*1 Over the next year or so we will be writing modules for
   the 2-4 dozen basic Rashi skill competencies needed for
   learning Rashi. These modules will then be gathered into
   a workbook which can be used at home or in schools In
   the meantime each of these modules is usable in actual
   schools or home-schooling situations.

*2 See posting Nu22-25b for a delightful discussion of this
   point as well as a reference

*1 Many examples are taken from the Grammatical Form
   Konkordance of Alfred Silberman Form 4619

*2 The traditional form is Vat-tif-kod. The rarer form
   Vat-tin-Chas is sometimes used particularly when the
   the second root letter is guttural (These exceptions
   are indicated in Footnote #10 of Ibn Shoshan and may
   have motivated Rashi to comment here since the conjugation
   is rare and as a Masorite Rashi particularly commented on
   Rare items)

*3 Also see Silbermans Grammatical Form Konkordance--form 4509



*4 Silberman Form 4557. Note according to Silberman NO 1-chet-3
   root is conjugated with a PATACH AND an overturning VAV.

   However Form 116 in Silberman shows Ve-Niv-Char (not
   ve-niv-chor)

*10 I have advanced the idea that Rashi particularly commented
    on grammar when the grammatical phenomenon
    - was RARE
    - or reflected a confusion with a SIMILAR FORM.

    In this verse we have
    - The rare occurence of the PATACH ACTIVE FUTURE
    - 2 forms of the same verb in the same verse

    This probably motivated Rashi to comment

    My opinion is that Rashi was not really a commentator but
    rather a MASORITE who was trying to preserve the Biblical
    text---the commentary was secondary. For a full discussion
    as well as a DATABASE definition of Rarity see my
    full (Technical) article on the Rashi rules at

    http://www.Rashiyomi.com/database.htm

*1 On the first request ALL princes were there while on the
   2nd request only [SOME] of the princes were there.
   Apparently they lost heart when they were refused the 1st
   time. (A similar interplay between advisors and Leaders
   is shown in Ex08-15

*1 First some background: There were 3 camps
   -- There was the TEMPLE which had the highest holiness
   -- Outside this was the CAMP OF LEVITES (Nu02-17)
   -- Outside this was the CAMP OF TRIBES (Nu02)
   These camps surrounded each others like concentric
   squares (The Temple in the center, the Levites
   surrounding them, the tribes surrounding the Levites)

  Nu05-02 states that ALL IMPURE PEOPLE should be expelled
  from the camp without specifying which one.Rashi-is-Simple
  - Lv13-46 states that the LEPOR should be ISOLATED. Hence
    he is expelled from ALL 3 camps

  - Ex13-19 states that Moses took the bones of Joseph with
    him. But Moses was a Levite and dwelled among the
    Levites. Hence we infer that someone who is impure
    because of contact with the dead may stay in the LEVITE
    camp but may not stay in the TEMPLE CAMP.

  - We find no permission for the Zav to be in the Levite
    camp and we do have a requirement for the Lepor to
    be isolated. Hence we infer that the Zav may dwell in
    the Israelite camp (so as to leave the lepor ALONE)
    but may not dwell in the Temple or Levite camp.

    The Talmud (Pesachim 67) goes into further details and
    alternative derivations but the above captures the
    flavor of the argument which is based on other verses.

*2 As mentioned above also see Job33-15

*3 In both these cases (MAYBE GOD WILL APPEAR TO ME) and
   (WHEN A DAUGHTER INHERITS) Rashis OTHER VERSES sheds
   light on THE POSSIBILITY of this happening...that is
   WHAT COULD Trigger it off.

   If there were no sons then the daughter inherits
   Similarly traditional prophecy happens by night
   so that if Balak could not be certain of an immediate
   prophecy. In each instance Rashi brings other verses
   to shed light on the possibility of something occuring

*1 The Biblical text uses the idiom ALSO ALSO. We have
   omitted this literal translation because it isnt idiomatic
   in English. Instead we have used the word BOTH, NEITHER
   AND etc. The important nuance of EMPHASIS OF BOTHNESS is
   brought out in the 3rd column

*2 Normally you lose interest when you repeat something.
   In this case he had the same seriousness and interest
   when he repeated his words

*3 In other words we are not just saying that their will
   be food for us and the animals but rather there is an
   emphasis that there will be EQUAL FOOD for us and the
   animals---despite the famine the animals, ourselves and
   you (our leader) will eat the same.

*4 Moses point here was DESPITE the fact of a divine revelation
   he still stuttered the same. Since therefore there was no
   hope of curing it it wouldnt be appropriate to send a
   stutterer to a King.

*1 Thus "whoever see the humiliating Adulterous wife rite"
   will be so shocked that he will abstain from wine

   Similarly "Judah advised his brothers to sell Joseph"
   and so when they regretted it they blaimed him and he
   had to "separate from them."

   Similarly "Sarah died" from the shock that "Abraham
   offered Isaac."

*2 In other words because the snake saw Adam and Eve naked
   therefore he became Jealous and wanted Adam killed so
   he could marry Eve.

   ALthough this sounds a bit wild there is strong supporting
   evidence. Gn04-01 uses the past perfect form
        "And Adam HAD BEEN FAMILIAR with his wife & they had
        a child"
   So the sequence of chapters is
        "Adam was lonely"
        "God makes Eve"
        "Adam and Eve are naked"
        ------------------------"Snake tempts Eve"
        "Adam has a child with Eve"
   Thus the sequence of chapters (Naked--->child) is
   clearly interrupted by the Snake story.

*1 In the merit of our following "Judicial process" we will
   be able to "win wars"

   Similarly after Miryams death there was no water. Thus
   we have that in the merit of "Miryam" the Jews had water


*2 Again a close examination of the BIblical text shows a
   past perfect

        "And God punished Avimelech and his household"
        "And Abraham prayed for Avimelech & his household"
        "But God HAD ALREADY VISITED Sarah with a child"

   In other words Sarah had already had a child.
   The Bible deliberately juxtaposes "sarah having a child"
   with "Abraham praying for Avimelechs household to have a
   child" to teach us
        "That whoever is a kind person and
        prays for others will have their own
        needs met first"

*3 Amalek decided that the death of a righteous person
   would demoralize the people and make winning a war easier

*1 On a superficial level Rashi seems to be connecting 2
   verses.

   Avoid idolatry DESPITE your being a slave to a non jew
   (who encourages its violation). Do not think "I will
   worship idols now and when I am free I will go
   back to believing in God" See *10 for a deeper reason

*2 Dt28 gives a long list of curses if the Jews violate
   the commandments.

   Dt29-12 says "You are all STANDING before God today" In
   other words despite the curses for disobediance you are
   still here before God(The implication being that no
   matter how angry God gets he will not destroy you)

   A further support for this theme can come from the
   General-particular-General form

        Dt28    GENERAL:    Curses for disobediance
        Dt29-12 PARTICULAR: You are standing here before God
        Dt29-19 GENERAL:    Curses for disobediance

  Thus the General-Particular-General form shows that Gods
  curses still allow us to "Stand before him"--in other
  words they are educative curses not punitive.


*3 In other words (always) "Observe the Sabbaths"
   DESPITE a request to the contrary "By your parents"

   This can happen if eg your parents ask you to
   desecrate the Sabbath.  You must observe the
   Sabbath even if your parents request to
   the contrary.

   And this can be generalized to all Torah laws(that
   they take precedence over your parents request)


*4 Wear Tzitzith DESPITE the fact that they may have Shaatnez
   Wool and linen together (In the priestly garments made of
   Linen the Tzitzith were made of wool--thus the commandment
   of Tzitzith OVERRIDES the prohibtion of wearing wool and
   linen)

*10

   On a profound level Rashi sees a unifying theme to this
   whole chapter. The chapter encourages observing the
   shimitah laws which encourage abstaining from agriculture
   once every 7 years so that people can devote themselves
   to God and study. If one violates these laws he is
   progressively punished. Here is the sequence of
   punishments

   {LIST} {Paragraphs in BEHAR}
   -------------------------------------------------------
   VERSE        LAW
   -----------  ------------------------------------------
   Lv25-01:12   Observe the 7 and 50 year Land sabbaticals
   Lv25-13:24   If not you will have to sell your MOVABLES
   Lv25-25:28   If not you will have to sell your LAND
   Lv25-29:34   If not you will have to sell your HOUSE
   Lv25-35:38   If not you will have to           LOAN
   Lv25-39:46   If not you will have to become a  SLAVE
   Lv25-47:54   If not you'll become a  NONJEWISH SLAVE
   Lv26-01:03   If not you'll be tempted to    IDOLATRY
   -------------------------------------------------------


   Thus Rashi does not merely teach juxtaposition of verses
   but he also teaches juxtaposition of ALL paragraphs in
   the chapter. As such this example would belong to the
   next category

*1 Rashi only comments on these paragraphs. But clearly
   the unifying theme of Moses departing applies to all