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VERSE: Gn09-04a


RASHIS COVERED: Gn09-04a Gn14-21a Gn19-17a Ex16-16b Lv24-21a
                Gn37-21a Gn09-05b Dt06-05c Dt24-15a Gn09-04a
        Gn09-04b Dt12-23b Lv26-11b Nu21-04c Nu21-05c Ex31-17a
        Nu06-11a Gn01-20a Gn01-21b Gn01-24b Dt23-25c Gn23-08a
        Ex12-15d Ex15-09b Ex23-09b


========== N-Pa-Sh means SPATIOUSNESS & HAS 6 MEANINGS ==========

 SUMMARY
 -------
 In the 24 Rashis below, Rashi deals with the Hebrew root
 N-Pa-Sh. This root has a fundamental meaning of EXPANSIVENESS*1
 From this vague unifying meaning we obtain 6 distinct meanings
 in 2 broad categories.

 THE SIX MEANINGS
 ----------------
 EXPANSIVENESS is indicative of DESIRE. Hence N-Pa-Sh can mean
 * DESIRE
 * INTEREST (either LOSS of INTEREST, or RENEWED INTEREST)*2
 * The GENERAL CAPACITY FOR ADAPTIVITY & LIFE(i.e. the SOUL)*3

 Furthermore from this last meaning (ADAPTIVITY,LIFE,SOUL) we
 see that N-Pa-Sh can mean
 * LIVING BEINGS vs property (like SOULS in English)
 * A SOUL-HIT (N-P-Sh HIT) would denote a LETHAL BLOW
 * SOUL-FLESH would refer to a LIVE-ORGAN*4

 Here is the LIST
=================================================================
VERSE     TEXT OF VERSE                    MEANING OF NaFaSh
========  ================================ ======================
Gn14-21a  Give me SOULS;you keep property  People vs Property
Gn19-17a  flee-for-your-SOUL               Save life not property
Ex16-16b  according to count of souls      # people (vs property)
--------  -------------------------------- ----------------------
Lv24-21a  HIT animals SOUL                 Lethal blow
Gn37-21a  dont HIT his SOUL                Lethal blow
Gn09-05b  I God will avenge SOUL-BLOOD     Lethal blow*5
Dt06-05c  love God with all your soul      Even with Martyrdom*12
Dt24-15a  Worker bears soul                Workers risk LIFE*6
--------  -------------------------------- ----------------------
Gn09-04a  dont eat Flesh-Soul              Living Limb*4
Gn09-04b  dont eat Flesh-Soul              Living Limb*4
Dt12-23b  dont eat Flesh-soul              Living Limb*4
--------  -------------------------------- ----------------------
Lv26-11b  my SOUL will not despise you*13  I wont lose INTERSEST
Nu21-04c  our SOULS have been SHORTED*14   We have lost INTEREST
Nu21-05c  our SOULS are CUT from this food We have lost INTEREST
Ex31-17a  God SOULED on the Sabbath*15     His INTEREST returned
Nu06-11a  The nazarite sinned against SOUL NO WINE=NO INTEREST*16
--------  -------------------------------- ----------------------
Gn01-20a  Let there be swarming LIVE-SOULS ADAPTIVE fish/animals
Gn01-21b  God created swarming LIVE-SOULS  ADAPTIVE fish/animals
Gn01-24b  Let there be LIVING-SOUL species ADAPTIVE fish/animals
--------  -------------------------------- ---------------------
Dt23-25c  eat grapes as your SOULS-saiety  eat as you DESIRE*7
Gn23-08a  if your SOULs will let me bury   if you ACQUIESCE*7
Ex12-15d  the SOUL that did it             if PREMEDITATED*7
Ex15-09b  Ill fill my SOUL with the enemy  Fill my ANGER/DESIRES
Ex23-09b  You know the SOUL of the convert His DESIRES/EMOTIONS


NOTES
=====
*1 Recall the principle that NUN means ALOT. Therefore
   therefore N-Pa-Sh would mean ALOT (NUN) of SPACE (PaSh)
   or EXPANSIVENESS. See Footnote *10 for references &
   further details.

*2 The traditional translation of N-Pa-Sh is REST. But its
   real meaning is RENEWED INTEREST/DESIRE in the world

*3 The Torah knows of 4 life statuses:
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   - PLANT LIFE -- Capacity to RESPOND to environment
   - INSECT LIFE-- Capacity to MOVE
   - ANIMAL LIFE-- Capacity to DESIRE & ADAPT to ENVIRONMENT
   - HUMAN LIFE -- Capacity to THINK
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   Thus N-Pa-Sh refers to ANIMAL LIFE FORCE--the capacity
   to DESIRE, HAVE INTEREST and RESPOND to the environment.

*4 There are 3 Rashis on the prohibition of EATING THE LIMB
   of LIVE ANIMAL. To describe this the Torah coins the
   phrase SOUL-FLESH meaning the FLESH of a LIVING BEING

*5 The exact Torah phrase is
   -----------------------------------------------------
   I God will AVENGE (Seek) BLOOD that serves your SOUL
   -----------------------------------------------------
   Quite simply this means God will avenge LETHAL blows.
   See footnote *11 for a deeper interpretation.

*6 The Sifra/Sifray gives a simple example:
   ------------------------------------------------------
   A window cleaner climbs a ladder to clean windows.
   He thereby takes the risk of falling & hurting himself
   ------------------------------------------------------

*7 The usages in this SUB-LIST correspond to the
   general concept of DESIRE. This concept covers
   DESIRE, EMOTIONS, WILL, PREMEDITATION, ACQUIESCE

------------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES --------------------

*10 We of course follow here the SEMANTIC ROOT theory put
   forth by Rashi and Rav Hirsch.According to this theory
   in addition to GRAMMATICAL conjugation rules there are
   SEMANTIC conjugation rules--every roots meaning can be
   inferred from its letters.

   To review other examples where NUN means alot see
   http://www.RashiYomi.Com/means-32.htm

*11 I would go a step further and use the Rabbi Ishmael method of
   PARTICULAR-GENERAL (http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example7.htm)
   -----------------------------------------------------------
   --- PARTICULAR: I God will avenge BLOOD spills
   --- GENERAL:    I God will avenge SOUL hits
   -----------------------------------------------------------
   Following the Rabbi Ishmael Guidelines we GENERALIZE BLOOD:
   The verse now says I GOD WILL AVENGE ANY TYPE OF LETHAL BLOW
   This includes BLOOD SPILLS as well as CHOKING (Rashi). Thus
   we view the BLOOD SPILL as an example which is generalized.

   In passing the difference between a BLOOD SPILL & CHOKING is
   --a BLOOD SPILL destroys the body
   --a CHOKING cuts off a LIFE supply.
   Hence the Torah advises us that cutting of a LIFE SUPPLY
   has the same (Murder) status as actually destroying the body

*12 A previous phrase says to LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR DESIRE
   Hence LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR SOUL is interpreted to mean
   LOVE GOD LETHALLY EVEN IF YOU LOSE YOUR SOUL(MARTYRDOM)

*13 Rashi also comments on the rare root GAAL which occurs
    11 times in the Bible. Rashi says that the root refers
    to AN EXPULSION OF THINGS INSIDE. Hence it also
    means to DESPISE since when you despise something you
    so to speak get it out of your system.

    Statistically in 9 of the 11 times GAAL means to DESPISE
    In the other 2 cases it refers to the EXPULSION MEANING
    mentioned above. Here are the two cases
    -------------------------------------------------------
    Job21-10 His Oxen will conceive & NOT MISCARRY
    2S1-21 His Shields wax was expuled
    -------------------------------------------------------

    On 2S1-21 Rashi explains that SHIELDS were covered over
    with BOILING WAX which settled in the skin of the shield
    This facilitated repelling arrows that hit the shield.
    However since Saul had died David eulogizes him that
    it looks as if the wax was expuled & therefore he was hit

    On Job21-10 RADACK points out that a more probable meaning
    is that the female oxen will not expul the ox semen.

    Bottom line is that the word GAAL means EXPULSION of a
    hidden substance and hence metaphorically means despise.

*14 The phrase SHORT-SOULED or CUT-SOULED mean to be FED UP
    To no longer have the patience to deal with something

    Rashi points out that the phrase
    -----------------------------------------------------
    SHORT SOULED (fed up) is always connected with WHAT
    the person is SHORT SOULED about. Cf the following
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Zach11-08 My soul was shorted WITH THEM
    Ju10-16   Gods soul was shorted WITH THE TROUBLES OF ISRAEL
    Nu21-04   & The Jews Souls were shorted WITH THE JOURNEYS
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Hence the verse should be translated as THE JEWS WERE
    FED UP WITH THE JOURNEYS vs THE JEWS WERE FED UP ON
    THE ROAD (Interestingly these are the only 3 verses
    where we have the construction SOUL SHORTED WITH

    Rashi also brilliantly points the amusing consistency
    of metaphors that A BIG BURDEN can cause A SHORTED SOUL
    (BIG vs SHORT).

*15 The Torah literally says AND GOD RESTED ON THE 7th DAY
    (We follow here the traditional translation of Na-P-Sh
    as RESTED).

    However when we VIEW THIS VERSE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND
    OF TWO DOZEN OTHER RASHIS ON THE ROOT N-Pa-Sh we acquire
    a deeper meaning.

    In the other verses N-Pa-Sh means LOSS OF INTEREST, LOSS
    OF DESIRE. We may think of a person who works hard all
    week AND HENCE HAS NO DESIRES IN ANYTHING ELSE.

    But then after a vacation this person is MORE THAN
    RESTED. This person ALSO HAS RENEWED DESIRES & INTERESTS
    in the world

    In this way we acquire a richer understanding of N-Pa-Sh.
    N-Pa-Sh would mean more than REST; it would mean
    acquisition of RENEWED DESIRES.

*16 The actual verse simply (and enigmatically says)
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    The Nazarite brings a sacrifice for SINNING AGAINST THE SOUL
    ------------------------------------------------------------

    The obvious question is how did the Nazarite sin against
    a soul. Rashi brings two opinions.
    ---------------------------------------------------------
    --Perhaps the Nazir came in contact with a dead person
      This is against the law and therefore he requires a sin
      offering
      (But this approach is unsatisfying---why should the
      Nazarite DEFINITELY bring a sin offering if he PERHAPS
      came in contact with the dead)
    --Rashi therefore cites a second opinion which interprets
      the word SOUL in its meaning of INTEREST/DESIRE. By
      not drinking wine the Nazarite attacked his capacity
      to have DESIRE, to BE INTERESTED (In new things). This
      is a sin and he must atone for it.
    ----------------------------------------------------------

    Note how this interpretation with its deep philosophical
    connotations flows naturally and effortlessly from
    the LIST of meanings of NAFASH
================================================================

RASHI RULE USED: UNIFYING MEANING
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 11 Number 6


#*#*#*#*#  (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 11 Number 6