Today we explore the figures-of-speech method. The figure-of-speech method uses literary techniques, figures of speech, common to all languages, to explain Biblical meaning. One such figure of speech method is the synechdoche method which names classes of objects by exemplary examples of that class. For example honey is a good example of something sweet and hence honey can mean sweet. Similarly bread can generally refer to food, day can refer to the entire 24 hour day, etc. Synechodoche also governs more metaphoric use of words: For example night can refer to a general period of darkness/bleakness.

In the verse below Rashi interprets the underlined word from which normally connotes a spatial starting place, as referring to a temporal start. Here synechdoche sees the word from which literally means a spatial starting place, as a good example of any initial starting point whether in space or time. With this background let us now review the verse.

Verse Nu18-09 discussing the priestly gifts literally says ###### Rashi interprets the underlined word, from as meaning from the time of [the offering] as follows This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved for you ###### Hence the Rashi comment: The priests have rights in the offerings from the time that the offerings are offered on the fire. (However if the offering was invalidated and did not go on the fire the priests lose their rights to a share in it.)