The 7 meanings of FILL:#5 of 5 ########################################################### # 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE # # Jan 14, 2001 # # Rashis 517-517 Of 7800 (6.6%) # # # # # # http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ # # # # # # Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, # # (c) 1999-Present, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President # #Permission to reprint with this header but not for profit# # # # # # # # VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES # # http://www.RashiYomi.Com/calendar.htm # # # # # # WARNING: READ with COURIER 10 (Fixed width) FONTS # # # ########################################################### OVERVIEW: ======== RULE: ===== The Hebrew verb >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< has a fundametal meaning of >FILL<. From this fundamental meaning we derive 5 other meanings, such as >FULL PRICE<, >FULL OF WISDOM<. Both English and Hebrew used the word >FULL< idiomatically. We now present the 6 meanings with supporting verses from RADACK, BOOK OF ROOTS and from Rashis. MEANING 1 ------------------------------------------------------ >Mem-Lamed-Aleph< can mean >SPATIALLY FILL< as in 1K18-34 >FILL< 4 pails with water< ------------------------------------------------------ The other meanings are all derived from this and are presented in the various daily modules TODAYS UNIT =========== In todays unit we bring one more example and then present the GRAND SUMMARY. Since this one example is fundamental in >HOW< to read Rashi we present it up front. The Grand summary is attached below with this repeated. ------------------------------------------------------ >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< can also refer to a >FILLED< flat space (vs a >FILLED< volume). ------------------------------------------------------ VERSE TEXT OF VERSE ======== ======================================================== Gn48-19d The reputation of his descendants will>FILL< the world*1 NOTES ===== *1 Rashi cites the example of Joshua (from the tribe of Ephraim) whose reputation filled the world when he >stopped the sun in Givon and the Moon in the valley of Ayalon<. There are two ways to read this Rashi METHOD 1 -------- Rashi is >IDENTIFYING< the meaning of this verse with Joshuas stopping the sun. (This would be most peculiar, that on his death bed Jacob should all of a sudden tell Joseph about an incident that would happen several 100 years later) METHOD 2 -------- Rashi is >ONLY GIVING AN EXAMPLE<. In other words Jacob is telling Joseph >This persons fame will FILL the world< >FOR EXAMPLE< his descendant Joshua will stop the sun. My suggestion here is that by viewing Rashi as >ONLY GIVING AN EXAMPLE< Rashi becomes rich, mature and profound. By contrast, perceiving Rashi as exhausting the meaning of the verse with one example is rather shallow and superficial. REFERENCE: ========= This summary module comes from the following digest in the Rashi-is-Simple series http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h8n20.htm http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn50-03a.htm #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* - GRAND SUMMARY - RULE: ===== The Hebrew verb >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< has a fundametal meaning of >FILL<. From this fundamental meaning we derive 5 other meanings, such as >FULL PRICE<, >FULL OF WISDOM<. Both English and Hebrew used the word >FULL< idiomatically. We now present the 6 meanings with supporting verses from RADACK, BOOK OF ROOTS and from Rashis. EXAMPLES ======== MEANING 1 ------------------------------------------------------ >Mem-Lamed-Aleph< can mean >SPATIALLY FILL< as in 1K18-34 >FILL< 4 pails with water< ------------------------------------------------------ MEANING 2 ------------------------------------------------------ >Mem-Lamed-Aleph< can refer to Jewelry skills since Jewelers must know how to produce and >FILL< special jewelry settings with Jewels(Both RADACK and Rashi cite this explanation of the JEWEL-FILL connection) ------------------------------------------------------ VERSE TEXT OR PHRASE WITH WORD FILLED ======== ================================= Ex25-07b FILLING stones(ie JEWELED stones) Ex28-17a FILLING stones(ie JEWELED stones) Ex31-05b He had wisdom in FILLING stones MEANING 3 ------------------------------------------------------ >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< can also refer to a >FILLED< flat space (vs a >FILLED< volume). ------------------------------------------------------ VERSE TEXT OF VERSE ======== ======================================================== Gn48-19d The reputation of his descendants will>FILL< the world*1 NOTES ===== *1 Rashi cites the example of Joshua (from the tribe of Ephraim) whose reputation filled the world when he >stopped the sun in Givon and the Moon in the valley of Ayalon<. There are two ways to read this Rashi METHOD 1 -------- Rashi is >IDENTIFYING< the meaning of this verse with Joshuas stopping the sun. (This would be most peculiar, that on his death bed Jacob should all of a sudden tell Joseph about an incident that would happen several 100 years later) METHOD 2 -------- Rashi is >ONLY GIVING AN EXAMPLE<. In other words Jacob is telling Joseph >This persons fame will FILL the world< >FOR EXAMPLE< his descendant Joshua will stop the sun. My suggestion here is that by viewing Rashi as >ONLY GIVING AN EXAMPLE< Rashi becomes rich, mature and profound. By contrast, perceiving Rashi as exhausting the meaning of the verse with one example is rather shallow and superficial. MEANING 4 ------------------------------------------------------------- >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< can also refer to a >MAXIMUM MEASURE< We use similar idioms in English, for example, >FULL PRICE< or >FULL HEIGHT< (1S12-20) or >FULLY DRAWN BOW< (2K9-24) ------------------------------------------------------------- VERSE TEXT OF VERSE WITH WORD FULL ======== ====================================================== Gn23-09b I will pay the >FULL PRICE<*1 Gn50-03a The Egyptians gave Jacob the >FULL BURIAL TREATMENT<*2 Ex07-25a The plague complete a >FULL 7 DAY CYCLE<*3 NOTES ===== *1 Cf an identical expression in 1Ch21-24 *2 The Rashi commentator RAAM goes into contortions to harmonize this with the meaning >(SPATIALLY) FILL<. However the way we have taken it is simple---like in all of medicine there are FULL and PARTIAL treatments--Jacob received a >FULL< treatment *3 The Exodus Rabbah cited by Rashi mentions that all the plagues followed a 1 month cycle. The simplest way of deriving this is by using the 10th plague (the striking of the first born) as a paradigm We see 4 distinct stages in the striking of the 1st born --Ex11-04:09 Moses warns Pharoh of the plague --Ex12-01:20 Moses instructs the Jews to do some action --Ex12-21:28 The Jews do as told(eg the Passover sacrifice) --Ex12-29:36 God brings the plague We know from the Bible that each of these took about a week For example the firstborn were struck on Passover night, the 14th, and this lasted till the drowning by the Reed Sea on the 21st. Similarly God commanded Moses on the 1st of the Month to tell the Jews who in turn took the Passover lamb on the 10th of the month. So we see that each stage took about 1 week. If we couple this with the explicit statement by the 1st plague (the turning of the Nile into blood) that >the plague on the Nile lasted a FULL week< we conclude that all the plagues followed this 4 week pattern. The technical rule used is a rule of Rabbi Ishmael: --If we have a general class (like the plagues) --and we are told that one of them has some attribute (like the weekly pattern) --then that information should be extended to the whole class (So all the plagues had this 4 week pattern) This also makes sense. You dont just pick up and leave Egypt with 600,000 people. Rather Moses would have to, by the word of God, get the people involved in activities. There are many other points on this Midrash (like the controversy on the order of the weeks; but my suggestion above of basing the Midrash on the plague of the 1st born seems the most reasonable way of taking it). MEANING 5 ------------------------------------------------------------- >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< can refer to >COMPLETING< some item For example, Gn29-21 >I have COMPLETED my work contract< or 1K1-14 >I will come afterwards and COMPLETE your words<*1 ------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES ===== *1 The haunting Job15-32 would be translated as >Before its day it will RIPEN< which would be a sort of contradiction (it will RIPEN but BEFORE ITS TIME) Radack says that >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< means>DEATH< here but there are only 2-3 verses where this would apply; hence we reject this. Another suggestion brought by RADACK and IBN EZRA is that Job15-32 comes from the root >MEM-LAMED-LAMED< with an extra ALEPH (an obviously ad-hoc explanation) I think the best way to take the verse is simply as a poetic use of contradictory concepts. MEANING 6 ------------------------------------------------------------- >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< can refer to the >RIPENING< of produce For example it can refer to wheat that has >RIPENED< (Ex22-28) or it can refer to >WINE< the completion and ripening of the grape harvest(Nu18-27) ------------------------------------------------------------- VERSE TEXT WITH THE WORD FILLED=RIPENED ======== ====================================== Ex22-28a Your >RIPENED< WHEAT obligation*1 Nu18-27c >RIPENED< field Dt22-09c >RIPENED< produce NOTES ===== *1 The obvious reference is to the obligation to bring >first fruit< to the temple. This obligation takes place when the fruit is >RIPENED<. MEANING 7 ------------------------------------------------------------- >MEM-LAMED-ALEPH< can refer to >EDUCATION< the >COMPLETION< of training, or the >FILLING with knowledge<. For example, Ju17-05 says >He EDUCATED one of his children to serve idols< A particular useful idiom denoting education, which is used in both English and Hebrew is the phrase >MY HANDS ARE FULL<. This denotes an >ACTIVE WORK SCHEDULE< by an accomplished person. Hence the phrase >TO FILL HIS HANDS< would mean to >TRAIN< the person ------------------------------------------------------------- VERSE TEXT WITH THE WORD FILLED=TRAIN ======== ====================================== Ex28-41d DRESS the priests,ANNOINT them,>TRAIN< & SANCTIFY them Ex32-29a By executing the idolaters you >TRAIN< to serve God Lv08-22a The 2nd Ram, which completed the >TRAINING< ceremony*1 NOTES ===== *1 To be fair this verse has caused all types of opinions For example some people (including RADACK by the root >Shin-Lamed-Mem<) explains that this offering >fulFILLS< the wills of all parties since everyone gets a share (God the priests and the owners get a share--usually only God gets a share in offerings.). Some people simply take the word to refer to >COMPLETION< But I think the simplest way of taking it is to use the frequently occuring verb expression >TRAIN THEM< and simply explain the 2nd Ram as being the final Ram in the >TRAINING< ceremony #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2001 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*