Ideas and Model Lessons in Learning Rashi-#12
Copyright RashiYomi Inc 2004
Adapted From Rashi-is-Simple
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
Written by Dr. Russell Jay Hendel;
A: REVIEW
This is the 12-th in a 30 part series on the Methods that are useful for teaching Rashi. Parts 1 - 11 may be accessed on the Rashi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/wbook.htm in the workbook series. Part 1 contains useful information on our notation and methods - to best understand this chapter the reader should be familiar with our conventions.
B: THE ALIGNMENT METHODS
Chapter 11 began a three part subseries reviewing the 3 Rashi methods using alignment. In Chapter 11 we showed how alignment could be used to infer meaning. In this chapter we show how alignment can be used to infer either nuances or multiple cases.
C: EXAMPLE #1: Ex20-03a
The Biblical text: Ex20-03a:Ex20-04 A person should not have other gods....A person should not make idols
The Rashi Text: ....The Biblical text implies two prohibitions: don-t make objects into idols and don-t keep possession of idols
In other words both designation and possession of idols are prohibited:
- it is prohibited to take a statue and designate it as an idol ("Don-t make idols")
- similarly it is prohibited, after receiving an idol as a gift, to possess the idol (even though you didn-t designate it)
D: ALIGNMENT / 2 cases
This Rashi can be clarified by aligning Ex20-03 and Ex20-04. The alignment highlights the 2 differences as shown. To "read" the alignment the reader should first read each verse by reading one column at a time. Then the reader should read each row. This reading of rows confirms that most of the words in the two verses are identically repeated except for minor aligned differences which are bolded.
===============================
Ex20-03 Ex20-04 Differs
========= ========= =======
A person A person
should should
not not
POSSESS MAKE #1
other statues #2
gods
for for
himself himself
===============================
The alignment shows the contrast of possess vs make as well as the contrast of other gods vs. statues.
These two differences immediately and naturally suggest two cases of prohibitions:
- (#1) don-t possess pagan gods that other people have given to you as a gift;
- (#2) don-t designate a statue as a god.
E: REINTERPRETATION
A further inference from the alignment is possible. We can perceive the alignment as redefining the meanings and nuances of the terms involved. More specifically we can reinterpret the phrase other gods as meaning gods of others.
===============================
Ex20-03 Ex20-04 Differs
========= ========= =======
A person A person
should should
not not
POSSESS MAKE #1
gods statues #2
of others
for for
himself himself
===============================
This reinterpretation illustrates the prohibition of possession of idols with an extreme case where the gods are made by other people; this example more intensely clarifies the distinction between possession / designation vs. production. Rashi in facts gives this reinterpretation (Ex20-03b).
F: THE ALIGNMENT METHOD vs. THE EXTRA-WORD APPROACH
I have presented the philosophical basis of the alignment method in my article The Pedagogy of the Four Sons which appeared in the journal Shofar in Summer of 2004. There I contrasted the alignment method with a more traditional approach to Rashi.
A standard traditional approach to Rashi seeks to derive inferences either from extra or peculiar words in the Biblical text. By contrast, the method advocated in this chapter is to seek inferences only when the extra or peculiar words appear in an alignment. The fact that the Biblical Author chose two distinct words in two otherwise identically aligned texts shows that these two distinct words were used with the intention to create emphasis. Thus in our example above the aligned Biblical words make vs. possess clearly indicates two distinct prohibitions.
This alignment method is aesthetically superior to the traditional extra-word approach in that the alignment method does not require a homily be made on every extra or strange word. Rather the alignment method only requires homily when the Author appeared to intend the homily, as happens when two almost identical phrases differ minutely.
G: EXAMPLE 2: Lv19-04c
The Biblical Text: Lv19-04a, Lv19-04c People should not turn to idols...molten gods: people should not make for themselves
Rashi: The Biblical phrase, People should not turn to idols, prohibits worship. The Biblical phrase, Molten gods, people should not make for themselves, refers to manufacture of idols for others -- indeed, this verse couldn-t, for example, refer to others manufacturing for Jews since that is already prohibited in Ex20-03 and Ex20-04.
H: ALIGNMENT
We align the Biblical text in Lv19-04 with the texts in Ex20-03 and Ex20-04. To fully appreciate the alignment the reader should first read each verse by reading down each column and then review the aligned differences by reading across each row to become aware of minor differences.
==========================================
Ex20-03 Ex20-04 Lv19-04 Differs
========== ============ ========== =======
MOLTEN #1 #3
GODS:
A person A person PEOPLE #2
should should should
not not not
POSSESS MAKE make #4
other STATUES #3
gods
for for for
himself himself themselves #2
==========================================
Notice the three differences:
#1 The sentence order is reversed: Don-t make idols vs Molten gods: Don-t make
#2 Lv19-04 is stated in the plural while Ex20-03:04 is stated in the singular
#3 The word for idols differ: other gods, statues, molten gods.
#4 The difference between possessing vs making/designating idols has been discussed above in the alignment of Ex20-03a and Ex20-04.
I: PROHIBITION OF MANUFACTURE
Rashi clarifies the significance of these three differences:
- Ex20-03:04 prohibits possession and designation of idols for oneself
- Lv19-04 prohibits manufacture of idols (even though you work as part of a group and don-t use the idols).
Notice how Rashi-s explanation is consistent with the nuances of the differences indicated above:
- manufacture is a process involving many people (plural) while possession involves just one person (singular) [Difference #2]
- manufacture typically involves complex technology such as manufacture of molten gods [Difference #3]
- Beginning the verse with molten gods -- (Molten gods: people should not make for themselves vs. people should not make molten gods for themselves) -- also places an emphasis on manufacture. [Difference #1]
J: ALIGNMENT / 2 cases vs ALIGNMENT / nuances
There is an obvious difference between the alignments in examples 1 and 2. In example 1 the alignment suggested a blatant / explicit difference: make/designate vs. possess. In example 2 there was no such blatant / explicit distiction. However Rashi-s explanation --- prohibition of manufacture --- while not explicitly suggested, is nevertheless consistent with the nuances of the aligned differences: Plural vs. singular hints at manufacture and simialrly molten gods vs. gods of others hints at manufacture.
We therefore use two names to describe these two alignment methods:
- the blatant / explicit alignment of example 1 is called ALIGNMENT / 2 cases;
- the hinted alignment of example 2 is called ALIGNMENT / nuances.
K: THE RASHI WEBSITE AS A RESOURCE
The Rashi website can be used as a resource for examples. Sources for alignment examples may be found on the Rashi website in two places:
(a) The LISTS PAGE:
- Navigate to http://www.RashiYomi.com/lists.htm,
- scroll in the left frame till you find ALIGNMENT / 2 cases and ALIGNMENT / nuances.
- Click on these links to display hyperlinks to several examples some of which we present below.
(b) DAILY RASHI CALENDAR:
- Navigate to http://www.Rashiyomi.com/calendar1.htm,
- scroll down till you find the hyperlinks to the ALIGN series
- which was presented from July-28-2001 to October-11-2001.
These sources present several hundred examples of alignment: The alignment method is a major Rashi method and is the key to understanding many difficult midrashim. For, as explained above, the midrashim are not inferred from extra words or nuances but rather are inferred from the alignment which vests an emphasis in the aligned words.
We have explained the basic theory in this chapter. The next chapter is devoted to examples illustrating the two alignment methods. Readers studying these selected examples will acquire a basic familiarity with the alignment methods and its uses.