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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2011, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
      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 Dt18-01a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1305.htm
      Brief Summary: ALL Levites....RASHI: Even blemished Levites.

    The special word method deals with the few dozen special connective words that exist in all languages. Familiar examples are also, when, that, if, then, all, because, only, this,.... These words are typically
    • adverbs, such as all,also or connective words, either
    • conjunctions, such as if, then, because or
    • articles or demonstrative or abstract pronouns, such as the, this, that or
    • propositional connectives, such as in,on,to,from.
    Rashi's job, when he comments on a special connective words, is to enumeratively list the nuances and usages of the word.

The most famous example of the special word method is the Hebrew word Kaph Yud which can mean because, that, when, perhaps, rather, if. Sometimes Rashi explicitly gives all meanings of a connective word as happens with Kaph Yud while at other times Rashi does not give all meanings at once. In such a case the Rashi student must gather all the meanings together from various places.

One can classify the special word method as either a meaning sub-method or grammar sub-method.

    Today we deal with the Hebrew special word Kuph-Lamed which can have any of the following meanings.
  • all, even borderline cases for example, Nu14-01a The whole nation rebelled, [even the leaders]
  • all, any part for example, Lv21-11b don't defile to any dead [even to organs]
  • all groups for example, Gn06-12a All flesh [even non-human animals] had become corrupt
  • all, emphasizing, no exceptions for example, Gn19-04b all people [without exception] in Sedom gathered (for the rape)

Applying this rule to the translation of Dt18-01a we obtain The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, [even blemished Levites who can't serve in the Temple] shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance. As is our practice we have embedded the Rashi translation in the verse.

Advanced Rashi: For further examples of Rashis on the Hebrew word Caph-Lamed visit http://www.Rashiyomi.com/all-18.htm. Better still visit the RashiYomi calendar at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/calendar1.htm and click on the all series which you can find beginning July 10 2000 and ending July 30 2000 (7-10-00 through 7-30-00). 


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