EXAMPLE 58: Dt09-21a The infinitive denotes ongoing activity

BACKGROUND
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Rashi here makes a comment on GRAMMAR.

THE TEXT
--------
It is well known that a word like TCHON has the FORM of the
INFINITIVE.

THE RASHI
---------
Rashi introduces the idea that the INFINITIVE FORM can mean
---EITHER the abstract STATE of an activity OR
---BEING INVOLVED IN DOING THE ACTIVITY CONTINUOUSLY

EXAMPLES
--------
In English we signify these two meanings as follows
---e.g. TO RUN is healthy (TO RUN is the Infinitive)
---e.g. RUNNING, SWIMMING, WRITING
signifies AN ONGOING INVOLVMENT IN AN ACTIVITY
(in English we indicate this with the ING ending;
in Hebrew we indicate this with the infinitive FORM)

THE LIST
--------
Here is a list of infinitive forms which indicate
ongoing activity. To emphasize the ONGOING NATURE
I have indicated HOW OFTEN the activity is done

REFERENCES: Previous studies of this occur at *1 *2

EXAMPLE 59: Nu15-15a The style LIKE...LIKE indicates similarity

THE RASHI RULE
--------------
If you wish to state that two items are similar you may use
the style LIKE..LIKE. The whole sentence might read
--------------
LIKE A LIKE B
--------------
Such a sentence style means
------------------
A & B are similar
------------------

THE TEXT
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So if the Bible says LIKE THE CITIZEN LIKE THE ALIEN, ONE
LAW FOR BOTH it simply means that the CITIZEN & CONVERT
should be treated similarly.

THE LIST
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LISTED below please find examples of verses using this style
The examples are plentiful and we deliberately used
verses not presented by Rashi.

EXAMPLE 60: Nu25-04b 2 distinct roots:Yud-Kuf-Ayin &Nun-Kuf-Ayin

REFERENCES
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Alfred Silbermans GRAMMATIC FORM KONKORDANCE: Form 4677

BACKGROUND
----------
Hebrew grammar is based on 3 letter ROOTS. Each of these 3
letter roots can be CONJUGATED in various forms. For example the
root SHIN-MEM-RESH means TO WATCH. SMRti means I WATCHED while
eSMR means I WILL WATCH. Many books have been written presenting
these conjugation tables (Eg IBN SHOSHANS Dictionary, Volume 5;
the Appendix of Tables at the end)

THE TEXT
--------
Nu25-04 uses the verb Yud-Kuf-Ayin. Rashi says it means
to HANG: HANG THESE PEOPLE IN BROAD DAYLIGHT *1

THE RASHI
---------
To fully appreciate Rashi we go to the Radack. Radack
brilliantly points out that we arent sure how often
YUD-KUF-AYIN occurs in the Bible. Certain Biblical words
MAY come from either
- the root YUD KUF AYIN
- the root NUN KUF AYIN
- the root KUF AYIN AYIN
Because the roots have several weak letters and few
occurences there is no way to settle this!!!

There are 4 Biblical words in Nu25 and 2Sam21 where
the root is definitely Yud-Kuf-Ayin and the meaning is
definitely hanging.

There are also other possible occurences of the root in
Ez23, Jer6, Gn32. For example the word VATAYKAH occurs
in Gn32-26 which says AND JACOBS SINEW WAS DISLODGED
IN THE FIGHT.

If VATAYKAH comes from the root Yud-Kuf-Ayin then
we would have to say that Yud-Kuf-Ayin means DISLODGE
(and hence HANGING would mean DISLODGED FROM THE GROUND)

If VATAYKAH comes from the root Kuf-Ayin-Ayin or
Nun-Kuf-Ayin then we could say (like Rashi/Radack)
-- Yud Kuf Ayin means HANG
-- Nun Kuf Ayin means DISLODGE.

In summary: We cant determine which words come from
Yud Kuf Ayin and this affects our conception of its
meaning. *2


THE LIST
--------
I will not provide all LISTS associated with this controversy
I will suffice with the list for Gn32-26  which shows that
this conjugation could come from Yud-Kuf-Ayin or Kuf-Ayin-Ayin
or Nun-Kuf-Ayin. All entries in this verse have the same
conjugation form of VATAYKAH