SUCCINCT SUMMARY
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One of Rashis 6 main tasks is to explain
GRAMMAR the same way modern Hebrew books
explain GRAMMAR. We call this the Rashi GRAMMAR rule.
Rashi had three broad sub-rules in explaining GRAMMAR
(1) A major component of Hebrew GRAMMAR are the rules
governing conjugations of VERBS, or HEBREW ROOTS.
There are 7 grammatical modes with half a dozen
parameters: tense, person, gender, plurality,
connective words...
(2) Another component of GRAMMAR deals with
PREFIXES-SUFFIXES and other letters, or small words,
that indicate changes in meanings.This PREFIX-SUFFIX
subrule includes the rules governing the rules of
plural, gender, pronouns etc. We are still making
discoveries of PREFIX-SUFFIX rules today.
(3) Finally a more advanced part of GRAMMAR deals
with the rules of entire SENTENCES. The SENTENCE
rules includes the rules governing sentence order,
apposition, and compound sentences
EXAMPLES Nu34-06a
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Nu34-06a states
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The western border:
- It will be the Mediteranean sea & its borders
This will be the western border
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Rashi on the opening phrase THE WESTERN BORDER: states
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This phrase is understood as being in APPOSITION:
That is the verse could be read
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Mediteranean sea and its
borders are THE WESTERN BORDER
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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LIST075a below summarizes this apposition and
brings in many more examples.
EXAMPLE Nu34-04b
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Verse Nu34-04 states
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And the southern border rolls to MAALAY AKRABIM
and continues TOWARDS Tzin [the actual Hebrew
word used is TzinAH; Tzin is the name of a desert;
to this name is added a TERMINAL HEY: Tzin+HEY=
Tzinah]
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Rashi comments on the TZIN+HEY formation
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TZIN+HEY has the same meaning as LAMED+TZIN.
The prefix LAMED in Hebrew means TOWARDS.
Hence TzinAH means TOWARDS Tzin.
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LIST045a below contains half a dozen Rashis
illustrating this principle. Characteristic
of Rashi, important subrules, are also mentioned.
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