FULL-DEFICIENT:3 methods:#5 of 12
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# May 22, 2000 #
# Rashis 58-59 Of 7800 (0.5%) #
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# Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, #
# (c) 1999-Present, Dr. Hendel #
# http://www.shamash.org/rashi #
# #
#Permission to reprint with this header but not for profit#
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# WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS #
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In this series we will review all Rashis on
>FULL &
>DEFICIENT SPELLINGS
A person completing this module will be able him or herself to
naturally produce the same interpretations as Rashi and Chazal.
We 1st illustrate the meaning of these terms using simple English
examples. There are two methods
METHOD 1
--------
The word
>SLEEP
can be spelled
>SLEP (deficiently spelled without the extra e)
>SLEEP (fully spelled with all e's)
In METHOD 1 if a verse said
>He tried to get some SLEP
the proper midrashic response would be
>He tried to get a good night SLEP
but
>did not succeed.
The argument would be
>Since the word SLEP is spelled deficiently
>we learn that the sleep itself was deficient.
In other words in METHOD 1 we transfer the
>deficiency in the SPELLING (SLE P)
to a
>deficiency in the OBJECT or ACTIVITY spoken about(Can't sleep)
METHOD 2
--------
The word
>KITE
can be spelled
>KIT (Deficiently--it is missing (deficient) 1 letter e)
or
>KITE (Fully with the E)
In METHOD 2 we interpret the deficiently spelled word as a pun.
We actually give the sentence a double meaning. Thus if a sentence
said
>The father bought his son a KIT to fly in the park
Then since KITE is spelled KIT, we would midrashically interpret
this to mean
>The father bought his son a KITE
>The father also bought his son a KITten!
Rashis position is that this interpretation of FULL vs DEFICIENT is
a grammatical rule and is part of the intended meaning of the
sentence.
In this unit we review 2 examples of METHOD 1 where Rashi interprets
>DEFICIENCY in an ACTIVITY = DEFICIENCY in the number of DOERS
That is the
>DEFICIENT SPELLING
means
>It MOSTLY happened but not by everybody or at all times
This will also answer the HW exercise from yesterday
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
EXAMPLE 9: Gn09-12
---------
>Gn09-12
>And God said to Noach this is the sign
>(I will place the rainbow in the cloud)
>that I will give to ALL GENERATIONS
>RASHI:
>The phrase
>ALL GENERATIONS
>is spelled DEFICIENTLY
>
>In other words the verse says
>I will place the rainbow in ALL GENERATIONS
>But since ALL GENERATIONS is written DEFICIENTLY
>we interpret this to mean
>I will place the rainbow in MOST GENERATIONS
>
>This is logically plausible. Perhaps a generation was
>righteous and did not need the RAINBOW sign. Thus
>God really only promised the RAINBOW to those generations
>that needed it.
EXAMPLE 10: Gn01-28
----------
>Gn01-28
>And God blessed BOTH OF THEM
>and God said to BOTH OF THEM
>May BOTH OF YOU be fruitful and multiply
>& May BOTH OF YOU fill the earth
>& May BOTH OF YOU Conquer it
>RASHI:
>The last phrase
>MAY BOTH OF YOU CONQUER IT
>is written deficiently.
>
>In other words the verse says
>MAY BOTH OF YOU CONQUER THE EARTH
>But since "...CONQUER THE EARTH" is written DEFICIENTLY
>we interpret this to mean
>May MOST OF YOU conquer the earth
>
>Hence we interpret this as primarily a blessing for man
>NOT
>May BOTH OF YOU conquer the earth
>But
>May MAN conquer the earth
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|HOMEWORK EXERCISE 7: |
| |
|We already interpreted the PUN on Gn23-10a. |
|Go back and review HOW we interpreted this. |
|Then apply the EXACT same reasoning to Gn19-01c |
| |
|The two verses have the same deficiently spelled word |
| >Gn23-10 Ephron was SITTING amongst the Chittites|
| >Gn19-01 Lot was SITTING at the gates of SEDOM|
| |
|See if you can transfer the Rashi from Gn23-10 to Gn19-01|
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#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*