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      3. RASHI METHOD: GRAMMAR
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: Rashi explains verses using grammar principles, that is, rules which relate reproducable word form to word meaning. Grammatical rules neatly fall into 3 categories
      • (a) the rules governing conjugation of individual words,Biblical roots,
      • (b) the rules governing collections of words,clauses, sentences
      • (c) miscellaneous grammatical, or form-meaning, rules.
      This examples applies to Rashis Lv09-12a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n13.htm
      Brief Summary: Root MEM-TZADE-ALEPH means a) to FIND in the active mode and b) to PRESENT in the causative mode (Cause someone else to FIND).

Most people are aware that Hebrew verbs come from three-letter roots. Each root is conjugated in the 7 dimensions of person, gender,plurality, tense, activity, modality, and direct-object. For example the root Shin Mem Resh means to watch. The conjugations Shin-Mem-Resh-Tauv-Yud and Nun-Shin-Mem-Resh-Nun-Vav mean I watched and we were watched respectively.

The rules for Hebrew grammar are carefully described in many modern books and are well known. Rashi will sometimes comment when a verse is using a rare conjugation of an odd grammatical form.

When presenting grammatical Rashis my favorite reference is the appendix in volume 5 of the Ibn Shoshan dictionary. This very short appendix lists most conjugations.

A simple recurring gramatical problem is a description of the distinct meanings of a Biblical root in the different grammatical modes. Today we study the Hebrew root Mem-Tzade-Aleph. In the active mode (Qal) this root means to find. However, in the causative mode (Hifil) this root means to present. The explanation of the connection between find-present is simple: To present something is to cause that person to find it.

Advanced Rashi: A punchy way of learning some Rashis is to embed the Rashi comment in the translation of the verse. Verse Lv09-12a states And he slew the burnt offering; and the sons of Aaron presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled around upon the altar. The underlined word presented neatly embeds the Rashi comment in the translation of the verse.


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