Ideas and Model Lessons in Learning Rashi-#14 Copyright RashiYomi Inc 2004 Adapted From Rashi-is-Simple http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
Written by Dr. Russell Jay Hendel;
A: REVIEW
This is the 14-th in a 30 part series on the Methods that are useful for teaching Rashi. Parts 1 - 13 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 CONTRADICTION METHODS
In this chapter we begin a 3 part series explaining the contradiction method. Quite simply, the contradiction method is used when two Biblical verses appear -- either superficially or explicitly -- to contradict each other. Rashi uses three main submethods to resolve contradiction.
The reader will immediately recognize that contradiction is the 13-th of the Rabbi Ishmael exegetical rules. These 13 exegetical rules may be found in all prayer books in the morning prayer prior to the Psalms of praise.

C: EXAMPLE 1: CONTRADICTION / 2 aspects
In this chapter we explore contradiction resolved thru consideration of 2 aspects. The following two superficially contradictory verses illustrate this method:
-     Nu21-21a: Israel sent diplomats to Sichon
-     Dt02-26: I [Moses] sent diplomats to Sichon
Notice the superficial contradiction in the verses: Who sent the diplomats -- Moses or Israel? Rashi resolves the contradiction by using the method of 2 aspects. Rashi states: The Bible here reflects the general principle that the leader of the people [i.e. Moses] acts on and behalf of the people [i.e. Israel]. The leaders actions and words are considered the official policy of the nation. Rashi actually brings several similar examples in other parts of the Bible.

D: TWO ASPECTS - EXPLAINED
In summary, Rashi resolved this contradiction by seeing Moses and Israel as two aspects, or two sides, of the national entity: It was the national entity that sent diplomats: One aspect of the national entity is the leader, Moses, while the other aspect is the nation, Israel.

E: EXAMPLE 2--Ex30-19 vs Ex40-31a Lv09-28a
Both these verses speak about who may wash from the Temple basin:
-     Ex30-19 Aaron and his sons[i.e. the Priests] will wash from it
-     Ex40-31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons will wash from it.
These verses appear contradictory: Ex30-19 states that the Temple basin is for the Priests while Ex40-31 states that a non-Priest, Moses, uses the basin.

F: EXAMPLE 2--2 ASPECTS OF PRIESTHOOD
Rashi in at least two verses -- Ex40-31a and Lv09-28a -- explains that during the 7 days of the consecration of the Temple, Moses had the status, and functioned, as a priest. A review of the various verses in Lv08 confirms that Moses did many uniquely priestly activities such as the sprinkling of blood (Lv08-15), and the offering of organs on the altar (Lv08-16).
Thus Rashi resolves the contradiction thru the 2 aspects sub-method: The two verses are stating that people who function as priests are required to wash from the basin. One aspect of priestly functionality is the actual priesthood -- Aaron and his descendants -- while a second aspect of priestly functionality is people like Moses, who, on special occasions, performed priestly functions.

G: THE CONTRADICTION vs CONTRAST METHOD
The actual text of the Rabbi Ishmael rule in the Prayer Books speaks about
-      two verses that contradict each other
-      a resolution thru a third verse.
Thus in example 2, the contradiction between Ex30-19 and Ex40-31 is resolved through several verses in Lv08, such as Lv08-15 and Lv08-16, which show that Moses once functioned as a priest.
However example 1 clearly shows that
- the resolution may be achieved through common sense without a third verse
- the contradiction need not be blatant. The verses may be complementary or contrasting.
Indeed, in example 1, the statements that Moses vs. Israel, sent diplomats, are not contradictory; people speak like this all the time. The additional examples brought below also illustrate this point. Perhaps a better name for the rule would be the contrast method, or the complement method rather than the contradiction, method.

H: EXAMPLE 3 - Gn36-02c vs. Gn36-24
The following cute example reinforces the idea, just stated, that resolution of contradiction can be accomplished via common sense without additional verses:
- Gn36-02c Ahalivamah the daughter of Anah and the daughter of Tzivon
- Gn36-24:26 Tzivon's children were Ayah and Anah....Anah's children were...and Ahalivamah
We see the contradiction: Tzivon is the grandfather, Anah is the father and Ahalivamah is the daughter of Anah her father. Why then does Gn36-02 state that Ahalivamah the daughter of Anah her father was also the daughter of Tzivon her grandfather.
Rashi resolves the contradiction using common sense: Tzivon the grandfather, had an affair with his daughter-in-law, Anah's wife. Hence, although, Anah raised Ahalivamah, nevertheless, her physical father was Tzivon. Illegitimacy was common among Esauv's children.

I: EXAMPLE 4 - Ex02-06b
Ex02-06b provides a charming example of two verses which should preferably be called contrasting rather than contradictory.
- Ex02-06 Pharoh's daughter opened the basket and she saw the child: And indeed, the lad was crying.
- Rashi: He was physically an infant but his crying had the demeanor of an older lad.
Here, Rashi seizes the contrasting words: child vs. lad and milks their nuances: He was a child in age but a lad in demeanor. Rashi's explanation provides further insights on the story: Why, did Pharoh's daughter, a royal princess, risk her life in raising a Jewish baby after Pharoh had ordered all Jewish male infants terminated? Perhaps, her seeing a certain regal demeanor in the child, tempted her to raise the child as her own.

J: HOMEWORK - EXAMPLE 5
Students should read the following verses connected with the 10 plagues:
- Ex09-03,06 [Plague 5] God will send a plague on your animals...all the animals died
- Ex09-09 [Plague 6] God will send boils on your animals
- Ex09-19 [Plague 7] flee to your house to survive; all people / animals in the fields will die from hail
- Ex14-07 [Exodus] Pharoh harnessed the chariots and took his whole army in pursuit
The student may wish to read the actual texts of these verses. For pedgogic purposes we have summarized the verses so as to highlight the contradiction in them. However a careful first reading of the verses would avoid an outright contradiction. This will be discussed below when we provide the answer.

K: HOMEWORK CONTINUED - THREE LEVELS
Based on the above verses we outline homework exercises at three student levels.
The Advanced Level
The student should answer the following questions.
- What contradictions exist in the above verses?
- Are the contradictions explicit or implicit?
- Are they contradictions or contrasts?
- How many contradictions are there?
- How can the contradictions be resolved.
- Is the resolution accomplished by common sense or supportive verses
The Intermediate Level
The student should answer the following questions.
- What is the status of the Egyptian animals after each plague?
- How do these statuses show a contradiction?
- How many contradictions are there?
- What key words in the verses can be used to resolve the contradiction.
The Elementary level
The student should answer the following questions.
- What happened to Egyptian animals in the 5th plague?
- How does God sending boils on the animals in the 6th plague contradict this?
- In the 7th plague which animals/people died and which animals/people survived?
- Can this distinction help resolve the contradiction between the 5th and 6th plague?
- Can you find a verse text to support this approach.

L: ANSWERS TO HOMEWORK - THE CONTRADICTION
- Ex09-03 clearly states that God was sending a plague on the Egyptian animals.
- Ex09-06 clearly states that all Egyptian animals died in the 5th plague.
- Ex09-09: But if they all died how can God send boils on them in the 6th plague?
- Ex09-19: If all animals died how can Egyptians save the animals in their house in the 7th plague?
- Ex14-07: Similarly if they all died, how can Pharoh harness 600 chariots? [Note that Ex09-03 explicitly states that God is destroying the horses]
- These contradictions are implicit.
- They are not contrasts but rather outright contradictions.
- There are 3 contradictions since animals are mentioned in the 6th and 7th plague and at the exodus -- all this after all the animals had died in the 5th plague.

M: ANSWERS TO HOMEWORK - THE 2 ASPECTS
The contradictions can be resolved thru a supportive verse: Ex09-19 clearly states only the animals in the field died of hail; the animals in the houses survived. This field-house distinction facilitates a re-examinatin of Ex09-03 which explicitly states God's hand will be on your animals in your fields.
In other words, in the 5th plague only the field animals died. Hence the house animals, who survived the 5th plague received boils in the 6th plague. After these plagues the animals could be brought out to the fields again. Hence in the 7th plague God killed the animals in the field---that is, the animals that were in the houses during the 5th plague and brought out to the fields after the plague. Those that were brought into the house survived and ironically were used to pursue the Jews after the Exodus.
Note: had we carefully read Ex09-03 on a first reading we would have noticed the explicit word fields and would not have thought the verses contradictory. Thus the contradiction was only superficial. As we have already noted it would be better to refer to this method as the contrast method.

N: THE RASHI WEBSITE AS A RESOURCE
The Rashi website can be used as a resource to provide examples for the contradiction method.
- The Home page for the Rashi website is located at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/
- The Main Rashi Database is located at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lists.htm
- Scroll down in the left hand frame till you find CONTRADICTION / 2 aspects
- Click on the link
- The right frame will now contain the links to examples of the contradiction method
- The main table for contradiction resolved by 2 aspects is LIST510a.