SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One  of Rashis 10 main goals is to give the meaning of
words the same way the dictionary gives meaning. We
call this the Rashi method of WORD MEANING.

Rashi had a variety of vehicles to present meaning.
Rashi frequently explained MULTI-WORD IDIOMS. An IDIOM
occurs when 1 or more words form a NEW MEANING not
directly equal to the meaning of the constituent words
of the IDIOM. We call this the SUBRULE of NEW MEANINGS
since the words acquire new meanings.

In acquiring NEW MEANINGS Rashi frequently used a
universal principle of all languages---METONOMY.
METONOMY refers to the capacity to name an item
by a related item (such as naming a PEOPLE, Americans,
by the LAND they live in, America)

METONOMY is closed related to SYNECHDOCHE which
refers to naming a whole class by an exemplary
member of the class or naming an object by a
distinguished part of that object.


EXAMPLE 1: Lv18-03a Lv18-03b
----------------------------
Lv18-01:06 states
----------------------------------------------------
And the Lord spoke to Moses, to say over: Speak
to the people of Israel, and say to them, I am
the Lord your God. EGYPTIAN-LIKE acts, (where you dwelt),
shall you not do; and CANAANITE-LIKE acts,
(where I bring you), shall you not do; nor shall
you walk in their ordinances.... None of you shall
approach to any who is near of kin to him,
to uncover their nakedness; I am the Lord.
-----------------------------------------------------

To understand Rashi we must first
explain the technique of SYNECHDOCHE,
a literary technique present in all languages.
SYNECHDOCHE refers to naming an entire class or
object by a particularly exemplary member of that
class or part of that object. Examples are
plentiful in all languages.

Examples:
-----------------------------------
- HONEY can refer to anything SWEET
- BREAD can refer generically to FOOD
- The word HEART can refer to the totality
of a PERSON as in e.g. My heart yearns for you, God
- DAY (i.e. the lit part of the 24 hour cycle)
can refer to the WHOLE DAY.
------------------------------------


These examples enable us to understand Rashi:
---------------------------------------------
Since the verse describes general sexual
misconduct with the phrases
EGYPTIAN-LIKE ACTS and CANAANITE-LIKE acts
we may infer that Egypt and Canaan were
exemplary in sexual misconduct.
---------------------------------------------
Here Rashi uses the SYNECHDOCHE principle to
explain the reason for naming sexual preversity
by EGYPTIAN-LIKE and CANAANITE-like.

EXAMPLE 2: Lv18-09b
-------------------
Lv18-09 states
-------------------------------------
You shall not commit incest with
your sister-from your mother or father--
-- an IN BIRTH or an OUT BIRTH--
-------------------------------------

Rashi can be beautifully paraphrased
using a well known English idiom
--------------------------------------
- OUT BIRTH means BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
- IN BIRTH means BORN IN WEDLOCK
OUT OF WEDLOCK refers, for example,
to an ILLEGITIMATE SISTER
--------------------------------------

Finally LIST871z presents these and
other IDIOMS based on metonomy

List of idioms using METONOMY/SYNECHDOCHE(Meaning by relation)
LIST871z continues LIST871d LIST871c LIST871b LIST871a

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.

Today Rashi examines a Database query on Biblical verses
that report that people did as commanded. Very often a
verse simply lists a command without stating that the
person commanded acted accordingly. Several verses
however emphasize that the person commanded complied.
Furthermore the Bible can indicate compliance with a
variety of phrases:
- (a) they did so;
- (b) they did as Moses commanded;
- (c) they did as God commanded Moses.
Because of the results of this database query Rashi
is justified in ascribing different nuances to
different phrases. We emphasize that the Rashi
inference is from the database query which exhibits
several recurring themes. One phrase by itself however
would not justify a Rashi exegesis.


Let us examine some of these verses and see the
consequent Rashi comments:

EXAMPLE 1: Ex14-01:04c
----------------------
Verse Ex14-01 states
-------------------------------------------------------
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people
of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth,
between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal-Zephon; before
it shall you encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of
the people of Israel, They are entangled in the land,
the wilderness has closed them in. And I will harden
Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I
will be honored over Pharaoh, and over all his army,
that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.
AND THEY [the Jews] DID SO [as commanded]
-------------------------------------------------------

Rashi focuses here on the CAPPED phrase
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND THEY [the Jews] DID SO [as commanded]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
which is not always present by commands: Rashi states
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Torah praises the Jews for complying with Moses order
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I would argue that there is a reason why
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND THEY [the Jews] DID SO [as commanded]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
is stated here:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
even though in the past the Jews complained
excessively at the first sight of danger,
here they listened to Moses.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


EXAMPLE 2: Nu08-01:03a
----------------------
Nu08-01 states
----------------------------------------------------
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to Aaron,
and say to him, When you light the lamps, the seven
lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.
AND AARON DID SO; he lighted its lamps to give
light in front of the lampstand, as the Lord
commanded Moses.
----------------------------------------------------

Rashi again says
----------------------------------------------------
The Torah praises Aaron--
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND AARON DID SO
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
for complying with the commands as indicated.
----------------------------------------------------

I would argue that there is a reason why
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND AARON DID SO
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
is stated here: Even though Aaron's sons made their
own sacrificial procedures (and thereby incurred
death) nevertheless their father was different and
did exactly as commanded.


EXAMPLE 3 Lv16-34a
------------------
At the conclusion of the service for Yom Kippur
Lv16-34 states
--------------------------------------------------
...And this shall be an everlasting statute to you,
to make an atonement for the people of Israel for
all their sins once a year.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND HE DID AS THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
--------------------------------------------------

Rashi here comments on the phrase
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND HE DID AS THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
which is different and more emphatic than
the other verses cited above which simply say
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND HE DID SO
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rashi comments on this extra emphasis as follows
------------------------------------------------
The Torah praises Aaron for following orders.
The Torah indicates that Aaron followed orders
solely to comply with God's will and did not
for example think of the grandeur and honor
that was bestowed on him in that he was dressed
in full Priestly garb and entered the holy of holies.
-------------------------------------------------

In conclusion we have explained the phrases
------------------------------------------
HE DID SO///HE DID AS GOD COMMANDED
------------------------------------------
as emphasizing compliance even when we would
expect otherwise. Furthermore, different phrases
indicate different nuances.

Notice how we only scratched the surface of
this DATABASE query. This is typical of
DATABASE Rashis. The reader, (you!), is expected
to look at all verses that contain and they did
so and to apply and extend Rashi's basic ideas,
indicated in the above Rashis, and test their
consistency.

LIST606O below summarizes this argument

List of verse paragraphs with HE DID AS TOLD*10

Lighting summary of Rashis with emphasis on Rashi rules*10