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VERSE: Gn35-18c
======================= Gn35-18c ======================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 10 main goals is the explanation of
meaning the same way a dictionary explains meaning.
We call this the Rashi method of WORD MEANING.
Rashi had 10 vehicles by which he explained meaning.
Rashi explains the meaning of a 4 letter root as
the sum of the meaning of its constituent two two-letter
components. When Rashi explains
the meaning of a three letter root using the two
letter subroot we refer to this as the submethod
of 2-4 LETTER ROOTS. We have explained elsewhere
that Rashi simultaneously believed in
- use of 3 letter roots for purposes of conjugation
- use of 2 letter roots for purposes of meaning
The example below illustrates this.
EXAMPLE: Gn35-18c BeNJaMiN
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Gn35-18 speaks about the birth of Benjamin, Rachel's
second child. Recall that the other 3 matriarchs had
many children while Rachel had only one. She in fact
died on the operating table at the birth of her 2nd
child. Gn25-18c states
--------------------------------------------
As she died
- she named the child, Son-of-Anguish
- but Jacob named the child, Son-of-Days
- but Jacob named the child, Son-of-TheRight
--------------------------------------------
LIST910h below presents several examples of 4 letter
roots. Analyzed in this manner.
===============================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== ======================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS 2-4 LETTER ROOTS
SEE BELOW LIST910h
List of 4 letter roots=sum of 2 letter roots
===============================================================
=========================== LIST910h =======================
List of 4 letter roots=sum of 2 letter roots
============================================================
4 LETTER ROOT MEANING 1st 2 LETTERS LAST 2 LETTERS
============= ============ =============== =================
Son-Days*14 Parents old Son Days(Old)
Son-Right*14 Elder's son Son Right=Strength
BL&L rowdy Without Yoke
XRTM*13 Magician*13 burnt*13 ritually unclean
KRML FullBloom*12 Plump/slice full
SNWRIM Blindness Thorn (in) Skin*11
DM$Q Follower Resemble me Desire me
ChiDeKeL*9 Cold Rapids Sharp Light
DuChiFath Enough Handl Enough(DAI) KAPH(Handles)*9
YeHoShuA*8 God will Sav God (YAH) Will Save(SHA)
AVRAYCH*1*4 Good leader Father Gentle/soft
MMZR*1 Illegitimate Blemished (From a)Stranger
ARAL Angel Lion (of) God
BLAD Except Without (BLi) Others
BRZL Iron Strong (BRi) Branch (ZLZL)
ZLAF Fright Worthless (and) Fatigued*3
SRAF Branches A Pot (ie nest) (for) Birds *2
PANAYACH Insightful Brings out(POA) The Hidden(NAX)*5
ChachLiL Intoxicating Swirling(LL) the palate(XC)*6
SnaPir Fish fins Shrub like(SN) used to fly*7
NOTES:
------
*1 There are two approaches to 4 letter roots. Sometimes we
try and see them as 2 two letter roots and sometimes we try
and see them as a 3 letter root with an extra letter. Thus
ASTR is explained in the Talmud as ASR. Rav Hirsch stuck to
the 3 letter approach even in obvious cases--thus he takes
MMZR from MZR a rare word in Job.
Similarly Rashi cites a controversy on AVRAYCH:
-- A double 2 letter approach would yield:
AVRAYCH=Gentle(Rc) Father(Av)
-- A 3 letter approach would yield:
AVRAYCH=Kneel (Brch) to me (Aleph)
*2 Note the poetic lisence in e.g.
SRAF = BIRD(AF) POT (SiR)= Something for Bird nests
This type of small poetic lisence is common in etymologies
and makes their study difficult
*3 Note the finer nuances in some translations. For example ZLAF
occurs rarely in TNACH and its meaning is inferred from its
context. The RDQ in his book of ROOTS says its meaning is SOME
TYPE OF FRIGHT....this could go well with the verse cited by
RDK: "fright has overtaken me"
But perhaps a BETTER translation is
feeling worthless and tired So that the verse with
ZLAF would mean WORTHLESSNESS & FATIGUE HAS OVERTAKEN ME
Then again perhaps there is no way to see which translation
is better
*4 Rashi Gn41-43b
*5 Rashi Gn41-45
*6 Rashi Gn49-12a
*7 The following may help:
- PRCh means to FLY; in connection with fish it could
refer to swimming throughout the water
- SN can mean THORNBUSH or BRANCHES (Songs07-09). I
therefore suggest it means SHRUB like.
So SN-PR would refer to SHRUB-LIKE(SN) protrusions by
which a fish FLYES (PR) - SNPR.
*8 Rashi Nu13-16a
*9 The reference is to a bird with a DOUBLE CROP. Since DU in
ARAMAIC means TWO it appears that Rashi is saying
-------------------------------------------------
DuChiFath = Double(DU) Handle(Caph)=Double CRop
-------------------------------------------------
However we think it preferable that Rashi used Hebrew roots
to explain Hebrew words(Provided simple exaplanations exist)
Hence we read Rashi as saying
--------------------------------------
DuChiFath = ENOUGH (Dai) Handles(CAPH)
--------------------------------------
Thus the word does not DIRECTLY mean DOUBLE CROP. Rather
the essential meaning of the word is ENOUGH HANDLES. The
method by which this particular bird implements this
ENOUGHNESS is thru use of the DOUBLE CROP.
*10 Rashi Gn02-14a Chid-Kel are the SHARP-LIGHT cold river
rapids.
*11 (In fact there is species of flies in Africa that
stings people to death...they start by blinding
them (so that they cant see where to go))
*12 The word CRML can equally refer to
- a ripe pod of barley (Lv02-14f)
- a meadow in full bloom (Is32-15)
This double meaning is consistent with the meanings of
Caph-Resh (KR) presented in LIST813d. Caph-Resh can
equally refer to a
- a FERTILE VALLEY
- anything with a PLUMP Shape(Like a budded barley stalk)
*13
Cheth-Resh-Tet-Mem means
the BURNT and UNCLEAN--that is, the DEAD.
The Egyptian Magicians are called XRTM
because they aroused their imaginations
by dwelling in graveyards and morgues.
*14 The Bible in discussing the reason for naming the
child Benjamin, gives the contrast
- Rachel died while giving birth and called the child,
Son-of-Anguish
- Jacob however called the child, Son-of-Right=Strength
An alternate suggestion by Rashi is
- Son-of-Days (Since child was born when the two
parents were old)
There is a further pun here in that the Hebrew word
Yud-Mem-Yud-Nun means both DAYS and RIGHT.
=================================================================
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Volume 31 Number 18
#*#*#*# (C) 2000-2006, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#
Volume 31 Number 18