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               Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel

                     Volume 12 Number 1
                 Produced November 6st, 2001

       WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)

`          Whats new and hot in this issue?

*1 If you dont want the new HTML format you MUST EMAIL ME
   If I hear no complaints it will become permanant

*2 Rashi explains MEANING, IDIOM, GRAMMAR, PREPOSITIONS

*3 I formulate this difficult Rambam in terms of grammar
   This is part of our GOLDEN RASHI RAMBAM SERIES

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VERSE: ve9-e-6a

From: "Joseph P. Wetstein" 
Message-Id: <200111061627.fA6GRkb15374@coe.drexel.edu>
Subject: quesdtion
To: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 11:27:46 -0500 (EST)
CC: rhendel@juno.com, rjhendel@juno.com


Hi - Haven't heard from you since you got back.

How was your trip?


do you have anything on the difference between rashi and
rambam on the beginning of last week's parasha?

talk to you soon,
Yossi

--
 Joseph P. Wetstein, P.E.	
 j.wetstein@ieee.org 		
 (707) 202-0600 fax
 PP/ASEL & KA3VJY [Tech+]


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VERSE: Gn24-21a

BACKGROUND
----------
Gn24-21 is a peach of a verse. Anyone who wants to really know
the issues of Biblical study should read this Rashi.

On Gn24-21 Rashi takes an innocent phrase --
AND THE MAN WAS ASTONISHED ABOUT HER -- & does a 4 dimensional
analysis. Rashi analyzes the verse from the points of
- MEANING of the root
- IDIOMATIC usage of this meaning
- GRAMMATICAL form of the root
- use of the CONNECTIVE, to

THE TEXT
--------
Gn24-21 and the man was ASTONISHED ABOUT this woman

THE RASHIS
----------
* The MEANING of the ROOT Shin-Ayin-Hey is DESOLATION
* The IDIOMATIC USAGE of DESOLATION is ASTONISHED!
* The GRAMMATICAL FORM of this root is the rare HITPAEL+SILIBANT
* The CONNECTIVE TO can also mean ABOUT or CONCERNING

THE LISTS
---------
So Rashi is Simple. He provides 4 lists. A list for MEANING,
a list for IDIOM, a list for FORM and a list for CONNECTIVES

Below is a list of verses showing that the Hebrew root
Shin-Aleph-Hey means either HOLOCAST or ROAR of WAVES. Many
of the examples comes from Rashi himself. Others come from
RADACK.

*1 The idea of comparing a HOLOCAST to a TUMULTUOUS ROAR of
   waves (eg an explosion) should be clear

This continues the list above which dealt with the MEANING of
the root Shin-Ayin-Hey. We showed this root meant HOLOCAST.

In this list we show that Hebrew idiom expresses the concept
of ASTONISHMENT by using words meaning DESOLATION.

Hence the word MISTAEH in Gn24-21 from the root SHIN-AYIN-HEY
means ASTONISHED

RASHI RULE USED: NEW MEANINGS

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VERSE: Gn24-21b

BACKGROUND
----------
Gn24-21 is a peach of a verse. Anyone who wants to really know
the issues of Biblical study should read this Rashi.

On Gn24-21 Rashi takes an innocent phrase --
AND THE MAN WAS ASTONISHED ABOUT HER -- & does a 4 dimensional
analysis. Rashi analyzes the verse from the points of
- MEANING of the root
- IDIOMATIC usage of this meaning
- GRAMMATICAL form of the root
- use of the CONNECTIVE, to

THE TEXT
--------
Gn24-21 and the man was ASTONISHED ABOUT this woman

THE RASHIS
----------
* The MEANING of the ROOT Shin-Ayin-Hey is DESOLATION
* The IDIOMATIC USAGE of DESOLATION is ASTONISHED!
* The GRAMMATICAL FORM of this root is the rare HITPAEL+SILIBANT
* The CONNECTIVE TO can also mean ABOUT or CONCERNING

THE LISTS
---------
So Rashi is Simple. He provides 4 lists. A list for MEANING,
a list for IDIOM, a list for FORM and a list for CONNECTIVES

Below is a List of of Hebrew roots whose first letter is
a silibant (Sin, Shin, Samech, Tzade) and which is conjugated
in the HITPAEL. Many examples come from Rashi. Other examples
comes from Alfred Silbermans Grammatical Form Konkordance.
See footnote *1 for details of this rule

*1 If we have a 3 letter root, XYZ then the HITPAEL is formed
   by adding a HEY and TAUV HIT-X-Y-Z. However if the X letter
   has a silibant sound (Samech, Shin, Tzade) then the
   HITPAEL is formed as follows: HEY-x-TAUV-Y-Z
   (Furthermore, if X is a Tzade the TAUV changes to TET)

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VERSE: Gn24-21c

BACKGROUND
----------
Gn24-21 is a peach of a verse. Anyone who wants to really know
the issues of Biblical study should read this Rashi.

On Gn24-21 Rashi takes an innocent phrase --
AND THE MAN WAS ASTONISHED ABOUT HER -- & does a 4 dimensional
analysis. Rashi analyzes the verse from the points of
- MEANING of the root
- IDIOMATIC usage of this meaning
- GRAMMATICAL form of the root
- use of the CONNECTIVE, to

THE TEXT
--------
Gn24-21 and the man was ASTONISHED ABOUT this woman

THE RASHIS
----------
* The MEANING of the ROOT Shin-Ayin-Hey is DESOLATION
* The IDIOMATIC USAGE of DESOLATION is ASTONISHED!
* The GRAMMATICAL FORM of this root is the rare HITPAEL+SILIBANT
* The CONNECTIVE TO can also mean ABOUT or CONCERNING

THE LISTS
---------
So Rashi is Simple. He provides 4 lists. A list for MEANING,
a list for IDIOM, a list for FORM and a list for CONNECTIVES
Below is the LIST for the CONNECTIVE TO (With help from RADACK)

RULE:The Hebrew word >LAMED< which usually means >TO< can
also mean >ABOUT<. The LIST below presents half a dozen
examples of this usage. This list comes from  URL
http://www.Rashiyomi.Com/about-1.htm

RASHI RULE USED: SPECIAL WORDS

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VERSE: Gn21-14c

BACKGROUND
----------
One of the main goals of the Rashi website is to show how
Rashi presented multiple meanings of WORDS. You can review
the master word sheet at http://www.RashiYomi.COm/words.htm
where you can link to lists showing the meanings of words

THE TEXT
--------
Rashi explains that the word KI has 7 meanings. One of these
meanings is IF. You can find all 7 meanings at the url
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ki-11.htm

THE RASHI
---------
Rashi translates Gn24-14c as follows
------------------------------------------------------
And if a woman comes and waters my flock then
I will know IF (KI) you have shown mercy to find
a wife for Isaac
------------------------------------------------------
Rashi-is-Simple: Abraham asked Eliezer to find a
non-Canaanite woman; so finding a charitable woman
was not enough. Eliezer had to find a woman of proper
lineage.

THE RASHI-RAMBAM GOLDEN SERIES
------------------------------
By coincidence the Rambam cites this verse in Mishneh
Torah. Read footnote *10 for an exciting discussion
on the formulation of the Rashi Rambam conflict based
on simple dictionary usage.


THE LIST
--------
In the following examples the Hebrew word >KI<
means >WHEN< or >IF< *1 *2

*1 There are of course many verses where >KI< means
   >WHEN<. But these are 2 main verses where Rashi
   makes a comment.

*2 I feel obligated to mention the important Malbim
   that when a paragraph introduces a whole hypothetical
   situation then
   ---the first >IF< of the paragraph uses the Hebrew >KI<
   ---the remaining >IF< s of the paragraph use the Hebrew >IM<

   For example Lv04 is the chapter on >SIN OFFERINGS<
   We then have the following sequence of sin offerings
   ---Lv04-01:12  >KI<    (if) a    High Priest   sins
   ---Lv04-13:21  >IM<    (if) the  congregation  sins
   ---Lv04-22:26  >ASHER< (if) the  King          sins
   ---Lv04-27:31  >IM<    (if) the  individual    sins
   ---Lv04-32:35  >IM<    (if) the  individual    sins

   This is a peach of a principle which seems to have been
   neglected. More can be said (like the anomalous >ASHER<
   in Lv04-22) but the above will suffice for now.


*3 We follow the interpretation of the Sifsay Chachamim
   commentary on Rashi who interprets Gn40-13:14 as one sentence

   >In another 3 days Pharoh will remember you and restore you
   (from prison) to your former post of personally serving him
   (The restoration from prison will be so complete that) WHEN
   (& if you do me a favor &) you mention me to Pharoh I will
   be saved from Prison<

   The strange construction >WHEN & IF< comes from the two
   words >KI< = >WHEN< and >IM< = >IF< and is similar to our
   English phrase >WHEN & IF<.

*10 Rambam Idolatry 11:4 states that
   --------------------------------------------------
   It is prohibited to  makes SIGNS for oneself: That
   is it is prohibited to say: IF such and such
   happens I will do such and such the way Eliezer
   Abrahams servant did
   --------------------------------------------------

   Thus Rambam interperts the word KI in Gn21-14c as
   meaning THAT
   ----------------------------------------------------
   If a woman comes and waters my flock then I will
   know THAT she is the destined wife of Isaac
   ----------------------------------------------------

   So of course it is prohibited: Since Eliezer had not
   yet checked if the women was from the proper family
   as Abraham had asked him.

   But Rashi interprets the word KI as meaning IF
   ---------------------------------------------------
   Gn24-14 If a woman comes and waters my flock then I
   will know IF she is the destined wife of Isaac (that
   is provided she comes from the proper family)
   ---------------------------------------------------

   So according to Rashi, Eliezer did nothing wrong.

RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS


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VERSE: Gn24-14a

RASHIS COVERED: Gn20-16d Gn21-25a Gn24-14a Gn31-42b

BACKGROUND
----------
Rashi brings a number of verses with the Hebrew root
Yud-Caph-Cheth.

THE TEXT
--------
It is hard to pinpoint the meaning of this word. Both Rashi
and Radack are cited: The fundamental meaning seems to be
-------------------------------------------
dispute, sue, clarify, prove, vindicate.
-------------------------------------------
In other words the root YCX has a nuance of a VERBAL DISPUTE
IN WHICH YOU TRY TO PROVE SOMETHING BELONGS TO YOU

THE LIST
--------
We present several verses below. Where appropriate we present
Rashi and Radacks explanation. Because of the complexity of
this concept I think it preferable to say that BOTH Rashi and
Radack were groping for a good translation. I see no utility
in saying that Rashi and Radack disagreed. My defense of this
is shown in the footnotes. See footnote *1 for a discussion of
Rashis on this root.

*1 On Gn20-16d Rashi explicitly says
   ----------------------------------
   All uses of Y-C-X mean CLARIFY
   ----------------------------------
  On Gn21-25a Rashi states that Y-C-X means to ARGUE (presumably
  to argue for clarification). But on Gn31-42b Rashi says
  ----------------------------------
  Here Y-C-X means ARGUMENT vs PROOF
  ----------------------------------
  Because of these conflicting Rashis I have unified them
  and seen Rashi as exploring for a fundamental meaning.

*2 The verse is speaking about Avimelechs apology for trying
   to marry Sarah (Who was a married woman). AFter monetarily
   apologizing Avimelech states (according to Radack): THIS
   MONEY WILL VINDICATE YOU IF ANYONE STARTS UP WITH YOU.
   According to Rashi the verse should be translated THIS
   MONEY WILL BE BASIC FOR A LAWSUIT AGAINST ME IF ANYONE
   STARTS UP WITH YOU.  Thus Rashi and Radack really agree.

*3 Both Rashi and Radack seem to agree here

*4 The verse is speaking about Eliezers attempt to obtain
   a wife for Isaac. Eliezer says he will seek a charitable
   woman who will water his animals and that is the way
   the matter will be CLARIFIED(Rashi)/PROVEN(Radack). Again
   Rashi and Radack agree.(Radack literally translates the
   root Y-C-X here as PREPARED: But in the context of the
   verse I would translate this as PROVEN PREPARED)

*5 Yaakov is talking about the 20 years of double crossing
   by Laban. In each case Yaakov made money because God
   helped him. Rashi emphasizes that Y-C-X means SUED FOR
   HIM vs PROVED. But I would simply refer the word SUED
   to the CONTINUOUS PROCESS of being double crossed for 20
   years and each case winning. In other words the nuance
   SUED vs PROVED refers to the CONTEXT OF THE CASE which
   lasted 20 years and doesnt necessarily refer to the
   nuances of the root.

*6 Reading this Biblical chapter, Micah 6, gives us a sense
   of the true nuances of this enigmatic root. God starts
   recounting all the Good things he did for the Jews: He
   took them out of Egypt, led them thru the wilderness etc
   Thus we get the flavor of the meaning of this root: It
   has the flavor of a COURT PROOF or COURT CLARIFICATION.

RASHI RULE USED: UNIFIED MEANING

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



          THE 6 RASHI RULE CLASSES(Version 3.2 Dec 15 2001)
                http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rules-01.htm
          Copyright Dec 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President

========================================================
THE DICTIONARY RULE: Rashi can function as a dictionary.
                     He presents 2-6 meanings of words
         REFERENCE: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/words.htm
========================================================
* EXAMPLE 1: AL means ON. AL can also mean
      - WITH (Eat Passover WITH matzoh Ex12-09e)
      - IN   (Place the Matzoh IN the basket Ex29-03)
      - TO   (The boards shall be even from bottom TO top Ex26-24c)
      - NEAR (His borders will be NEAR Tzison Gn49-13b)
      - AFTER(Offer Peace offerings AFTER the daily Lv03-05a)

* EXAMPLE 2: KI means IF,PERHAPS,RATHER,BECAUSE,WHEN,THAT
   Gn18-15a Gn24-33a

* EXAMPLE 3: YDA means FAMILIAR, not KNOW (eg Dt34-10a)
	   eg Gn04-01 Adam was FAMILIAR with his wife

* EXAMPLE 4: ON THE FACE OF means DURING THE LIFETIME
            Nu03-04a Gn11-28a Ex20-03c Dt05-07a

===========================================================
THE GRAMMAR RULE: Rashi comments on RARE or SIMILAR usages
        REFERENCE:http://www.RashiYomi.Com/grammar.htm
===========================================================

* EXAMPLE 1: BA-ah means CAME;ba-AH means COMING(Gn46-26a)


* EXAMPLE 2:THE SENTENCE: 0.2% of Biblical sentences are 2verses
 -(Dt11-07:08) It was not your fathers who saw this;rather you

* EXAMPLE 3: Hitpael has different rules if 1st root letter is
   Tzade (USE: Ni-Tz-Ta-Dack not Ni-Th-Tza-Dack--Gn44-16a)

================================================================
THE CITATION RULE: Rashi enriches meaning by citing OTHER verses
         REFERENCE:http://www.RashiYomi.Com/other-20.htm
================================================================
* EXAMPLE 1: Dt26-05d We went down to Egypt with A FEW PEOPLE
	    ENRICHED by Gn46-27: We went down with 70 people

* EXAMPLE 2: Lv01-05a Non-priests may SLAUGHTER offerings
	    This law DERIVED from explicit statement in 2Chr30-17

* EXAMPLE 3:Why does Rashi say that Chur is Miriams son(Ex17-10b)
	    DERIVED from possible interpretation of 1-Chr18-19

* EXAMPLE 4: Gn35-22a Reuven Slept with Bilhah(Fathers concubine)
	    Gn49-04  Reuven PLAYED with fathers BEDS
        CONCLUSION: Reuven inteferred with fathers personal
	life(ruffled bedspreads); Bible condemns Reuven by
	exaggeration; he is accused of incest which he didnt do

=================================================================
THE 3 RABBI ISHMAEL RULES: They govern style(broad vs literal)
REFERENCE:http://www.RashiYomi.com/example1.htm thru example9.htm
=================================================================

* EXAMPLE 1: Simple sentences are always GENERALIZED
            ---------------------------------------
	    Dt25-04a Dont MUZZLE an OX while it is THRESHING
	    Rabbi Ishmael: Dont STOP any ANIMAL from eating
			   while DOING ITS WORK
					
* EXAMPLE 2: GENERAL-EXAMPLE style always interpreted LITERALLY
            --------------------------------------------------
 Nu05-12d (GENERAL) If a women DESECRATES her marriage
	   (EXAMPLE) and commits ADULTERY
	   Rabbi Ishmael: Nu05 only applies to ADULTERY.
	   It does not apply to other marriage DESECRATIONS
			
* EXAMPLE 3: GENERAL-EXAMPLE-GENERAL style intepreted SIMILARLY
            --------------------------------------------------
 Lv05-21b (GENERAL) If a man DENIES under oath
	  (EXAMPLE) ..denies a deposit,loan,theft,wages,lost item
	  (GENERAL) or ANY DENIAL which he denies
 RABBI ISHMAEL: These laws apply to any SIMILAR Example
 * The law applies to partnerships, movables and monetary objects
 * The law does not apply to real-estate or slander

=================================================================
THE CLIMAX RULE: The Bible should be interpreted in such a manner
                that it reflects CLIMACTIC development to a goal
             REFERENCE: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/example9.htm
=================================================================
 EXAMPLE 1: Dt19-11a If a man HATES, SPIES, CONFRONTS & KILLS
 RASHI: Bible identifies 4 stages to murder(Capped)

==============================================================
THE FORMATTING PRINCIPLE: Bible had its own method to mimic
                          bold, bullets, footnotes, paragraphs
==============================================================

* BOLD: Bible REPEATS words to obtain BOLD emphasis effect
          http://www.RashiYomi.Com/doubl-14.htm
  --------------------------------------------------------------
  EXAMPLE 1:(Ex12-09c) COOK COOK it in water (So COOKED is bold)
  INFERENCE: Prefered to COOK it in water;
         But COOK It at all costs(Even if you dont have water)

* BULLETS: Bible indicates bullets by REPEATING KEYWORDS
  --------------------------------------------------------
 Who am I
 - THAT I should go to Pharaoh
 - THAT I should take the Jews out of Egypt (Ex03-11a)
 --------------------------------------------------------
 RASHI: Repeated word THAT creates BULLET effect
 - Pharoh was a difficult king (Bullet one)
 - Jews were not yet ready for freedom (Bullet two)

* FOOTNOTES: The Bible indicates FOOTNOTES by ALMOST DUPLICATING
	     verses but making small minor changes
                http://www.RashiYomi.Com/align-58.htm
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  EXAMPLE: Ex20-03a
  VERSE        PHRASE #1       PHRASE #2       PHRASE #3
  -------      ---------       ---------       ------------------
  Ex20-03      Dont            POSSESS  the gods of others
  Ex20-04      Dont            MAKE     idols

  RASHI: So both POSSESSion & MAKING of idols are prohibited
  ---------------------------------------------------------------

                           End of Rashi is Simple Digest

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