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TODAYS RULE:   WORD MEANINGS
TODYS SUBRULE: NEW MEANINGS
----------------------------

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
The Bible uses 3 distinct phrases to say the same thing
----------------------------------------------------
..and if you dont listen to me after these punishments
then I will bring more punishments on you
----------------------------------------------------
The 3 actual Biblical texts are as follows:
-- if you dont listen to me WITH THIS punishment
-- if you dont listen to me WITH THESE punishments
-- if you dont listen to me TILL THESE punishments
Rashi simple points out that all 3 phrases mean the same thing

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RULE
-----------------------------
One of Rashis 6 main tasks is to explain the meaning of
words, the same way a dictionary explains words.

Rashi not only explains words--he also explains phrases.
A phrase with a new meaning is simply a group of words--
--each word of which has a clear meaning--but the words
together mean something new.

Rashi can justify a suggested new meaning by a variety
of techniques. One powerful technique is the ALIGNMENT
OF PARALLEL phrases.


STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
The phrase ON THE FACE OF occurs in 5 verses with
reference to a person. In 4 of them -- Nu03-04a,
Gn11-28a, Ex20-03a, Dt05-07a -- Rashi explains
that ON THE FACE OF (when used in reference to
a person) means DURING THE LIFETIME.

Notice how the MEANING of the phrase has nothing
to do with the meaning of the words which make
up that phrase, even though, each word has a
clear meaning. That is
-- ON
-- THE
-- FACE
-- OF
all have clear dictionary meanings. But the phrase
ON THE FACE OF, when used in reference to a person,
means DURING THE LIFETIME.


STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
The 6 Rashi goals are compactly summarized at
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rules-01.htm

A fuller version of these 6 rules may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/database.htm

The various methods of inferring the meaning of words
or phrases may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/means-32.htm

A good summary of Rashis approach to various words
may be found on the dictionary page at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm


HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
Have students use a Konkordance or CD-Rom
to find all occurences of the phrase. For
example by reading Lv26 and listing the
various phrases that are similar we find
the verses Lv26-18, Lv26-23, and Lv26-27
all speak about NOT LISTENING IN THESE PUNISHMENTS

Then have the students try and guess or infer
the meaning of the phrase.

They can then compare their guess with
that of Rashi. This leads to greater
appreciation of Chumash and Rashi.


TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
Here are the 3 phrases which all are translated
the same way by Rashi

----------------------------
TODAYS RULE:   WORD MEANINGS
TODYS SUBRULE: NEW MEANINGS
----------------------------

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
The Bible states
-----------------------------------------
If you rebel against me I will punish you
SEVEN-FOLD according to your sins
-------------------------------------
Rashi interprets the phrase SEVEN-FOLD to
mean ALOT or MANY. Thus Rashi translates the verse
-------------------------------------------------
If you rebel against me I will punish you
WITH MANY PUNISHMENTS according to your MANY SINS


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RULE
-----------------------------
One of Rashis 6 main tasks is to explain the meaning of
words, the same way a dictionary explains words.

Rashi not only explains words--he also explains phrases.
A phrase with a new meaning is simply a group of words--
--each word of which has a clear meaning--but the words
together mean something new.

Rashi can justify a suggested new meaning by a variety
of techniques. One powerful technique is the ALIGNMENT
OF PARALLEL phrases.


STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
The phrase ON THE FACE OF occurs in 5 verses with
reference to a person. In 4 of them -- Nu03-04a,
Gn11-28a, Ex20-03a, Dt05-07a -- Rashi explains
that ON THE FACE OF (when used in reference to
a person) means DURING THE LIFETIME.

Notice how the MEANING of the phrase has nothing
to do with the meaning of the words which make
up that phrase, even though, each word has a
clear meaning. That is
-- ON
-- THE
-- FACE
-- OF
all have clear dictionary meanings. But the phrase
ON THE FACE OF, when used in reference to a person,
means DURING THE LIFETIME.


STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
The 6 Rashi goals are compactly summarized at
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rules-01.htm

A fuller version of these 6 rules may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/database.htm

The various methods of inferring the meaning of words
or phrases may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/means-32.htm

A good summary of Rashis approach to various words
may be found on the dictionary page at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm


HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
Have students use a Konkordance or CD-Rom
to find all occurences of the phrase. For
example look up in a Konkordance all occurences
of the number 7 in the Bible.

Let the students then analyze which of these
phrases literally mean 7 and which mean ALOT

The students can then compare their guess with
that of Rashi. This leads to greater
appreciation of Chumash and Rashi.


TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
Here are a collection of verses where SEVEN means,
not SEVEN, but ALOT

----------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:       CLIMAX
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE:    NUANCES
----------------------------------------

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Lv26-22 states that God will send
- wild beasts on the Jews and these wild beasts will
---- bereft you
---- cut your animals
---- diminish you
---- desolate your roads
It appears that the Bible is simply stating 4 times that
the wild beasts will hurt you. Rashi applies the CLIMAX
principle and emphasizes the NUANCES of the repeated 4 phrases:
--CHILD LOSS(Bereft); ANIMAL loss; PEOPLE loss; ROAD loss.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
The CLIMAX rule deals with the very special case
where the Bible repeats the SAME idea in SIMILAR
language 3 or more times.

The CLIMAX rule views these repeating phrases as
forming a Biblical PARAGRAPH.

To apply the CLIMAX rule first identify the
UNIFYING TOPIC idea of this paragraph.

There are two main uses of the CLIMAX RULE.

Sometimes the CLIMAX rule is used to DEVELOP the
main theme in a series of stages.

In the NUANCE CLIMAX subrule, however, all Rashi
does is READ NUANCES into the paragraph which
enrich the meaning of the TOPIC IDEA. The justification
of reading these nuances into the TOPIC IDEA comes
from POETIC LICENSE which requires that the repeated
phrases each be interpreted differently.


STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
A clear example of NUANCE climax is todays verse: Lv26-22
---------------------------------------
I, God, will send WILD BEASTS against you
-- they will BEREFT you
-- they will CUT your ANIMALS
-- they will DIMINISH you
-- your ROADS will be desolate
---------------------------------------


STUDENT EXERCISES
-----------------
- Find the TOPIC IDEA (or the UNIFYING idea) in
the above 4 phrases

- Try and find the special NUANCES in each of
the phrases in the verse

- Justify each nuance with a supportive hint


RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS:
- The TOPIC IDEA is WILD BEAST ATTACKS

- The remaining 4 phrases describe 4 natural
consequences of a wild beast attack. They are
-- Loss of CHILDREN
-- loss of LIVESTOCK
-- loss of ADULT PEOPLE
-- loss of ROADS

- The nuances which support the above 4 interpretations
are as follows
-- The root SHIN-CAPH-LAMED means BEREFT of CHILDREN
-- the verse explicitly states LIVESTOCK will be lost
-- the verse explicitly states YOU WILL BE DIMINISHED
-- the verse uses a passive voice: YOUR ROADS will be lost;
the passive voice places an emphasis on ROADS--all of
them (Big or small)

COMMENTS: Note how we interpret the 2 phrases
---------------------------
They will BEREFT you
They will DIMINISH you
---------------------------
To refer to loss of CHILDREN vs LOSS OF ADULTS

But the verse never states ADULTS. Thus we
read ADULTS into the verse since it gives an
extra nuance and is consistent with extracting
as many nuances as possible. This READING IN of
ideas not explicitly stated but hinted at is
typical of the CLIMAX rule.


STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
A standard reference for Rashis using climax may
be found at http://www.RashiYomi.com/example9.htm

Also visit the Rashi calendar at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/calendar1.htm

The CLIMAX series was presented from Mid August 2000
to Mid September (Xampl-1 thru Xampl-22 on the
calendar).(Or directly go to
http://www.RashiYomi.com/xampl-1.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.com/xampl-2.htm....

It is summarized at Xampl-36.
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/xampl-36.htm

(Note: An alternate approach is to regard
the CLIMAX rule as a consequence of the
Rabbi Ishmael style rules: Thus in this verse
we have
-- (GENERAL) WILD BEASTS will be sent against you
-- (DETAILS) you will lose children,livestock,roads...
This is the famous GENERAL-DETAIL style of Rabbi
Ishmael.

This approach allows us to see the set of repeated
phrases as GENERAL TOPIC SENTENCE followed by a
DETAILED development)


HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use the LISTS referenced above for
school projects. Here is how. If you are a
teacher then you can use the above resources
to display verses with repeating phrases.

You can then have the students do the 3 exercises
listed above:
(a) Find the TOPIC sentence
(b) Describe NUANCES of each phrase
(c) Defend or SUPPORT the nuances

The students can then compare their analysis with that
of Rashis. This leads to greater appreciation of Rashi.

TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
The LIST below recaps the analysis of Lv26-22 presented above