When Rashi uses, what we may losely call, the hononym method, Rashi
does not explain new meaning but rather shows an underlying unity in disparate
meanings. Rashi will frequently do this by showing an underlying unity in
the varied meanings of a Biblical root.
In my article
Peshat and Derash found on the world wide web at
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rashi.pdf.
I advocate enriching the Rashi explanation
using a technique of parallel nifty translations in modern English. Today's examples
show this.
The Heberw Biblical root
Shin-Mem-Resh
has a fundamental meaning of
watching.
Hence this Biblical root can mean
-
to guard
-
prisons and prison guards
[
prisons are places where you are watched; guards are
people who watch;
]
-
night watch periods
[
watch periods are time periods when guards must be on duty.
]
-
-
be cautious
[
cf. the English, watch yourself
]
-
thorns
[
items to be cautious, to watch yourself, from
]
-
wine dregs
[
items to be cautious, to watch yourself, from, when drinking and having a good time
]
-
professional standards
[
guidelines of caution designed to watch, guard and maintain a standard
]
-
-
eyebrows
[
eyebrows watch the eyes
]
-
strong rock, harder than stone
[
a strong rock appears to have been watched from all softening forces
]
Applying the above translation to
Nu28-02
discussing
the offering of the daily offering
we obtain
Command the children of Israel,
and say unto them: My food which is presented unto Me for offerings made by fire,
of a sweet savour unto Me:
professionally standardize to offer it unto Me in its due season.
Advanced Rashi:
Hence the Rashi comment: From this Biblical requirement of professional standardazation the
Rabbis based the institution of the Standers groups of lay Israelites who would stand and pray
in their synagogues simultaneously with the offering of the daily sacrifice. These Standers
helped standardize and watch the institution of the daily offering since a wider spectrum
of Jews knew of the offering by virtue of the representatives in their community.
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