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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-Ayin-Hey
has a fundamental meaning of
dripping wax.
Hence this Biblical root can mean
-
dripping wax,
-
dripping tears of a pleaing person
[
the tears flowing down a pleaing person's
cheeks looks like dripping wax
]
-
drops of time - an hour
[
just as the Hebrew Resh-Gimel-Ayin
refers to making the ocean into droplets
and also refers to seconds, droplets
of time, so too Shin-Ayin-Hey refers
to both wax droplets and hours - droplets
of time
]
-
drops of thoughts, dwelling of thoughts
[
it is hard to capture this in English -
some alternatives are speculate,depend,
turn to,... This meaning refers to
a continuous drip of thoughts or to
hourly continuously think about something
]
-
salvation,
[
the Piel form of pleaing
indicates the negation of pleaing
that is, saving the pleaing person
]
Applying the above translation to
Ex05-09a
discussing
Pharoh's response to the request of the Jews
to offer sacrifices to God
we obtain
Let more work be laid upon the men,
that they may labor in it;
so that their thoughts do not dwell on
vain words
Advanced Rashi:
Rashi literally translates this verse as they should not turn to
vain words. But turn is used here, not in the sense of
physical turning, but rather in the sense of a turning of thoughts.
I have therefore suggested the more nuanced translation of dwelling
of thoughts. Some sample verses may enable the reader to appreciate
this translation alternative - dwell on vs. turn to -
as well as the challenge in finding an adequate English
translation.
- P119-117 and I will dwell on your statutes continuously
- Gn04-04:05 God's thoughts dwelled on Hebel's sacrifice;
but He did not dwell on Kayin's sacrifice; this caused Kayin to
be very angry.
- Jb14-06 God, dwell your thoughts away from him [Job]
so that he may pass away.
This Rashi is continued in rule #3, grammar.
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