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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 Gn27-44a Gn26-10a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1315.htm
      Brief Summary: Dwell with him a FEW days (ONES means a FEW) The FIRST of the nation (the King) almost slept with her.

When Rashi uses, what we may losely call, the hononym method, Rashi does not explain new meaning but rather shows an underlying unity in disparate meanings. Rashi will frequently do this by showing an underlying unity in the varied meanings of a Biblical root.

In my article Peshat and Derash found on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rashi.pdf. I advocate enriching the Rashi explanation using a technique of parallel nifty translations in modern English. Today's examples show this.

    The Heberw Biblical root Aleph-Cheth-Daleth has a fundamental meaning of one. Hence this Biblical root can mean
  • one
  • first [ the first is number one in a list ]
  • distinguished [ the first or choicest in the group ]
  • unity [ many becoming one ]
  • a few [ ones means a few ]

Applying the above translation to Gn27-44a discussing the duration of Jacob's flee to Laban we obtain and dwell with him ones of days [a few days] until your brother's anger assuages Similarly applying the above translation to Gn26-10a discussing Isaac's hiding his wife's identity we obtain And Abimelech said: 'What is this thou hast done unto us? the first of the people [the King] might easily have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.'

Advanced Rashi: In the Gn27-44a example the English translation naturally embeds the translation few into the verse. 


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