The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat VaYaYTzaY
Vol 4 #7
- Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple
Visit the RashiYomi website: http://www.Rashiyomi.com/
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel President, Nov - 30, - 2006
English translations of the Bible come from www.Davka.Com with minor emendations by me.

The goal of this Weekly Rashi Digest is to use the weekly Torah portion to expose students at all levels to the ten major methods of commentary used by Rashi. It is hoped that continual weekly exposure to these ten major methods will enable students of all levels to acquire a familiarity and facility with the major exegetical methods.

1. RASHI METHOD: OTHER VERSES
BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi explains one verse by citing an other verse
This examples applies to Rashis Gn28-22b
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn28-22b.htm

Verse Gn28-20:22, presents a prayer of Jacob: And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me ...\ then shall the Lord be my God; And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God?s house; and of all that you shall give me I will surely give the tenth to you. Rashi provides further details to the underlined words shall be God's house by cross referencing an other verse

Gn35-01:07 which describes the fullfillment of this vow And God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-El, and live there; and make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother. Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments; And let us arise, and go up to Beth-El; and I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. ... So Jacob came to Luz, ... that is, Beth-El, And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-El; because there God appeared to him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

Sermonic points: Judaism in general frowns on oaths and vows. However the above Rashi shows us one instance in which vows are welcome and encouraged. Jacob, had to flee his home and avoid a brother who wished to kill him. He had to go to a strange place and deal with a crooked father-in-law. Such stresses typically create doubts and lapses in religious behavior. To strengthen himself Jacob made a vow that after surviving all this he would make an altar and a house of God. The thought of fulfilling this vow created a psychological focus point which helped Jacob thru this difficult period.

The Talmud explicitly states that Patriarch stories are role models for all Jews. Thus the Bible here, teaches the Jewish people how to deal with periods of enormous stress by vowing to dedicate oneself to God, in some specific manner, after surviving the stressful period.

One of Rashi's 10 major explanation methods is the word meaning method. Rashi had 10 vehicles by which to explain word meaning. One word meaning submethod is the special connective word submethod. Examples of special connective words are if, then, when, because, also .... These special connective words typically have several usages. Rashi, in his comments, will indicate the varied usages of these words.

The word if can sometimes mean when. The difference between if and when is whether you expect the event you are talking about to happen. If you expect it to happen you use the word when; if you aren't sure you use the word if. There are about half a dozen verses where if means when: Ex20-22,Ex22-24,Lv02-14,Nu36-04,Gn28-20, Dt21-14. Let us carefully review one of these verses.

Verse Gn28-20:22 states And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and garment to put on, ... ...Then ...all that you shall give me I will surely give the tenth to you. Rashi comments on the underlined word if: A superior translation would be when. The verse should be translated as follows And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, when God will be with me, [And saves me from the perils of my brother, father-in-law and strange place], and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and garment to put on, ... ...Then ...all that you shall give me I will surely give the tenth to you.

Rashi's suggested translation of when versus if is motivated by a verse which explicitly states that God will be with me. Verse Gn28-15 explicitly states And, behold, I,God am with you, and will keep you in all places where you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you, until I have done that about which I have spoken to you. Rashi's reasoning is that if God promised to be with Jacob then indeed Jacob's statement if you will be with me should be better translated as when you will be with me since it was certain to happen.

Sermonic points: Rashi teaches us etiquette. God had just promised to be with Jacob. This was a prophetic promise and had to be kept. Nevertheless Jacob uses the language if vs. when. Jacob teaches us the etiquette of receiving a promise from God. We should not brag that it is ours. Rather we should have an attitude that it is not coming to us and rely on God's providence to provide it. This priniciple of etiquette, not to hold people to their promises, but to act like we are undeserving of it, also applies to interpersonal relations.

3. RASHI METHOD: GRAMMAR
BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi explains verses using principles of verb conjugation and grammar.
This examples applies to Rashis Gn28-10a Gn28-10b
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn44-13b.htm

    In Hebrew the prepositions to or towards can be indicated either by
  • a prefix Lamed before the word or by
  • a terminal hey at the end of the word.

    Some examples of verses where a terminal hey indicates towards are
  • Gn11-31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram?s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldeans, to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran, and lived there.
  • Gn18-02 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself towards the ground,
  • Gn50-13 For his sons carried him towards the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burying place of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
  • Gn46-08 And these are the names of the people of Israel, who journeyed to Egypt, Jacob and his sons; Reuben, Jacob?s firstborn.
  • Gn43-16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men to my home, and slaughter a beast, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
  • Gn28-10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went towards Haran.

In all these verses the English to, towards is rendered in the Hebrew text using a terminal Hey.

4. RASHI METHOD: ALIGNMENT
BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi examines minor differences in almost identical verses.
This examples applies to Rashis Gn29-13a Gn29-13b Gn29-13c
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn29-13c.htm

    Note the alignment of the underlined words in the following verses
  • Verse Gn29-13c discussing Laban's running to meet Jacob when he arrived states And it came to pass,
    • when Laban heard the name of Jacob his sister?s son,
    • that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his home
  • Verse Gn24-29:30 discussing Laban running to meet Eliezer states
    • when he saw the ear ring and bracelets upon his sister?s hands, ... ....
    • and Laban ran out to the man, to the well

    Rashi focuses on the aligned verses both of which indicate reasons for Laban running to meet someone. The two reasons for Laban running to meet someone are
  • upon hearing the name of a relative
  • upon seeing gold and silver bracelets

    Rashi's consequent comment is obvious and to the point: In both cases he was motivated by the thought of monetary gifts. Here Rashi transfers the reason of monetary pursuit indicated in one of the aligned verses to the other aligned verse. Rashi's comment is further supported by the way Laban treated Jacob. Laban's own daughters describe their status as foreigners (Gn31-15). Laban simply used Jacob to improve his assets. Thus Rashi's comments are supported
  • By an alignment as indicated above
  • By other verses

Sermonic Points: Rashi teaches us an important principle in the Jewish slander laws: If a person is wicked then it is prohibited to judge him favorably. Rather it is required to judge him unfavorably. Hence since Laban is wicked (he mistreated Jacob) we attribute the worse reason to his runnings.

5. RASHI METHOD: CONTRADICTION
BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi resolves contradictory verses using 3 methods.
This examples applies to Rashis Gn29-25a
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn29-25a.htm

    Note the contradiction indicated by the underlined words in the following verses:
  • Gn29-18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.
  • Gn29-23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her.
  • Gn29-25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban, What is this that you have done to me? did not I serve with you for Rachel? why then have you deceived me?

We see the contradiction---Was Jacob double crossed by day or night?

Rashi resolves this by distinguishing two stages in the marriage: Laban gave Leah to Jacob for the wedding night. But Jacob and Rachel had personal [flirting] signs and Rachel gave these to Leah. So Jacob only fully became aware at morning that Leah was really Leah.

    This Rashi has been interpreted to mean that
    • Jacob and Rachel had little contact during the 7 years!
    • Jacob had no memory of the women he was in love with!
    • Jacob needed special signs to remind him who he was with
    • Jacob did not know who he was with on his wedding night!
    Remarkable! Even the lowest rif-rafs recognize who they are with on a wedding night.

I think a more palatable approach to this Rashi is the following: Traditionally men are in interested in physical characteristics while women are interested in the person. The Bible explicitly states that Jacob loved Rachel because of her figure and good looks (No mention of personality!). As is well known men and women can flirt with each other by glances and smiles. Rachel quickly found out what Jacob liked and taught Leah how to flirt with him. Laban told Jacob at the beginning of the 7 years that he couldn't marry the younger daughter before the older daughter. Jacob was at first relunctant But when Leah started flirting with him the way he liked he decided to marry Leah. However after the wedding night Leah had what she wanted and had no reason to placate Jacob. She started acting herself. It was only at this point that Jacob realized he was double-crossed and not getting the physical flirtations he wanted from a wife. Laban simply reminded him of the deal they had made seven years ago but offered him Rachel also.

Sermonic points: The above approach to Rashi makes sense. It also has relevance. It is well known that patriarchal stories create role models for the Jewish people. No Jew really worries about being double crossed in whom he marries. But it is relevant to religious men to be aware that women play such games with them--Rachels will frequently help fellow women like Leah to catch men. Women think it silly that men are interested in physical attributes and not in personality. So this incident as interpreted above has extreme relevance to us.

6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
Rashi examines inferences between general and detail statements.
This examples applies to Rashis Gn30-01c
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn30-01c.htm

    There are two approaches to teaching general principles:
  • One can state the abstract idea
  • One can state a good example and let the reader infer the general principle.

Interestingly, computer science studies, show that both methods of instruction are equally effective. Some students learn better from exposure to abstract ideas while other students learn better from exposure to good examples.

The technique of communicating an abstract principle via examples is known as the Rabbi Ishmael Style rules. It is a matter of style that an example is viewed more generally instead of restrictively.

Here is a simple example: Ex21-28a states that an owner must pay when his ox causes damage. Rashi, following the Talmud generalizes this: An owner must pay when his animal causes damage. Here the animal is the general abstract class while the ox is the specific example. The Bible teaches the general rule using the specific example. This follows the Rabbi Ishmael Style rules.

Verse Gn30-01c states And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I am dead.

Rashi comments on the underlined phrase Give me children or else I am dead by using the Rabbi Ishmael Style rules: This is a general principle and does not apply only to Rachel: Any barren women emotionally feels as if she is dead.

Sermonic points: The focus of the Rashi point is on the extreme loneliness of not having children. Modern man is aware of needs for food, sex and shelter. But there are other equally strong emotional needs; having children is one of them, especially for women.

7. RASHI METHOD: FORMATTING
BRIEF EXPLANATION:Inferences from Biblical formatting: --bold,italics--and paragraph structure.
This examples applies to Rashis Gn32-03a Gn32-04a Gn47-24a Gn47-24b Gn47-24c
URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn32-03a.htm

The Bible like other works of literature may be organized into paragraphs. A paragraph can be indicated by formatting, for example by two blank lines surrounding the paragraph. Or, a paragraph, can be indicated a common theme to a group of sentences.

Each paragraph is a distinct unit with a common theme. Words in each paragraph can take on a distinctive meaning. This distinctive meaning, once established, persists throughout the paragraph. Todays examples illustrate this.

The Biblical paragraph Gn32-01:10 states And early ....Laban rose up, and kissed his sons ... And Jacob went on his way, and angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God?s camp; and he called the name of that place camps And Jacob sent angels before him to Esau his brother ...And he commanded them, saying, say... And the angels returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother Esau, and also he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him,....into two camps ... And Jacob prayed.... I am not worthy.... for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I have become two camps Save me, ...

    Rashi makes several comments: First Rashi observes that:
  • The Hebrew word Mem-Lamed-Aleph-Caph can mean
    • messenger or
    • angel.
  • But in the early part of the above paragraph the phrase Angels of God leaves no doubt that Mem-Lamed-Aleph-Caph means angel not messenger.
  • Consequently using the paragraph rule, we interpret the word Mem-Lamed-Aleph-Caph as also meaning angel throughout the paragraph.

We have translated this whole paragraph this way. We emphasize that the driving force behind the Rashi comment Mem-Lamed-Aleph- Caph means angel not messenger, is the paragraph structure. In other words it is not the word meanings or the grammar that drives Rashi to so interpret but rather the paragraph unit.