####################################################### # 12 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # MAY 30 th, 2005 # # Rashis 3064-3063 Of 7700 (39.7%) # # # # VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES # # ----------------------------- # # http://www.RashiYomi.Com/thismon.htm # # # # Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, # # (c) 1999-2004, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President # # Permission to reprint with this header PROVIDED # # it is not printed for profit # # # # WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS# # # ####################################################### |
#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2005, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
VERSE: Gn39-06a
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04 | ||
SUCCINCT SUMMARY ---------------- One of Rashis major goals is the explanation of the meaning the same way a dictionary explains meaning. We call this the Rashi rule of WORD MEANINGS. Rashi had 10 vehicles to explain word meanings. One such rule was the IDIOM rule--here Rashi does not explain the meaning of an INDIVIDUAL word but rather Rashi shows how a COLLECTION of words has a meaning which is distinct from the meaning of the INDIVIDUAL words. We call this the Rashi subrule of NEW MEANINGS. EXAMPLE Gn39-06a ---------------- The Biblical text states -------------------------------------- His master did not know with him a bit -------------------------------------- Rashi comments ----------------------------------- His master did not check up on him ----------------------------------- In other words the phrase DID NOT KNOW WITH HIM A BIT is an IDIOM which means HE DID NOT CHECK UP ON HIM. LIST854d below presents a collection of similar multi- word idioms which Rashi explains. | ||
ITEM | DETAIL | |
RASHI RULE CLASS: | WORD MEANING | |
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS | NEW MEANINGS | |
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE | #7 | |
SEE BELOW | LIST854d | |
List of | 2-3-word Biblical idioms |
(C) Dr Hendel, Jan-04 | ||||
List of 2-3-word Biblical idioms | ||||
VERSE | BIBLICAL PHRASE | TRANSLATION | NOTES | |
Gn24-27b | God showed WAY | God enabled SUCCESS | *15 | |
Gn39-06a | Didnt KNOW with him BIT | Didnt CHECK UP on him | ||
Gn24-49a | I will turn to RIGHT | to ARABS | *16 | |
Gn24-49b | I will turn to LEFT | to LOTS nations | *16 | |
Gn14-17a | EQUAL-valley | LEVEL valley | *14 | |
Ex22-02b | He has BLOOD | Guilty of BLOODSHED | ||
Nu35-27a | He doesnt have BLOOD | Not a MURDERER | ||
Gn34-03a | SPEAK ON ONES HEART | Convince, reassure | LIST854f | |
Gn23-04b | PLOT OF GRAVE | Burial Plot | *12 | |
Gn18-11b | WAY OF WOMEN | Having Periods | *9 | |
Ex13-10a | FROM DAYS DAYS | YEARLY | *1 | |
Dt17-11a | LEFT AND RIGHT | A LITTLE BIT | *2 | |
Ex21-21a | DAY OR DAYS | 24 hours | ||
Dt22-17a | Spread the Garment | Prove your point | *3 *4 | |
Ex22-02a | If Sun shines on him | If it is Clear | *4 | |
Dt25-09a | Spit IN FACE | Spit TOWARDS HIM | *5 | |
Lv05-04a | Swear by lips | Verbally(Explicitly) | *6 | |
Gn12-09a | WALK-JOURNEY | Stay-Go-Stay-Go... | *13 | |
-------- | ----------------------- | --------------------- | --------- | |
Lv16-21a | TIMED person | An APPOINTED person | *8 | |
Ex21-02a | JEWISH SLAVE | a slave AND Jewish | *7 | |
Lv13-39a | DULL WHITE | DULL WHITE | ||
Lv23-40a | GORGEOUS FRUIT | Ethrog | *10 | |
-------- | ----------------------- | --------------------- | ---------- | |
Ex28-08a | Belt OF his AYPHOD | Belt USED with AYPHOD | *7 | |
Ex28-31a | the dress OF AYPHD | Aypohd USED with DRES | *7 | |
Dt16-17a | GIFT OF HIS HAND | INCOME LEVEL | *7 *4 | |
Dt16-10a | TAX OF DONATION OF HAND | INCOME LEVEL | *7 *4 | |
Dt21-13a | GARMENT OF CAPTIVITY | Worn in war to seduce | *7 | |
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*1 See LIST854e below for Biblical examples *2 See LIST854c below for further Biblical examples *3 Probably when people had a sexual fight (who did what) they could SPREAD THE GARMENT to clearly prove their point*10 *4 Many idioms in this list are examples of SYNECDOCHE, the use of the (distinguished) PART to indicate the WHOLE. Thus honey is a GOOD EXAMPLE of something sweet, bread is a GOOD EXAMPLE of food, day(12 hours) is a GOOD EXAMPLE of the 24 hour period. Hence almost all languages develop idioms: HONEY=SWEET, BREAD=FOOD, DAY(12 HOURS)=DAY(24 HOURS). Similarly in the above live SPEADING THE GARMENT is a GOOD example of PROVING MATTERS (In sexual disputes), the SUN SHINING is a good example of CLARITY, GIFT OF HIS HAND is a good example of a HIGH INCOME LEVEL. *5 Cf However Lv15-08a Spit ON Him = Actually spit on him The rule seems to be that SPIT ON HIM is literal whereas SPIT ON FACE (use of FACE vs FULL PERSON) means SPIT TOWARDS HIM *6 eg If I am angry and mentally curse or if I am angry and start ranting and raving without however fully articulating everything on my mind -- in these two cases I may have sworn IN MY MIND but I have not sworn WITH MY LIPS (Explicitly) *7 Contrast Ex20-03a OTHER GODS=GODS OF OTHER PEOPLE vs Ex21-02a JEWISH SLAVE = SLAVE AND JEWISH Technically the possessive --OF-- can mean - OWNED BY (eg OTHER GODS = gODS of OTHERS) - PROPERTY (eg JEWISH SLAVE=SLAVE who is JEWISH) - ASSOCIATED WITH (eg BELT OF GARMENT=Belt USED with Garment) Note Rashi proves the JEWISH SLAVE=SLAVE WHO IS JEWISH by citing an other verse Dt15-12 *11 *8 For the relationship between TIME and DESIGNATION cf the English APPOINT-APPOINTMENT *9 Cf Gn31-35 for the sister phrase PATH OF WOMEN which also refers to HAVING PERIODS | ||||
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*10 (The following comes from my article PSHAT & DRASH TRADITION Winter 1980) We must distinguish between - HOW we know what the idiom means - WHY the idiom means this HOW we know what the idiom means comes from USAGE It can usually be inferred from context. Thus the Biblical verses here state when a person slanders his newly married wife...then the womens parents shall sue him and SPREAD THE GARMENT before the judges ------------------------------------- Hence SPREAD the GARMENT is simply an idiom for PROVING ONES POINT. By contrast the question of WHY the idiom means what it does is something more speculative--maybe I am right that frequently in sexual fights a SPREAD GARMENT proved a point. But maybe I am wrong...in such a case I am still sure about WHAT the idiom means. I am just not sure about WHY it means this. Another example occurs at Lv23-40a and Lv23-40b. I am certain that the ETHROG was called the GORGEOUS FRUIT but I am not quite sure why. Rashi offers two explanations EXPLANATION 1: The ethrog is an EVERGREEN and DWELLS YEARLY (This uses a pun on EVERGREEN=HADAR vs HODOR=GORGEOUS) EXPLANATION 2 ------------- The TREE and FRUIT taste the same; Hence the tree is Gorgeous. EXPLANATION 3 ------------- Rav Hirsch offers a 3rd explanation. Rav Hirsch reviews botanical classifications and infers that the Ethrog is one of the more advanced fruits in the tree Kingdom. I am still not sure WHY the phrase GORGEOUS FRUIT means ETHROG but I am sure that this phrase was used to denote the ETHROG *11 Here is another example: GARMENT OF CAPTIVITY does NOT mean - the GARMENT she wore WHEN captured (That is the GARMENT with the PROPERTY that it was worn at the time of capture) but rather means - the GARMENT she put on in case she is captured (That is the garment ASSOCIATED with the possibility of CAPTURE) Rashi explains that non-jewish women would have special garments they wore in case they were captured during a war in order to seduce their captors and prevent themselves from being murdered. *12 The Hebrew word A-Chu-Zah by itself can refer to a plot of land (without any additional words): ------------------------------------------------------ Cf Gn47-11 Gave them a PLOT Cf Lv25-46 These slaves shall be a PLOT for inheritance Cf Nu27-04 Give us please a PLOT among our brothers ------------------------------------------------------ *13 So Abraham would stay over for a month or so then journey then stay over for a month or shorter or longer etc. *14 Rashi regards these LEVEL VALLEYS as sort of STADIUMS where the Royal family had entertainment (Similar to practices today) This is hinted at in the verse --------------------------------------------- ...to the LEVEL VALLEY ...to the ROYAL VALLEY --------------------------------------------- Rashi also conjectures that this STADIUM type valley was a place where the Royal families acknowledged Abrahams existence--since he had defeated several Kings. We need not see these as two disparate conjectures...we can simply suppose that the LEVEL VALLEYS were used for BOTH - Royal family sport events - meetings with other kings. *15 The idiom GOD SHOWED ME THE WAY or GOD SHOWED ME THE PATH is common in several languages *16 The idea that LEFT and RIGHT denote extremes in a political spectrum is common in many languages. The LEFT-RIGHT distinction has been identified with - commoner-aristocracy - poor-rich - socialism-conservative - equal outcomes-equal methods - for change-for status quo Here Rashi identifies LEFT RIGHT with - LOT-ISHMAEL The origin of the etymology is not clear. Some use a historical approach: In the French parliament the commoners sat on left while aristocrats sat on right. I would say more simply that the LEFT HAND is CLUMSY while the RIGHT HAND is MATURE. This explains the various idioms: We have - left=clumsy=poor=need to change - right-mature=rich=happy with status quo Since LOT was into materialism (Cf Gn13-10) while Ishmael was more mature spiritually (Cf Gn16-11) the LEFT RIGHT distinction corresponds to LOT-ISHMAEL |