The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshat VaYiGaSh
Vol 8, # 10
- Adapted from Rashi-is-Simple
Visit the RashiYomi website: http://www.Rashiyomi.com/
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, Dec - 13, - 2007

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.

FULL HOUSE THIS WEEK ALL RASHI RULES ILLUSTRATED

    1. RASHI METHOD: REFERENCES
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: Commentary on a verse is provided thru a cross-reference to another verse. The cross references can either provide
    • (1a) further details,
    • (1b) confirm citations, or
    • (1c) clarify word meaning.
    This examples applies to Rashis Gn44-18c
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
    Brief Summary: Rashi supplements Judahs statement YOU ASKED ABOUT OUR RELATIVES (Gn44-18c) by citing Gn42-07 IT WASN'T JUST ASKING BUT A HARASSING INTERROGATION

Verse Gn44-19a discussing Judah's account of Joseph's interrogation states My lord asked his servants, saying: Have ye a father, or a brother? Rashi notes The underlined words, My lord asked his servants references verse Gn42-07 which explicitly states that Joseph's interrogation was not routine, but intended to harass.

Text of Target Verse Gn44-19a Text of Reference Verse Gn42-07
My lord asked his servants, saying: Have ye a father, or a brother? And Joseph saw his brothers, and he knew them, but spoke estrangedly and roughly to them; and he said to them, From where do you come? They said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Rashi comments: As shown by the underlined words asked, estranged, harshly Joseph's interrogation was not routine but intended to harass.

      2. RASHI METHOD: WORD MEANING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: The meaning of words can be explained either by
      • (2a) translating an idiom, a group of words whose collective meaning transcends the meaning of its individual component words,
      • (2b) explaining the nuances and commonality of synonyms-homographs,
      • (2c) describing the usages of connective words like also,because,if-then, when,
      • (2d) indicating how grammatical conjugation can change word meaning
      • (2e) changing word meaning using the figures of speech common to all languages such as irony and oxymorons.
      This examples applies to Rashis Gn47-19b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: holocaust land means NON-PRODUCING land.

Students of Rashi must bear in mind that Rashi could sometimes use universal principles applicable in all languages. This particularly applies to the meaning methods.

    The synechdoche principle basically says that any language can use a good example to name an entire category. For example, in English,
  • the word honey can mean anything sweet.
  • Similarly bread can refer to any food.
  • Man can refer to any person (male of female)
  • day can refer to the entire 24 hour period
  • heart can refer to the entire person as in e.g., (Ps 43)My heart yearns for you, God which really means My entire person yearns for you God
  • The loss of a person can refer to the destruction of that person (Dt28-22i)

    The metonomy principle basically says that a word can be named by something related to it. Metonomy is closely related to synechdoche. Some typical examples of metonomy would be
  • hot refers to temper or pashion
  • going to bed refers to intimacy
  • by sweat will you obtain bread metonomycally refers to by hard word will you obtain food
  • He is a man of the cloth refers to the clergy
  • the pen is mightier than the sword means that publication can have greater impact than military means

Verse Gn47-19b discussing the petition of the Egyptians to spare them and the land states Wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be bondmen unto Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land not be a holocaust.' Rashi explains: The Bible uses the word holocaust to indicate non-productive land. Indeed a land made into a holocaust, for example, by fire or hurricane, cannot produce ordinary yield. Hence holocaust is a good example (Synechdoche) of non-productiveness. The reader might have also noticed that the use of holocaust to indicate non-productive is an example of exaggeration another literary technique.

      3. RASHI METHOD: GRAMMAR
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi explains verses using grammar principles, that is, rules which relate reproducable word form to word meaning. Grammatical rules neatly fall into 3 categories
      • (a) the rules governing conjugation of individual words,Biblical roots,
      • (b) the rules governing collections of words,clauses, sentences
      • (c) miscellaneous grammatical, or form-meaning, rules.
      This examples applies to Rashis Gn46-28a Gn46-28b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: Nouns can be transformed into verbs in several ways: (a) CREATE: To flower (b) REMOVE: To dust (c) USAGE: To hammer. Hence the phrase YOUR WORDS WILL BE TRUTHIFIED means they will be PROVEN.

    Although most conjugation rules refer to the conjugation of verbs, there are also conjugation rules for transfroming nouns into verbs. We list several common methods for transforming nouns into verbs:
  • create the noun: e.g. to flower
  • remove the noun: e.g. to dust
  • use the noun: e.g. to hammer
  • the verb(activity) done to this noun: e.g. Dt21-04b: neck the calf in other words kill it with a blow to the neck

Verses Gn46-29b discussing Jacob's journey to meet Joseph after 22 years states And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to instruct before him towards Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. Rashi explains: Instruct always occurs either as a non-transitive verb, to instruct, (e.g. Mi03-10) or as a verb with direct object: to instruct so and so (e.g. Dt33-10, Ex44-33, Dt24-08). The construction instruct before him towards Goshen is new. We interpret this as coining a verb from a verb: The phrase instruct before him towards Goshen means to create guidance material for Jacob about Goshen. Here we have taken the verb to instruct and converted it to another verb create guidance materials. Rashi also suggests the possibility of create a guidance institution, a Yeshiva.

Advanced Rashi: First we ask: Why can't Rashi simply interpret Judah was asked to guide Jacob on the path towards Egypt - sketch a path and protect him from robbers? The answer to this is simple: As shown by the verses cited above, the Hebrew root in question always refers to teaching, intellectual guidance, it never refers to plotting a path.

A second issue is that Rashi states literally both Judah was asked to instruct Jacob on how to live in Goshen --- Judah created a Yeshiva (Institution of learning) for Jacob. My approach to this Rashi is to see it as part of spectrum of preparations of guidance when coming to a new place. When you come to a new place most people want to know a) the social norms of the place, b) how you can satisfy your own norms in this new setting, c) what contributions you can make in interacting with the place. Hence I have expanded Rashi's two interpretations Judah gave guidance on how to live in Goshen - Judah made an institution of higher learning to include an entire spectrum of guidances. Perhaps Judah simply made papers and brochures about the new place. Perhaps he went further and enabled Jacob to spread his unique style of ethics.

To defend Rashi's statement about the creation of a Yeshiva, recall that Abraham and Jacob were shepards. The Bible relates how Abraham's shepards fought with Lot's shepards. The Bible also relates how Jacob created the idea of protective huts for animals (who before him were left out in the cold). Jacob also created honest ways of dealing with manipulative people like his father-in-law. In simple terms Abraham and Jacob developed laws governing commercial interpersonal interactions. These laws were ethical in nature and created a socially pleasant work environment. Jacob undoubtedly won fame from his methods and sent Judah, who himself was an accomplished businessman, to create the possibility of continuing his methods of ethical dissemination.

By interpreting the Rashi comments broadly we don't negate the Rashi but supplement and enrich it with added insight.

    4. RASHI METHOD: ALIGNMENT
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: Aligning two almost identically worded verselets can suggest
    • (4a) 2 cases of the same incident or law
    • (4b) emphasis on the nuances of a case
    • (4c) use of broad vs literal usage of words
    This examples applies to Rashis Gn44-20a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
    Brief Summary: Joseph ISN'T HERE vs. Joseph is DEAD. Judah white-lied to prevent being forced to find Joseph.

The table below presents an aligned extract of verses in Gn44-20a, Gn42-12 Both verses discuss Joseph's status. The alignment justifies the Rashi assertion that It was unknown what happened to Joseph. But Judah lied and said he was dead because he was afraid if he said he was not to be found that they would demand Joseph be found.

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Gn44-20 And we said to my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him. Here Judah says Joseph is dead.
Gn42-13 And they said, Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not to be found. But the truth is that Joseph couldn't be found. Judah lied and said he was dead because he feared that if he admitted the truth they would force them to find Joseph.

Advanced Rashi: We could perhaps also classify this Rashi as using the contradiction rule. Both approaches yield the same result.

      5. RASHI METHOD: CONTRADICTION
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi resolves contradictory verses using 3 methods.
      • (5a) Resolution using two aspects of the same event
      • (5b) Resolution using two stages of the same process
      • (5c) Resolution using broad-literal interpretation.
      This example applies to Rashis Gn47-25c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: a) We like what you say b) Your ownership is [only] through monetary tax

The table below presents presents two contradictory verselets. Both verselets speak about the relationship of Pharoh to his Egyptian subjects The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verselet says And they said: 'Thou hast saved our lives. Let us find favour in the sight of my lord, while the other verselet states we will be Pharaoh's slaves.' ' Which is it? Were they saved and happy about their new plight or were they becoming slaves (Slaves to not have a high mortality rate--you don't save somebody by making them your slave). Rashi simply resolves this using the broad-literal method: Recall that the Egyptians were totally helpless and pawned all their goods and themselves for food. Pharoh literally owned them. He could have done whatever he wanted with them. But instead he gave them back their land, on a rental basis, and only charged them 20% of yield (as tax). Hence the people were grateful that despite their official slave status Pharoh only wanted money and only 20%.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Egyptians received back their land Gn47-25c And they said: 'Thou hast saved our lives. Let us find favour in the sight of my lord,
The Egyptians had lost all ownership of both their land and themselves and were literally owned by Pharoh Gn47-25c we will be Pharaoh's slaves.'
Resolution: Broad-literal Recall that the Egyptians were totally helpless and pawned all their goods and themselves for food. Pharoh literally owned them. He could have done whatever he wanted with them. But instead he gave them back their land, on a rental basis, and only charged them 20% of yield (as tax). Hence the people were grateful that despite their official slave status Pharoh only wanted money and only 20%.

    6. RASHI METHOD: STYLE
    Rashi examines how rules of style influences inferences between general and detail statements in paragraphs.
    • Example: Every solo example stated by the Bible must be broadly generalized;
    • Theme-Detail: A general principle followed by an example is interpreted restrictively---the general theme statement only applies in the case of the example;
    • Theme-Detail-Theme: A Theme-Detail-Theme unit is interpreted as a paragraph. Consequently the details of the paragraph are generalized so that they are seen as illustrative of the theme.
    This examples applies to Rashis Gn45-12b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
    Brief Summary: GENERAL: You my brothers see: DETAIL: My full brother Benjamin sees (HINT: I like you as much as him).

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a Theme-Development form. In other words a broad general idea is stated first followed by the development of this broad general theme in specific details. The Theme-Detail form creates a unified paragraph. The style rule requires that we interpret the general theme with special focus on the attributes of the illustrative detail selected. Today's example illustrates this as shown below.

    Verse Gn45-12b discussing Joseph's statement of love and care for his brothers is written in a theme-detail form as shown below.
    • Theme-General: And, behold, your eyes [the eyes of my brothers] see,
    • Detail-Development: and the eyes of my [full] brother Benjamin,
    that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.
    Rashi following the Rabbi Ishmael style guidelines interprets the thematic general clause in light of the specific illustrative detail selected for development. I love the rest of my brothers (some of whom sold me into slavery) as much as I love my full brother Benjamin.

Advanced Rashi: From time to time I am challenged whether the Rabbi Ishmael Style rules can be applied to non-legal passages. I think the present example shows the great simplicity of interpretation that results from such an application.

      7. RASHI METHOD: FORMATTING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Inferences from Biblical formatting:
      • Use of repetition to indicate formatting effects: bold,italics,...;
      • use of repeated keywords to indicate a bullet effect;
      • rules governing use and interpretation of climactic sequence;
      • rules governing paragraph development and discourse
      This example applies to Rashis Gn45-02a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn45-04a.htm
      Brief Summary: a) EGYPT=Egyptian people,heard; b)Pharoh's HOUSE=Pharoh's staff, heard.

We have explained in our article Biblical Formatting located on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/biblicalformatting.pdf, that the Biblical Author indicated bullets by using repeating keywords.

That is, if a modern author wanted to get a point across using bullets - a list of similar but contrastive items - then the Biblical Author would use repeating keywords. Today's verse illustrates this principle.

    Verse Gn45-02a discussing the news of Joseph's brothers coming states And he wept aloud;
  • and Egypt heard
  • and Pharoh's household heard

The bulleted structure indicated by the repeating keyword heard creates a parallel structure. Rashi explains: Egypt menotomycally refers to the Egyptian people. Similarly Pharoh's household refers, not only to his family, but to his staff. In presenting this Rashi we have used the universal metonomy principle which states that an item can refer to things closely related to it. A classical example of metonomy is using a national land, like Egypt to refer to its people, the Egyptians.

Sermonic Points: Rashi has a subtle emotional point. It wasn't just Pharoh and his family that took a liking to Joseph. Even Pharoh's staff, the maids, butlers and other personel, who do their work, pick up their paycheck and go home, they also were genuinely happy that the slave boy who made it good was finally reunited with his family whom he hadn't seen in ages. We tend to think of Egypt as a structured society, people without emotions, where everyone fit into a slot. Here we see the emotional aspect of the Egyptians. They were ordinary people who had empathy for family-type events in other nationals. (The actual degradation and slavery that developed happened several 100 years later and then too, as related in the Bible, the individual Egyptians empathically felt for the Jews).

      8. RASHI METHOD: DATABASES
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Rashi makes inferences from Database queries. The precise definition of database query has been identified in modern times with the 8 operations of Sequential Query Language (SQL).

      This example applies to Rashis Gn46-01b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn46-01b.htm
      Brief Summary: God always identifies himself as the 'God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' But Jacob at times refers simply to the 'God of Isaac' since a person is closest to his father.

    We ask the following database query: How is the God of the Patriarchs referred to in the Bible? The reader is encouraged to perform the query using a standard Biblical Konnkordance or search engine. This database query yields the list below. The list justifies the following Rashi inference:
  • God invariably refers to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
  • However at times Jacob refers to the God of Isaac without mentioning Abraham since children often feel closest to their parents. The list below presents the results of the database query and shows examples.

Verse Verse text God of Patriarchs Who is speaking
Gn28-13 And, behold, the Lord stood above him, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed; God of Abraham, God of Isaac God
Gn31-53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us. God of Abraham, God of Nahor Jacob, Laban
Gn31-42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely you would have sent me away now empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night. God of Abraham, Fear of Isaac Jacob
Gn32-10 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, Return to your country, and to your family, and I will deal well with you; God of Abraham, God of Isaac Jacob
Gn31-53 And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. God of Isaac Jacob
Gn46-01 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God of Isaac Jacob

      9. RASHI METHOD: NonVerse
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: The common denominator of the 3 submethods of the NonVerse method is that inferences are made from non textual material. The 3 submethods are as follows:
      • Spreadsheet: Rashi makes inferences of a numerical nature that can be summarized in a traditional spreadsheet
      • Geometric: Rashi clarifies a Biblical text using descriptions of geometric diagrams
      • Fill-ins: Rashi supplies either real-world background material or indicates real-world inferences from a verse. The emphasis here is on the real-world, non-textual nature of the material.
      This examples applies to Rashis Gn45-09a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/dt01-25a.htm
      Brief Summary: You COME UP to Israel which is perceived at the TOP/center of the world.

Rashi observes that Geographically, Israel is perceived on top of the world; Consequently verses always speak about going up to Israel vs. going down from Israel. The verses listed below exemplify this usage.

We have classified this as the geometric method since Rashi clarifies the meaning of a word using diagrams.

    In the following verses the underlined words up,down indicate relative position to Israel and confirm the above Rashi comment:
  • Dt01-25a, discussing the bringing of fruit, by the spies, from Israel to the desert states And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us back word, and said: 'Good is the land which HaShem our G-d giveth unto us.'
  • Gn45-09a discussing the requested journey of the patriarch Jacob from Israel to Egypt, states Hasten ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him: Thus saith thy son Joseph: G-d hath made me lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not.
  • Ex33-01a discussing the journey from the desert to Israel, states And HaShem spoke unto Moses: 'Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying: Unto thy seed will I give it--
  • Dt32-13b discussing the gift of Israel by God to the Jews states states He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and he did eat the fruitage of the field; and He made him to suck honey out of the crag, and oil out of the flinty rock;
  • Gn46-03:04 presenting a prophecy that Jacob must journey from Israel to Egypt, states And He said: 'I am G-d, the G-d of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.'
  • Dt17-08f discussing the requirement to journey to Jerusalem for legal inquiry from the Sanhedrin in complex cases, states If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, even matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which HaShem thy G-d shall choose.

Note that in the last example we supplement our basic thesis that the word up is used when going to Israel while down is used when going from Israel by extending the up-down metaphor for journey to or from Jerusalem relative to the rest of Israel.

Sermonic Points: Traditionally up symbolizes heavenly maters while down symbolizes hellish earthly matters. This symbolism is valid in all languages. By associating Israel and Jerusalem with up the Bible symbolically affirms Israel's spiritual values.

      10. RASHI METHOD: SYMBOLISM
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi provides symbolic interpretations of words, verses, and chapters. Rashi can symbolically interpret either
      • (10a) entire Biblical chapters such as the gifts of the princes, Nu-07
      • (10b) individual items, verses and words
      The rules governing symbolism and symbolic interpretation are presented in detail on my website.

      This examples applies to Rashis Gn41-02a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: Joseph specialized in NUMBER symbolism: a) 3 baskets=3 days; b) 3 branches=3 days; c) 7 good cows=7 good years d) 7 bad cows = 7 bad years.

Acknowledgement: The following is a repeat from last week. While in Phoenix last week a sharp question was asked to me: But Pharoh's magicians also interpreted the dream using the seven motif. What was the superiority of Joseph's interpretation. The answer is that besides using the seven motif Joseph also paid complete attention to all the other details of the dream.

Verse Gn41-02a describing Pharoh's dream states And, behold, there came up out of the river seven cows, well-favoured and fat-fleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass.

    Rashi paraphrased points out how Joseph's interpretation of dreams carries a thread of numerical symbolism. Joseph besides using the number motif also paid total attention to the other dream details. Here are some examples:
  • Butler's dream (Gn40-12): 12. And Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation of it; The three branches are three days; Joseph followed up on this number motif: The dream content I squeezed the grapes into Pharoh's cup means that in three days I will squeeze grapes into Pharoh's cup (and have my job back).
  • Baker's drea (Gn40-18): And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation; The three baskets are three days; Joseph follows up on this number motif: The dream content The birds ate from my head means that in three days birds will be pecking/eating my head (I will be hung and dead).
  • Pharoh's cow dream (Gn41-02): And, behold, there came up from the river seven cows sleek and fat; and they fed in the reed grass. Rashi: The seven sleek fat cows are seven good years.
  • Pharoh's cow dream (Gn41-03): And, behold, seven other cows came up after them from the river, gaunt and thin; and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river. Rashi: The seven gaunt thin cows are sever bad years. Joseph followed up on this number motif. The dream content the thin cows devoured the fat cows means that the 7 famine years will (emotionally) devour the 7 good years (until they are forgotten).

Advanced Rashi: The Midrash Rabbah points out that Pharoh's magicians interpreted the dreams to mean e.g. You will marry off 7 daughters [cows=women] and then bury 7 daughters or you will conquer 7 lands [land = wheat] and you will lose 7 lands. Such interpretations only interpret the number 7. They also interpret individual symbols such as cows = women and wheat = land. However they failed to interpret the indicated dream relationship between the lean and fat cows/wheat: the lean cows/wheat devoured the fat cows/wheat. Joseph, in addition to using the motific method also fully interpreted all aspects and details of the dream. The devouring of the thin cows/wheat by the fat cows/wheat symbolizes emotional devouring of the good emotions of the saiety years by the bad emotions of the famine years.

Sermonic points: There is a subtlety here we may overlook. Egypt is associated with slavery and carefully defined social strata. But here we see the very democratic idea of judging a person / worker by knowledge skills and abilities. Joseph had expertise in number symbolism and got a typical 'American-type' job promotion, from prisoner to Vice President, because of his expertise.

Conclusion

This week's parshah contains examples of all Rashi methods. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com for further details and examples.