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
Beth-Yud
which can have any of the following meanings.
- Please
for example,
Gn43-20a
Please my lord: We initially came down to buy food...and found our money returned...
Advanced Rashi: The word Please is a special type of connective
word, it is an interjection. An interjection, unlike other words, does not have
specific meaning but rather is used to indicate emotions of the speaker. The word please
indicates that the speaker is in a supplicatory state. Its use in English is well known and its
Biblical usage is almost identical.
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