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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2007, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
    2. RASHI METHOD: WORD MEANING
    BRIEF EXPLANATION: The meaning of words can be explained either by
    • (2a) translating an idiom, a group of words whose collective meaning transcends the meaning of its individual component words,
    • (2b) explaining the nuances and commonality of synonyms-homographs,
    • (2c) describing the usages of connective words like also,because,if-then, when,
    • (2d) indicating how grammatical conjugation can change word meaning
    • (2e) changing word meaning using the figures of speech common to all languages such as irony and oxymorons.
    This examples applies to Rashis Ex14-24a
    URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ex14-24a.htm

Verse Ex14-24a describing how God overthrew the pursuing Egyptian Army near dawn states And it came to pass at the morning guard, that HaShem looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians. Rashi explains the idiom, morning guard, as illustrating the figure of speech technique, metonomy, naming by something related: The night was divided up into three shifts -- each shift had a different round of guards for palaces, temples etc. Even the ministering angels are seen as having shifts. The morning guard refers to the last shift of the night, the one near morning. Here, a time slot--prior to dawn--is named by related activities -- the morning guard. The naming of an entity by something related is called in literature, metonomy.

    Common examples of metonomy include
  • naming sexual passion and anger heat Gn30-38d
  • naming concealing murder covering blood Gn37-26b;
  • naming Temple coins holy coins Ex30-13c
  • naming a person with numerous assets heavy Gn13-02
  • naming the arm the hand Gn24-18a
  • naming the nations of the word, one end of heaven to the other end of heaven Dt04-32b
  • naming the household, the inhabitants of the house, the house Gn12-17b

Sermonic points: Humorously, Rashi is actually painting a typical western movie drama. The Egyptians are pursuing the Jews. The Jews complain they have been defeated. God could just shoot the Egyptians down immediately. But no the ride goes on. It is morning and still no word from God. The Egyptians are about to overtake the Jews. The Jews are fleeing and totally helpless. And then in typical movie style, God steps in and defeats the Egyptians. The Jews escape and sing songs of praise.

I have not seen such an approach in our traditional commentaries but Rashi's emphasis that this happened near morning seems to support such a perspective. 


#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2007, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#