SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
Rashi will frequentlly make a comment by making broad
database inquiries. A database inquiry is simply a question
addressed to a large databank---typically a large collection
of verses. Thus DATABASE methods typically span many diverse
verses.

EXAMPLE Gn44-33a
----------------
Today we ask the query
----------------------------------
How is BENJAMIN, the father of
10 children, referred to
----------------------------------

The query uncovers the following
Normally BENJAMIN is called
- the YOUNGEST BROTHER
- the YOUGNEST SON
- BROTHER
However when Judah pleas to Joseph
to substitute for Benjamin--that is
let Benjamin go free and let him,
Judah, stay as slave we see Judah refers
to him as
- KID
- CHILD

This contrast of calling a married man
the father of 10 children, a CHILD, KID
suggests that Judah was arguing as follows
------------------------------------------
He, Ben, is just a KID
I am an adult
I am superior to him in terms of
might, battle and service.
THEREFORE let me stay in his stead
------------------------------------------

Here we see Judah using the technique
of EXAGGERATION to achieve his goals.

LIST606k below summarizes this argument

List of                  References to BEN: BROTHER vs KID

SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
A powerful but simple Rashi method is the CITATION or CROSS-
REFERENCING of an OTHER VERSE for the purpose of adding
FURTHER DETAILS to a verse we are studying. We call this
the OTHER VERSE method. There are three submethods to the
OTHER VERSE method.

If the verse actually CITES or refers to an OTHER VERSE we
call this the SUBMETHOD of CITATION.

If the OTHER VERSE explains the meaning of
some term in the first verse we call this the SUBMETHOD
of MEANING.

If the first verse does not cite an other verse and if
no meaning is explained then we call this the SUBMETHOD
of FURTHER DETAILS since the 2nd verse either confirms
the first verse or typically adds FURTHER DETAILS to
the first verse

EXAMPLE 1: Gn33-18b
-------------------------------------
Gn33-18 states
-----------------------------------
Jacob came COMPLETE to Schem
-----------------------------------

Rashi illumines the meaning of the
capped word COMPLETE by citing an OTHER VERSE Gn32-32
---------------------------------
The sun rose quickly when he left
Peniel and he [Jacob] was LIMPING
on his foot
---------------------------------

In other words, the statement that
Jacob was COMPLETE (Gn33-18b) means
complete from his LIMPING (Gn32-32)

LIST210x presents other examples of verse pairs
illuminating each other with further details

List of verses pairs     with one verse illuminating another
LIST210x CONTINUES LIST210a LIST210z LIST210y

SUCCINCT SUMMARY:
-----------------
One of Rashi's 10 major goals is the explanation of GRAMMAR
the same way modern textbooks explain GRAMMAR. There are three
major GRAMMAR submethods:

(a) The goal of the ROOT submethod is to explain all
conjugations and meanings of Biblical roots.
Biblical roots are conjugated with letter prefixes and suffixes
to indicate (i) tense (ii) person (iii) gender (iv) plurality
(v) mode (vi) object (to whom the activity is done) and (vii)
mood. Each of these conjugations has a specific meaning.
Furthermore, these conjugations take on different forms for
roots with weak letters.

(b) The SENTENCE submethod deals with grammatical attributes
of sentences such as (i) word arrangement (Verb Subject vs
Subject Verb) (ii) sentence type  (interrogative, command)
(iii) compound sentences (iv) apposition and (v)
paragraph / sentence development.

(c) The MISCELLANEOUS grammatical methods deal with
(i) agreement (in gender and plurality), (ii) the construct
(iii) pronoun reference (iv) ellipsis (v) noun-verb transforms
(e.g. to dust) (vi) special word usage(e.g. how to use
numbers) (vii) suffix-prefixes (e.g. terminal HEY means
towards).

EXAMPLE Gn37-33a
----------------
ELLIPSIS refers to missing words in a sentence. These
missing words are usually clear from CONTEXT. Very often
they can be inferred from the PARALLEL structure.

Here is a simple example. Gn37-32:33 states
-------------------------------------------------
They (the brothers) said: We have found this
Recognize it!
IS IT your son's coat or not. And he recognized it and said
[IT IS] My son's coat
-------------------------------------------------

What Jacob actually said as recorded in the Bible is
---------------------
MY SON'S COAT
---------------------

However we interpret this elliptically as follows
-------------------------
[IT IS] MY SON'S COAT
-------------------------

The elliptical part IT IS is placed in brackets
to indicate that
- it is not in the actual Biblical text
- but theoretically belongs in the sentence.
We summarize this by saying that IT IS is an ellipsis.

In passing ELLIPSIS very often has a purpose. Here the
terse broken phrase
-----------------
MY SON'S COAT
-----------------
without a complete sentence shows a state of
psychological shock.

Here are other examples of ELLIPSIS. In each case we indicate
- the preceding verse or the context of the verse
- the actual text
- the elliptical text placed in brackets.
----------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE    1st verse or context followed by 2ndVerse with ellipsis
-------- ----------------- -------------------------------------
Gn37-33a IS THIS your son's coat
[IT IS] My son's coat
Gn47-18a They bought food that yr
They came in 2nd year[OF FAMINE]
Gn45-17a Come back because of famine
Fill your wagons [WITH FOOD]
Gn47-06b We SHEPARD SHEEP
Place them on [SHEEP] that our mine
Gn47-12a --------------------------
Fed them by [NUMBER OF] children
----------------------------------------------------------------

LIST095a below presents Biblical verses with Ellipsis.

List of Biblical verses  with Ellipsis

Lighting summary of Rashis with emphasis on Rashi rules*10