How Rashi uses dataabase methods:#2 of 3
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#       10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE             #
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        ========= SPECIAL FEATURE ====================

        This unit shows the difference in approach
          DR HENDEL vs THE YELLOW BOOK (Shaaray Aaron)

        ALSO Please visit my RASHI-WORD SUMMARY at
          http://www.Rashiyomi.com/words.htm
        ==============================================


GOALS:
------
We have completed the previous units. The GRAND
SUMMARIES will be up Sunday.Today we start a
short unit. We show how DATABASE methods can help
resolve an impossible Rashi that contradicts
many verses.

TODAYS UNIT
-----------
We present the basic methodology of understanding
Rashis from Databases and apply it to Gn15-05a.
Today we review the nuances of the root TZFEH
and complete our analysis of the differences
between this email group and the YELLOW BOOK

REFERENCE:
----------
This module comes from the following reference in the
Rashi-is-Simple series.

http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn15-05a.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h10n21.htm


#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#

==== THEOSAURUS OF SEE: Some words mean WATCH,SPY,GAZE ====

 The synonym (Theosaurus) Database
 -------------------------------------------
 The key to understanding Gn15-05a is to review synonyms
 of the word TO SEE. Standard Theosaurii (SYNONYM
 databases) yield the following entries as synonymous
 with TO SEE:
 ---------------------------------------------------
 LOOK EXAMINE SCRUTINIZE GAZE APPRAISE GLANCE
 STARE ASCERTAIN SPY WATCH ASSESS SURVEY
 OVERLOOK SCAN OBSERVE
 ----------------------------------------------------
 Let us now apply this to Gn15-05a

 THE RASHI ON Gn15-05a
 ------------------------------------------------------
 Rashis approach is that it is a mistake
 to simply translate a variety of Hebrew roots -- such
 as NBaT, ShKaF, SeVeH, RaAH, TzaFeH -- as TO SEE.
 Rashis contribution is that NEBAT doesnt just mean
 to see, but rather NEBAT means TO ASSESS. By selecting
 the right SYNONYM of seeing (assessment) Rashi makes a
 contribution to our understanding of meaning. And Rashi
 does this by reviewing the SYNONYM DATABASE for TO SEE.


 FURTHER INSIGHTS ON THIS VERSE
 ------------------------------
 Footnote *1 below outlines the difference in approach
 between Dr Hendel and the Yellow book. This is based on
 the unit we did yesterday

 Let us now look at the Rashis for synonyms of TO SEE. The
 footnotes provide verse support for our translations.
 The following list shows the SYNONYMS that best translate
 the Hebrew roots. We also cite Rashi as well as indicate
 what database queries support his claim.

============================================================
ROOT  SYNONYMS OF TO SEE       RASHI     DBase-1   DBase-2
===== ======================== ========  ========  ========
RaAH  To see
NeBT  To assess/examine        Gn15-05a  verses*1
TzFeH To scan/survey/overview  Gn31-49a  Words*3
TzFeH To scan/survey/overview  Ex16-31b  Words*3

NOTES
=====
*1 THE YELLOW BOOK
 ---------------
 The use of the Theosaurus (Synonym) Database also shows
 that it is a mistake to create arbitrary
 distinctions that have no backup in the theosaurus
 database of synonyms. So for example if Rashi citing
 a midrash Rabbah states that
 --------------------------------------------------------
 the Hebrew root NeBAT means looking from above to below
 --------------------------------------------------------
 then we must reject this as a literal meaning.

 Consistent with this rejection we see that
 --The Midrash Rabbah Commentary,MaHarzu rejected that
 God tool Abraham off the planet(so he could see from
 Above below)since EVEN MOSES & ELIJAH didnt leave the
 planet.

 --The Gur Aryeh commentary (Cited by the YELLOW BOOK)
 finds a contradictory verse (where NBT is from below
 to above)

 --Yesterday we brought MANY verses where NEBAT involves
 seeing from BELOW UP. Furthermore the translation ASSESS
 is better suited to most of these verses.
   -------------------------------------------------------
   1King19-06 He ASSESSED & above his head was a cookie
   Nu21-09    ASSESS the copper snake(it is inanimate)&live
   Ps34-06    I ASSESS to God--I stream to him my prayers
   Isa22-11   You make defences but dont ASSESS the Maker
   Gn15-05    ASSESS your heavenly (vs earthly) merit
   --------------------------------------------------------


 --Furthermore using the SYNONYM database we see that
 NEBAT is better translated, not as TO SEE, but rather
 as TO ASSESS. (So God simply asked Abraham to assess his
 heavenly merit vs his earthly merit).(This was discussed
 yesterday)

 Bottom line: The yellow book only cites one commentary
 Gur Aryeh. It does not cite the Maharzu. It also does
 not cite the many verses where NEBAT means to look
 upward. The yellow book does not seek an adequate
 resolution of the contradiction between the midrash
 rabbah and the verses that contradict it (Which the
 Maharzu commentary does do)

 Finally the real difference in approach between
 me and the yellow book, is that no attempt is made to
 consult the synonym database and arrive at the
 translation that NEBAT means TO ASSESS.

 The idea of approaching Rashi thru semantic models
 from synonyms in other languages was first advocated
 in my Tradition Article, PESHAT and DERASH, WINTER
 1980.



*3 In the previous examples we brought support for
   Rashi from the verse database. In this example
   we bring support for Rashi from the WORD DATABASE--
   that is from the database of words with similar
   roots. Here are some other words with root TzFeH.
   We claim the underlying unifying meaning is a
   -------------------------------------------------
   MOTION that OVERLAYS A LARGE SURFACE AREA WITHOUT
   DWELLING TO MUCH ON ANY ONE SPOT.
   -------------------------------------------------
   Hence we have
   ----------------------------------------------------
   TzaPiCith -- The honey wafer -- OVERLAYED with honey
   TziPuy------ An OVERLAY of say wood
   Hope ------- To OVERLAY a large terrain of time
                and focus on the distant future
   Prophecy --- To OVERLAY a large terrain of time and
                see the distant future
   WatchTower - Enables someone to OVERSEE a large
                amount of terrain
   ----------------------------------------------------
   Hence we have translated TzFEH as OVERVIEW/SCAN/SURVEY
   (We used Radack, Book of Roots for this list--this
   books provides us with the ROOT-WORD database)

============================================================


#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#