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      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 Ex15-11a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1401.htm
      Brief Summary: The word Kaph-Yud, Ki, has 4 meanings: a) when-if, b) rather-perhaps-lest c) that, d) because.

    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
    • connective words, such as either
    • conjunctions such as if, then, because
    • 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, lest,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-Yud which can have any of the following meanings.
  • when for example, Dt32-03a When I call the name of God, give greatness to our Lord
  • because for example, Gn18-15a Sarah denied laughing because she was afraid
  • rather for example, Dt15-08b Don't be miserly, rather give [charity]
  • that Nu20-29c The congregation saw that Aaron died
  • lest Ex20-22c If you build a stone altar don't build it from hewn stones lest you waive a sword on it and descecrate it
  • perhaps Ex23-05a Perhaps you will see a donkey and desert it? [no] help it.
  • if Ex34-09a God please walk with us; if we sin you can forgive us.

Applying this rule to the translation of Ex20-22c we obtain If you build a stone altar don't build it from hewn stones lest you waive a sword on it and descecrate it 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-yud visit http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ki-11.htm. Better still visit the RashiYomi calendar at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/calendar1.htm and click on the Ki series which you can find beginning Feb. 3 2001 and ending Feb 14 2001.

Note: There are not really 4 meanings to Ki. Rather, there are 7 meanings to Ki. However these 7 meanings naturally group into 4 sets.


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