The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshath MishPaTiM
Volume 17, Number 23
This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables
will be accessible, on Sunday, at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1723.htm
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, Feb 14 2012
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 Ex23-19a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
    Brief Summary: The command to bring first-fruits to the temple (Ex23-19) is detailed in Dt26-02

Verse Ex23-19a
Hebrew Verse רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ תָּבִיא בֵּית יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ:
English Verse The choicest of the first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the Lord, your God. You shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk.
Rashi Header Hebrew ראשית בכורי אדמתך
Rashi Text Hebrew אף השביעית חייבת בבכורים, לכך נאמר אף כאן בכורי אדמתך. כיצד, אדם נכנס לתוך שדהו, ורואה תאנה שבכרה, כורך עליה גמי לסימן ומקדישה. ואין בכורים אלא משבעת המינין האמורין במקרא (דברים ח ח) ארץ חטה ושעורה וגו':
Rashi Header Enlish The choicest of the first fruits of your soil
Rashi Text English Even in the seventh year, the offering of bikkurim is obligatory. Therefore, it is stated here, too: “the first fruits of your soil.” How are the bikkurim chosen? A person enters his field and sees a fig that has ripened. He winds a blade of grass around it as a sign and sanctifies it. Bikkurim are [brought as an offering] only from the seven species enumerated in Scripture: “A land of wheat and barley, and vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-yielding olives and honey” (Deut. 8:8). -[From Bik. 3:1]

Verse Ex23-19a discussing the command to bring first fruits to the Temple states The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of HaShem thy G-d. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk. Rashi clarifies the underlined words first fruits by referencing verse Dt26-01:02 which states And it shall be, when you come in to the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and live in it; That you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the earth, which you shall bring of your land that the Lord your God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose to place his name there. Hence the Rashi comment: (a) 'When you come take the first fruit' implies that when you go down to your field and see the first date or olive that you tie a string around it and declare 'This is first fruit.' (b) Other laws are inferred from Dt26-02: It says that you should take from the first fruit emphasizing that not all first fruits are given but only special ones such as the first fruit of the 7 species for which Israel was known. Other details to these laws are also stated in Dt26.

Text of Target verse Ex20-19a Text of Reference Verse Dt26-01:02
The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of HaShem thy G-d. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk. And it shall be, when you come in to the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and live in it; That you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the earth, which you shall bring of your land that the Lord your God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose to place his name there.
Rashi comments: (a) 'When you come take the first fruit' implies that when you go down to your field and see the first date or olive that you tie a string around it and declare 'This is first fruit.' (b) Other laws are inferred from Dt26-02: It says that you should take from the first fruit emphasizing that not all first fruits are given but only special ones such as the first fruit of the 7 species for which Israel was known. Other details to these laws are also stated in Dt26.

      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 Ex23-05c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
      Brief Summary: PERHAPS you will see the donkey of your enemy overburdened with transport and you will abstain from helping him? You must, WITH HIS HELP, UNLOAD UNLOAD.

Verse Ex23-05c
Hebrew Verse כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ:
English Verse If you see your enemy's donkey lying under its burden would you refrain from helping him? You shall surely help along with him.
Rashi Header Hebrew עזב תעזב עמו
Rashi Text Hebrew עזיבה זו לשון עזרה, וכן (דברים לב לו) עצור ועזוב, וכן (נחמיה ג ח) ויעזבו ירושלם עד החומה, מלאוה עפר לעזוב ולסייע את חוזק החומה. כיוצא בו (דברים ז יז) כי תאמר בלבבך רבים הגוים האלה ממני וגו', שמא תאמר כן, בתמיה, לא תירא מהם. ומדרשו, כך דרשו רבותינו כי תראה וחדלת פעמים שאתה חדל ופעמים שאתה עוזר. הא כיצד, זקן ואינו לפי כבודו, וחדלת, או בהמת נכרי ומשאוי ישראל, וחדלת:
Rashi Header Enlish You shall surely help along with him
Rashi Text English Heb. עָזֹב ךְתַּעִזֹב עִמוֹ. This עִזִיבָה is an expression of help, and similarly, “restrained or assisted (וְעָזוּב) ” (Deut. 32:36, I Kings 14:10), and similarly, “and they strengthened (וַיַּעַזְבוּ) Jerusalem until the… wall” (Neh. 3:8), [which means] they filled it with earth to strengthen and reinforce the strength of the wall. Similarly, [following Rashi’s rendering that the word כִּי means “perhaps,”] “Will you perhaps כִּי say in your heart, ‘These nations are more numerous than I’” (Deut. 7:17) ? Will you perhaps say so? This is the interrogative. [The verse thus tells you:] “Do not fear them.” Midrashically, our Rabbis interpreted it [the verse] as follows: If you see…, you may refrain; [meaning that] sometimes you may refrain [from helping someone], and sometimes you must help. How so [can this be judged]? An elder who [finds it] beneath his dignity [to unload a donkey]- “You may refrain” (Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, Midrash Hagadol). Or if the animal belongs to a gentile and the burden belongs to an Israelite, you may refrain. -[From Mechilta, B.M. 32b]

Todays example combines word meaning, formatting, and grammar rules.

The special word method deals with the few dozen special words that exist in all languages. Familiar examples are also, when, that, because, only, this,.... Rashi's job, when he comments on a special connective words, is to list the varied nuances and usages of the word. The most famous example is the Hebrew word Kaph Yud which can mean because, that, when, perhaps, rather, if. Sometimes Rashi explicitly gives all meanings of a connective word as happens with Kaph Yud while at other times Rashi does not give all meanings at once. In such a case the student must gather all the meanings together from various places.

    The Hebrew word KI can mean
  • When As in Dt32-03a When I mention God's name acknowledge greatness to our God
  • that As in Nu20-29c The nation saw that Aaron died
  • If As in Ex34-09a If they (the Jews) are stiff-necked then you will forgive their iniquities and their sins and help us inherit the land
  • because As in Gn18-15a ...Sarah denied it saying 'I did not laugh', because she was afraid
  • rather As in Dt15-08b ...And you will eye evil-ly your poor brother and not give him (charity); rather open open your hand to him...
  • Perhaps As in Ex23-05c Perhaps you will see the donkey of your enemy overburdened with transport and you will abstain from helping him? surely you must, with his help, unload.

Advanced Rashi: In this case we have incorporated the Rashi comment into the translation of the verse. This incorporation technique is very useful when discussing Rashis on translations.

We have only commmented on the meaning of the Hebrew word Ki. However there are two other Rashi comments on this verse. One explains the use of the pronomial phrase with his help; this will be explained in rule #3 below, grammar. The other explains the use of repetition; help him unload unload which will be explained in rule #7 below format.

      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 Ex23-05c
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
      Brief Summary: PERHAPS you will see the donkey of your enemy overburdened with transport and you will abstain from helping him? You must, WITH HIS HELP, UNLOAD UNLOAD.

Verse Ex23-05c
Hebrew Verse כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ:
English Verse If you see your enemy's donkey lying under its burden would you refrain from helping him? You shall surely help along with him.
Rashi Header Hebrew עזב תעזב עמו
Rashi Text Hebrew עזיבה זו לשון עזרה, וכן (דברים לב לו) עצור ועזוב, וכן (נחמיה ג ח) ויעזבו ירושלם עד החומה, מלאוה עפר לעזוב ולסייע את חוזק החומה. כיוצא בו (דברים ז יז) כי תאמר בלבבך רבים הגוים האלה ממני וגו', שמא תאמר כן, בתמיה, לא תירא מהם. ומדרשו, כך דרשו רבותינו כי תראה וחדלת פעמים שאתה חדל ופעמים שאתה עוזר. הא כיצד, זקן ואינו לפי כבודו, וחדלת, או בהמת נכרי ומשאוי ישראל, וחדלת:
Rashi Header Enlish You shall surely help along with him
Rashi Text English Heb. עָזֹב ךְתַּעִזֹב עִמוֹ. This עִזִיבָה is an expression of help, and similarly, “restrained or assisted (וְעָזוּב) ” (Deut. 32:36, I Kings 14:10), and similarly, “and they strengthened (וַיַּעַזְבוּ) Jerusalem until the… wall” (Neh. 3:8), [which means] they filled it with earth to strengthen and reinforce the strength of the wall. Similarly, [following Rashi’s rendering that the word כִּי means “perhaps,”] “Will you perhaps כִּי say in your heart, ‘These nations are more numerous than I’” (Deut. 7:17) ? Will you perhaps say so? This is the interrogative. [The verse thus tells you:] “Do not fear them.” Midrashically, our Rabbis interpreted it [the verse] as follows: If you see…, you may refrain; [meaning that] sometimes you may refrain [from helping someone], and sometimes you must help. How so [can this be judged]? An elder who [finds it] beneath his dignity [to unload a donkey]- “You may refrain” (Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, Midrash Hagadol). Or if the animal belongs to a gentile and the burden belongs to an Israelite, you may refrain. -[From Mechilta, B.M. 32b]

Todays example combines word meaning, formatting, and grammar rules.

Two familiar functions of grammar in all languages are pronoun reference and plurality.

Hebrew is more flexible than English in pronoun reference. However Hebrew frequently follows the rule in all languages that a pronoun refers to the last mentioned person.

    Biblical Hebrew, in general, has two methods of indicating pronouns
    • Suffix: For example if I wanted to say Help him I would add a suffix Nun-Vav to the verb meaning help. The suffix nun-vav means that the indirect object of the help should be him.
    • Full word: However when a full word is used for a pronoun it indicates emphasis: Only to that person.
    This beautiful suffix-word distinction was developed by the great modern commentator, Malbim. Malbim uses this principle numerous times, especially throughout Leviticus to explain various exegetical laws.

In verse Ex23-05 the English phrase with him is indicated by an entire word (vs. a suffix) thus indicating emphasis. I have captured the essence of this emphasis by translating you must, with his help unload. Rashi (following the Mechiltah brought down in the Talmud) states Does the command to help unload a donkey imply that the owner of the donkey can maliciously sit down in the shade and order me to unload by myself since I am commanded to? No! For this reason it states you must with his help unload. Again we emphasize that the driving force of this exegesis is the use of an entire word to indicate a pronoun indicating extra emphasis.

    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 Ex21-15a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1207.htm
    Brief Summary: 1)Fatal blows to a parent/non-parent results in a death penalty. 2)Non fatal blows to a non-parent result in monetary penalty 3)Non fatal blows to a parent result in a death penalty

Verse Ex21-15a
Hebrew Verse וּמַכֵּה אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מוֹת יוּמָת:
English Verse And one who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
Rashi Header Hebrew ומכה אביו ואמו
Rashi Text Hebrew לפי שלמדנו על החובל בחבירו שהוא בתשלומין ולא במיתה, הוצרך לומר על החובל באביו שהוא במיתה, ואינו חייב אלא בהכאה שיש בה חבורה:
Rashi Header Enlish And one who strikes his father or his mother
Rashi Text English Since we learned that one who strikes one’s fellow is liable to make monetary compensation (Exod. 21:18, 19, 24, 25), but he is not liable to death, the text had to state that one who strikes his father is liable to the death penalty, but he is not liable except for a blow that causes a wound. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 84b]

    The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Ex21-15a, Ex21-12, Lv24-17, Lv24-19 Both verses/verselets discuss blows to people. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that:
    • Fatal blows to a parent/non-parent results in a death penalty.
    • Non fatal blows to a non-parent result in monetary penalty
    • Non fatal blows to a parent result in a death penalty

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Ex21-12, Lv24-17
  • Lv24-17 And he who kills any man shall surely be put to death.
  • Lv24-19And if a man causes a blemish in his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to him;
  • Ex21-12 He who strikes a man, so that he dies, shall be surely put to death.
  • Ex21-15 And he who strikes his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death
  • Fatal blows to a parent/non-parent results in a death penalty.
  • Non fatal blows to a non-parent result in monetary penalty
  • Non fatal blows to a parent result in a death penalty
Ex21-15, Lv24-19
  • Lv24-17 And he who kills any man shall surely be put to death.
  • Lv24-19And if a man causes a blemish in his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to him;
  • Ex21-12 He who strikes a man, so that he dies, shall be surely put to death.
  • Ex21-15 And he who strikes his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death

Advanced Rashi: This Rashi is a particularly good example of the alignment method. Notice in the four verses the difference in the underlined passages: kills, dies, strikes, blemish... Also notice the difference in the punishment clauses: put to death, so shall be done to him, put to death, put to death. A common improper formulation of Talmudic exegesis is The Talmudic Rabbis focused on the exact meaning and nuance of each word, particularly extra words. We have not used this rule. We believe the proper approach is that The Talmudic Rabbis focused on blatant differences in aligned similar verses. These blatant differences in otherwise similar verses indicate intended differences in legal consequence. Such a view is more palatable and leads to a more reasonable understanding of Talmudic exegesis.

      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 Ex21-04a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1207.htm
      Brief Summary: If a master gives his slave a [non jewish] woman, the slave goes free but but the woman and her children belong to the master.

Verse Ex21-04a
Hebrew Verse אִם אֲדֹנָיו יִתֶּן לוֹ אִשָּׁה וְיָלְדָה לוֹ בָנִים אוֹ בָנוֹת הָאִשָּׁה וִילָדֶיהָ תִּהְיֶה לַאדֹנֶיהָ וְהוּא יֵצֵא בְגַפּוֹ:
English Verse If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone.
Rashi Header Hebrew אם א-דניו יתן לו אשה
Rashi Text Hebrew מכאן שהרשות ביד רבו למסור לו שפחה כנענית להוליד ממנה עבדים. או אינו אלא בישראלית, תלמוד לומר האשה וילדיה תהיה לאדוניה, הא אינו מדבר אלא בכנענית, שהרי העבריה אף היא יוצאה בשש, ואפילו לפני שש אם הביאה סימנין יוצאה, שנאמר (דברים טו יב) אחיך העברי או העבריה, מלמד, שאף העבריה יוצאה בשש:
Rashi Header Enlish If his master gives him a wife
Rashi Text English From here we deduce that his master has the option to give him [the slave] a Canaanite maidservant [in order] to beget slaves from her. Or, perhaps this means only an Israelite woman? Therefore, Scripture says: “The woman and her children shall belong to her master.” Thus, He is speaking only about a Canaanite woman, for a Hebrew woman she, too, goes free after six [years], and even before six [years], when she develops signs [of puberty], she goes free, as it is said: “your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman [that one shall serve you for six years]” (Deut. 15:12). [This] teaches [us] that a Hebrew [maidservant] also goes free after six [years]. — [From Mechilta, Kid. 14b]

The table below presents two contradictory verses / verselets. Both verses speak about female slaves. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse says the woman goes out after 6 years while the other verse states the woman belongs to her master We see the contradiction---which is it? Do women remain slaves or do they go free at six? Rashi simply resolves this contradiction using the 2 aspects method: Jewish female slaves go free at 6 years; however, non-Jewish female slaves remain with their master.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Both male/female Jewish slaves are freed at 6 years Dt15-12 And if your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, and serves you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.
The [non Jewish] female slave remains with her master Ex21-04a If his master give him a wife, and she bear him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
Resolution: 2 Aspects Jewish female slaves go free at 6 years Non-Jewish female slaves remain with their master.

Advanced Rashi: The literal language of Rashi shows more clearly the underlying logic: When the verse says If his master give him a wife it could refer to either a non-Jewish or Jewish woman. Since however the verse continues He goes free but the woman remains with the master and another verse explicitly states that ....Jewish female slaves...go free in the seventh year I therefore conclude that the verse must be speaking about a non-Jewish wife that the master gives him. In other words Rashi does not emphasize contradiction but rather describes the derivation as selection between competing alternatives. This alternative viewpoint helps us understand the contradiction Rashi rule.

    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 Ex22-21a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1207.htm
    Brief Summary: EXAMPLE: Don't abuse a WIDOW or ORPHAN. GENERAL: Don't abuse any PERSON.

Verse Ex22-21a
Hebrew Verse כָּל אַלְמָנָה וְיָתוֹם לֹא תְעַנּוּן:
English Verse You shall not oppress any widow or orphan.
Rashi Header Hebrew כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון
Rashi Text Hebrew הוא הדין לכל אדם, אלא שדבר הכתוב בהווה, לפי שהם תשושי כח ודבר מצוי לענותם:
Rashi Header Enlish You shall not oppress any widow or orphan
Rashi Text English The same applies to all people, but the Scripture speaks of the usual situation, since they [widows and orphans] are weak and [they] are frequently oppressed. -[From Mechilta]

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a 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 Ex22-21a discussing the prohibition and punishment of abusing widows and orphans states don't abuse a widow or orphan If you dare abuse him..... and I will also blow up, kill you by sword, and make your wives widows and your children orphans. The Rabbi Ishmael example rule requires generalization of this passage. In this case we simply generalize from widow or orphan to any person don't abuse a person If you dare abuse him..... and I will also blow up, kill you by sword, and make your wives widows and your children orphans.

Advanced Rashi: This verse is an interesting refutation of the idea that the Bible must be interpreted by being picky on each word. If that were so one could argue God only punishes a country with terrorism that leaves widows and orphans when the people abuse widows and orphans because that is all the verse says. But there is no such punishment when you abuse a non-widow or non-orphan. The Rabbi Ishmael style rules in general and the generalization approach to Biblical interpretation in particular, state otherwise. Rashi explains The Bible only mentioned the abuse of orphans and widows since such abuse is common since widows and orphans are typically helpless. However, the law and punishment applies to any person. In other words abuse of people when tolerated by a society is punished by a terrorism which leaves widows and children.

    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 Ex19-12c
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1402.htm
    Brief Summary: Regarding female minor slaves: a) He can marry her b) He can arrange for monetary redemption (based on remaining years) c) He can allow his son to marry her If not she goes free at puberty.

Verse Ex19-12c
Hebrew Verse וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ אֶת הָעָם סָבִיב לֵאמֹר הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם עֲלוֹת בָּהָר וּנְגֹעַ בְּקָצֵהוּ כָּל הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהָר מוֹת יוּמָת:
English Verse And you shall set boundaries for the people around, saying, Beware of ascending the mountain or touching its edge; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.'
Rashi Header Hebrew ונגע בקצהו
Rashi Text Hebrew אפילו בקצהו:
Rashi Header Enlish or touching its edge
Rashi Text English Even the edge of it.

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

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

Bullets whether indicated through modern notation or through the Biblical method of repeating keywords always indicate contrastive emphasis - that is, each bullet is presumed to be a distinct item contrasted to the other items on the list. Very often the bullets are also used to indicate that the entire list is exhaustive of some spectrum.

At times the bullet structure is not indicated through repeating keywords but rather through an explicit biblical enumerative statement. Today's verses illustrate this.

    Verse(s) Ex21-07:11 discussing the freedom of a minor girl sold as a slave states And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant, ....
    • (1) If she pleases not her master, who has designated her for himself,
    • (2) then shall he let her be redeemed; ....
    • (3) And if he has designated her to his son, he shall ....
    • ---------------------------------------------------
    • And if he does not do these three things to her, then (4)she shall go out free without payment of money.
    The explicit enumerative phrase these three things to her identifies three methods of freedom which we have bulleted. These three methods are discovered through reading the passage and identifying and enumerating separate methods of freedom. The three methods are
    • (1) marriage to the master,
    • (2) allowing redemption (by paying off an amount proportional to the years left - so that a girl sold at age 6 for $60,000 would be able to go free at age 8 by her father paying back $40,000)
    • (3) Allowing marriage to his son.
    If these three methods are not done then (4)she shall go out, at the commencement of adulthood/puberty, without any payment.

Advanced Rashi: Much more could be said about this Rashi but the above will suffice for now. We point out that the institution of minor female slavery is poorly understood. It was only allowed in conditions of absolute poverty. Such poverty typically gave rise to death and/or prostitution. The Torah allowed instead a private deal whereby the girl was promised marriage and board with a private owner. If however upon reaching puberty neither the owner nor the son liked the girl and would not marry her, and if her father was not in the meantime able to make the money needed to pay back the owner, then puberty set her free automatically.

Note especially that the owner did not really own her. So for example if she was sold at age 6 for $60,0000 and her father made back the money he could redeeem her for $40,000 two years later - in other words, the father's redemption rights took precedence over the owners ownership - that is, the owner did not really own her but took her in because of her poverty and the potential marriage to his sons. Also note that countries like America have not really eliminated slavery but rather have eliminated the poverty which causes slavery.

      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 Ex24-04b Ex19-01a Ex19-03a Ex19-08a Ex19-09c Ex19-11b Ex19-15a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1206.htm
      Brief Summary: a) Jews arrive at Sinai on 1st of Month b) Moses receives instruction on 2nd; c) transmits message on 3rd; d) transmits reply on 4th; e)waits 3 days. Torah given on 6th or 7th.

Verse Ex24-04b
Hebrew Verse וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל דִּבְרֵי יְ־הֹוָ־ה וַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ תַּחַת הָהָר וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַצֵּבָה לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
English Verse And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and he arose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and twelve monuments for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Rashi Header Hebrew וישכם בבקר
Rashi Text Hebrew בחמשה בסיון:
Rashi Header Enlish and he arose early in the morning
Rashi Text English on the fifth of Sivan. -[From Mechilta on Exod. 19: 10, Shab. 88a]

We all know that Shavuoth happens on the 6th of Sivan and that the Torah was either received on Shavuoth itself or on the 7th of Sivan. (Rav Hirsch explains that if the Torah was received on Shavuoth then Shavuoth celebrates the receipt of the Torah. However if the Torah was received on the 7th of Sivan then Shavuoth celebrates our preparation and being ready for receipt of the Torah - that is, the preparation to receive the Torah would be considered the primary thing to celebrate).

The Table below presents the verses that support the calculation that the Torah was received on the 6th or 7th of Sivan.

Justifying Verse Event Date of Occurrence Rational
Ex19-01a Jews arrive at Sinai 1st Day of Sivan Verse explicitly says: On 1st of 3rd month they arrived at Sinai.
Ex19-03a Moses receives prophetic orders 2nd Day of Sivan Reasonable assumption that each event was done on a new day giving time to prepare responses.
Ex19-08a Moses relates prophetic orders of day 2 to nation 3rd day of Sivan Reasonable assumption that each event was done on a new day giving time to prepare responses.
Ex19-09c Moses relates response of nation to orders of God 4th day of Sivan Reasonable assumption that each event was done on a new day giving time to prepare responses.
Ex19-11b God, after receiving nation's affirmative response, asks for 3 days of separation Days 4,5,6 of Sivan The 3 days began on the 4th and hence were concluded on 6th.
Ex24-04b Nation offers sacrifices in preparation for receipt of Torah; prophetic visions happen Day 5 of Sivan The response of the nation - We will do [the convenant] is explicitly mentioned at both Ex19-08 and Ex24-03. As pointed out two rows ago, this happened on the 4th. The next verse Ex24-04 states Moses got up in the morning and built an altar. We consequently infer that the sacrifices happened on the 5th.
Ex19-15b Nation receives Torah (Prophetic revelation of decalogue) Day 6 or 7 of Sivan We know there were 3 days of preparation ordered by God. Moses commanded a triplet of days of preparation. Hence either the Torah was received on the 3rd of these 3 days (day 6) or after them (day 7). We can read the text either way.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi points out that Ex24, the sacrifices prior to the receipt of the Torah happened on the 5th of Sivan while the Decalogue itself is stated in a prior chapter Ex20. Rashi concludes that Textual Biblical sequence does not necessarily indicate temporal sequence. It is important to supplement this Rashi comment with the grammatical observation that in Biblical Hebrew, the past, as indicated by a future conjugation preceded by a vav, indicates the simple past, while the past, as indicated by the past conjugation, indicates the past perfect (Which in English is indicated with the participle had.) Hence Ex24-01, stated in a chapter that occurs after the chapter with the description of the revealed law, states, And God had told Moses to come up for revelation... The use of the past perfect, had told gives grammatical support to the temporal precedence of Ex24 to the revelation mentioned in Ex20, Ex21, Ex22, Ex23. This simple but convincing grammatical proof for the dictum Textual Biblical sequence does not indicate temporal sequence seems to be an innovation of mine not mentioned by other Biblical commentators.

      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 Ex24-10b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n9.htm
      Brief Summary: The vision of God had a WORK of SAPHHIRE BRICK at God's feet. God's redemption RESTED (Feet) on the STORY (SAPPHIRE=SIPUR=Story) of the MIRACULOUS WORKS [redemption] from the BRICK labor in Egypt.

Verse Ex24-10b
Hebrew Verse ַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹהַר:
English Verse and they perceived the God of Israel, and beneath His feet was like the forming of a sapphire brick and like the appearance of the heavens for clarity.
Rashi Header Hebrew כמעשה לבנת הספיר
Rashi Text Hebrew היא היתה לפניו בשעת השעבוד לזכור צרתן של ישראל, שהיו משועבדים במעשה לבנים:
Rashi Header Enlish like the forming of a sapphire brick
Rashi Text English that was before Him at the time of the bondage, to remember Israel’s straits [i.e.,] that they were enslaved in the making of bricks. -[From Lev. Rabbah 23:8]

    Verse Ex24-09:10b discussing the revelation at Sinai states Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; And they visioned the God of Israel; and there was
    • under his feet [Rashi: God supported his trek from Exodus to Revelation]
    • a kind of paved work [Rashi: God's work - his miracles.]
    • of a sapphire [Rashi: The word Sapphire, comes from the Hebrew root, Samech-Pay-Resh which means to tell a story - in fact, the Sapphire is simply a precious gem that everyone tells stories about because of its great beauty.]
    • bricks, [Rashi: The story of the brick-labor in Egypt.]
    Rashi explains the Symbolism as indicated in the bracketed comments in the above verse.Rashi explains that the work of Sapphire brick at God's feet, refers to God treking from Egypt to Revelation on the story of the miraculous works by which he saved the Jews from the brick-labor in Egypt.

Advanced Rashi: I have added to Rashi's literal statements additional explanations of works as symbolizing miracles, feet as symbolizing God's trek through history, and the sapphire, the story gem as symbolizing the stories of the exodus. Such supplementing of Rashi symbolic comments is justified since the text uses 4 keywords - feet, sapphire, work, brick - but Rashi only explains one of them, brick. Hence the teacher is obligated to complement Rashi by explaining the others.

Conclusion

This week's issue contains no examples of the database Rashi method. Visit the RashiYomi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com for further details and examples.