SUCCINT SUMMARY
---------------
Very often Rashi will clarify meaning by finding
supportive interpretation from other verses.

EXAMPLE 1 Dt32-01a
------------------
The verse speaks about HEAVEN and EARTH listening.
We cite about 10 other verses where REWARD and
PUNISHMENT for sins and commandments are dependent
on HEAVEN and EARTH. Hence we are justified in
interpreting HEAVEN and EARTH as referring to
reward and punishment (eg lack of rain etc)

EXAMPLE 2 Dt32-12
-----------------
The verse speaks about God helping the Jewish people
without help from other gods. By citing other verses
we see that reference to deities is one means of
indicating conquest--hence the verse refers to the
autonomy of the Jews in conquering their enemies without
a need for alliances. (cf Ju11-23, 2K18-33)

A list of verses showing that HEAVEN
and EARTH are associated with REWARD
and PUNISHMENT. eg Dt11-14 and Dt11-17
state that if you observe commandments
you will have rain and food while if you
dont observe commandments you will have
no rain nor food.*1

We present a list of verses where
further details of the verse are presented
from other verses.

The classical example is the Passover Hagaddah
example: The verse Dt26-05d, ONLY A FEW JEWS
WENT DOWN TO EGYPT, is illumined by Gn46-27
which states that 70 PEOPLE WENT DOWN TO EGYPT.

Thus the technique of OTHER VERSES teaches
us that A FEW JEWS(Dt26-05d) means 70(Gn46-27)

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
A major method of Rashi is to comment on STYLE
Rashi is aided by the Rabbi Ishmael STYLE rules
The purpose of the Rabbi Ishmael STYLE rules
is to determine whether a text should be
interpreted literally or broadly

EXAMPLE
-------
Dt32-06 states a GENERAL THEME: Do you mistreat God?
Notice how this general theme is not further explained

The next phrases in Dt32-06 provide DETAILS & PARTICULARS
- You have forgotten the Good, God did for you
- You are ignoring the Good, God will do for you

In other words the subsequent phrases in the verse
amplify the original opening phrase and explain WHY
the Jews should not mistreat God

The GENERAL-DETAIL structure of Dt32-06
The 1st phrase in the verse is seen as
being amplified by further details later on*1
See LIST490b for further details

General-Detail form of entire verse: Dt32-06
See LIST490a for further details. The QUESTIONS indicate
GENERAL ideas which are further developed in the
DETAILS section

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis tasks is to clarify meaning.
Frequently Rashi will clarify meaning by
differentiating between synonyms.

EXAMPLE Dt32-06 a DISGUSTING, NON-WISE nation
---------------------------------------------
- DISGUSTING refers to not seeing the PAST
- NON-WISE refers to not being aware of FUTURE

List of verses with Hebrew root N-B-L which has a
variety of meanings
- Dead carcass
- disgusting (referring to rapes and double crosses)
- harp
- a person
In all cases examined N-B-L refers to a good past
and poor future (See LIST950f for a contrast)

List of verses of people called WISE.
In each case the wisdom refers to FUTURE activities
(See LIST950d for a contrast on PAST activities)

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
Very often Rashi is not commenting on Grammar or
words but rather commenting on overall structure
This in fact is the Rabbi Ishmael rule of CONTEXT

EXAMPLE
-------
We examining the overall structure
of Dt32-04:18. One can see the outline has 4 components
A- God is Just Dt32-04:06
B- God good to you so obey his laws Dt32-06
C- Confirmation that God is good from history Dt32-07:14
D- So why do Jews rebel Dt32-15:18

EXAMPLE
-------
By reviewing this overall structure we infer
the meaning of Dt32-13:14

There are 3 serious interpretations of Dt32-13:14
- The verses talk about conquest (Rashi,Oonkelos)
- The verses talk about sacrifices
- The verses talk about Torah/Learning

By reviewing the context of Dt32-04:18 we however
conclude that only the CONQUEST interpretation is
consistent with the overall paragraph. See LIST975e
below for further details.

Overall structure of Dt32-04:18
One can see the outline has 4 components
A- God is Just
B- God good to you so obey his laws
C- Confirmation that God is good from history
D- So why do you rebel

Notice how component C echoes component B

This list is further developed in LIST975e which focuses
on Dt32-13:14. As can be seen from this list Dt32-13:14
occurs in a context of God sustaining the Jews who rebelled
against him. Hence the simple interpretation of Dt32-13:14
is one of Military conquest. See LIST975e below for further
details

3 Symbolic approaches to Dt32-13:14

We follow Rav Hirschs symbolic standard of requiring
ONE UNIFYING THEME that develops throughout the verse
(See Rav Hirsch on Gn40)

Three competing interpretations are presented
- a theme of CONQUEST   (Oonkelos)
- a theme of SACRIFICES (Sifre)
- a theme of LEARNING   (Sifre)

CRITERIA
--------
These 3 interpretations all fulfill the Hirschian
standard of UNIFYING THEME (That is one unifying
theme is stated and then developed over the 7 phrases)
Hence these 3 interpretations are LEGITIMATE HOMILY

However LIST106j shows the overall context of Dt32-04:18
This overall context is that the Jews rebelled against
God despite all He did for them militarily. Hence
this context shows that the true simple meaning of
Dt32-13:14 is the CONQUEST interpretation (hence
the Rashi on Dt32-13a that the Aramaic translation
is preferred).

CRITERIA
--------
SIMPLE meaning can refer EITHER to
- the meaning of a sentence by itself
- the meaning of a sentence IN THE CONTEXT OF ITS PARAGRAPH
The TRUE meaning of the text is the meaning of the
sentence in the context of its paragraph. The other
simple meanings must be rejected if they contradict
context (This follows the Rabbi Ishmael Context rule)