#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
| http://www.RashiYomi.Com |
| PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
------------------------------------------------------------
VERSE: Gn24-27b
RASHIS COVERED: Gn24-27b Gn24-32a Gn24-49a Gn24-49b
============================== Gn24-27b ==================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals is to give the meaning of words
the same way the dictionary gives meaning. Rashi had a variety
of vehicles to present meaning. Rashi frequently explained
MULTI-WORD IDIOMS. Rashi also explained meanings based on
METONOMY: METONOMY refers to items named by RELATED items
such as naming a COUNTRY-S PEOPLE (eg americans) by a related
item--the LAND they live in (AMERICA)
EXAMPLE Gn24-32a
----------------
--------------------
He OPENED the mules
--------------------
means
---------------------------------
He OPENED the MUZZLES of the mules
---------------------------------
This is an example of IDIOM by METONOMY (MULE=MUZZLE OF MULE)
EXAMPLE- Gn24-27b
-----------------
---------------------
God showed me the WAY
---------------------
A well known idiom (in many languages)
EXAMPLE-Gn24-49a,b
-------------------
---------------------------------
If she doesnt marry Isaac
then I will seek partners
on the RIGHT=ISHMAEL or LEFT=LOT
--------------------------------
The use of LEFT and RIGHT to denote PARTIES is known and
common in all languages.
=========================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== ================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANING
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS NEW MEANINGS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST854d
List of 2-3-word Biblical idioms
----------------------- --------------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST871d
List of idioms using Metonomy (Meaning by relation)
=========================================================
======================= LIST854d ================================
A List of Biblical idioms..eg FROM DAYS DAYS=YEARLY
=================================================================
VERSE BIBLICAL PHRASE TRANSLATION NOTES
======== ======================= ===================== ==========
Gn24-27b God showed WAY God enabled SUCCESS *15
Gn24-49a I will turn to RIGHT to ARABS *16
Gn24-49b I will turn to LEFT to LOTS nations *16
Gn14-17a EQUAL-valley LEVEL valley *14
Gn12-09a WALK-JOURNEY Stay-Go-Stay-Go... *13
Ex22-02b He has BLOOD Guilty of BLOODSHED
Nu35-27a He doesnt have BLOOD Not a MURDERER
Gn34-03a SPEAK ON ONES HEART Convince, reassure LIST854f
Gn23-04b PLOT OF GRAVE Burial Plot *12
Gn18-11b WAY OF WOMEN Having Periods *9
Ex13-10a FROM DAYS DAYS YEARLY *1
Dt17-11a LEFT AND RIGHT A LITTLE BIT *2
Ex21-21a DAY OR DAYS 24 hours
Dt22-17a Spread the Garment Prove your point *3 *4
Ex22-02a If Sun shines on him If it is Clear *4
Dt25-09a Spit IN FACE Spit TOWARDS HIM *5
Lv05-04a Swear by lips Verbally(Explicitly) *6
-------- ----------------------- --------------------- ---------
Lv16-21a TIMED person An APPOINTED person *8
Ex21-02a JEWISH SLAVE a slave AND Jewish *7
Lv13-39a DULL WHITE DULL WHITE
Lv23-40a GORGEOUS FRUIT Ethrog *10
-------- ----------------------- --------------------- ------------
Ex28-08a Belt OF his AYPHOD Belt USED with AYPHOD *7
Ex28-31a the dress OF AYPHD Aypohd USED with DRES *7
Dt16-17a GIFT OF HIS HAND INCOME LEVEL *7 *4
Dt16-10a TAX OF DONATION OF HAND INCOME LEVEL *7 *4
Dt21-13a GARMENT OF CAPTIVITY Worn in war to seduce *7
NOTES
-----
*1 See LIST854e below for Biblical examples
*2 See LIST854c below for further Biblical examples
*3 Probably when people had a sexual fight (who did what)
they could SPREAD THE GARMENT to clearly prove their
point*10
*4 Many idioms in this list are examples of SYNECDOCHE,
the use of the (distinguished) PART to indicate the
WHOLE. Thus honey is a GOOD EXAMPLE of something
sweet, bread is a GOOD EXAMPLE of food, day(12
hours) is a GOOD EXAMPLE of the 24 hour period. Hence
almost all languages develop idioms: HONEY=SWEET,
BREAD=FOOD, DAY(12 HOURS)=DAY(24 HOURS).
Similarly in the above live SPEADING THE GARMENT
is a GOOD example of PROVING MATTERS (In sexual
disputes), the SUN SHINING is a good example of
CLARITY, GIFT OF HIS HAND is a good example of
a HIGH INCOME LEVEL.
*5 Cf However Lv15-08a Spit ON Him = Actually spit on him
The rule seems to be that SPIT ON HIM is literal
whereas SPIT ON FACE (use of FACE vs FULL PERSON) means
SPIT TOWARDS HIM
*6 eg If I am angry and mentally curse or if I
am angry and start ranting and raving without
however fully articulating everything on my mind
-- in these two cases I may have sworn IN MY MIND
but I have not sworn WITH MY LIPS (Explicitly)
*7 Contrast Ex20-03a OTHER GODS=GODS OF OTHER PEOPLE
vs Ex21-02a JEWISH SLAVE = SLAVE AND JEWISH
Technically the possessive --OF-- can mean
- OWNED BY (eg OTHER GODS = gODS of OTHERS)
- PROPERTY (eg JEWISH SLAVE=SLAVE who is JEWISH)
- ASSOCIATED WITH (eg BELT OF GARMENT=Belt USED
with Garment)
Note Rashi proves the JEWISH SLAVE=SLAVE WHO
IS JEWISH by citing an other verse Dt15-12 *11
*8 For the relationship between TIME and DESIGNATION
cf the English APPOINT-APPOINTMENT
*9 Cf Gn31-35 for the sister phrase PATH OF WOMEN
which also refers to HAVING PERIODS
-------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ----------------
*10 (The following comes from my article PSHAT & DRASH
TRADITION Winter 1980)
We must distinguish between
- HOW we know what the idiom means
- WHY the idiom means this
HOW we know what the idiom means comes from USAGE
It can usually be inferred from context. Thus
the Biblical verses here state
when a person slanders his newly married
wife...then the womens parents shall sue
him and SPREAD THE GARMENT before the judges
-------------------------------------
Hence SPREAD the GARMENT is simply an idiom
for PROVING ONES POINT.
By contrast the question of WHY the idiom
means what it does is something more
speculative--maybe I am right that frequently
in sexual fights a SPREAD GARMENT proved a
point. But maybe I am wrong...in such a case
I am still sure about WHAT the idiom means.
I am just not sure about WHY it means this.
Another example occurs at Lv23-40a and Lv23-40b.
I am certain that the ETHROG was called the
GORGEOUS FRUIT but I am not quite sure why. Rashi
offers two explanations
EXPLANATION 1:
The ethrog is an EVERGREEN and DWELLS YEARLY
(This uses a pun on EVERGREEN=HADAR vs
HODOR=GORGEOUS)
EXPLANATION 2
-------------
The TREE and FRUIT taste the same; Hence
the tree is Gorgeous.
EXPLANATION 3
-------------
Rav Hirsch offers a 3rd explanation. Rav
Hirsch reviews botanical classifications and infers
that the Ethrog is one of the more advanced
fruits in the tree Kingdom.
I am still not sure WHY the phrase GORGEOUS
FRUIT means ETHROG but I am sure that this
phrase was used to denote the ETHROG
*11
Here is another example:
GARMENT OF CAPTIVITY does NOT mean
- the GARMENT she wore WHEN captured
(That is the GARMENT with the PROPERTY that
it was worn at the time of capture) but rather means
- the GARMENT she put on in case she is captured
(That is the garment ASSOCIATED with the
possibility of CAPTURE)
Rashi explains that non-jewish women would have
special garments they wore in case they were
captured during a war in order to seduce their
captors and prevent themselves from being murdered.
*12 The Hebrew word A-Chu-Zah by itself can refer to
a plot of land (without any additional words):
------------------------------------------------------
Cf Gn47-11 Gave them a PLOT
Cf Lv25-46 These slaves shall be a PLOT for inheritance
Cf Nu27-04 Give us please a PLOT among our brothers
------------------------------------------------------
*13 So Abraham would stay over for a month or so
then journey then stay over for a month or
shorter or longer etc.
*14 Rashi regards these LEVEL VALLEYS as sort of STADIUMS where
the Royal family had entertainment (Similar to practices today)
This is hinted at in the verse
---------------------------------------------
...to the LEVEL VALLEY ...to the ROYAL VALLEY
---------------------------------------------
Rashi also conjectures that this STADIUM type valley was a place
where the Royal families acknowledged Abrahams existence--since
he had defeated several Kings.
We need not see these as two disparate conjectures...we can
simply suppose that the LEVEL VALLEYS were used for BOTH
- Royal family sport events
- meetings with other kings.
*15 The idiom GOD SHOWED ME THE WAY or GOD SHOWED ME THE PATH
is common in several languages
*16 The idea that LEFT and RIGHT denote extremes in a political
spectrum is common in many languages. The LEFT-RIGHT distinction
has been identified with
- commoner-aristocracy
- poor-rich
- socialism-conservative
- equal outcomes-equal methods
- for change-for status quo
Here Rashi identifies LEFT RIGHT with
- LOT-ISHMAEL
The origin of the etymology is not clear. Some use a
historical approach: In the French parliament the
commoners sat on left while aristocrats sat on right.
I would say more simply that the LEFT HAND is CLUMSY
while the RIGHT HAND is MATURE. This explains the
various idioms: We have
- left=clumsy=poor=need to change
- right-mature=rich=happy with status quo
Since LOT was into materialism (Cf Gn13-10)
while Ishmael was more mature spiritually (Cf Gn16-11)
the LEFT RIGHT distinction corresponds
to LOT-ISHMAEL
==========================================================================
========================= LIST871d =============================
List of words which identify items with related items*1
================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE METONOMY(ITEM means RELATED ITEM)
======== ============== =================================
Gn24-18a pitchr on HAND she lowered pitcher on her ARM
Ex30-13c HOLY coins Coins used in HOLY TEMPLE matters
Dt18-01c FIRES of God SACRIFICES offered on temple Fire
Gn25-22e Seek GOD Seek PROPHETIC ADVICE of God*8*10
Ex18-15b Seek GOD Seek PROPHETIC ADVICE of God*8*10
Ex14-25c EGYPT-the land Egyptians-the people*6
Gn24-32a opened MULES opened MUZZLE OF MULES
------- ------------ ------------------------------
Gn37-26b COVER blood CONCEAL murder
Gn37-26b cover BLOOD conceal MURDER
Dt29-19a SMOKING anger Anger that makes person HOT
Gn13-02a Abraham HEAVY Abraham-s assets NUMEROUS
Gn13-02a ABRAHAM heavy ABRAHAM-S ASSETS numerous
Gn06-16a The OIL WINDOW(For light);GLITTER-STONE(For lite
Gn06-16a The OIL AFTERNOON (The oil-light time)*12
Nu14-09a Our BREAD Our BREAD=Piece of CAKE(easy to comsume)
Nu01-51a LOWER Temple TAKE IT DOWN (analogy;RAISE it=BUILD it)
Nu01-16a The INVITED The DISTINGUISHED(you always invite them
Ex18-09a He SHARPED*11 Mirth at SHARP word or TWINGED from pain
Ex14-24a MORNING WATCH Guard Duty at DAWN*7
Gn49-09c ABOVE plunder REMOVED from plundering (Above it)*5
Gn49-05b VIOLENT TOOLS Criminal behavior*4
Gn45-18b FAT of land BEST of land
Gn45-08a FATHER to Phrh FRIEND/ADVISOR to Pharoh
Gn43-34a He gave LIFTS LIFTED THEIR SPIRIT-i.e. gifts
Gn41-35b HAND of Pharoh DOMAIN of Pharoh*2
Lv26-10b *9 Sign of PLENTY(have to remove old for nu
Lv26-04a *9 Sign of PLENTY-threshing seasn in HARVST
NOTES
-----
*1 Many examples in this list come from previous
list in the metonomy series (LIST871a,
LIST871b, LIST871c)
*2 See LIST871e for 6 Rashis mentioning this HAND=DOMAIN
theme
*3 See LIST871f for verses where NSA means GIFT
*4 Rashi citing the Midrash Rabbah states
-------------------------------------
Your violence is something you VIOLATED
from Esauv (You are killing like Esauv)
-------------------------------------
But I see no reason to see this Midrash
as the PRIMARY simple meaning of the
verse. The PRIMARY meaning of the verse
is that Shimon and Levi were criminals
The Midrash is simply adding a pun to this
observation.
*5 See LIST871g for some examples
*6 This is a common metonomy that occurs in English
(eg America-Americans etc).
Rashi is cute here: He EXPLAINS the metonomy
----------------------------------------------
When the soldiers die at sea their loved ones
back in Egypt also suffer and in effect are
smitten by God
----------------------------------------------
Rashi does not contradict the metonomy--he
simply shows why it is convenient to identify
the LAND and PEOPLE.
*7 The night was traditionally divided into three
times of Guard duty. The GUARD DUTY near dawn
was called the MORNING WATCH (Cf Ju07-19 for
confirmation that there was a BEGINNING WATCH, MIDDLE
WATCH and DAWN WATCH)
*8 The phrases SEEK GOD, SEEK IN GOD, occur in several
verses and denote SEEKING ADVICE OF GOD. Compare for
example (1S09-09, 1K22-08 or even 2K01-03 (Seeking
advice of idolatrous gods). For alternate meanings
see note *10.
*9 The exact verse text is
--------------------------------------------------
You will have to remove the old grain for the new
--------------------------------------------------
This means
---------------------
You will have plenty
---------------------
In other words removal of the OLD for the NEW
is simply something RELATED to PLENTY. The main
theme is plenty.
Similarly the Biblical text
------------------------------------------------------
The threshing season will bump into the harvest season
------------------------------------------------------
means
--------------------
you will have plenty
--------------------
Again the fact that we are STILL threshing when the
harvest comes is something RELATED to having plenty.
The main point is that there is PLENTY.
------------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------
*10 On Gn25-22e there is a delightful Ramban Rashi controversy
Ramban points out that SEEK GOD can mean PRAYER. Rashi
holds it means PROPHETIC ADVICE. I brought about a dozen
verses which clearly show that
- SEEK GOD can and does refer to PRAYER
- SEEK GOD can and does refer to PROPHETIC ADVICE
- SEEK GOD can and does refer to BOTH Prayer/Prophecy
Hence I regard Ramban not as disagreeing with Rashi but
rather as complementing him. For further details see
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn25-22d.htm
*11 Clearly the Hebrew YeeChad comes from the root CHAD
which means SHARP. Rashi brings two opinions
- It means HE SHARPED (Mirthed at a SHARP WORD)
- It means HE TWINGED (Upset at PAINFUL news)
But Radack brings STRONG support that CHAD means
mirth. Indeed, in other verses, CHAD does mean
MIRTH (As in eg Neh08-10 or P021-07).
This controversy between Rashi and Radack
can be resolved Grammatically. The grammatical
form of VaYeeChad (Chirik, Patach) could come from
either
- INTENSE MODE of 1-2-Hey roots(Cheth-Daleth-Hey) or
- PASSIVE MODE of 1-2-2 roots(Cheth-Daleth-Daleth)
In the intense mode CHAD means MIRTH(Radack)
But in the PASSIVE MODE it would correspond to
RECEIVING (PASSIVE!) a SHARP twinge at hearing
bad news.
Hence the controversy is on the root and mode
of the word.
This explanation makes both viewpoints respectable
since Rashi would concede that CHEDVAH which
definitely comes from Cheth-Daleth-Hey means
MIRTH; Rashi could still maintain that Yee-Chad
means TWINGED since it comes from a different root
Rashi also points out that the translation
TWINGED would show that despite Jethros
happiness he still felt sorry for the Egyptians
thus showing the conflict between his past(non-jew)
and future (friend of Jews)
*12 AFTERNOON-LIGHT-OIL is an example of DOUBLE METONOMY
See LIST871c for other examples.
===============================================================
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
The hyperlinks only work on the main website
Volume 23 Number 21
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 23 Number 21