  Semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off the Deuteron with production of
a slow nucleon in recoil kinematics is studied in the virtual nucleon
approximation, in which the final state interaction (FSI) is calculated within
general eikonal approximation. The cross section is derived in a factorized
approach, with a factor describing the virtual photon interaction with the
off-shell nucleon and a distorted spectral function accounting for the
final-state interactions. One of the main goals of the study is to understand
how much the general features of the diffractive high energy soft rescattering
accounts for the observed features of FSI in deep inelastic scattering(DIS).
  Comparison with the Jefferson Lab data shows good agreement in the covered
range of kinematics. Most importantly, our calculation correctly reproduces the
rise of the FSI in the forward direction of the slow nucleon production angle.
  By fitting our calculation to the data we extracted the $W$ and $Q^2$
dependences of the total cross section and slope factor of the interaction of
DIS products, $X$, off the spectator nucleon. This analysis shows the $XN$
scattering cross section rising with $W$ and decreasing with an increase of
$Q^2$. Finally, our analysis points at a largely suppressed off-shell part of
the rescattering amplitude.
