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.

List of clauses in Gn25-31:34-NoPriest:Material:NoPriest

Lighting summary of Rashis with emphasis on Rashi rules*10