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  |      Rashi is Simple Version 2.0                         |
  |      (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President             |
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VERSE: Gn49-03a

RASHIS COVERED: Gn49-03a Gn49-03b

===================== ALEPH-NUN=VIRILITY ========================

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
This posting affords us an opportunity to examine how languages
other than Hebrew can facilitate understanding Chumash & Rashi.
Gn49-03 should be translated as
- Reuven you are
- - my 1st born
- - the beginning of my VIRILITY
Here, the Hebrew root ALEPH-NUN is translated as VIRILITY.
Actually Rashi translates ALEPH-NUN as A LANGUAGE OF STRENGTH.But
by using English words, we can give more specificity and focus:
ALEPH NUN does not mean ANY strength--it means VIRILITY

------------------------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:                      WORD MEANINGS
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE:                   WORD MEANINGS
------------------------------------------------------

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RASHI RULE
-------------------------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals is translating words the same way a
dictionary translates words.  One of the goals of this email
list is to give precision, focus and specificity to some of
Rashis translations. For example, in this posting we translate
ALEPH-NUN which Rashi ROUGHLY translates as STRENGTH, but
we translate as VIRILITY---this gives more precision,focus and
specificity.

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR TODAYS RASHI RULE
-----------------------------------------
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/words.htm

TODAYS LIST
-----------
We list verses with the Hebrew root ALEPH NUN and show that
the translation VIRILITY fits nicely. Footnotes further
amplify the nuances.
=================================================================
VERSE   TEXT OF VERSE WITH MEANING OF virility CAPPED
======= =========================================================
Gn35-18 She called her son:A child from a VIRILE*1 relationship
Gn49-03 you-re my 1st born--the beginning of VIRILITY*2
Is40-26 Look what God created---very VIRILE creations*3
Hos12-4 In his YOUNG MANHOOD*4 he fought with angels
Hos12-9 ...Ephraim claimed ROYAL RIGHTS over Israel*5
Prv11-7 When the wicked dies,the hopes of his CHILDREN*6 are lost

NOTES
-----
*1 In other words even though Rachel was sick she wanted
   to name her child with a name that nostalgically looked
   back at the virile relationship that created him

*2 Rashi enhances the nostalgia of the statement by the
   poetic technique of EXAGGERATION. Not only was Reuven
   Jacobs FIRST born, Reuven also corresponded to Jacobs FIRST
   SEMINAL EMISSION Thus we have a punchy picture of Jacobs
   love for Rachel.

*3 This phrase -- VIRILE relations -- is, of course, a metaphor
   Just as we nostalgically look at the child of a virile
   relationship as stronger & healthier so too a VIRILE creation
   would be a strong healthy object (even though its creation
   was not thru male-female relations)

*4 Here VIRILITY means YOUNG MANHOOD the age
   bracket traditionally associated with
   VIRILITY

*5 Here VIRILITY is used metaphorically. Just as the VIRILE
   person obtains many children so to, metaphorically,
   FINDING VIRILITY could mean OBTAINING RIGHTS OF REIGN
   ON SUBJECTS Note how the KING-SUBJECT relation is viewed
   in terms of POWER/VIRILITY and SHOWING OFF--which
   corresponds to the prophets intent of insult.

*6 VIRILE here means CHILDREN. The verses points out that
   even though physically the children were strong,
   nevertheless they lacked spirit and thefefore their
   hopes die.
================================================================

RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
---------------------------------------------------
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 16 Number 9


#*#*#*#*#  (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#