------------------
   Jacob reminded Esauv that the priesthood
   requires abstention from wine etc.
   Esau said, if so, I don't want it
   ----------------------------------------

   ----------------------------------------
   The paragraph shows that Esauv really
   did not want the priesthood
   ----------------------------------------

   ----------------------------------------
   Priesthood(service of God) was formerly
   done by the firstborn. Jacob reasoned
   that a person like Esauv involved in
   wickedness should not get it and he
   therefore should get it
   ----------------------------------------
========================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 28 Number 3


#*#*#*#  (C) 2000-2005, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 28 Number 3