#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000 |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
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VERSE: Dt32-14h
RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-14h Dt32-14i Dt32-14g Dt32-13g Dt32-13d
Dt32-13e Dt32-13b Dt32-13f
RULE: It is common in poetry to indicate an ABSTRACT IDEA by a
GOOD EXAMPLE
RULE:It is common to name an object using a property of it even
if the property is exaggerated. Thus >Skyscraper< is named
because it appears to >scrape the sky< which is an exaggeration.
We call this the rule of >naming words by attributes and
exaggeration<
{LIST1}
In each of the following verses an ABSTRACT CONCEPT is
communicated using a GOOD EXAMPLE of it.
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ...
======= ==================== ========================
Gn49-11 Wash clothes in wine Having lots of wine
Gn49-11 Tie a donkey to a vine Strong Vines
Gn49-12 Red-eyed Having lots of wine
Gn34-31 Treat her like a HARLOT DEGRADE her
Dt32-14h God gives us RAMS God gives us the BEST*1
In the following verses besides naming an abstract concept
using a good example, a NEW MEANING is coined by using the
naming techniques of EXAGGERATION and PROPERTIES(See {LIST2})
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ...
===== ============= ========================
Dt32-14i rams from ASHAN ASHAN had the BEST rams*2
Dt32-14g PASTURE Sheep*3 The BEST Sheep
Dt32-13h BREAST-field fruit*4 The BEST fruit
Dt32-13d Honey from FIGS*5 Honey even from HARD PLACES
Dt32-13e Oil from hard ground*6 Oil even from HARD PLACES
Dt32-13f the HIGH PLACES*7 the BEST PLACES
Dt32-13b the EARTH ALTARS*8 Israel is CENTRALLY LOCATED
NOTES
*1 Rashi on this verse simply says >RAMS: Have their usual
meaning< The Rashi commentary, Sifsay Chachamim is troubled on
why Rashi had to say this. I believe the above {LIST}answers this
question: What Rashi is really saying is >RAMS: The word RAMS
have their usual meaning denoting the LEADERS OR BEST OF SHEEP<
In other words when Rashi said >has their usual meaning< he wasn
t just referring to the meaning of the word >RAM< but was also
referring to the connotations of RAM as the BEST OF SHEEP
*2 Notice how Rashi derives meaning here using CONTEXT. Rashi
does not etymologically analyze the word ASHAN. Neither does he
cite historical studies. Rather the CONTEXT forces Rashi to
interpret ASHAN as meaning THE BEST
*3 The Hebrew word >CARIM< literally means >PASTURE< (The Hebrew
word >CRR< means >Rich fields<. Thus the two-word phrase >PASTURE
SHEEP< would coin a new term which means >The best sheep< (This
would be similar to the English phrase >organically grown<).
*4 Rashi innocuously looks like he is saying >SADAY: This hebrew
word has the same meaning as SADEH, or FIELD<. But Rashi does not
say >SADAY: FIELD< rather Rashi says >SADAY: SIMILAR to Field<.
In other words SADEH and SADAY are >TWO FORMS< using the same
root. >SADEH< means >FIELD<. It would appear that >SADAY< comes
from the word >SHAD< which means >BREAST<. Thus >SADAY< would
mean a >BREAST-FIELD< (a new coined term).
An ordinary field yields produce after a lot of work. By contrast
a >BREAST-FIELD< yields produce easily (like an infant nursing
from a breast).
*5 The verse actually says >honey from rocks<. However using the
>WORD MEANING< technique of ATTRIBUTES and EXAGGERATION {LIST2},
Rashi inteprets >ROCKS< to refer to >HARD DRY SOURCES< from which
you wouldn t expect to get honey. More specifically, Rashi
interprets >ROCKS< to refer to >DRIED FIGS< from which it is
usually difficult to obtain honey.
Thus the verse is understood in two stages.
*First: >ROCK< is taken to mean >HARD OBJECTS< like >figs<
*Next: >Honey from figs< is taken to be a good example of >food
is easily obtainable even from traditionally difficult places<
*6 The verse literally says >oil from a rock<. Rashi uses the
>WORD MEANING< technique of ATTRIBUTES and EXAGGERATION {LIST2},
Rashi interprets >ROCK< to refer to >HARD GROUND< from which you
wouldn t expect to get a good yield of olive trees.(Rashi gives
as an example the olive trees of a certain place that was known
for its hard ground but good olives)
Thus the verse is understood in two stags
* First: >ROCK< is taken to mean >Hard ground<
* Next: >Oil from hard ground< is taken to be a good example of
>good land from which produce can easily be obtained.<
*7 The verse literally says >the altars of the earth<. This word
>altars< means >high< since it is a good example of >high<. The
phrase >high places< is taken as a good example of >the best
places<
*8 The phrase >altars of the earth< is a coined term or NEW
MEANING which refers to >centrally located<. In fact one of the
praises of Israel is that it is centrally located (Cf Ez38-12--
>Israel sits on the belly of the earth<)
{LIST2}Objects can be NAMED by the properties they have. *1 *5
(1) REVOLVER is a gun with a REVOLVING cylinder
(2) The STAND is furniture on which you STAND things
(3)The FLOPPY is a disk you can FLOP around (unlike a hard drive)
(4) A TIE is a garment that you wear by TIEING it
(5) The SWEATER is that garment which makes you sweat
(6) A LAPTOP is that computer that you can hold in your lap
(7) A ROCKER is that chair that rocks when you sit on it
(8) A TOY GUN is a TOY that LOOKS like a GUN (but is not a gun)*5
(9)BATHROOM is a room where people stand NAKED *5
(10)A SKYSCRAPER looks like it is SCRAPING the SKY*5
(11)The BREAKFAST meal, BREAKS your FAST after an entire evening
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Here are some examples from Rashi
(9) "BLUE" is thread dyed BLUE (Ex25-04a)
(10) "RED" is thread dyed RED (Ex25-04b)
(11) "SPACIOUS" ties are most probably RIBBONS*2 *3 (Ex28-14a)
(12) "SEDUCE" is an attractive dress worn by
woman to interest husbands*4 (Gn49-11d)
(13) "POUND" refers to a DRUM or Cymbal (Ex15-20c)
(14) "FIRST" is the "PRINCIPLE" (Lv05-24a) part of the
investment; while the interest is derivative (or 2ndary)
(15) NFH CHAYAH (living soul) refers to the LIFE FORCE
of an animal or person(Gn01-20a, Gn02-21b, Gn01-24b)*6
(16) NISHMAT CHAYIIM, SOUL OF LIFE refers exclusively to man*6
Gn02-07d *7
(17) PASTURE SHEEP are sheep that have rich pastures to graze in
Dt32-14g
(18) BREAST-FIELDS are fields that yield produce easily like
breasts, Dt32-13h
(19) ROCKS refer to hard,dried fruit Dt32-13d
(20) ROCKS refer to hard ground that is hard to till Dt32-13e
(21) ALTARS refers to HIGH places Dt32-13f
(22) RIDING THE ALTARS refers to CENTRALLY LOCATED PLACES
Dt32-13f
NOTES
-----
*1 In the examples above the PROPERTY is mentioned but not
the general class it comes from.
So the REVOLVER mentions REVOLVING but not a GUN.
The STAND mentions STANDING but not FURNITURE.
The FLOPPY mentions FLOPPINESS but not the DISK
The TIE mentions TIEING but not the fact that it is a GARMENT
*2 ie RIBBONS are belts that are SPACIOUS.
Note that interpreting the roots Sh-R as spacious is
controversial and the subject of dispute between Rashi and RDK in
many verses. Some sample verses where sh-r means spacious are
Isa33-09 The SH-R-ON---a spacious meadow prarie
Job37-03 "the lightning afterflash FILLS (SH-R) the sky"
Jer05-26 "They SCAN broad terrains waiting to ambush people"
*3 In the main posting we eg review verses showing that
RED was a royal color We also review the controversy between
Rashi & Radack on the meaning of the root Sh-R-R
*4 SEDUCE occurs once in the Bible.
*5 In the examples above the thing named doesn't ALWAYS have
the property associated with it (It only has to be INDICATIVE
of the object named)
So a TOY GUN need not be a GUN
You don't necessarily have BATHS in bathrooms
SKYSCRAPERS do not have to SCAPE the sky
You don't have to "FAST" before BREAKFAST (Which breaks your
fast)
Consequently these words-- BREAK-FAST, SKY-SCRAPER...---are
examples of naming words by EXAGGERATION.
*6 Rashi on Gn01-20a, Gn02-21b, Gn01-24b. Only on Gn02-07d
do we have the additional term SOUL OF LIFE which refers
exclusively to man
*7 We might also mention Ex25-04b, the TCHASH refers to
MULTICOLORED animal skins (from special animals). Apparently the
name comes from CHUSH (fast moving) since a fast moving animal
exhibits many colored patterns). Thus the multi colored TACASH
garments "look like" a fast moving animal.
REFERENCES: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ex25-04a.htm
RULES USED: WORD MEANINGS
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WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
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Volume 7 Number 22
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Volume 7 Number 22