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      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 Ex38-18a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1211.htm
      Brief Summary: THE SCREEN-DOOR opposite THE WALL CURTAINS uses a synechdoche: OPPOSITE in this context means OF EQUAL LENGTH.

    The FFF submethod states that words can be named by Form, Feel, and Function.
  • Some examples of naming words by Form include (a) the leg of a chair, (b) the handle of a pot, (c) the branch of a family tree, (d) surfing the net or (e) brainstorming Some of these examples illustrate naming objects by form while other examples illustrate naming activities by form.
  • A good punchy example distinguishing naming by form vs. function is pentagon-UN. The pentagon is named after the shape and form of the building while the United Nations is named after the function and purpose of the building. Although both these buildings have as a purpose world peace they are named differently.
  • Examples of naming by feel/substance are glasses, hardship, ironing-board, plaster etc.

The FFF principle is a special case of the literary techniques of synechdoche-metonomy. These literary principles, universal to all languages, state that items can be named by related items, by parts of those items, or by good examples of those items. For example honey refers to anything sweet since honey is a good example of something sweet. Similarly hot refers to matters of love since the two are related. Todays Rashi can best be understood by applying these principles.

An example of the triple FFF method occurs in verse Ex38-18a discussing the construction of the Temple door-screen which states ##### Rashi explains: The word opposite in this verse means of the same measure. The reason the word opposite means of the same measure is because the oppositeness of two objects is a good example (synechdoche) of pairs of objects with the same measurement since such pairs of objects with the same measurement have an appearance of being opposite each other. As can be seen from the underlined words the Rashi comment is compactly and explicitly combined in the Biblical text.


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