#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
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  |      Rashi is Simple Version 2.0                         |
  |      (C) Dr Hendel, Summer 2000                          |
  |       http://www.RashiYomi.Com                           |
  | PERMISSION to reprint WITH this header if NOT for profit |
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VERSE: Gn24-65a

RASHIS COVERED: Gn07-23a Gn24-65a

BACKGROUND
----------
The following is a followup to Gn27-03a in Volume 7 Number 2.
Most of the comments below come from Alfred Silberman who just
published a book SEFER AMELIM BATORAH which contains some of
the lists he used to ask his question. For the benefit of
those who forgot I briefly review the previous posting.

This posting is an excellent example of
--how to construct lists
--how to deal with Rashis that look like they have no lists
  to back them up
--how to avoid Midrashic explanations in favor of grammatical
  ones.


RASHI:
-----
The verse says that Rivkah took the veil and "TTCATH". On
the Hebrew word "TTCATH" Rashi says "This is a verb
form like 'he was buried'". (So Rashi thinks the verb is
Passive) In other words Rashi interprets the verse "And
Rivkah took the veil and LET HER MAIDS COVER HER"


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
---------------
A brief summary of the full explanation is presented next.
Most of the questions came from Alfred Silberman--Alfred
also provided {LIST2} from his new book SEFER AMELIM
BATORAH which presents all grammatical forms in the Bible
He is not charging for the book except for postage and
handling--to get the book contact him at
Alfred.Silberman@Lmco.Com or AlSiblerman@Juno.Com.




SUMMARY
-------
* Gn24-65 should be translated "And Rivkah took the veil and
  LET HER MAIDS COVER HER"

* Thus we interpret the MEANING of the verb as PASSIVE (LET
  HER MAIDS COVER HER)

* The actual verb FORM (vs meaning) is in the REFLEXIVE MODE
  This can easily be shown by using standard grammar books
  and observing that a terminal H was dropped. {LIST1}{LIST2}

* So we have left to prove that CSH uses the REFLEXIVE MODE
  for PASSIVE MEANINGS. To do this we cite Prv26-26 which
  uses a HYBRID form. We present {LIST3} which shows hybrid
  forms. Prv26-26 is also translated "The evil person LETS
  HIS hatred BE COVERED UP (so people shouldn't know)"
  Thus we see a PASSIVE-REFLEXIVE MEANING (LET COVER UP)


* However if we ONLY consider VERB FORM and not VERB MEANING
  then there are still other possibilities. Three other
  possibilities are
  ---Gn24-65 might come from the root TTCh(which never occurs)
     Alfred points out the Mizrachi suggests this

  ---Gn24-65 might come from the root (WEDDING) CUP (COS)
     The verse means that "Yitchak gave her the wedding cup"
     I found this cute explanation in Torah Shlaymah

  ---Prv26-26 might be a hybrid of KAL & PIEL
     (Alfred points out that Daas Mikrah from Mosad Rav Kook
      suggests this)

* We answer these objections by considering MEANING {LIST4}
  It is common for religious women to cover themselves with
  veils. Hence that is what the verse is talking about.It
  is that simple. It is MEANING which forces us to interpret
  the verse "And she LET HER MAIDS COVER HER" Let us review
  the other woman who covered herself with a veil.

  Tamar who disguised herself (because she was seducing her
  father in law) COVERED HERSELF--the verb form used in
  this verse is ACTIVE FORM with REFLEXIVE meaning. This
  gives further support that CSH in the reflexive does not
  mean reflexive. By Contrast Rivkah was getting married
  and it is normal at weddings (the "bedeken") for OTHERS
  to cover the bride (as a sign that her friends all approve
  of the marriage and are giving her support).


{LISTS} We now present the lists mentioned above
---------------------------------------------------
{LIST1}  {We show that it is possible to take a
          standard grammatical form and drop the hey
          This is used to prove that the verb form
          TTCSH became TTCS in Gn24-65 and hence is
          reflexive}



--------------------------------------------------------------
  Examples of alternative conjugations for the phrase
  "HE WILL DO IT" (eg YiVNeH and YiVeN)
--------------------------------------------------------------

                         First type           2nd type
                             of                 of
                   Mean  CONJUGATION          CONJGTION
3 Letter root      ing   END IN Hey   VERSE   NO END-HEY VERSE
------------------ ----- ------------ ------- ---------- -------
[Beth]-[Nun]-[Hey] Build Ve Yi V Ne H Ps69-36 Va Yi Ve N Gn02-22
[Pay] -[Nun]-[Hey] Face  Ve Yi P Ne H - *2  - Va Yi Pe N Ju15-04
[Mem] -[Cht]-[Hey] Erase    Yi M Ce H 2K21-13    Yi Ma C Ps109-13
[Koof]-[Nun]-[Hey] Buy      Yi K Ne H Lv22-11 Va Yi Ke N Gn32-19
[Gmel]-[Lmd]-[Hey] Reveal   Yi G Le H Jb33-16 Ve Yi Ge L Jb36-15





--------------------------------------------------------------
  Examples of alternative conjugations for the phrase
  "SHE LET IT BE DONE TO HERSELF" (TiTCaS vs TiTCaSeH) *3
--------------------------------------------------------------


                         First type           2nd type
                             of                 of
                   Mean  CONJUGATION          CONJGTION
3 Letter root      ing   END IN Hey   VERSE   NO END-HEY VERSE
------------------ ----- ------------ ------- ---------- -------
[Cof]-[Smch]-[Hey] Cover TiThCSeH     - *2 -- TiTCaS     Gn24-65



NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi brings 4 examples. I supplemented this list with the
   example GLH

*2 The normal conjugation is to PREFIX A YUD and leave the
   the SUFFIX HEY. In these 2 examples there is no Biblical
   example of the normal form---only the abnormal form
   occurs.  (Nevertheless it occurs rarely)








{LIST2} {A list of verb forms that shows that for Lamed-He
         verbs it is much more common to drop the He than
         to keep it. This interesting Statistical observation
         comes from Moshes(Alfreds) book}

Moshe
lists 21
> forms: [Moderator These forms are explained in his book
          They are forms of grammar like HITPAEL]
>
> Form #		With He		He dropped
> 171				2
> 173				1
> 181				1
> 186		1
> 192		1
> 936		1
> 2467				3
> 1505				1
> 2515		4
> 2541				2
> 2543				3
> 2566		3
> 2584				3
> 3786				1
> 3787		2
> 4509				3
> 4526		1
> 4532				2
> 4534				2
> 4552				1
> 5448		1
>
> Totals		14		25
>





{LIST3} {Hybrid verbs--that is the verb form uses a mix
         of 2 punctuations}

VERSE     WORD      SHOULD BE
-----     ----      ---------
Ex18-26   YSPooTo   YSPOT*1
Lv04-23   HODAH     HooDah*2
Prv26-26  TCaSeh    TCoSeh*3

NOTES
-----
*1 This is a combination of KAL and HFAL
*2 This is a combination of HIFIL, HFAL, and HITPAEL(Malbim)
*3 This is a combination of NIFAL and HITPAEL
   Alfred Silberman points out that in the
   Daas Miqra from Mossad Rav Kook. They consider this verb
   a cross between Piel and Nifal NOT Hispael and Nifal.
   I would answer them that the meaning of the verb is not
   a game in computer matching of forms but rather must
   be consistent with meaning. The meaning of these
   verses is "LET IT BE DONE TO IT" as "Let the hatred
   be covered by darkness" or "Let her maids cover her"




{LIST4} {Women who covered themselves with a veil and
         merited to have great men come from them}


VERSE     WOMAN     HOW SHE COVERED      WHY
-----     -----     ---------------      ---
Gn24-65   Rivkah    Maids covered her    Part of the wedding
Gn38-14   Tamar     She covered herself  Was a disguise*1


NOTES
-----
*1 Note that Tamar was seducing her father in law.
   She did not want anyone knowing about it
   Hence she would not have her maids help her

   Also note that DESPITE THE FACT that TAMAR covered
   herself (a reflexive action) nevertheless the KAL
   ACTIVE mode is used. This lends further credence to
   Rashi that the reflexive of COVER does not mean
   COVER ONESELF but LET OTHERS COVER YOU


RULES USED: GRAMMAR
---------------------------------------------------
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 7 Number 5


#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 2000 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
Volume 7 Number 5