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 Nu01-51c URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n20; Brief Summary: Non-Priests/Levites serving in the Temple will die, the same way Korach's followers died (Nu16-35,Nu18-03)

Verse Nu01-51c discussing that non-priests/levites inappropriately coming near Temple will die states And when the tabernacle is to set forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death Rashi clarifies the underlined words death by referencing verse(s) Nu16-35, Nu18-03 which states And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who offered incense...And they shall keep your charge, and the charge of all the Tent; only they shall not come near the utensils of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor you also, die. Hence the Rashi comment: As the underlined words show, the statement in Nu01-51c that the stranger who comes near shall be put to death cross references the death penalty mentioned in Nu18-03 for improper coming near which is consistent with the death at the hands of God that befell the followers of Korach who improperly came near to God.

Text of Target verse Nu01-15c	Text of Reference Verse Nu16-35, Nu18-03
And when the tabernacle is to set forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death	And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who offered incense...And they shall keep your charge, and the charge of all the Tent; only they shall not come near the utensils of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor you also, die.
Rashi comments: As the underlined words show, the statement in Nu01-51c that the stranger who comes near shall be put to death cross references the death penalty mentioned in Nu18-03 for improper coming near which is consistent with the death at the hands of God that befell the followers of Korach who improperly came near to God.

Todays Rashi rule combines the grammar and meaning method. Consequently we repeat this explanation in both rule 2,meaning and rule 3, grammar.

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

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

Verse	Text of Verse	Rashi comment
Nu04-13c	And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it; And they shall put upon it all its utensils, with which they minister about it, the (1)censers, (2)the forks, and (3)the shovels, and (4)the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of goats? skins, and put its poles	1st a cover was placed on the altar and then 4 of the 5 altar utensils were placed on the cover.
Ex27-03	And you shall make (5)pans to receive its ashes, and (3)its shovels, and (4)its basins, and (2)its forks, and (1)its censers; all its utensils you shall make of bronze.	There was a fifth altar utensil, the copper pans that was not placed on top of the cover which was on top of the altar. We conclude that that the copper pan was placed under the cover with the altar. Apparently the copper plan covered live altar coals under it so that when they journeyed they carried both the Temple itself and a starter for the Divine fire.

Advanced Rashi: We make two comments. First, the above Rashi has obvious sermonic overtones: The Temple was not just a building in which God appeared. Rather God's appearance was an intrinsic part of the Temple. Therefore the Jews had to carry both the Temple building proper as well as live coals sybmolizing the Divine fire of prophecy. Symbolically this indicates that when Jews journey from place to place they must carry their prophecies (religious observance) with them. In fact those familiar with the history of the Reform movement know that it started with the motto be orthodox at home and secular when in transition outside your home. Such an approach fails - we must always - both when settled and when journeying - respect the fire of God's prophecies by observing them.

A second point to note is on Rashi's description of fire. Rashi refers to the fire from Heaven that looked like a lion that descended from heaven which was carried with the ark. But we have interpreted this to refer to a live coal! However we think it proper to interpret ...like a lion to mean ...like a crouching lion. A live coal with its yellowish glow resembles a crouching lion about to pounce. The coal although dormant can instantly start a fire! Symbolically this also has meaning for Jewish transitions from place to place: Although a Jew must observe when he transitions his learning should not be project oriented but rather review of daily basic laws (live coals).

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 Nu04-02a URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/v33n20.htm Brief Summary: The Levites began LEARNING temple service at 25; The Levites began SERVING in the Temple at 30.

The table below presents two contradictory verses. Both verses talk about the age at which Levites commence service. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says Levites start temple service at 30 while the other verse says Levites start temple service at 25 Which is it? Do Levites start working at 25 or 30? Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Stages method: The assignment and the learning stage starts at age 25. The actual Temple service starts at age 30.

Summary	Verse / Source	Text of verse / Source
Levites start serving the Temple at 30.	Nu04-02a	Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who enter into the army, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, about the most holy things;
Levites start serving the Temple at 30.	Nu08-24	And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, This is it what concerns the Levites: from twenty five years old and upward they shall go to their assigned posts for the service of the Tent of Meeting;
Resolution:	2 Stages	Levites start learning about their Temple assignments at age 25. They start serving in the Temple proper at age 30.

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 Nu03-06a URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/nu08-06a.htm Brief Summary: Levites will help Aaron BY SERVING the temple, not by bringing offerings.

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 and consequently the law only applies to the enumerated details but not to other cases. Today's example illustrates this as shown below.

Verse Nu03-06a is written in a General-Detail form: Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. Notice the word that which indicates the transition in the general-detail form. The Rabbi Ishmael style rules require that such a sentence be interpreted restrictively. Levites help the priests only by serving and ministering to them (e.g. by singing songs of praise during the Temple service); but not e.g. by offering sacrifices. Rashi derives this restrictive interpretation from the Detail clause - that they may minister unto him - which restricts the general clause Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest. Without this restrictive clause I would have interpreted the verse to mean that the Levites generally help the priests in all matters including offerings.

When a modern author wishes to deemphasize a concept they will strike it out. When the Biblical author wishes to deemphasize a concept He places dots over it. The dots in the Biblical version, or the strikeout in the modern version, indicate deemphasis.

There are 6 examples of dotting or strikeout in the Bible. They are presented in the list below along with the accompanying Rashi interpretation. In each case Rashi interprets the verse as if the word was Stricken out.
• Nu03-39a: All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of HaShem, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand. Rashi: Aaron was stricken from the census--that is he wasn't counted since he was a Levite.
• Gn33-04b: And Esau ran to meet him [Jacob], and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept. Rashi: The kiss should be stricken from the record! It wasn't a real (i.e. sincere) kiss since Esau really hated Jacob. Rashi offers an alternative explanation: The kiss should be stricken from the record since it was the only sincere kiss. All other kisses were insincere.
• Dt29-29a: The secret things [sins] belong unto HaShem our G-d; but the things [sins] that are revealed belong [are visited] unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Rashi: Revealed should be stricken. Revealed sins weren't always visited upon the community; they weren't visited upon the community till after the conquest of Israel in the time of Joshua.
• Gn37-12a: And his brethren went to shepard their father's flock in Shechem. Rashi: The word shepard should be stricken out since they didn't really go to shepard sheep; rather they went to escape their father who favored Joseph.
• Nu09-10a: Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto HaShem; Rashi: The requirement far off should be stricken. One need not be absolutely far away - but far away enough not to be able to come to Jerusalem.
• Gn18-09: And they said to him: 'Where is Sarah thy wife?' And he said: 'Behold, in the tent.' Rashi: The phrase to him should be stricken. They said it generally, not just to him. When they met Abraham they said to him where is your spouse. Similarly when they met Sarah they said where is your spouse.

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 Nu01-01a URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w17n23.htm Brief Summary: God continuously CENSUSED the Jews. Obsessive CENSUSING is typically a sign of great fondness.

Today we ask the database query: How often are censii taken? The query uncovers 5 examples. An examination of these examples justifies the Rashi assertion that God continually counted the Jews with either a complete census or a census of those fallen during a plague. Such obsessive counting typically indicates great attachment and fondness. We conlude God had great love for the Jewish people.

The table below presents results of the query along with illustrations of Rashi's comment.

Recall that originally the First Born served as priests. After the sin of the Golden calf the first born were replaced by the Levites. The Bible at Nu03-39 tells us that there were 22,000 Levites. But if we subtotal all the Levite tribes we find 22,300 Levites. Rashi explains that there were in fact 22,000 non-first-born levites, since the 300 first born levites replaced themselves. There were 22,273 first born. Hence the 22,000 Levites could replace all but 273 first born. These 273 first born had to be redeemed with five dollars per person.

These details are summarized in the spreadsheet below. This is a good example of the spreadsheet method since Rashi literally uses a spreadsheet structure to illuminate the verses. Note particularly the column labeled Source. Here each comment is either a verse or some derived mathematical computation. These derived mathematical computations are in fact the contents of the Rashi comments. The spreadsheet below simply makes the Rashis clearer and more obvious.

Line Item	Count of	Verse	Count	Source
Line 1	Gershon	Nu03-22	7,600	Verse
Line 2	Kehath	Nu03-28	5,600	Verse
Line 3	Merari	Nu03-33	6,200	Verse
Line 4	All Levites	'	22,300	Total #1-#3
Line 5	All [Non 1stBorn] Levites: Verse Subtotal	Nu03-39b	22,000	Verse
Line 6	1st Born Levites	'	300	Inference: Line #4 - #5
Line 7	1st Born Israelites	Nu03-43	22,273	Verse
Line 8	Unpaired 1st Born-Levite	Nu03-46a	273	Verse: Line #7 - #5

Advanced Rashi: Rashi makes some additional clarifications one of which is surprisingly modern.
• There were 22,000 Levites and 22,273 firstborn.
  • The 22,000 first born were redeemed by the 22,000 Levites.
  • The remaining 273 firstborn were redeemed at $5 per person, resulting in a collection of $5 x 273 = $1365.
• Moses distributed 22,273 bags. 22,000 were labeled, Redemption by Levite replacement, while 273 were labeled, Kindly place $5 in the bag to redeem yourself. By using this random bag method Moses achieved equity and fairness in selecting 273 firstborn to give $5. [Such allocation methods are in fact very modern in flavor.]