The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshath VaYishLach
Volume 15, Number 12
This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables
Is accessible at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1512.htm
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, November 18 th, 2010
Visit the Rashi website http://www.Rashiyomi.com

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. Although I frequently use my own English translations of biblical verses and Rashi comments, the Hebrew and English translations in the source tables are derived from online parshah files at chabad.org who in turn acknowledges the Judaica Press Complete Tanach, copyright by Judaica Press.

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 Gn32-08a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn32-08a.htm
    Brief Summary: Jacob FEARED and WAS DISTRESSED. The word FEAR refers to possible loss of life mentioned explicitly in Gn32-12.

Verse Gn32-08a
Hebrew Verse וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וְאֶת הַצֹּאן וְאֶת הַבָּקָר וְהַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת:
English Verse Jacob became very frightened and was distressed; so he divided the people who were with him and the flocks and the cattle and the camels into two camps.
Rashi Header Hebrew ויירא ויצר
Rashi Text Hebrew ויירא שמא יהרג, ויצר לו אם יהרוג הוא את אחרים:
Rashi Header Enlish Jacob became…frightened, and…distressed
Rashi Text English He was frightened lest he be killed (Gen. Rabbah 75:2, Tanchuma, Vayishlach 4), and he was distressed that he might kill others.

Verse Gn32-08 discussing Jacob's fear of being smitten by Esau states Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, in two bands; Rashi notes The underlined word, afraid, references verse Gn32-12 which explicitly states Jacob was worried about Esauv smiting him.

Text of Target Verse Gn32-08 Text of Reference Verse Gn32-12
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, in two bands; Save me, I beseech you, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he will come and strike me, and the mother with the children.
Rashi comments: The underlined words-fear - show that Jacob was worried about being conquered militarily and the resulting loss of life.

We continue this example in Rule #4 below.

      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 Gn36-43a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n22.htm
      Brief Summary: The ChoicestOfGods nation refers to a Rome-like nation.

Verse Gn36-43a
Hebrew Verse אַלּוּף מַגְדִּיאֵל אַלּוּף עִירָם אֵלֶּה אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם לְמֹשְׁבֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֲחֻזָּתָם הוּא עֵשָׂו אֲבִי אֱדוֹם:
English Verse Chief Magdiel, Chief Iram. These are the chieftains of Edom according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. That is Esau, progenitor of the Edomites.
Rashi Header Hebrew מגדיאל
Rashi Text Hebrew היא רומי:
Rashi Header Enlish Magdiel
Rashi Text English This is Rome. — [From Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 38]

Rashi frequently explained 4 and 5 letter roots by breaking them up in two 2-letter roots. For example the Hebrew root Mamzer, Mem-Mem-Zayin-Resh which means illegitimate reflects the etymology of Moom Zare, Mem-Mem Zayin-Resh which means blemished by a stranger. Todays example also illustrates this principle.

One of Esauv's descendents is called MagDeeAyl, Mem-Gimel-Daleth-Aleph-Lamed which when broken up into a two and three letter root would have the meaning of Mem-Gimel-Daleth Aleph-Lamed which means the choicest of the gods. Rashi comments This is [like] Rome [with its pantheon of Gods].

Advanced Rashi: This paragraph has evoked alot of resistance from the Bible critics who defensively attack any Biblical paragraph with fulfilled prophecy content. However Rashi did not view this paragraph as primarily historical. Rather Rashi interpreted the paragraph as follows: One of Esauv's descendants was Magdeeayl who specialized in gathering people who specialized in idolatrous gods with great power. By leading a collection of such people Magdeeayl had enormous power. This is the simple meaning of the text. However Rashi then shows the relevance of the Biblical text to modern times in Rashi's era: Rome, which specialized in a pantheon of gods, each with its own method of rulership and power, is an example of the Magdeeayl's influence.

In other words Rashi was not identifying Magdeeayl with Rome but rather identifying Magdeeayl with a world approach of which Rome was a recent current example in Rashi's time.

      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 Gn32-19a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn32-19a.htm
      Brief Summary: Proper etiquette and grammar require answering a series of questions with a series of answers in the same order.

Verse Gn32-19a
Hebrew Verse וְאָמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיַעֲקֹב מִנְחָה הִוא שְׁלוּחָה לַאדֹנִי לְעֵשָׂו וְהִנֵּה גַם הוּא אַחֲרֵינוּ:
English Verse You shall say, '[I belong] to your servant Jacob; it is a gift sent to my master, to Esau, and behold, he himself is behind us.'
Rashi Header Hebrew ואמרת לעבדך ליעקב
Rashi Text Hebrew על ראשון ראשון ועל אחרון אחרון, ששאלת (פסוק יז - יח) למי אתה, לעבדך ליעקב אני, ותרגומו דעבדך דיעקב, וששאלת (פסוק יז - יח) ולמי אלה לפניך, מנחה היא שלוחה וגו':
Rashi Header Enlish You shall say, ‘[I belong] to your servant Jacob…’
Rashi Text English He replied first to the first question and last to the last question. [In reference to] what you asked,“To whom do you belong?” [the answer is:] I belong to your servant Jacob, and the Targum renders: דְּעַבְדּ‏ ָדְּיַעִקֹב, of your servant, of Jacob, and [in reference to] what you asked,“and for whom are these before you?” it is a gift sent, etc. — [from Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan, ch. 37]

Today anyone wanting to learn Hebrew can take a course and learn Biblical Hebrew grammar. But in Rashi's time Grammar was just beginning. One of Rashi's major tasks was to teach basic Hebrew Grammar the same way we find in modern Hebrew textbooks. Modern Hebrew Grammar deals with such issues as conjugation of verbs, indication of possessive pronouns, gender etc. Today's example illustrates this.

    Verse Gn32-18 states three questions: And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, saying,
    1. Whose are you? and
    2. where are you going? and
    3. whose are these before you?
    Gn32-19 states a corresponding 3 responses Then you shall say,
    1. They are your servant Jacob’s;
    2. it is a present sent to my lord Esau; and, behold, also
    3. he is behind us.

Thus Rashi here teaches the grammatical rules governing answering questions: A sequence of answers following a sequence of questions should be parallel: That is the first answer responds to the first question, the second answer responds to the second question, etc. This parallel rule is depicted above in the numbered lists.

Advanced Rashi: We have presented this Rashi as grammatical. But most people see this Rashi as indicating etiquette: It is proper etiquette to answer questions sequentially, rather than in a random order.

The reason for the grammatical and etiquette rule are the same. It is less burdensome on the listener if you use the same order of inquiry in your answers. Both grammar and etiquette are equally interested in minimizing listener confusion.

    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 Gn32-08a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n5.htm
    Brief Summary: Jacob was AFRAID and DISTRESSED. AFRAID of being KILLED and DISTRESSED that he MIGHT HAVE TO KILL.

Verse Gn32-08a
Hebrew Verse וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וְאֶת הַצֹּאן וְאֶת הַבָּקָר וְהַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת:
English Verse Jacob became very frightened and was distressed; so he divided the people who were with him and the flocks and the cattle and the camels into two camps.
Rashi Header Hebrew ויירא ויצר
Rashi Text Hebrew ויירא שמא יהרג, ויצר לו אם יהרוג הוא את אחרים:
Rashi Header Enlish Jacob became…frightened, and…distressed
Rashi Text English He was frightened lest he be killed (Gen. Rabbah 75:2, Tanchuma, Vayishlach 4), and he was distressed that he might kill others.

The table below presents an aligned extract of verselets in Gn32-08a Both verselets discuss the fear Jacob had. The alignment justifies the Rashi assertion that There were apparently two fears. We have seen in rule #1 above that the word fear refers to fear of being killed, explicitly mentioned with that langauge in Gn32-12. Rashi therefore assumes that distressed refers to a complimentary fear which Rashi suggests is the fear of having to kill.

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Gn32-08 Jacob was afraid Afraid of being killed, as mentioned explicitly in Gn32-12.
Gn32-12 ....and distressed Rashi assumes that the aligned verbs - fear distress - refer to complimentary fears. Since fear refers to fear of being killed Rashi suggests distress as referring to fear of having to kill.

Advanced Rashi: A similar fear - of having to kill - is seen by Abraham who was afraid after a military conquest over an alliance. Since he was afraid after victory we assume he was concerned about the life he took (Rashi: Gn15-01a). However since this fear of his is not explicitly mentioned we sufficed with use of the alignment principle to justify the current Rashi.

      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 examples applies to Rashis Gn36-35a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n22.htm
      Brief Summary: Hadad King of EDOM conquered Midyan in MOABITE fields Rashi: EDOM was a MOABITE ally and Midayn a MOABITE enemy

Verse Gn36-35a
Hebrew Verse וַיָּמָת חֻשָׁם וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו הֲדַד בֶּן בְּדַד הַמַּכֶּה אֶת מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ עֲוִית:
English Verse Husham died, and Hadad, son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead. The name of his city was Avith.
Rashi Header Hebrew המכה את מדין בשדה מואב
Rashi Text Hebrew שבא מדין על מואב למלחמה, והלך מלך אדום לעזור את מואב. ומכאן אנו למדים שהיו מדין ומואב מריבים זה עם זה, ובימי בלעם עשו שלום להתקשר על ישראל: 
Rashi Header Enlish who defeated Moab in the field of Midian
Rashi Text English For Midian came against Moab to wage war, and the king of Edom went to aid Moab. From here we learn that Midian and Moab were quarreling with one another, and in the days of Balaam they made peace, [in order] to band together against Israel. — [from Tanchuma Balak 3]

The table below presents two contradictory verses. Both verses speak about Hadad.rule The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the people of Israel while the other verse states And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. We see the contradiction--- If Hadad was King of Edom why was he fighting in a Moabite field? Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Aspects method: Moab and Edom were allies. Midyan was an enemy of Moab. When Midyan attacked Moab, Edom, Moab's ally came to his aid.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Hadad was king of Edom Gn36-31 And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the people of Israel
Hadad defeated Midyan in Moabite fields Gn36-31 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Avith.
Resolution: 2 Aspects Moab and Edom were allies. Midyan was an enemy of Moab. When Midyan attacked Moab, Edom, Moab's ally came to his aid.

Advanced Rashi: One can legitimately ask, How did Rashi know Edom and Moab were allies or that Moab and Midyan were enemies? This is one interesting attribute of the contradiction method - the contradiction itself intrinsically justifies making reasonable assumptions to resolve the contradiction. Hence Rashi reasonably assumes that if Midyan was conquered in a Moabite field then they - Moab and Midyan - must have been enemies. Similarly Rashi reasonably assumes that if Edom was in the Moabite field they - Moab and Edom - must have been allies.

Rashi uses this verse to explain another contradiction. We just established that Moab and Midyan were allies. But in Nu22-04 Moab asks Midyan for help! Rashi explains: Although they - Moab and Midyan - were enemies, their common hatred of the Jews overrode their own hatred of each other.

      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 Gn32-17a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn32-17a.htm
      Brief Summary: DETAIL: 1) Every drove of animals by itself, 2) Spaces between droves, 3) Droves 1st then Jacob GENERAL: Jacob's goal (in all DETAILS) was to appease Esauv by making the gift appear spacious.

Verse Gn32-17a
Hebrew Verse וַיִּתֵּן בְּיַד עֲבָדָיו עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עֲבָדָיו עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי וְרֶוַח תָּשִׂימוּ בֵּין עֵדֶר וּבֵין עֵדֶר:
English Verse And he gave into the hands of his servants each herd individually, and he said to his servants, Pass on ahead of me and make a space between one herd and another herd.
Rashi Header Hebrew עדר עדר לבדו
Rashi Text Hebrew כל מין ומין לעצמו:
Rashi Header Enlish each herd individually
Rashi Text English Each species by itself.

    Gn32-17a:21, discussing the gift Jacob sent to his brother Esauv before meeting him has a detail-theme format as shown below:
  • Detail: And he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves;
  • Detail: and said to his servants, Pass over before me, and
  • Detail: put a space between drove and drove..... ....it is a present sent to my lord Esau; ....
  • Theme: And say you moreover, Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us. For Jacob said, I, Jacob, will appease Esauv with the present that goes before me, ....

    To explain this Rashi we note 3 points:
  • We understand the details--every drove of animals was by itself, there were spaces between the droves etc.
  • We also understand the theme--that Jacob wanted to appease Esauv
  • But we don't yet understand how the details contribute to the theme. It is this connection between details-theme that Rashi explains. Here is the verse again with the Rashi comments attached: Notice how the sole goal of each Rashi is to connect the details to the main theme.

  • Detail: And he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; [Rashi: The distinctness of each drove of animals gave an air of diversity, making the present more appealing, and the consequent likelihood of appeasing Esauv more likely.]
  • Detail: and said to his servants, Pass over before me, and [Rashi: Jacob suggested present first, I follow, thus letting the appeasing nature of the present take effect prior to Jacob's appearance.]
  • Detail: put a space between drove and drove..... ....it is a present sent to my lord Esau; .... [Rashi: The spaces between droves gives an air of spaciousness, increasing the appeal of the present and the consequent likelihood of appeasing Esauv more likely.]
  • Theme: And say you moreover, Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us. For Jacob said, I, Jacob, will appease Esauv with the present that goes before me, .... [Rashi: The spaces between droves, distinctness of each drove and the prior appearance of the present to Jacob's appearance--- all these items created an air of appeal for the present that heightened the probability of the present appeasing.]

We consider this Rashi an excellent example of the style method: We again emphasize that the paragraph details and theme are each understood. Rashi's sole contribution is to show the connection between details and theme, that is, to show the paragraph unity.

Advanced Rashi: Interestingly, the Talmud says that any time Rabbi Judah the prince, the Author of the Mishnah legal code, had to appear before the Roman Emporer, he first studied this Biblical passage, Gn32 as this chapter contains the secrets for successful political interactions with foreign diplomats.

      7. RASHI METHOD: FORMATTING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION:Inferences from Biblical formatting: #NAME?
      • 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 Gn33-04b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1420.htm
      Brief Summary: REVEALED sins should be STRICKEN fom Dt29-29a. Why? God did not punish REVEALED sins until after the conquest of Joshua (And hence we should strike out the phrase the REVEALED SINS BELONG TO GOD)

Verse Gn33-04b
Hebrew Verse וַיָּרָץ עֵשָׂו לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיְחַבְּקֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארָו וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ:
English Verse And Esau ran toward him and embraced him, and he fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
Rashi Header Hebrew וישקהו
Rashi Text Hebrew נקוד עליו, ויש חולקין בדבר הזה בברייתא דספרי (בהעלותך סט), יש שדרשו נקודה זו לומר שלא נשקו בכל לבו. אמר ר' שמעון בן יוחאי הלכה היא בידוע שעשו שונא ליעקב, אלא שנכמרו רחמיו באותה שעה ונשקו בכל לבו:
Rashi Header Enlish and kissed him
Rashi Text English Heb. וֹיֹשֹקֹהֹוּ. There are dots over the word. There is controversy concerning this matter in a Baraitha of Sifrei (Beha’alothecha 69). Some interpret the dots to mean that he did not kiss him wholeheartedly. Rabbi Simeon ben Yochai said: It is a well known tradition that Esau hated Jacob, but his compassion was moved at that time, and he kissed him wholeheartedly.

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 10 examples of dotting or strikeout in the Bible. They are enumerated (with explanations) in Bamidbar Rabbah 3:13. 8 of these 10 examples are explained by Rashi in his commentary on 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.
    • Nu21-30b: We have shot at them--Heshbon unto Dibon is destroyed, and we have laid waste even unto Nophah that reaches to Maydvah Rashi: The clause that reaches to Maydvah introduced by the relative pronoun that is stricken indicating that the destruction discussed in this clause was stricken out. In fact the Jews destroyed both cities (buildings) and inhabitants until Nopach but only destroyed cities (but apparently let the inhabitants flee) until Maydvah. Hence the Maydvah destruction was stricken and weakened as it only applied to the cities and not the people.
    • 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.
    • Dt29-28a: 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.
    • Gn19-33c And they made their father drink wine that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Rashi: The phrase nor when she arose is dotted indicating a strikeout: Lot really did know when she arose and even so did not avoid a recurrence on the 2nd night with his second daughter. [How can Rashi say he did know if the verse explicitly say he didn't know? Probably Rashi meant that e.g. he had a visual sexual dream about the affair so he really suspected it].

      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 Gn36-03b Gn34-25b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n22.htm
      Brief Summary: Genealogies are usually parental. Sister-brother sibling genealogies indicate a special relationship such as protection or assistance in marriage.

Verse Gn36-03b
Hebrew Verse וְאֶת בָּשְׂמַת בַּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת:
English Verse also Basemath, daughter of Ishmael, sister of Nebaioth.
Rashi Header Hebrew אחות נביות
Rashi Text Hebrew על שם שהוא השיאה לו משמת ישמעאל נקראת על שמו:
Rashi Header Enlish sister of Nebaioth
Rashi Text English Since he (Nebaioth) gave her hand in marriage after Ishmael died, she was referred to by his name. — [from Meg. 17a]

We ask the following database query: When our brother-sister genealogies used? 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 inference that Most genealogies are parental. Brother-sister sibling genealogies indicate a special relationship such as protection or assistance in marriage. The list below presents the results of the database query and provides examples.

Verse Brother Sister Suggested Reason Textual Support
Gn04-22 Tuval-Kayin and Naamah Tuval-Kayin, a tool provider, undoubtedly assisted Noach in the ark construction. Noach then married Naamah, Tuval-Kayin's sister. None
Gn28-09 Nevayoth and Machalath Nevayoth helped arrange marriage of Esauv and Machalath The verse mentions the marriage of Esauv to Machalath, the sister of Nevayoth
Ex06-23 Nachshon and Elisheva Nachshon resembled Aharon whom Elisheva married The verse mentions the marriage of Aharon to Elisheva the sister of Nachshon
------ ------ ------ ------
Ex16-20 Aharon and Miryam Aharon interceded to protect Miryam when she was punished with Leprosy (Nu12-10:12) Nu12-10:12 explicitly mentions Aharon interceding on behalf of Miryam
Gn34-25 Shimon and Levi, Dinah's brothers They fought to protect Dinah Gn34-25 explicitly mentions that Shimon and Levi declared war on an entire city where Dina's rape took place.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi at various points adds further details. For example on Ex06-23 Rashi states A person who wants to marry a woman should see if he is compatable with her brother since sisters resemble brothers closely. Our main goal here is to show the database aspect of these Rashis.

These Rashis do not appear that strong. In the last two examples we have explicit textual references to the brothers protection of the sister. Of the remaining three cases, two involve an explicit mention of marriage while one simply reports the brother sister relationship.

Thus the Rashi-midrashic suggestion that the brothers helped marry the sisters is seen as a reasonable generalization of the verses but certainly not explicitly indicated. This type of logic is a characteristic flavor of the database method. The strength of the derivation is based on the aggregate totality of examples most of which show the marriage-protection aspect underlying the database examples.

The serious student of Rashi should carefully study the above examples and convince themselves that the Rashi-midrash approach was the most reasonable.

    9. RASHI METHOD: NonVerse
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: The common denominator of the 3 submethods of the Spreadsheet 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 Gn28-09a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1317.htm
    Brief Summary: Jacob spent 14 years between leaving Beer Sheva and coming to Laban. Apparently he spent those 14 years in spiritual endeavors (to strengthen himself before coming to Laban)

Verse Gn28-09a
Hebrew Verse וַיֵּלֶךְ עֵשָׂו אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל וַיִּקַּח אֶת מָחֲלַת בַּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אַבְרָהָם אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת עַל נָשָׁיו לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה:
English Verse So Esau went to Ishmael, and he took Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, the sister of Nebaioth, in addition to his other wives as a wife.
Rashi Header Hebrew אחות נביות
Rashi Text Hebrew ממשמע שנאמר (לעיל כה יג) בת ישמעאל איני יודע שהיא אחות נביות, אלא למדנו שמת ישמעאל משיעדה לעשו קודם נשואיה והשיאה נביות אחיה. ולמדנו שהיה יעקב באותו הפרק בן ששים ושלש שנים, שהרי ישמעאל בן שבעים וארבע שנים היה כשנולד יעקב, ארבע עשרה שנה היה גדול ישמעאל מיצחק, ויצחק בן ששים שנה בלדת אותם הרי שבעים וארבע, ושנותיו היו מאה שלושים ושבע, שנאמר (שם יז) ואלה שני חיי ישמעאל וגו', נמצא יעקב כשמת ישמעאל בן ששים ושלש שנים היה, ולמדנו מכאן שנטמן בבית עבר ארבע עשרה שנה ואחר כך הלך לחרן, שהרי לא שהה בבית לבן שלפני לידתו של יוסף אלא ארבע עשרה שנה, שנאמר (שם לא מא) עבדתיך ארבע עשרה שנה בשתי בנותיך ושש שנים בצאנך ושכר הצאן משנולד יוסף היה, שנאמר (שם ל כה) ויהי כאשר ילדה רחל את יוסף וגו', ויוסף בן שלשים שנה היה כשמלך, ומשם עד שירד יעקב למצרים תשע שנים, שבע של שובע ושתיים של רעב, ויעקב אמר לפרעה (שם מז ט) ימי שני מגורי שלשים ומאת שנה. צא וחשוב ארבע עשרה שלפני לידת יוסף, ושלשים של יוסף, ותשע משמלך עד שבא יעקב הרי חמשים ושלש, וכשפירש מאביו היה בן ששים ושלש הרי מאה ושש עשרה, והוא אומר שלשים ומאת שנה, הרי חסרים ארבע עשרה שנים הא למדת שאחר שקבל הברכות נטמן בבית עבר ארבע עשרה שנים. (אבל לא נענש עליהם בזכות התורה, שהרי לא פירש יוסף מאביו אלא עשרים ושתים שנה דהיינו משבע עשרה עד שלשים ותשע כנגד עשרים ושתים שפירש יעקב מאביו ולא כבדו, והם עשרים שנים בבית לבן, ושתי שנים ששהה בדרך, כדכתיב (להלן לג יז) ויבן לו בית ולמקנהו עשה סכות, ופירשו רבותינו זל מזה הפסוק ששהה שמונה עשר חדשים בדרך, דבית הוה בימות הגשמים וסכות הוה בימות החמה, ולחשבון הפסוקים שחשבנו לעיל משפירש מאביו עד שירד למצרים שהיה בן מאה שלשים שנים, שם אנו מוצאים עוד ארבע עשרה שנים, אלא ודאי נטמן בבית עבר בהליכתו לבית לבן ללמוד תורה ממנו, ובשביל זכות התורה לא נענש עליהם ולא פירש יוסף ממנו אלא עשרים ושתים שנה, מדה כנגד מדה):
Rashi Header Enlish the sister of Nebaioth
Rashi Text English Since it says, “the daughter of Ishmael,” do I not know that she was the sister of Nebaioth? But this teaches us that Ishmael died after he had betrothed her to Esau, before her marriage, and her brother Nebaioth gave her hand in marriage. This also teaches us that Jacob was sixty-three years old at that time, for Ishmael was seventy-four years old when Jacob was born. Ishmael was fourteen years older than Isaac, and Isaac was sixty years old when they were born, hence [Ishmael was] seventy-four. He lived one hundred and thirty seven years, as it is stated (above 25:17): “and these are the years of the life of Ishmael,” etc. Consequently, Jacob was sixty-three at Ishmael’s death. We learn from here that he hid for fourteen years in the house of Eber and afterwards went to Haran. [This can be deduced from the fact that] he stayed in Laban’s house before Joseph’s birth only fourteen years, as it is said (below 31:41): “I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your sheep,” and the payment for the sheep took place after Joseph was born, as it is said (below 30:25): “And it came to pass when Rachel had given birth to Joseph, etc.,” and Joseph was thirty years old when he became ruler, and from then until Jacob descended to Egypt were nine years: seven of plenty and two of famine. And Jacob said to Pharaoh (below 47:9): “The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred and thirty years.” Go forth and figure 14 years before Joseph was born, plus the 30 years of Joseph’s age, plus the 9 years from the time he became ruler until Jacob came. The total is 53. And when he [Jacob] left his father, he was 63, totaling 116. Yet he said [to Pharaoh, “I am] one hundred and thirty years old.” Hence, there are fourteen years missing. Thus, you learn that after he had received the blessings, he hid in the house of Eber for fourteen years. [From Meg. 17:1] (However, he was not punished [for these fourteen years] because of the merit [of having studied] Torah, for Joseph was separated from his father only twenty-two years, i.e., from age seventeen until age thirty-nine, corresponding to the twenty-two years that Jacob was separated from his father [when] he did not honor him. These are the twenty years in Laban’s house, plus the two years that he spent traveling [home], as it is written (below 33:17): “And he built himself a house, and for his cattle he made booths.” Our Rabbis of Blessed Memory inferred from this verse that he spent eighteen months on the road, for the house was for the rainy season, and the booths were for the summer. And, according to the calculation of the verses, which we calculated above, from the time he left his father until he went down to Egypt, at the age of one hundred and thirty, we find an additional fourteen years, therefore, it is certain that he hid in the house of Eber to learn Torah while on his way to the house of Laban. And because of the merit of the Torah, he was not punished for them [those fourteen years], and Joseph was separated from him for only twenty-two years-measure for measure. The above is from an old Rashi text).

    Today is a delightful example of the spreadsheet method. The spreadsheet below is a peach of an example of this important Rashi method. The spreadsheet with its underlying assumptions justifies the Rashi assertion that
  • Jacob waited 14 years after leaving his father before coming to Laban
  • But the contrast of Gn28-11,12,16 shows that Jacob was surprised that God was in this place, a profane place where one camps and sleeps
  • This suggests that contrastively he spent the previous 14 years in spiritual endeavors, places where God is expected to be found
  • We don't know (from the verses) where Jacob spent the previous 14 years, nor do we know what spiritual endeavors he was doing. It is logical that he was engaged in prayer, charity or learning. Rashi picks a specific example - he was learning at the academy of Shem and Ever. However the verses don't explicitly suggest this but rather simply suggest that Jacob was engaged in spiritual behavior.

    'Egyptian Time*1 'Event 'Abraham's age 'Ishmael's age 'Isaac's age 'Jacob's / Esauv's age 'Joseph's age 'Jacob working for Laban 'Supporting Verses
    ' 0 'Abraham visits Egypt '75 ' ' ' ' ' 'Gn12-04
    ' 11*1 'Ishmael Born '86 '0 ' ' ' ' 'Gn16-16
    ' 25 'Isaac Born '100 ' '0 ' ' ' 'Gn21-05
    ' 85 'Yaakov Born ' ' '60 '0 ' ' 'Gn25-26
    ' 100 'Abraham's death '175 ' ' ' ' ' 'Gn25-07
    ' 148 'Ishmael's death; Jacob/Esauv leave Isaac*2 ' '137 ' '63*3 ' ' 'Gn25-17, Gn28-05:09
    ' 162 'Jacob arrives at Laban ' ' ' ' '77*4 '-14*5 'Gn31-41,Gn30-25
    ' 176 'Joseph's birth ' ' ' ' ' '0 'Gn31-41,Gn30-25
    ' 206 'Joseph begins to reign ' ' ' ' ' '30 'Gn41-46
    ' 213 '7 years of plenty ' ' ' ' '37 'Gn41-47
    ' 215 'Jacob reunites with Joseph ' ' ' ' '130 '39 'Gn45-06,Gn47-09

      Footnotes:
    • 1: The 400 years of exile started in Abraham's 75th year; so this year is numbered 0. The Jews left Egypt in year 405. This table links pairs of events with verses. The linked pairs justify an update of the Egyptian time column. Example: Gn16-16 states that Abraham was 86 when Ishmael was born. This justifies placing an 86 in the Abraham column and a 0 in the Ishmael column. By subtracting 75 from 86 we obtain 11 and hence this is 0+11=11 years Egyptian Time. Other rows in the spreadsheet are filled in similarly.
    • 2: One verse states Ishmael was 137 when he died. An other verse states that Jacob and Esauv left Isaac around the time that Esauv got married. But the verse says that Ishmael did not marry off his own daughter but rather Nevayoth, her brother established the marriage. This suggests that Ishmael started the marriage but died before its completion and Nevayoth the brother completed it. So we link Ishmael's death with Jacob and Esauv leaving Isaac.
    • 3: Jacob's age of 63 is computed by using Egyptian absolute time: Ishmael died at 137, which is year 148 Egyptian time. Jacob was born in year 85 Egyptian time. So Jacob was now 137-85 = 63 years.
    • 4: Here the computation of 77 is prospective instead of retrospective. We see that Jacob was 130 and Joseph was 39 when they reunited. We also see that Joseph was born after 14 years with Laban. So 130 - 39 - 14 = 77.
    • 5: Jacob worked 14 years for his two wives and Joseph was born at the end. So Jacob arrived at Laban's house 14 years prior to Joseph's birth.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi uses the above spreadsheet to show the 14 year gap between year 63 of Jacob's life and year 77 of Jacob's life. Jacob left his father's house at age 63 but didn't arrive at Laban's house till 77. Apparently Jacob spent 14 years doing something different, spiritual endeavors. We aren't sure which endeavors. Rashi gives a good example, study. However the verses justify asserting any spiritual endeavor.

      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 Gn28-12a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1317.htm
      Brief Summary: In holy places (Temples and Houses of Study) man Ascends to God; In profane places God descends to help man.

Verse Gn28-12a
Hebrew Verse וַיַּחֲלֹם וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱ־לֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ:
English Verse And he dreamed, and behold! a ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven; and behold, angels of God were ascending and descending upon it.
Rashi Header Hebrew עולים ויורדים
Rashi Text Hebrew עולים תחלה ואחר כך יורדים, מלאכים שליווהו בארץ אין יוצאים חוצה לארץ ועלו לרקיע, וירדו מלאכי חוצה לארץ ללותו:
Rashi Header Enlish ascending and descending
Rashi Text English Ascending first and afterwards descending. The angels who escorted him in the [Holy] Land do not go outside the Land, and they ascended to heaven, and the angels of outside the Holy Land descended to escort him.[From Gen. Rabbah 68:12]

Verse Gn28-12a presenting the dream Jacob had states And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. We interpret this simply as meaning that there are two manifestations of God. In Temples and Halls of Study man ascends to God while in profane places God descends to man. Jacob had erroneouslly thought that God may only be found in situations of ascent. His dream taught him that God can be found in situations of descent also. This ascent-descent theme manifests itself in a variety of domains including immanence-transcendence, scholar approaches to God (through learning) vs. Chasidic approaches to God (through living a simple daily life), Holy approaches to God vs profane approaches to God.

Rashi literally says The angels of Israel were ascending to heaven while the angels of non-Israel lands came down to escort Jacob on his trip to Laban (who was not holy. We have chosen to interpret this Rashi as using a good example of the holy-profane dichotomy presented in the last paragraph. Israel-non-Israel is simply one good example of Holy approaches to God vs non-Holy approaches to God. Rashi did not intend to exhaust the meaning of the verse in this particular holy-non-holy approach but rather intended to illustate the underlying meaning with a good example.

The botton line is as follows: In rule #9, spreadsheets we see there is a 14 year gap between Jacob's departure from Beer Sheva and his arrival in Charan. Jacob camps in the middle of nowhere but sees God in a dream and concludes that God is here even though he didn't expect it. In rule 10 - symbolism we see that Jacob learns that God manifests himself in two ways: 1) In Temples and Houses of Study man ascends to God; 2) In camping grounds and profane places God descends to man to help him out. This second manifestation of God surprises Jacob who hadn't been aware of it. Jacob's former life was the simple tent dwelling life, the life of prayer-study relationship to God Gn25-27 - Jacob erroneously thought God was only found there. But Jacob now finds God in the profane. Jacob sees God manifesting in two ways - man ascends to God in Temples and houses of study but God descends to help man in the profane.

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.