The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshath VaYaySheV
Volume 17, Number 14
This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables
will be accessible, on Sunday, at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1714.htm
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, Dec 16, 2011
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.

    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 Gn37-35a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1318.htm
    Brief Summary: ALL JACOB'S DAUGHTERS AROSE TO COMFORT HIM (Gn37-35a). This REFERENCES (Gn38-02) JUDAH ...MARRIED THE DAUGHTER OF A CANAANITE. So the word DAUGHTER means DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.

Verse Gn37-35a
Hebrew Verse וַיָּקֻמוּ כָל בָּנָיו וְכָל בְּנֹתָיו לְנַחֲמוֹ וַיְמָאֵן לְהִתְנַחֵם וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי אֵרֵד אֶל בְּנִי אָבֵל שְׁאֹלָה וַיֵּבְךְּ אֹתוֹ אָבִיו:
English Verse And all his sons and all his daughters arose to console him, but he refused to be consoled, for he said, Because I will descend on account of my son as a mourner to the grave; and his father wept for him.
Rashi Header Hebrew וכל בנתיו
Rashi Text Hebrew רבי יהודה אומר אחיות תאומות נולדו עם כל שבט ושבט ונשאום. רבי נחמיה אומר כנעניות היו, אלא מהו וכל בנותיו, כלותיו, שאין אדם נמנע מלקרוא לחתנו בנו ולכלתו בתו:
Rashi Header Enlish and all his daughters
Rashi Text English Rabbi Judah says: Twin sisters were born with every tribe, and they married them. Rabbi Nehemiah says: They were Canaanite women. But what is the meaning of“and all his daughters” ? A person does not hesitate to call his son-in-law his son and his daughter-in-law his daughter. [From Gen. Rabbah 84:21]

Verse Gn37-35a discussing who consoled Jacob during his bereavement states And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning. Thus his father wept for him. Rashi notes that the underlined words, daughters references verses Gn38-02 discussing Judah's marriage to a Canaanite woman. Hence the Rashi comment (Gn37-25) His daughters arose to console him during his bereavement, references verse Gn38-02, Judah married the daughter of a Canaanite woman. So the word daughters in Gn37-25 refers to Jacob's daughter-in-laws. And indeed it is common in all languages to refer to daughter-in-laws as daughters.

Text of Target Verse Gn37-25 Text of Reference Verse Gn38-02
And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning. Thus his father wept for him. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her [as a wife] , and went in to her.
Rashi comments: (Gn37-25) His daughters arose to console him during his bereavement, references verse Gn38-02, Judah married the daughter of a Canaanite woman. So the word daughters in Gn37-25 refers to Jacob's daughter-in-laws. And indeed it is common in all languages to refer to daughters as daughter-in-laws.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi also brings a second opinion. Based on an assortment of verses one can prove that Shimon married his sister Dinah. One can then generalize and argue that each of the 12 tribes married a sister. So the word daughters refers to actual daughters of Jacob which however are not mentioned in the Bible.

According to this second interpretation cited by Rashi, each of the 12 children of Jacob married a sister (just as Shimon married Dinah). According to this second opinion Judah never married a Canaanite. Hence this second opinion interprets Gn38-02 as meaning that Judah married the daughter of a merchant since the word Canaanite (when not a proper noun) refers to a merchant. This second opinion is also cited by Rashi Gn38-02a.

At root of the two interpretations is a discussion of how the Jewish people were formed. One opinion holds they came from Canaanites who repented. While another opinion is that they couldn't have come from Canaanites (Because they were irreversibly corrupted). Instead God had to create a miracle and each brother married a sister.

      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 Gn39-14b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: HEBREW comes from EYVER meaning OTHER SIDE and refers to a) Person EYVER who fathered cutting world into 2 sides, b) Abraham who stood on one side against world and c) Joseph who was an OUTSIDER (other side).

Verse Gn39-14b
Hebrew Verse וַתִּקְרָא לְאַנְשֵׁי בֵיתָהּ וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם לֵאמֹר רְאוּ הֵבִיא לָנוּ אִישׁ עִבְרִי לְצַחֶק בָּנוּ בָּא אֵלַי לִשְׁכַּב עִמִּי וָאֶקְרָא בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל:
English Verse that she called to the people of her house, and she spoke to them, saying, Look! He brought us a Hebrew man to mock us. He came to me to lie with me, but I called loudly.
Rashi Header Hebrew עברי
Rashi Text Hebrew מעבר הנהר, מבני עבר:
Rashi Header Enlish Hebrew
Rashi Text English Heb. עִבְרִי, from the other side of the river (עֵבֶר הַנָהָר) from the sons of Eber (Gen. Rabbah 42:8). (Other editions: from the other side of the river.)

Verse Gn39-14a discussing how Potifar ranks out Joseph for allegedly making advances on her states That she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice; This is the first time in the Bible that Jews are called Hebrews from the Hebrew Eyver.

    Rashi derives the meaning of the word Hebrew from its root Eyver. Rashi presents a variety of reasons for the etymology. Very often words will have multiple explanations.
  • The Jews are descendants of Abraham who are descendants of Eyver the person who fathered the split of the world into factions(Gn11-16, Gn10-21, Gn10-25.)
  • Eyver literally means side. So to speak, the world is on one side while we (the Jews) are on the other side (So here Potifar's wife was poking fun on Joseph who came from the other side, that is, was an outsider.)
  • Chazal however state that Abraham stood on one side of the world against everybody. Here side is seen as referring to standing up for oneself.

Notice how the side in the name Eyver who fathered the split of the world mirrors Abraham's further split of the world by also standing on the side of monotheism. Such multiple meanings and echoing nuances are common in etymologies.

      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 Gn37-31b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: English indicates construct using OF. Hebrew indicates CONSTRUCT using two word forms.

Verse Gn37-31b
Hebrew Verse וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת כְּתֹנֶת יוֹסֵף וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שְׂעִיר עִזִּים וַיִּטְבְּלוּ אֶת הַכֻּתֹּנֶת בַּדָּם:
English Verse And they took Joseph's coat, and they slaughtered a kid, and they dipped the coat in the blood.
Rashi Header Hebrew הכתנת
Rashi Text Hebrew זה שמה, וכשהיא דבוקה לתיבה אחרת כגון (פסוק לא) כתנת יוסף, (פסוק ג) כתנת פסים, (ויקרא טז ד) כתנת בד, נקוד כתנת:
Rashi Header Enlish the coat
Rashi Text English Heb. הַכֻּתֹּנֶת. This is its name. [I.e. this is the absolute state.] But when it is connected to another word [i.e. in the construct state], as in“Joseph’s coat” (כְּתֹנֶת יוֹסֵף) ,“a fine woolen coat” (כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִים) (above, verse 3), [and]“a linen shirt” (כְּתֹנֶת בַּד) (Lev. 16:4), it is vowelized כְּתֹנֶת.

Verse Gn37-31 states And they took coat of Joseph, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; Rashi comments: The phrase coat of Joseph uses the construct ( coat of) and hence is punctuated in Hebrew, Kuh-To-Neth while the second underlined phrase coat occurs absolutely without a construct and is punctuated Koo-To-Neth. In other words while English uses the word of to distinguish between the construct and non-construct, Hebrew uses two different punctuations for the construct vs. non-construct.

Advanced Rashi: The reader may wonder why Rashi explains this. After all, schoolchildren routinely learn the difference between construct and non-construct. However grammar was just beginning in Rashi's time and one of his major functions was to communicate grammatical rules to his readers who had no other way of finding them out.

    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 Gn40-13a Gn40-13b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n23.htm
    Brief Summary: Pharoh will a) count you among his staff and b) restore you to your leadership position (as Maitre-de of wine).

Verse Gn40-13a
Hebrew Verse בְּעוֹד שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים יִשָּׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת רֹאשֶׁךָ וַהֲשִׁיבְךָ עַל כַּנֶּךָ וְנָתַתָּ כוֹס פַּרְעֹה בְּיָדוֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיִיתָ מַשְׁקֵהוּ:
English Verse In another three days, Pharaoh will number you [with the other officers], and he will restore you to your position, and you will place Pharaoh's cup into his hand, according to [your] previous custom, when you were his cupbearer.
Rashi Header Hebrew ישא פרעה את ראשך
Rashi Text Hebrew לשון חשבון, כשיפקוד שאר עבדיו לשרת לפניו בסעודה ימנה אותך עמהם:
Rashi Header Enlish Pharaoh will number you
Rashi Text English Heb. יִשָׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת-רֹאשׁ‏ֶ, lit., will raise your head, an expression of numbering. When he counts the rest of his servants to serve him at the feast, he will count you along with them.

The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Gn40-13a Gn40-13b Both verses/verselets discuss the restoration of the Maitre-de of wine from prison. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that: The Maitre-de of wine would have two things returned: a) He would be reinstated as Pharoh's staff (out of prison) and b) he would be reinstated to his former position of leadership - Maitre-de of wine.

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Gn40-13a In three days Pharoh will
  • count you among his staff and
  • return you to your former position.
The Maitre-de of wine would have two things returned:
  • a) He would be reinstated as Pharoh's staff (out of prison) and
  • b) he would be reinstated to his former position of leadership - Maitre-de of wine.
Gn40-13b In three days Pharoh will
  • count you among his staff and
  • return you to your former position.

Advanced Rashi: The nuances of Rashi's comment should be clear: Pharoh will not only pardon the maitre-de's prison sentence and restore him to his staff; Pharoh will also restore him to his former position (total forgiveness)

      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 Gn37-28a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1318.htm
      Brief Summary: a) The brothers wanted to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites b) But they then sold him to the Midianites who just passed by c) And the Midianites sold him to the Ishmaelites.

Verse Gn37-28a
Hebrew Verse וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִדְיָנִים סֹחֲרִים וַיִּמְשְׁכוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת יוֹסֵף מִן הַבּוֹר וַיִּמְכְּרוּ אֶת יוֹסֵף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים בְּעֶשְׂרִים כָּסֶף וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת יוֹסֵף מִצְרָיְמָה:
English Verse Then Midianite men, merchants, passed by, and they pulled and lifted Joseph from the pit, and they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver [pieces], and they brought Joseph to Egypt.
Rashi Header Hebrew ויעברו אנשים מדינים
Rashi Text Hebrew זו היא שיירא אחרת, והודיעך הכתוב שנמכר פעמים הרבה:
Rashi Header Enlish Then Midianite men, merchants, passed by
Rashi Text English This is another caravan, and Scripture informs you that he was sold many times. [From Tanchuma Buber, Vayeshev 13]

The table below presents two contradictory verses. Both verses speak about the sale of Joseph. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says let us sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites....they sold him to the Ishmaelites while the other verse states And Midianite merchants passed by and they sold Joseph to them. We see the contradiction---was Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites or Midianites. Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Stages method: (a) The brothers intended to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites. (b) But then Midianite merchants passed by and they pulled Joseph out of the pit [and sold him to the Midianites.] And then (c) the Midianites sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Lets sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites Gn37-27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers were content.
Joseph was sold to the Midianites Gn37-28 Then there passed by Midianites merchants; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out from the pit [and the brothers sold Joseph to the Midianites], and [the Midianites] sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver; and they brought Joseph to Egypt.
Resolution: 2 Aspects
  • (a) The brothers intended to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites.
  • (b) But then Midianite merchants passed by and they pulled Joseph out of the pit [and sold him to the Midianites.]
  • And then (c) the Midianites sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi explains the point in the multiple sales. This teaches that Joseph was sold many times. I would add It also shows Joseph's helplessness. Even if they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, they couldn't assure he would remain with them. Joseph, once he became a slave, was an object with a value. Anyone passing by with a better money offer could buy him out. Finally we could add It shows the greatness of the miracle. No one person or act caused Joseph to end up in Egypt. Rather he ended up in Egypt after multiple sales as an act of God.

    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 Gn37-02b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n23.htm
    Brief Summary: Joseph was a) 17 and b) immature - [Rashi: groomed his hair, tattletailed, suspected people of affairs.]

Verse Gn37-02b
Hebrew Verse אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה רֹעֶה אֶת אֶחָיו בַּצֹּאן וְהוּא נַעַר אֶת בְּנֵי בִלְהָה וְאֶת בְּנֵי זִלְפָּה נְשֵׁי אָבִיו וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל אֲבִיהֶם:
English Verse These are the generations of Jacob: when Joseph was seventeen years old, being a shepherd, he was with his brothers with the flocks, and he was a lad, [and was] with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil tales about them to their father.
Rashi Header Hebrew והוא נער
Rashi Text Hebrew שהיה עושה מעשה נערות, מתקן בשערו ממשמש בעיניו, כדי שיהיה נראה יפה:
Rashi Header Enlish and he was a lad
Rashi Text English He behaved childishly, fixing his hair and touching up his eyes so that he would appear handsome. [From Gen. Rabbah 84:7]

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a detail-Theme form. In other words a detailed specific passage is stated first followed by a thematic restatement of a broad general nature. Today's example illustrates this as shown below.

    Verse Gn37-02b discussing Joseph's mannerism states
  • Detail: Joseph was 17 years old
  • General: And he behaved like a kid with the sons of the handmaids...

    Rashi interprets the underlined verbal form of kid, behaved like a kid, as indicating
  • excessive grooming
  • tattletailing (mentioned explicitly in the verse)
  • exaggerating normal sexual fears and wonders about people.

It is important to emphasize what Rashi is and is not doing. Rashi is not inferring from the verbal phrase behaving like a kid that Joseph excessively groomed, tattletailed and exaggerated normal sexual fears and wonders.

Rather, Rashi is inferring from the detail-general style - 17 years old - behaved like a kid that Joseph did typical behaviors of an immature 17 year old.

Having established this general fact Rashi then enumerates three primary typical immature behaviors: excessive grooming, tattletailing, exaggeration of sexual fears and wonders.

In other words the driving force for the Rashi comment is not meaning but the paragraph style which indicates a general statement of immature behavior. Rashi then used his knowledge of psychology to provide three broad areas of immaturity.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi goes further: Rashi points out that Joseph was punished for each of these immature acts. For example since Joseph was obsessed with grooming he eventually was approached by his master's wife which got him into trouble when he refused.

However Rashi's primary purpose on this verse was to present the fact of immaturity and sketch immaturity patterns. A secondary purpose of Rashi was to indicate God's method of justice. We will therefore discuss God's justice elsewhere.

    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 Gn39-01a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n23.htm
    Brief Summary: Joseph's brothers, on Judah's advice, sold him - (Judah had to separate from his brothers) - Joseph sold to Egypt.

Verse Gn39-01a
Hebrew Verse וְיוֹסֵף הוּרַד מִצְרָיְמָה וַיִּקְנֵהוּ פּוֹטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים אִישׁ מִצְרִי מִיַּד הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹרִדֻהוּ שָׁמָּה:
English Verse Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, Pharaoh's chamberlain, chief of the slaughterers, an Egyptian man, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.
Rashi Header Hebrew ויוסף הורד
Rashi Text Hebrew חוזר לענין ראשון, אלא שהפסיק בו כדי לסמוך ירידתו של יהודה למכירתו של יוסף לומר לך שבשבילו הורידוהו מגדולתו. ועוד, כדי לסמוך מעשה אשתו של פוטיפר למעשה תמר, לומר לך מה זו לשם שמים אף זו לשם שמים, שראתה באצטרולוגין שלה שעתידה להעמיד בנים ממנו ואינה יודעת אם ממנה אם מבתה:
Rashi Header Enlish Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt
Rashi Text English [Scripture] returns to the previous topic, which it had interrupted in order to juxtapose the demotion of Judah with the selling of Joseph, to imply that because of him (Joseph), they (his brothers) demoted him (Judah) from his high position; and also to juxtapose the incident of Potiphar’s wife with the incident of Tamar, to tell you that just as that one [the incident of Tamar] was meant for the sake of heaven, so too this one [the incident of Potiphar’s wife] was meant for the sake of heaven. For she saw through her astrology that she was destined to raise children from him (Joseph), but she did not know whether [they would be] from her or from her daughter. [From Gen. Rabbah 85:2]

Both the Biblical and modern author use the paragraph as a vehicle for indicating commonality of theme. Hence if two ideas are in a paragraph they may be assumed to have a similar context. The reader will no doubt recognize this formatting rule as none other than the most intuitive of the Rabbi Ishmael style rules which orthodox Jews recite every day as part of their daily prayer: the rule of inference from context. Today's example illustrates this.

    There are three broad methods of paragraph unity:
  • cause-effect
  • contrast
  • unifying theme with multiple effects

    Paragraphs Gn37 - Gn39 have the following structure:
  1. Gn37 Joseph's brother, on Judah's advice, sell him
  2. Gn38 Judah separates from brothers - goes into business with merchants
  3. Gn39 Joseph sold to Egypt where he is successful.

    Rashi sees
  • Paragraphs #1 and #3 as having a common theme
  • Paragraphs #1 and #2 having a cause-effect relationship.

In other words: Joseph, on Judah's advice, was sold by his brothers down to Egypt where he was successful. The brother's blaimed Judah for giving this advice and he was forced to separate from his brothers.

Grammatically Rashi characterizes this sequence of three paragraphs as a parenthetical interrupt. That is, paragraph #3 is a continuation of paragraph #1. Paragraph #2 interrupts the paragraph #1-#3 sequence. Paragraph #2 interrupts this sequence to emphasize that paragraph #1 indicates the cause of paragraph #2. In our situation this means that Judah's separation from his brothers was due to blaim for advice to sell Joseph.

      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 Gn37-01a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn37-01a.htm
      Brief Summary: Biblical style focuses on the excelling person in a group and token mentions the others.

Verse Gn37-01a
Hebrew Verse וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן:
English Verse Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
Rashi Header Hebrew וישב יעקב וגו'
Rashi Text Hebrew אחר שכתב לך ישובי עשו ותולדותיו בדרך קצרה, שלא היו ספונים [הגונים] וחשובים לפרש היאך נתיישבו וסדר מלחמותיהם איך הורישו את החורים, פירש לך ישובי יעקב ותולדותיו בדרך ארוכה כל גלגולי סבתם, לפי שהם חשובים לפני המקום להאריך בהם. וכן אתה מוצא בעשרה דורות שמאדם ועד נח, פלוני הוליד פלוני, וכשבא לנח האריך בו. וכן בעשרה דורות שמנח ועד אברהם קצר בהם, ומשהגיע אצל אברהם האריך בו. משל למרגלית שנפלה בין החול, אדם ממשמש בחול וכוברו בכברה עד שמוצא את המרגלית, ומשמצאה הוא משליך את הצרורות מידו ונוטל המרגלית. (דבר אחר וישב יעקב הפשתני הזה נכנסו גמליו טעונים פשתן, הפחמי תמה אנה יכנס כל הפשתן הזה, היה פיקח אחד משיב לו ניצוץ אחד יוצא ממפוח שלך ששורף את כולו, כך יעקב ראה כל האלופים הכתובים למעלה, תמה ואמר מי יכול לכבוש את כולן, מה כתיב למטה (פסוק ב) אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף, דכתיב (עובדיה א יח) והיה בית יעקב אש ובית יוסף להבה ובית עשו לקש, ניצוץ יוצא מיוסף שמכלה ושורף את כולם):
Rashi Header Enlish Jacob dwelt
Rashi Text English Scripture described Esau’s settlements and his generations, [but only] briefly, because they were not distinguished nor important enough to elaborate on [in detail] how they settled and the order of their wars, [or] how they drove out the Horites. [In contrast] it (Scripture) elaborates at length on the settlements of Jacob and his generations, and all the events that brought these about, since they were [considered] important [enough] to the Omnipresent to dwell upon at length. Similarly, you find regarding the ten generations from Adam to Noah: So-and-so begot so-and-so, but when it (Scripture) reached Noah, it dwelt upon him at length. Likewise, with the ten generations from Noah to Abraham, it dealt [only] briefly with them, but when it reached Abraham, it dwelt upon him at length. This can be compared to a pearl that falls into the sand: A person searches in the sand and sifts it with a sieve until he finds the pearl, and when he finds it, he casts the pebbles from his hand and keeps the pearl. (Another interpretation of “Jacob dwelt” -The camels of a flax dealer [once] entered [a town], laden with flax. The blacksmith wondered, “Where will all this flax go?” One clever fellow answered him, “One spark will come out of your bellows, which will burn it all.” So did Jacob see all the chieftains [of Esau] mentioned above (36:15-19, 40-43). He wondered and said, “Who can conquer them all?” What is written below? “These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph” (verse 2), only, and it is written: “And the house of Jacob shall be fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become stubble” (Obadiah 1:18). One spark will emerge from Joseph, which will destroy and consume them all. From an old Rashi.) [From Tanchuma Vayeshev 1]

    We ask the following database query: If one person excels in a group how much space does the Bible devote to discussions of the group vs. the individual? 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: The answer to the question, When one person excels in a group how does the Bible record the history of group/person? is
    • The Bible token mentions everyone in the group--typically for a verse or 2
    • The Bible devotes a lot of text to the person who excels
    The list below presents the results of the database query. Rashi brings the first 3 examples in the list below. We have supplemented this list with two further examples. In each example in this list the excelling person has a great deal of Biblical text devoted to him while the surrounding group has minimal text devoted (2-3 verses per person).

Verses Group Who excels Many verses to whom
Gn05, Gn06 10 Generations-Adam-Noach Noach Noach
Gn11, Gn12 10 Generations from Noach to Abraham Abraham Abraham
Gn36, Gn37 History of Isaac's children: Esauv, Jacob Joseph, Jacob's son Joseph
Nu07, Nu08 Gifts of tribes at Consecration of Temple Aaron's gift Aaron
1C01, 1C12, 1C13, 1C17 Human history - Adam-David King David King David

With regard to the last example, Chronicles is giving a political history and hence someone like David is more important (politically) than say Abraham and Moses (Who were more important prophetically).

      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 Gn38-28a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn38-28a.htm
      Brief Summary: Rashi diagrams the birth of the twins: a)Twin A sticks out hand b) Twin A's hand back to womb c) Twin B comes out first d) Twin A comes out second.

Verse Gn38-28a
Hebrew Verse וַיְהִי בְלִדְתָּהּ וַיִּתֶּן יָד וַתִּקַּח הַמְיַלֶּדֶת וַתִּקְשֹׁר עַל יָדוֹ שָׁנִי לֵאמֹר זֶה יָצָא רִאשֹׁנָה:
English Verse And it came about when she gave birth, that he (the infant) stretched out his hand. So the midwife took and bound a crimson thread on his hand, saying, This one came out first.
Rashi Header Hebrew ויתן יד
Rashi Text Hebrew הוציא האחד ידו לחוץ, ולאחר שקשרה על ידו השני החזירה:
Rashi Header Enlish that he (the infant) stretched out his hand
Rashi Text English One of them stretched his hand to the outside, and after she (the midwife) bound the crimson thread on it, he drew it back.

    Verses Gn38-27:30 discussing the birth of Tamar's twins states And it came to pass in the time of her labor, that, behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she labored, that one put out his hand; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out; and she said, What a breach you have made for yourself. Therefore his name was called Perez. And afterward came out his brother, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zarah. Rashi provides clarification by so-to-speak diagramming what happened. Rashi accomplishes this by adding the bracketed words.
    • Twins were in her womb
    • Twin A put his hand out and the midwife tied a band saying twin A is first
    • But twin A then withdrew his hand [back into the womb]
    • Then Twin B came out [first]
    • Then Twin A (with the band) came out [second]
    Diagram Rashi's are not always considered profound - rather they simply illustrate sequences of events.

      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 Gn40-16a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n23.htm
      Brief Summary: Three [days till my] baskets [body] with holes [is exposed vulnerable] on [after] my head [my beheading]

Verse Gn40-16a
Hebrew Verse וַיַּרְא שַׂר הָאֹפִים כִּי טוֹב פָּתָר וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל יוֹסֵף אַף אֲנִי בַּחֲלוֹמִי וְהִנֵּה שְׁלֹשָׁה סַלֵּי חֹרִי עַל רֹאשִׁי:
English Verse Now the chief baker saw that he had interpreted well. So he said to Joseph, Me too! In my dream, behold, there were three wicker baskets on my head.
Rashi Header Hebrew סלי חורי
Rashi Text Hebrew סלים של נצרים קלופים עשוים חורין חורין, ובמקומנו יש הרבה, ודרך מוכרי פת כסנין שקורין אובלידיש [רקיקים] לתתם באותן סלים: 
Rashi Header Enlish wicker baskets
Rashi Text English Heb. סַלֵי חֹרִי, baskets of peeled willows, made with many holes (חוֹרִין חוֹרִין). In our country (France) there are many [such baskets], and it is the custom of the venders of hollow wafers, known as o(u) blies, to put them into such baskets.

We all know that the three baskets in the chief baker dream corresponded to three days to execution. In the table below we interpret other aspects of the baker's dream. For example the holed baskets symbolize an exposed body (after beheading). This aspect of the symbolic interpretation of the baker's dream is often overlooked!

We could summarize the table as follows: I saw [that in] three days my basket [body] is holed [exposed / vulnerable]. And even though the] topmost [goal] basket [of my being was providing ] all types of royal food, professional baker standards, to Pharoh, [nevertheless] the birds were eating them [my flesh] from the basket [my body] on [upon] my head [after my beheading].

Verse text Symbolic interpretation Source
My dream showed My dream predicted that in Joseph/ Bible
three three days Joseph/ Bible
holed there is exposure / vulnerability to my Rashi / Me
baskets body Me
on after Hebrew Grammar
my head; my beheading Joseph/ Bible
And in the uppermost basket there were Even though my uppermost goal in life was providing Me
all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh; all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh;
and the birds ate them out of the basket nevertheless the birds ate my flesh from my body Joseph / Bible
upon after Hebrew Grammar
my head. my beheading Joseph / Bible.

Advanced Rashi: The above table uses the so called linear translation method. This method was introduced (or popularized) by Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Sharfman in his Linear Translation of the Bible and Rashi. Rabbi Sharfman's linear translation is still very popular among those who are beginners in learning Rashi. Rabbi Sharfman was in fact Rabbi of my synaggoue when I was young and I spent many enjoyable Shabbath afternoons listening to his very lucid explanations of Rashi.

Conclusion

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