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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2012, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
      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 Lv24-16a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1216.htm
      Brief Summary: Nun-Kuph-Beth means to 1) make a HOLE, 1a) hammer 1b) female 2) FIX (assign a slot/ hole) whether fixing wages, social positions, or fixing of a name.

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 Nun-Kuph-Beth has a fundamental meaning of making a hole. Hence this Biblical root can mean
  • hole
  • hammar [ an instrument for making holes ]
  • female [ ]
  • fix [ that is, assign a slot (assign a hole!) ]
  • fix wages [ ]
  • fix one's primary assignment, name or social calling. [ ]
  • identify one's primary assignment, name or social calling.

Applying the above translation to Lv24-16a discussing the death penalty due to a blasphemer we obtain He who identifies God's name [utters God's personal name, the Tetragrammaton] shall be put to death.

Advanced Rashi: The above translation may not seem punchy and exact. But other verses with the root Nun-kuph-beth are also problematic in translation. To illustrate one example Nu01-17 states And Moses and Aaron took these men who were fixed by names [their new social position/slots/holes were fixed]. Finally comapre the English idiom an opening referring to a job title; here opening closely resembles the Hebrew hole! Thus while these translations are correct they don't fit in English as snugly as most translations do. 


#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2012, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#