The literary techniques of synechdoche-metonomy, universal to all languages, states 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. Today's Rashi can best be understood by applying these principles.

The words before, after, right refer to particular relative locations. However metonomy/synechdoche allows this word to refer to the good example of relative positions when you face the sun; 1) When you face the sun, it is before you in the east; 2) When you face the sun, your back faces the west; 3) When you face the sun the south is on your right. The following verse, with referents to relative positions illustrates this usage. Verse Gn03-24a discussing the confrontation between God and man in paradise after man sinned, states So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east [literally, before] of the garden of Eden the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way to the tree of life. As can be seen this verse(s) illustrates a metonomycal /synodechical use of relative position, before to refer to geographic positions, east.