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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 Ex12-16b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w35n4.htm
      Brief Summary: No work SHALL BE DONE during Passover. RASHI: (Note the passive tense: Even work done by others is prohibited)

Most people are aware that Hebrew verbs come from three-letter roots. Each root is conjugated in the 8 dimensions of person, gender,plurality, tense, activity, modality, direct-object, and prepositional connective. 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.

Verse Ex12-16b discussing the prohibition of doing work on the Passover states And in the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation to you; no kind of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, only that may be done by you. Rashi translates the Biblical word Yay-a-Seh as coming from the Biblical root Ayin-Sin-Hey which means to do. We have conveniently embedded the Rashi translation in the translation of the verse. The conjugation rule governing this Biblical word may be found by using table(s) 1 in the Ibn Shoshan dictionary for the Nifal mode.

    Very Advanced Rashi: There is a simple rule of grammar which states that
  • Always use the active mode (Qal)
  • Unless you wish to emphasize the activity vs. the person doing it in which case you use the Nifal or passive mode.

In this case by using the passive mode the verse emphasis is not, you shouldn't do work but rather the work should not be done. Hence the Rashi comment: The work should not be done whether by you or by someone else you hire. Both are prohibited on the holiday.

It is interesting that this rule of grammar is common to many languages.


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