The 10 RashiYomi Rules
Their presence in Rashis on Parshath TaZRiA MeTZoRa
Volume 18, Number 6
This weeks Weekly Rashi with Hebrew/English source tables
will be accessible, on Friday, at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1806.htm
(c) RashiYomi Incorporated, Dr. Hendel, President, Apr 26 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 Lv13-43a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n14.htm
    Brief Summary: LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF SKIN LEPROSY (Lv13-43) refers to the symptoms of skin leprosy mentioned in Lv13-02

Verse Lv13-43a
Hebrew Verse וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה שְׂאֵת הַנֶּגַע לְבָנָה אֲדַמְדֶּמֶת בְּקָרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּוֹ כְּמַרְאֵה צָרַעַת עוֹר בָּשָׂר:
English Verse So the kohen shall look at it. And, behold! there is a reddish white se'eith lesion on his back or front bald area, like the appearance of tzara'ath on the skin of the flesh,
Rashi Header Hebrew
Rashi Text Hebrew
Rashi Header Enlish
Rashi Text English

Verse Lv13-43a discussing the appearance of certain head leprosies states Then the priest shall look upon it; and, behold, if the swelling of the sore is white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the appearance of skin leprosy Rashi clarifies the underlined word as the appearance of skin leprosy by referencing verse Lv13-02 which states When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a swelling, a scab, or bright spot, and it is on the skin of his flesh like the disease of leprosy; then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons the priests; Hence the Rashi comment: The reference to appearance like skin leprosy in Lv13-43a refers to the skin leprosy symptoms mentioned in the chapter on skin leprosy beginning with Lv13-02.

Text of Target verse Lv13-43a Text of Reference Verse Lv13-02
Then the priest shall look upon it; and, behold, if the swelling of the sore is white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the appearance of skin leprosy When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a swelling, a scab, or bright spot, and it is on the skin of his flesh like the disease of leprosy; then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons the priests
Rashi comments: The reference to appearance like skin leprosy in Lv13-43a refers to the skin leprosy symptoms mentioned in the chapter on skin leprosy beginning with Lv13-02.

    Advanced Rashi: Rashi can be better appreciated by examining competing references.
    • Verse Lv13-02 begins the chapter on skin leprosy
    • Verse Lv13-08 begins the chapters on burn leprosy
    • Verse Lv13-29 begins the chapter on non-bald-head leprosy
    Each of these leprosies - skin, burn, head - has different examination periods and different leprosy signs. Hence the more detailed Rashi comment on verse Lv13-43a: Skin leprosy has a) 4 shades of white and b) a waiting period of 2 weeks before declaring a final status as a definite lepor. By contrast burn leprosy has a 1 week waiting period while b) non-bald-head leprosy does not have 4 shades that initiate the investigation. This alternate approach to Rashi uses the database method and will be revisited in rule #8 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 Lv13-58b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n14.htm
      Brief Summary: KUPH-BETH-SAMECH and TET-BETH-LAMED are synonyms refering to immersion. KUPH-BETH-SAMEcH has an additional connotation of cleaning.

Verse Lv13-58b
Hebrew Verse וְהַבֶּגֶד אוֹ הַשְּׁתִי אוֹ הָעֵרֶב אוֹ כָל כְּלִי הָעוֹר אֲשֶׁר תְּכַבֵּס וְסָר מֵהֶם הַנָּגַע וְכֻבַּס שֵׁנִית וְטָהֵר:
English Verse But the garment, the warp or woof [threads] or any leather article which is washed, and the lesion disappears from them, shall be immersed a second time, and it shall be clean.
Rashi Header Hebrew וכבס שנית
Rashi Text Hebrew לשון טבילה. תרגום של כבוסין שבפרשה זו לשון לבון ויתחוור, חוץ מזה שאינו ללבון אלא לטבול, לכך תרגומו ויצטבע, וכן כל כבוסי בגדים שהן לטבילה מתורגמין ויצטבע:
Rashi Header Enlish shall be immersed a second time
Rashi Text English [The word וְכֻבַּס in this verse] means immersion [in a mikvah. See Torath Kohanim 13:179]. In Targum [Onkelos], the translation of all the instances of כִּבּוּס in this whole section is “to cleanse, clean” (וְיִתְחַוֵּר), with this one exception [in our verse]. Here the meaning is not “cleansing” but rather “immersion [in a mikvah].” Thus Targum [Onkelos] here [in translating the word וְכֻבַּס] says וְיִצְטַבַּע, “and it shall be immersed.” Likewise, wherever the כִבּוּס of garments refers to immersion [in a mikvah], it is translated in the Targum as וְיִצְטַבַּע.

When Rashi uses the synonym method he does not explain the meaning of a word but rather the distinction between two similar words both of whose meanings we already know.

    Today Rashi examines two Hebrew words which can both refer to immersion in water:
  • Tet-Beth-Lamed literally means to immerse,
  • Kuph-Beth-Samech can mean to immerse and can also refer to cleansing by immersion.

    We cite two verses where the nuances of cleaning overshadow the nuance of immersion:
    • Verse Gn49-11 states Binding his foal to the vine, and his ass’s colt to the choice vine; he cleans his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes;
    • Verse Lv15-16 states And if any man’s semen goes out from him, then he shall immerse all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening.
    Clearly in the first verse the emphasis is on cleaning by immersion. In the second verse, while the word clearly should mean immersion - dipping in a Mikveh body of water - I think there are some nuances that any remaining debris should be cleansed. In fact Jewish law requires showering prior to going to Mivkeh for immersion to remove items clinging to ones body which might prevent full immersion in water. This requirement is hinted at in the use of the word Kuph-Beth-Samech which while meaning immersion also means to clean.

We can invoke another literary rule, FFF, to explain how the word for washing comes to mean to immerse. The FFF rule states that words can be named by Form, Feel and Function. For example the Pentagon is named by its form while the United Nations is named by its function. Similarly hardship is named by its feeling. Applying the triple FFF principle we find that the word for washing can refer to the form of the washing, which is a simple immersion.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi on this verse shows advanced methods. Rashi skillfully takes the Aramaic translation of the word Kuph-Beth-Samech and shows how in some verses the aramaic translation renders this word as immerse while in other verses the aramaic translation renders this word as clean. We however, have chosen a different route. We examined actual verses to show how the two nuances - cleaning and immersion - can blend with each other.

      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 Lv14-43b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w35n15.htm
      Brief Summary: HQCOT = it was cornered (Causative gerund). HTOACH = it was plastered (Causative gerund)

Verse Lv14-43a
Hebrew Verse וְאִם יָשׁוּב הַנֶּגַע וּפָרַח בַּבַּיִת אַחַר חִלֵּץ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים וְאַחֲרֵי הִקְצוֹת אֶת הַבַּיִת וְאַחֲרֵי הִטּוֹחַ:
English Verse And if the lesion returns and erupts in the house, after he had removed the stones, and after the house had been scraped around and after it had been plastered,
Rashi Header Hebrew הקצות
Rashi Text Hebrew לשון העשות וכן הטוח, אבל חלץ את האבנים מוסב הלשון אל האדם שחלצן והוא משקל לשון כבד, כמו כפר, דבר:
Rashi Header Enlish And if…the lesion returns
Rashi Text English One might think that if it returned on that same day, it would be deemed unclean. Scripture, therefore, states (verse 39), “Then the kohen shall return (וְשָׁב הַכֹּהֵן),” [the same term as in our verse, namely,], “and if… [the lesion] returns (וְאִם יָשׁוּב).” Just as the return (שִׁיבָה) of the kohen mentioned there, is at the end of a week, so is the return [of the lesion] mentioned here, at the end of a week. — [Torath Kohanim 14:105]

Note: I am re-reviewing last weeks Rashi which is similar in flavor to this weeks Rashi. This Rashi may be a bit technical for some students not familiar with Hebrew and I advise the such students to skip immediately to rule #4, Alignment.

Most people are aware that Hebrew verbs come from three-letter roots. Each root is conjugated in the 7 dimensions of person, gender,plurality, tense, activity, modality, and direct-object. 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.

    The following words have the following conjugations and meanings: The first three examples come from verse Lv13-55 which we translate afterwards:
  • HiQCoT is a causative gerund, using a 1-2-Hey form - table 9 in the Ibn Shoshan - and means corner. Hence HiQCoT means after it was cornered. Radack explains: When you sweep and dust you typically gather the debris in the corner so it can be easily discarded. Hence you cause it to be placed in the corner.
  • XiLeC is a singular-3rd-person-past conjugation in the intensive (Piel) mode, following table 1 in the Ibn Shoshan. As explained in rule 2, meaning above, XiLeC means to yank.
  • HiToACH is a passive gerund using a 1-vav-3 form - table 6 in the Ibn Shoshan - and means to cover (in this case to plaster.) Hence HiToACH means after it was plastered.
  • HooCaBayS (Lv13-55a) means it was washed. In other words it has the same meaning as the passive. It does not have a standard conjugation belonging to any table. Radack and modern scholars notice similarities with the Hitpael, Hafal modes but these similarities are not 100%. My opinion is that Rashi did not believe it was necessary to classify every rare conjugational form. If the form did not resemble anything then Rashi suffices with discussing its meaning without classifying its conjugation. In other words, when Rashi compares HooCaBayS, it was washed, with HayASotH, it was done, it is only a comparison in passivity in meaning; it is intended to be a comparison in conjugational form.

Based on the above Rashi translates Lv14-43b as follows (the underlined words follow the above grammatical points:) And if the disease comes again, and break out in the house, after he has yanked away the stones, after he has cornered the house, and after it was plastered;

Advanced Rashi: My text of Rashi seems to say that HiQCoT is passive. But this does not make sense and is not consistent with any known form. It is not even consistent with the opinion brought down by the Radack that the root of HiQCoT is Kuph-Tzade-Ayin. Consequently I believe this to be a printing error. I believe Rashi only commented on HiToACH, XiLeC but that a later scribe inserted the word HiQCoT. The scribe errored because Rashi brought as an example HayASoth which resembles HiQCoT in that it begins with a hey. Such scribal transcription errors occur from time to time in Rashi. Rashi's main point was contrasting the active form of XiLeTZ - to yank - with the passive form of HiToACH - to be plastered.

    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 Lv14-06a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w13n16.htm
    Brief Summary: There are two TAKINGS: Take the bird; Take the cedar-hyssop-worm died wool; There is one DIPPING: Dip all the above together.

Verse Lv14-06a
Hebrew Verse אֶת הַצִּפֹּר הַחַיָּה יִקַּח אֹתָהּ וְאֶת עֵץ הָאֶרֶז וְאֶת שְׁנִי הַתּוֹלַעַת וְאֶת הָאֵזֹב וְטָבַל אוֹתָם וְאֵת הַצִּפֹּר הַחַיָּה בְּדַם הַצִּפֹּר הַשְּׁחֻטָה עַל הַמַּיִם הַחַיִּים:
English Verse [As for] the live bird, he shall take it, and then the cedar stick, the strip of crimson [wool], and the hyssop, and, along with the live bird, he shall dip them into the blood of the slaughtered bird, over the spring water.
Rashi Header Hebrew את הצפר החיה יקח אתה
Rashi Text Hebrew מלמד שאינו אוגדה עמהם, אלא מפרישה לעצמה, אבל העץ והאזוב כרוכים יחד בלשון הזהורית, כענין שנאמר ואת עץ הארז ואת שני התולעת ואת האזוב, קיחה אחת לשלשתן. יכול כשם שאינה בכלל אגודה כן לא תהא בכלל טבילה, תלמוד לומר וטבל אותם ואת הצפור החיה, החזיר את הצפור לכלל טבילה:
Rashi Header Enlish [As for] the live bird, he shall take it
Rashi Text English [Scripture separates the taking of the bird from that of the other items.] This teaches [us] that he does not bind it with them, but separates it, by itself. The cedar stick and the hyssop, however, are bound together with the tongue-like strip of crimson wool, as the matter is stated, “and then the cedar stick, the strip of crimson [wool], and the hyssop,” i.e., one [act of] taking for the three of them. [I.e., the cedar stick and the hyssop are bound together with one end of the tongue of crimson wool, and the loose end is dipped into the blood together with them (Torath Kohanim 14:21). Now, one might think that since it [the bird] is not included in the binding, it is not to be included in the dipping [in the blood]. Therefore, Scripture says here, “and, along with the live bird, he shall dip them,” thereby, re-including the bird for the dipping. — [Torath Kohanim 14:24]

The table below presents an aligned extract of verselets in Lv14-06 Both verselets discuss the lepor-sacrifice procedures done with the cedar, hyssop, worm-died-wool and live bird. The alignment justifies the Rashi assertions that There are two takings: The priest a) takes the bird and b) takes the cedar-hyssop-worm-died-wool; but there is one one dipping: The priest dips the entire bird-cedar-hyssop-worm-died-wool package together.

Verse Text of Verse Rashi comment
Lv14-06
  • the living bird: the priest shall take it,
  • with
    • the cedar wood, and
    • the scarlet, and
    • the hyssop,
By placing the underlined verb, take in the middle of the sentence the Bible indicates that there are two separate bundles: The bird is taken by itself and then the cedar-hyssop-worm-died-wool is taken separately.
Lv14-06
  • and the priest shall dip
    • them and
    • the living bird in....
The priest does one dipping of the entire package of bird-cedar-hyssop-worm-died-wool.

Advanced Rashi: But how do you do two takings and one dipping? Rashi explains further: You tie the cedar-hyssop-worm-died-wool (one bundle) and then take that bundle and the bird (Because of the two bundles there are two takings). You then dip them together.

      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 Lv14-05a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n14.htm
      Brief Summary: a) Place live water in clay vessel; b) slaughter the bird OVER live water and TO the clay vessel.

Verse Lv14-05a
Hebrew Verse וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְשָׁחַט אֶת הַצִּפּוֹר הָאֶחָת אֶל כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ עַל מַיִם חַיִּים:
English Verse The kohen shall order, and one shall slaughter the one bird into an earthenware vessel, over spring water.
Rashi Header Hebrew על מים חיים
Rashi Text Hebrew נותן אותם תחלה בכלי, כדי שיהא דם צפור ניכר בהם. וכמה הם, רביעית:
Rashi Header Enlish over spring water
Rashi Text English He places [i.e., pours] it into the vessel first, in order that the blood of the bird should be recognizable in it. And how much [water is necessary]? A revi’ith [a quarter of a log]. — [Torath Kohanim 14:21; Sotah 16b]

    The table below presents presents two contradictory verselets. Both verselets talk about where to slaughter the lepor sacrifice bird. The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verselet set says slaughter the bird over live water while the other verselet says slaughter the bird to a clay vessel. Which is it? Is the bird slaughtered to a clay vessel or over live water? Rashi simply resolves this using both the 2 aspects and 2 stages method: You place live water in a clay vessel and slaughter the bird over it. Hence simultaneously you slaughter the bird both over live water as well as to a clay vessel. Furthermore, you must put the live water into the clay vessel prior to the slaughter so that you slaughter over live water.

Summary Verse / Source Text of verse / Source
Slaughter over live water Lv14-05a
    And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed
  • to an earthen utensil
  • over running water;
Slaughter to a clay utensil Lv14-05a
    And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed
  • to an earthen utensil
  • over running water;
Resolution: 2 Aspects, 2 Stages: You place live water in a clay vessel and slaughter the bird over it. Hence simultaneously you slaughter the bird both over live water as well as to a clay vessel. Furthermore, you must put the live water into the clay vessel prior to the slaughter so that you slaughter over live water.

    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 Lv14-09a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lv14-09a.htm
    Brief Summary: Shave BEARD and EYEBROW hair - that is, hair that is DENSE and VISIBLE.

Verse Lv14-09a
Hebrew Verse וְהָיָה בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי יְגַלַּח אֶת כָּל שְׂעָרוֹ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ וְאֶת זְקָנוֹ וְאֵת גַּבֹּת עֵינָיו וְאֶת כָּל שְׂעָרוֹ יְגַלֵּחַ וְכִבֶּס אֶת בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ אֶת בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמַּיִם וְטָהֵר:
English Verse And it shall be, on the seventh day, that he shall shave off all his hair: [that of] his head, his beard, his eyebrows; indeed, all his hair, he shall shave off. He shall then immerse his garments and immerse his flesh in water, thus becoming clean.
Rashi Header Hebrew את כל שערו וגו'
Rashi Text Hebrew כלל ופרט וכלל. להביא כל מקום כנוס שער ונראה:
Rashi Header Enlish all his hair…
Rashi Text English [This is] a general statement, followed by a specific statement [namely, “that of his head, his beard, his eyebrows,”] followed, in turn, by another general statement [namely, “all his hair,]” to include [the shaving of] every place where hair grows in a bunch and is visible, [bearing a similarity to the hair of the head, the beard, and the eyebrows]. — [Sotah 16a]

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a Theme-Development-Theme form. In other words a broad general idea is stated first followed by the development of this broad general theme in specific details. The paragraph-like unit is then closed with a repetition of the broad theme. The Theme-Detail-Theme form creates a unified paragraph. The detailed section of this paragraph is therefore seen as an extension of the general theme sentences. Today's example illustrates this as shown immediately below.

    Biblical verse Lv14-09 discussing the purification procedure of the lepor is written in a Theme-Detailed-Theme style. This verse states But it shall be on the seventh day,
    • Theme: that he shall shave all his hair off
    • Detail:
      • his head and
      • his beard
      • and his eyebrows,
    • Theme: all his hair he shall shave off; and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

Rashi generalizes the detail clause head, beard, eyebrows as illustrative of the general clause, all his hair and states: hair that is dense and visible. We believe this comment evident and consistent with the Rabbi Ishmael style guidelines.

    A more detailed analysis of the categories associated with this Rashi analysis is as follows: Beard, head, eyebrows have hair that is dense and visible. So only dense, visible here is shaven. This excludes
  • arm-hair, which is visible but not dense,
  • armpit-hair, which is not visible but dense
  • nose-hair, which is not visible and not dense.

Advanced Rashi: If you look carefully at the verse above you will see that the word all is bolded. The word all always requires generalization. Hence the additional Rashi comment: The actual law requires shaving the arm and armpit hair. In other words all hair is shaven except the nose-hair which is neither visible nor dense.

My contribution to this Rashi is to see the derivation as emanating from two Rashi methods: The theme-detail-theme method and the special word- all method.

Alternate derivations of the final law - dense and visible are given by Rambam and Raavad (in the laws of Leprosy) who do not use the exegesis from the word all.

      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 Lv13-04b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1214.htm
      Brief Summary: Chapter Lv13-01:08 indicates a 2 week inspection period with three inspection points to determine ritually impure status.

Verse Lv13-04b
Hebrew Verse וְאִם בַּהֶרֶת לְבָנָה הִוא בְּעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ וְעָמֹק אֵין מַרְאֶהָ מִן הָעוֹר וּשְׂעָרָה לֹא הָפַךְ לָבָן וְהִסְגִּיר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע שִׁבְעַת יָמִים:
English Verse But if it is a white bahereth on the skin of his flesh, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and its hair has not turned white, the kohen shall quarantine the [person with the] lesion for seven days.
Rashi Header Hebrew והסגיר
Rashi Text Hebrew יסגירנו בבית אחד ולא יראה עד סוף השבוע, ויוכיחו סימנים עליו:
Rashi Header Enlish quarantine
Rashi Text English He shall have him confined to one house, and the person shall not be seen [by the kohen] until the end of the week. [Only] then will his signs indicate about him [whether he is clean or unclean].

The Formatting principle includes exegetical Rashi comments focusing on paragraph structure. That is, the parts of a paragraph when properly sequenced naturally suggest commentary. This type of commentary, emanating from structure, is different from commentary from word meaning, grammatical function or verse comparison. Todays example nicely illustrates this.

We present below a paragraph Lv13-01:06 indented and bulletized to indicate its structure.

  • And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
  • (Z) When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a cloud-white, egg-white, or sky-white wound in his his flesh like the disease of leprosy; then he shall be brought to ... the priest, ...
    • (Z1) And the priest shall look on the disease in the skin of the flesh; and if ...then it is a disease of leprosy; and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
    • (Z2)[But] If ... then the priest shall shut up him who has the disease for seven days;
      • (A)And the priest shall look on him the seventh day; and, behold, if ... then the priest shall shut him up seven days more;
        • (B)And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day; and, behold, if ...[then], the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is a scab; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

We have, for convenience lettered the various bullets. The letter Z indicates time Zero. The letters A,B respectively indicate the 1st and 2nd week (Week A and Week B). The paragraph indicates inspections of the leprous flesh at times 0,1,2 (Z,A,B). The Rashi comment is now crystal clear: The seven days mentioned in bullet Z2 is connected with the inspection mentioned in bullet A. In other words the priest shuts him up seven days in order to see if any leprous signs develop at the end of the seven days. Many other similar connective comments can be inferred from the above paragraph structure. We have in fact often, in this email newsletter, advocated generalizing a specific Rashi comment to other comments with similar interpretations. It is a very useful exercise for the serious student of Rashi if they take the laws of leprosy as outlined for example in the Mishneh Torah of the Rambam and trace each law to its corresponding place in the above bulleted paragraph structure.

Advanced Rashi: We again emphasize that the driving force for this Rashi comment is not word meaning, grammar, extra words, or alignment. Rather the driving force for this Rashi comment is the paragraph structure which in and of itself communicates meaning and textual interpretation. This emphasis on structure as a source of interpretation is an important point often overlooked by Rashi scholars. The serious student of Rashi should carefully study this and similar examples until this new Rashi tool becomes part of their arsenal of interpretative tools.

    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 Lv14-36a, Lv13-03c
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1214.htm
    Brief Summary: Other ritual impurities are caused by world events. Leprosy impurity additionally requires a priestly declaration to create the ritually impure status.

Verse Lv14-36a
Hebrew Verse וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וּפִנּוּ אֶת הַבַּיִת בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַכֹּהֵן לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַנֶּגַע וְלֹא יִטְמָא כָּל אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּיִת וְאַחַר כֵּן יָבֹא הַכֹּהֵן לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַבָּיִת:
English Verse the kohen shall order that they clear out the house, before the kohen comes to look at the lesion, so that everything in the house should not become unclean. After this, the kohen shall come to look at the house.
Rashi Header Hebrew בטרם יבא הכהן וגו'
Rashi Text Hebrew שכל זמן שאין כהן נזקק לו, אין שם תורת טומאה:
Rashi Header Enlish before the kohen comes…
Rashi Text English since as long as the kohen has not yet become involved with the house [in question], the law of uncleanness does not yet apply to it.

We ask the following database query: How are the various types of ritual impurities caused? 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-Midrashic inference: Most types of ritual impurity are caused by world events such as death and sexual discharges. However leprous ritual impurity in addition to a world event - e.g. the white skin patches with white hair - also requires a declaration of a priest to create the ritually impure state. That is a white patch with white hair is in and of itself not ritually impure until a priest declares it ritually impure. This contrast - leprous vs other ritual impurities - is textually indicated by a phrase peculiar to leprosy, ....and the priest shall declare it impure... a phrase which occurs with no other ritual impurity, implying that priestly declaration is a prerequisite for creation of the ritually impure status. The list below presents the results of the database query.

Verse Impurity Area Biblical Text How impurity occurs
Lv11-29 Dead Animals/people These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the rat, and the mouse, and the tortoise after its kind, These also shall be unclean to you
Lv12-02 Birth Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives, and bears a male child; then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her menstruation, shall she be unclean. Then she shall be unclean seven days;
Lv15-19 Discharges And if a woman has a discharge, and the discharge of her flesh is blood, she shall be put apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening. whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.
Nu19-08 Red Heiffer Procedure And he who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. he shall be unclean until the evening
---- --- --- ---
Lv13-20 Leprosy And if, when the priest sees it, behold, it looks lower than the skin, and the hair on it has turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a disease of leprosy broken out from the boil. the priest shall pronounce him unclean

    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 Lv14-36b
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1410.htm
    Brief Summary: The owner removes utensils from his house prior to the priestly inspection in order to avoid the utensils declared impure. This law shows God cared about petty monetary ownership of even sinners.

Verse Lv14-36b
Hebrew Verse וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וּפִנּוּ אֶת הַבַּיִת בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַכֹּהֵן לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַנֶּגַע וְלֹא יִטְמָא כָּל אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּיִת וְאַחַר כֵּן יָבֹא הַכֹּהֵן לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַבָּיִת:
English Verse the kohen shall order that they clear out the house, before the kohen comes to look at the lesion, so that everything in the house should not become unclean. After this, the kohen shall come to look at the house.
Rashi Header Hebrew ולא יטמא כל אשר בבית
Rashi Text Hebrew שאם לא יפנהו ויבא הכהן ויראה הנגע, נזקק להסגר, וכל מה שבתוכו יטמא. ועל מה חסה תורה, אם על כלי שטף, יטבילם ויטהרו, ואם על אוכלין ומשקין, יאכלם בימי טומאתו, הא לא חסה התורה אלא על כלי חרס, שאין להם טהרה במקוה:
Rashi Header Enlish so that everything in the house should not become unclean
Rashi Text English For if they do not clear it out, and the kohen comes and sees the lesion, the house will have to be quarantined and everything inside it will become unclean. Now, for what objects did the Torah have consideration? If it was upon vessels that require immersion [in a mikvah to cleanse them], then [instead of having them removed,] let him immerse them, and they will become clean. And if it was upon food and drink, then [instead of removing them, let them become unclean] and he can eat and drink them during his period of uncleanness. Hence, the Torah has consideration only for earthenware vessels, which cannot be cleansed by [immersion in] a mikvah [and would thus undergo permanent damage if they became unclean]. — [Nega’im 12:5]

Verse Lv15-25 discussing the ritual impurity of houses states And the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes in to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. Notice how the meaning of the verse and the justifying reason are clear - the house utensils are cleared from the house prior to the priestly inspection since otherwise they would be declared ritually impure and unusable. The question remains why? What non-verse values and goals does the underlying law reflect. Rashi explains: The effect of this law is that household utensils are spared from being declared ritually impure which would render them unusable to the owner. We infer that the Torah values not only life but even the property of Jews; even petty monetary ownership of even sinful Jews.

Because this Rashi introduces values - God's regard for petty monetary ownership - to explain a verse, we have classified it as using a non-verse method.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi continues. ...But if certain utensils were declared impure then an immersion ceremony could purify them making them usable. It follows that the purpose of the law is to protect clay earthenware utensils that have no purification process. I could go further and add:The law also protects the owner against the inconvenience of having to wait a day or two to use his utensils (after a proper ritual immersion). Such Rashis sometimes turn people off as being too technical. The approach of this email list is that Rashi is not exhausting the meaning of the midrash but rather clarifying/illustrating it!!! Rashi never denied that the simple meaning of the text is that the Bible showed care for Jewish property rights. However Rashi clarifies that the application of this idea applies primarily to clay utensils whose purification would require destruction. By viewing the Rashi as illustrative and clarifying vs. as identifying and exhaustive of total meaning we obtain a richer Rashi experience.

    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 Lv14-04c Lv14-04d
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1410.htm
    Brief Summary: Leprosy = punishment for BIRD like chatter: Atonement: See spectrum of of human personality from the CEDAR=mighty to HYSSOP=lower classes.

Verse Lv14-04c
Hebrew Verse וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְלָקַח לַמִּטַּהֵר שְׁתֵּי צִפֳּרִים חַיּוֹת טְהֹרוֹת וְעֵץ אֶרֶז וּשְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת וְאֵזֹב:
English Verse Then the kohen shall order, and the person to be cleansed shall take two live, clean birds, a cedar stick, a strip of crimson [wool], and hyssop.
Rashi Header Hebrew ועץ ארז
Rashi Text Hebrew לפי שהנגעים באין על גסות הרוח:
Rashi Header Enlish a cedar stick
Rashi Text English Because lesions of tzara’ath come because of haughtiness [symbolized by the tall cedar]. — [Arachin 16a]

Biblical chapter Lv13 discusses the ritual impurity of leprosy. The atonement procedure for this ritual impurity is discussed in Biblical Chapter Lv14.

A full discussion of the rich and beautiful symbolism of leprosy would require applying the objective symbolic methods presented in my article on symbolism. In this weekly digest we simply sketch a few important ideas.

The atonement procedure for the lepor is presented in Lv14 which begins Then shall the priest command to take for him who is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop

    Rashi explains the symbolism of each of the underlined items.
    • birds symbolize bird-like chatterers
    • cedars symbolize lofty mighty people
    • hyssops symbolize the lower classes
    We could justify each of these symbolic associations by citing verses where these symbolisms are present. Instead we lightly sketch how Rashi applies these symbolisms.

Rashi states: Leprosy is a punishment for chattering like a bird which leads to slander, the core of personality sins. The atonement and remedy for slander is an awareness of the rich spectrum of human personality from the lower hyssop-like classes to the mighty cedar like upper classes. Awareness of the full spectrum of human personality prevents a person from slandering people since he understands each individual's behavior based on where they are.

Advanced Rashi:Rashi does not literally state the symbolic interpretation presented above. Rather Rashi states If a person feels high and mighty like a cedar then let him lower himself till he feels like a hyssop.

However I believe that our interpretation of Rashi is consistent with the above literal interpretation: We argued that Rashi is interpreting the symbolism generally: There is a full spectrum of human personality. Rashi literally gives a specific example of this very general idea: If you think you belong on the upper class, the cedar part of the human spectrum, then see those aspects of you that belong to the lower class, the hyssop part of the human spectrum. However Rashi would be fully comfortable to apply the cedar-hyssop spectrum in other ways also. In other words we see the Rashi text as an example of a more general symbolic interpretation.

    In summary the full solution to slander and sinful idle chatter is awareness of the rich spectrum of human personality. There are many ways to apply this awareness to avoid slander. For example if you see a person who behaves like a rif-raf (like a hyssop) then do not slander him - rather find his strong positive attributes, praise him for them until he reclassifies himself among the cedars. The following story of the Jewish expert on slander, the Chafetz Chaim, illustrates this point:
      The Chafetz Chayim saw a certain person cursing and abusing people. In other words he saw the hyssop in the person. Everyone slandered the person and described him as no-good. They committed the sin of bird chatter. The Chafetz Chaim inquired: This person had been in the Russian Army for 25 years since he was a child. The Chafetz Chaim immediately saw the cedar like loftiness of the person. The Chafetz Chaim approached the person and said: They tell me you were in the Russian Army for 25 years and the only effect it had on you is that you drink and curse a little more than most people. You must be some type of saint that it affected you this little. Here the Chafetz Chaim performed the atonement procedure for slander by taking/seeing together in one person the cedar/hyssop the lofty and low. The story has a happy ending - the person of repented. This repentance is in fact symbolized by the ritual purity conferred by the leprosy purification procedure.

Praise be Him who chose them and their learning.

Conclusion

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