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 Nu24-20b URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n1.htm; Brief Summary: Amalayk was FIRST [Rashi: FIRST to attack] and his END is destruction [Rashi: Command to destroy them.]

Verse Nu24-20b, discussing the prophecies of Bilam on Amalayk, states And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his discourse, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that of everlasting perdition. Rashi clarifies the underlined words first, end by referencing verse(s) Dt25-17:19, discussing the Biblical commandments on Amalayk which states Remember what Amalek did to you by the way, when you came forth out of Egypt; How he met you by the way, and struck at your rear, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies around, in the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance to possess, that you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it. Hence the Rashi comment: The verse, Nu24-20b should be read as follows: Amalayk was the first of nations [i.e. first nation to attack the Jews after leaving Egypt] and his end shall be destruction [As the Torah commanded.]

Text of Target verse Nu24-20b	Text of Reference Verse Nu25-17:19
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his discourse, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that of everlasting perdition.	Remember what Amalek did to you by the way, when you came forth out of Egypt; How he met you by the way, and struck at your rear, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies around, in the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance to possess, that you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it.
Rashi comments: The verse, Nu24-20b should be read as follows: Amalayk was the first of nations [i.e. first nation to attack the Jews after leaving Egypt] and his end shall be destruction [As the Torah commanded.]

When Rashi uses, what we may losely call, the hononym method, Rashi does not explain new meaning but rather shows an underlying unity in disparate meanings. Rashi will frequently do this by showing an underlying unity in the varied meanings of a Biblical root.

Most people are aware that Hebrew verbs come from three-letter roots. Each root is conjugated in the 8 dimensions of person, gender,plurality, tense, activity, modality, direct-object, and prepositional connective. For example the root Shin Mem Resh means to watch. The conjugations Shin-Mem-Resh-Tauv-Yud and Nun-Shin-Mem-Resh-Nun-Vav mean I watched and we were watched respectively.

The rules for Hebrew grammar are carefully described in many modern books and are well known. Rashi will sometimes comment when a verse is using a rare conjugation of an odd grammatical form.

When presenting grammatical Rashis my favorite reference is the appendix in volume 5 of the Ibn Shoshan dictionary. This very short appendix lists most conjugations.

Verse Nu25-04c discussing Moses order to execute the adulterers states And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up before the Lord in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. Rashi translates the Biblical word Hey-Vav-Kuph-Ayin as coming from the Biblical root Yud-Kuph-Ayin which means to hang . We have conveniently embedded the Rashi translation in the translation of the verse. The conjugation rule governing this Biblical word may be found by using tables 2, 10 in the Ibn Shoshan dictionary for the causative mode (Hifil).

Advanced Rashi: Several points should be made here. First: The root Yud-Kuph-Ayin has 2 weak letters - the first letter is a Yud and the last letter is an Ayin. Hence the conjugation of this root may be truly said to be rare. Second: We note that the cousin commentator, the Radak, classifies this root similarly in his definitive work, Roots. Finally we note the contrast that Yud-Kuph-Ayin means to hang while Kuph-Ayin-Ayin means to dislodge. Many Yud-2-3 roots indicate potential of the 2-3 root. In this case hanging would indicate an activity that is potentially dislodging. Indeed, every hanging does have the potential to dislodge. By reviewing a series of Yud-2-3 roots we could show many other examples where the prefix Yud in a root indicates potential. E.g. Yud-Kuph-Mem = to fulfill = the potential to rise up; Yud-Cheth-Mem = arousal = potential to become hot; Yud- Ayin-Tzade = advice = potential to become fruitful (Literally: potential to become tree-like.. There are many more.

The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Nu22-07, Nu22-08. Both verses/verselets discuss a request to Bilam to curse the Jews. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that: The Moabite princes and Midianite scholars both requested assistance from Bilam to curse the Jews. But Bilam hesitated and asked a night to think about it. The Midianite scholars interpreted hesitancy as a sign of weakness, concluded he was fake and left him.

Verse	Text of Verse	Rashi comment
Nu22-07	And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with divinations in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.	The Moabite princes and Midianite scholars both requested assistance from Bilam to curse the Jews. But Bilam hesitated and asked a night to think about it. The Midianite scholars interpreted hesitancy as a sign of weakness, concluded he was fake and left him.
Nu22-08	And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord shall speak to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

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 Nu22-04a Nu36-35 URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1223.htm Brief Summary: Although Moab and Midyan were enemies they united against the Jews showing that the hatred of Jews overcame their internal hatreds.

The table below presents two contradictory verses. Both verses talk about Moab-Edomite relations. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says Moab and Midyan were at war while the other verse says Moab sought an alliance with Midyan against their common enemy, the Jews. Which is it? Were Moab and Midyan enemies or allies? Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Aspects Method method: Moab and Midyan were enemies. But their enmity of the Jews was so great that it dwarfed their hatred and made them allies.

Summary	Verse / Source	Text of verse / Source
Moab and Midyan were enemies	Nu36-35	And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, .... 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. [Rashi: So apparently Midiam had an alliance with Edom against their common enemy, Moab.]
Moab and Midyan were enemies. But their enmity of the Jews was so great that it dwarfed their hatred and made them allies.	Nu22-04	And Moab sent to the elders of Midian: Now shall this company lick up all who are around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
Resolution:	2 Aspects	Moab and Midyan were enemies. But their enmity of the Jews was so great that it dwarfed their hatred and made them allies.

Advanced Rashi: This Rashi is modern in flavor with overtones and implications for possible alliances against Israel by nations that were formerly without diplomatic relations. It also sheds light on alliances relating to holocast activities of Nazi Germany.

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 Nu22-22c URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n1.htm Brief Summary: We generalize Bilam's behavior: A distinguished person should always take 2 servants on a journey (They talk to each other and leave him alone)

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in an example form. In other words an example of a law is stated rather than the full general rule. The reader's task is to generalize the example. The idea that all Biblical laws should be perceived as examples (unless otherwise indicated) is explicitly stated by Rashi (Pesachim 6.). This is a rule of style since the rule requires that a text be perceived as an example rather than interpreted literally. The Rabbi Ishmael style rules govern the interpretation of style.

Verse Nu22-22c discussing how Bilam journeyed states And God╞s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the Lord stood in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. Rashi commenting on the underlined phrases states: We generalize the underlined phrase: Any distinguished person like Bilam should take two servants with him on trips. This way the two servants talk to each other and the distinguished person avoids being involved in lower level conversations.

The climax principle asserts that a sequence of similar phrases should be interpreted climactically even if the words and grammatical constructs used do not directly suggest this. That is the fact of the sequence justifies reading into the Biblical text a climactic interpretation even if no other textual source justifies it. For this reason we consider the climax method a distinct and separate method.

Verse Nu22-12a discussing God's prohibition to Bilam to curse the jews is written in such a climactic manner as shown in the translation below. And God said to Balaam,
• You shall not go with them [those who wish to curse the Jews];
• [additionally] you [personally] shall not curse the people;
• [in fact don't do anything to the Jews - good or bad] for they are blessed.
We have embedded, in the translation, the Rashi comments which emphasize the climactic nature of the verse.

Today we ask the database query: Is God formal or does He use conversation openers to soften people up? The reader is encouraged to perform the query using a standard Biblical Konnkordance or search engine. These database queries yield the list below. The list justifies the following Rashi inference: God does use conversation openers and conversational styles. (1) Some prophets use these conversation openers which soften the confrontation and repent. (2) Some prophets obstinately continue their sin despite the conversation openers. (3) With some people (who did not sin) the conversational chatty style prepares them for a difficult prophecy. The list below presents the results of the database query and show examples

Advanced Rashi: The above Rashi is a treat. The Rashi is based upon a Midrash Rabbah. Rashi, in his usual terse style does not bring all examples. I have brought the full Midrash Rabbah to show how Rashi takes an entire Midrash and make a Rashi.

Of special note in this example is the fact that God, Himself,uses conversation openers. Rashi-ists frequently teach us that every word of the Torah must have some hidden deep meaning. This is not so! What is true is that every word is Holy. But holyness should not be equated with lack of redundancy. Redundancy in speech is an important social skill that enables us to maintain social relations. And if verbal redundancy has moral value (for our social relationships) it is a strong reason for God Himself setting an example and showing us how to use conversation openers.

Finally we point out Rashi's sense of humor. Rashi is not, like the Midrash Rabbah, a stuffy professor with elaborate database queries. Rashi also avoids playing the sermonist - that God used conversational openers to get people to repent. After all, Rashi would say, Bilam didn't repent. Indeed, he was evil. How could he repent. So Rashi humourously says God used a conversation opener to make him fail - Bilam would think God is asking the question because He didn't know and further rebel. From a psychological point of view the Rashi gives insights: Bilam was incapable of having a social life. He didn't even recognize a conversation opener when it was given to him. Everything with Bilam was an issue of power. No wonder he failed!

Verse Nu24-06c discussing the public sex of Simonite Governor Zimri with a Midianite princess states And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting. Why were they weeping? There is no textual hint why they were weeping. To answer this question Rashi uses real-world information and reasonable explanations. We call such an approach the fill-in method since we fill-in the text based on our knowledge of the world.

Rashi states: Recall that Moses married Tziproah, a daughter of a Midianite Priestess. But then it would look awkward to for Moses protesting a Simonite Governor having sex with a Midianite Priestess. The above is a reasonable philosophical explanation. Rashi, however, had a delightful sense of humor. His sense of humor facilitated memorizing his Rashi comments - a punchy joke you have heard once you remember forever; a philosophical insight you have heard several times you quickly forget!!! Let us see how Rashi re-expresses the above thought in humorous fashion. Rashi actually states: Zimri came to Moses and the congregational elders in public. He asked: Moses my master, may I marry this Midianite princess. Moses responded No. Zimri retorted:Then who allowed you to marry your Midianite wife. Hence the verse says And they were crying by the Temple door since they couldn't answer him.

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 Nu24-07a URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n1.htm Brief Summary: HIS SEED IS ON MANY WATERS metonomycally means HIS SEED IS VERY PROSPEROUS.

Verse Nu24-07, relating Bilam's poetic blessing to the Jewish people states
1. Water will be sprinkled from his [Jewish] wells,
2. his seed shall be on many waters,
3. his king shall be higher than Agag, and
4. his kingdom shall be exalted.
Rashi explains the symbolism in clause #(2): The metonomy method states that ideas can be indicated by stating related items. A simple example of metonomy is using a phrase like America defeated Iraq to indicate America defeated the Iraqii people. Here the people of Iraq is metonomycally related to the land of Iraq. In a similar manner the poet metonomycally relates the success of plant seeds with their being near many waters. Thus phrase #(2) above - his seed shall be on many waters - is simply a metonomy meaning his seed will be highly successful.