SUCCINCT SUMMARY
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One of Rashis 10 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
EXAMPLE 1: Dt10-15a
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Dt10-15 states
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God only loved your Fore-Fathers
and therefore he chose their progeny, YOU,
from all the nations....
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Rashi
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The word YOU in the above verse is in
APPOSITION to THEIR PROGENY. That is
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
God chose their PROGENY from all nations
God chose ------ YOU--- from all nations
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[The APPOSITION of the word YOU is easily
understood to most English users because
of the use of Commas.]
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LIST075a below summarizes this apposition and
brings in many more examples.
EXAMPLE 2: Nu05-19:22
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Dt11-02:07 is a 6-verse sentence. It basically
says
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- I am not talking to your CHILDREN who DID NOT SEE
- Rather I am talking to YOU who DID SEE
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The actual Full text is given below Rashi's sole
job in Dt11-02b and Dt11-07a is to indicate the
multi-verse sentence structure
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VERSE TEXT OF VERSE
------- -----------------------------------------------
Dt11-02 YOU should know today
You are not your CHILDREN
who did not see
- Gods greatness
Dt11-03 - the 10 plagues in Egypt
Dt11-04 - the splitting of the sea
Dt11-05 - all done in the dessert
Dt11-06 - overthrow of Korach
Dt11-07 But rather YOU SEE
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So eg Rashi states
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The phrase BUT RATHER YOU SEE refers back
to the phrase YOUR CHILDREN DID NOT SEE
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LIST070k summarizes this argument.
EXAMPLE 3: Dt10-10a
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The paragraph Dt10-01:10 reads as follows
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Dt10-01:05 God told me to make 2nd tablets-
I did so and placed them in Ark
(Dt10-06:09 We journeyed; Aaron died;
Levites separated for God)
Dt10-10 I HAD STAYED in mount 40 days
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Rashi:
-------
Dt10-10, I HAD STAYED IN MOUNT, refers to
BEGINNING/OPENING of chapter Dt10-01:05 when God
told me to make second tablets.
In other words, because of the PAST PERFECT, Rashi
views Dt10-06:09 as a parenthetical insert(The
reasons for this parenthetical insert are explained
in another Rashi---our task here is to show the
use of the PAST PERFECT)
EXAMPLE 4: USE OF INFINITIVE Dt10-13a
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The infinitive combined with the
preposition TO indicates purpose
and goal. Here are simple examples
- Ex20-01c God spoke 10 commandments TO SAY
Rashi: TO SAY Back an AFFIRMATION (We will do them)
- Lv01-01f God spoke to Moses TO SAY
Rashi: God only gave prophecy so Moses could TEACH
Rashi: TO SAY back an AFFIRMATION (We will do them)
- Ex32-10a Dt09-13 God said to me TO SAY:I-ll punish
Rashi: God requested Moses TO SAY BACK to him,
a prayer, to supplicate for mercy
- Dt03-23c I Moses supplicated to God TO SAY
Rashi: Moses DEMANDED that God SAY BACK to him
an answer
- Dt10-13a God asks you TO watch commandments TO
better oneself
RASHI: That is, TO watch the commandments FOR
the purpose of improving oneself
In the last example Rashi shows how a NESTED
or ITERATED infinitive is interpreted.
These examples are summarized in LIST704a below
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