Rashi’s commentary to the Torah is a virtual treasury of rabbinic thought and method. In his comments on any given verse, one can glimpse the mindset through which the tradition derived Jewish practice from the words of the Torah. In Parshat Naso, the Torah teaches regarding the penalty for theft:

The Lord spoke to Moshe, saying: When a man or a woman commits any wrong towards his fellow man, thus breaking faith with the Lord, and that person realizes his guilt, he shall confess the wrong that he has done. He shall make restitution in the principal amount and add one-fifth to it, giving it to him who was wronged… (Numbers 5:5–10)

Regarding this seemingly straightforward law, Rashi comments:

Here you see that Scripture repeats the law dealing with one who robs another by violence and swears falsely concerning it. A similar law was already stated in Parshat Vayikra: “If a soul sin, and commits a trespass against Hashem, and deny unto his neighbor…” (Leviticus 5:21). The reason it is repeated here,[according to Rashi], is because it contains two new points. First, it states here, “and if they confess,” teaching that one is liable for the additional fifth and for the guilt offering only when he himself confesses the matter, but not when convicted through the testimony of witnesses. Second, it introduces the law regarding something stolen........

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