Most people know that the Biblical meaning of a word is
determined
by its underlying three-letter root. The Biblical root can
be conjugated
in different a) persons, b) tenses, c) pluralities, d)
genders, e) constructions
and f) modalities. For example I watched has a
different conjugation then
I will be watched even though both phrases will use
the same 3 letter
Hebrew root.
Additionally, a three letter root can take on new
meaning based on the
connective preposition used with it. For example the Hebrew
root
Tzade-Vav-Hey
can mean
to command someone,
or,
to delegate someone to speak to others.
How does one tell
which meaning applies in a given verse?
Rashi explains
when this root is used with the
Hebrew connective,
Aleph-Lamed, El
which means
to
the verb-connective pair of words means
to delegate someone else to speak to the target person
Hence the Rashi-suggested translation of
verse
Ex50-16a
which states
And delegated [someone] to Joseph, saying, Your father did command before he died, saying,
Advanced Rashi:
Actually Rashi simply cites other verses where Tzivah el means
delegate. The idea of explicitly associating every verb-preposition
pair with a distinct meaning is made explicit by the Malbim in his Morning hind.
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