Whats new and hot in this issue?

REFERENCES
-----------
See http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h15n20.htm
See http://www.RashiYomi.com/gn18-19c.htm

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
-------------------
People who speak modern Hebrew know that the Hebrew root
Aleph-Beth-Lamed means BUT. Surprisingly this word only occurs
in the BIble a dozen times. Furthermore it does not, in the
Bible mean BUT--rather it means INDEED.

Dont believe it? Then review all examples of AVAL in the list
below.

This list justifies the approach of Rashi-is-Simple--a concept,
yea even a translation, can only be justified by a LIST.

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

REFERENCES
----------
Rashi rules: http://www.RashiYomi.com/rules-01.htm
RashiYomi Dictionary: Http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm

VERY BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
------------------------------
One of Rashis 6 main goals is to explain the meaning of words
the same way a dictionary explains words. Rashi can explain
words in a variety of ways. He can
- explain unknown words
- explain unknown phrases
- show the unifying feature of diverse meanings of a root
- or he can show the nuances of certain words which might
be contrary to our own conception

TODAYS LISTS
------------
Here is the list of all verses with the root Alep-Bet-Lamed
The first 3 verses can only be understood as INDEED. The
other 7 verses can be understood as INDEED or BUT

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Gods communications are unlike human communications. When
a human communicates it is ideal to be DIRECT. For example
if you want someone to go to Israel you would say GO TO
ISRAEL. God however is not like that: Gods communications,
Prophecy, ideally take place OVER TIME. When God wanted to
tell Abraham to go to Israel instead he told him stages
--go FROM your land
--FROM your birthplace
--FROM your fathers household
to the LAND I WILL SHOW YOU. This is characteristic of prophecy

------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:    DATABASE
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: QUERIES
------------------------------

BRIED DESCRIPTION OF RULE and SUBRULE
-------------------------------------
Very roughly speaking modern Database theory has
rigorously defined the concept of a database query.
- A DATABASE is a collection of TABLES
- Each TABLE how ROWS and COLUMNS
- A DATABASE query is simply a REQUEST for a VIEW
--1-- The VIEW may RESTRICT the ROWS of a TABLE
----- Only ROWS meeting certain CRITERIA will be returned
--2-- Or the VIEW may JOIN tables on a common field
--3-- Or the VIEW may RESTRICT certain columns
--4-- THe VIEW may COMBINE or INTERSECT other views
- The above 4 methods are the basic methods of VIEWS
The challenge in each case is to rigorously DEFINE the
vIEW. The language for doing this is called SQL, the
STANDARD QUERY LANGUAGE. This is all straightforward
as the standard example shows


STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
Todays example is an excellent example

We work with the DATABASE of all Biblical verses.
We seek verses where
- God spoke to someone (Prophecy)
- We review if God directly told the person what he wanted
- OR did God stretch out the request in stages.

The list below shows several examples where prophetic requests
are stretched out over several stages.

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
AKAYDAH: http://www.RashiYomi.com/akaydah.htm
RASHI RULES: http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rules-01.htm
DATABASE METHODS: http://www.Rashiyomi.com/database.htm

In the first reference I bring numerous references showing
how God, in prophetic orders, traditionally uses the method
of stages vs a direct approach.

HOW TO USE THESE LISTS FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS
------------------------------------------
You can use the LIST below for school projects.
Here is how: If you are a teacher then you
can present the verses in the list and then
ask the students to make a CD ROM search that
will give this view.

The challenge to the students is to come up
with the right QUERY.

For example a student might look for all
verses where God issues a prophetic order

The student can then tally how often God
requests directly vs how often God requests
in stages.

Thus the above exercises sharpen the students
search ability.(The goal is not to have the
student get the right answer-- the goal is
to get the student to practice and think)

Such database queries lead to greater appreciation
of Rashi.

TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
We list several examples where God made a prophetic request
over time.

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Gn17-19 explicitly says that ABRAHAM LAUGHED AT THE IDEA OF A
100 YEAR OLD PERSON HAVING CHILDREN. The next verses state that
Isaacs name would be YITZCHAK which means LAUGHABLE. It would
thus appear that YITZCHAK has a 2 fold meaning
-- YITZCHAK was named after an ACCIDENTAL attribute--Abraham
laughed at the idea of his birth
-- YITZCHAK was named after a DEEP attribute--throughout his
life, YITZCHAK who headed the Jewish people would be laughed
at because of the idea that the Jewish nation will be
important

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

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
One of Rashis goals is to explain meaning the same way the
dictionary explains meaning. Rashi has a variety of techniques
by which he can ascertain the meaning of a word. In fact in
the reference below we outline 13 methods by which Rashi can
ascertain meaning. In todays posting Rashi ascertains the
meaning of a NAME by an EXPLICIT VERSE which links the name
with some attribute of the person. As we show below, the
attribute involved is both ACCIDENTAL & DEEP. For example
Abraham laughed that he would have a child(This is a one-
time-event)--but the world laughs at the Jewish goals of
survival (This is a deeper-repeating theme)*10

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RASHI RULE
---------------------------------------
http://www.RashiYomi.com/means-32.htm

This reference summarizes the 13 methods by which ideas
are named.

TODAYS LIST
-----------
We list 5 people. In each case we show how the name corresponds
-to a superficial one time event (eg Moshe PULLED(MSH)from Nile)
-to a deeper repeating event(Eg Moshe PULLED JEWS to safety)

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
In Biblical Hebrew the Hebrew word, LeCha (FOR YOU) when added
to a sentence denotes that the activity was done for PERSONAL
REASONS. Thus had Gn12-01 stated WALK FROM YOUR LAND it would
mean to simply leave. But when Gn12-01 states WALK FOR YOURSELF
FROM YOUR LAND it means that the leaving will give Abraham a
needed rest, recognition and higher status in society. Similarly
when Ex18-27 states that JETHRO RETURNED HOME FOR HIMSELF it
denotes that he not only returned home but started doing personal
ambitions (Legend has it based on explicit verses that he founded
some non-jewish-Believe-in-God societies)

VERY BRIEF EXPLANATION OF RULE
------------------------------
One of Rashis goals is to explain Grammar the same way modern
grammar textbooks explain grammar. In todays Posting Rashi
explains the following Rule which is observed in Biblical
Hebrew grammar

RULE: Adding the expression "FOR YOURSELF" or "FOR HIMSELF"
to a verb expression indicates that the activity was done
for PERSONAL reasons

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR TODAYS RULE
-----------------------------------
The 6 Rashi goals: http://www.RashiYomi.com/rules-01.htm
The RashiYomi grammar page: http://www.RashiYomi.com/grammar.htm
Other examples: http://www.RashiYomi.com/ex18-27a.htm

TODAYS LISTS
------------
We present several examples where FOR YOURSELF means PERSONALLY
In each verse we show the PERSONAL aspect of the activity

One of the contributions of Rashi is Simple is to document
with LISTS of examples several alleged Rashi grammar
rules

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Rashi compares Gn12 with Gn20. In both chapters
-- Abraham said that Sarah was his sister
-- Sarah was taken by the king to be one of his wives
-- The king was punished by God
- But Avimelech forgave Abraham & gave his
the best real estate to live in his land
- Pharoh gave Abraham back his wife but
banished him from his land
Why? Because Pharoh was king of Egypt known for its sexual
immorality (A bad neighborhood) & hence Abraham couldnt say

----------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:       ALIGNMENT
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE:    TWO CASES
----------------------------------

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
Many Rashis do NOT focus on an internal analysis of the verse.
There may be nothing bothering Rashi in THAT verse. The words
used may all be normal.

But when the given verse is compared with another verse--that
is, when the two verses are ALIGNED together-- we see blatant
differences.

The ALIGNED verses therefore suggest that these ALIGNED
DIFFERENCES were deliberately placed there to emphasize
certain nuances.

A nifty way of explaining the ALIGNED verses is to think
of ALIGNMENT as the vehicle that the Biblical Author uses
to indicate FOOTNOTES. That is, a modern writer might use
FOOTNOTES to indicate details; the Biblical Author instead
used REPEATED ALIGNED VERSES with DIFFERENT DETAILS.

The simplest case of ALIGNMENT is when the differences
CLEARLY and EXPLICITLY show that we are dealing with
two cases each with different details. The STANDARD
example below from the 10 commandments illustrates this

STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
Perhaps the simplest example of an alignment revealing
two cases and two laws occurs in the 10 commandments.
Ex01-02:03 states

----------------------------------------------
Ex20-02 you shall NOT HAVE  the gods of others
Ex20-03 you shall NOT MAKE  idols
----------------------------------------------

STUDENT EXERCISES:
------------------
-- What is the SAME in the ALIGNED verses
-- What is DIFFERENT in the ALIGNED verses
-- State the 2 CASES you infer from the aligned differences

RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
- Both verses begin YOU SHALL NOT. In other words
they are negative prohibitions.

- One verse prohibits HAVING idols while the 2nd verse
prohibits MAKING idols

- THere are 2 separate idolatry prohibitions: MANUFACTURE
(even if you dont keep them) and OWNERSHIP/POSSESION
(even if you dont make them)

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-58.htm

This summary may be a bit too terse. You can browse the
57 postings leading up to by going to
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-1.htm
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/align-2.htm etc.

Or you can visit the Rashi Yomi Calendar at

http://www.RashiYomi.com/calendar1.htm

This calendar presents a day by day listing of Rashis.
The ALIGNMENT series occurs between 7-28-01 and 10-10-01.


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 present the two aligned
verses and ask the students to perform the
3 student exercises listed above.

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

TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
We compare the two cases where Sarah was abducted.

Although such alignment comparisons were NOT introduced
by Rashi is Simple. However we have emphasized them and
we have gathered together all these alignments in one place
so that people can study similar and dissimilar cases.

VERY BRIEF SUMMARY
------------------
Let us illustrate normal pronoun usage:
- Dt29-26 God got angry at THIS LAND, until He brought on
- IT all the curses written in this Torah
In the above verse the word IT refers back to LAND. This is
normal PRONOUN usage. However when a PRONOUN is NOT used but
rather the NOUN is repeated then there is some type of emphasis
In todays example the verse states that ABRAHAM will teach his
children Gods ways in order to bring on ABRAHAM what he promised
This emphasis shows that God not only rewards Abrahams children
but will reward Abraham himself--since his name will be honored

------------------------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE:                       GRAMMARr
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE:                    PRONOUN USAGE
------------------------------------------------------

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RASHI RULE & SUBRULE
-----------------------------------------
One of Rashis main tasks is to explain grammar the same way
the dictionary explains grammar. One aspect of Grammar usage
(in all languages) is pronoun usage. Normally a pronoun refers
back to an already used noun. However if the noun is repeated
then some sort of emphasis is implied. In todays posting
the repeated word ABRAHAM (...bring on Abraham what I promised)
implies an emphasis that ABRAHAM himself will receive the reward
(not just his descendants), even though he is no longer alive.
The simple meaning of this is that his name is honored and
lives one

STANDARD REFERENCES FOR TODAYS RULE
------------------------------------
The RashiYomi grammar page: Http://www.RashiYomi.com/grammar.htm

TODAYS LISTS
------------
The phrase structure DO SUCH AND SUCH TO SO & SO---IN ORDER TO
ACCOMPLISH SUCH AND SUCH ON SO & SO occurs about half a dozen
times in the Bible. Todays lists contains these examples. As
the ON WHOM column shows, a pronoun is always used except
in Gn18-19c. The reason for the repeated noun is explained
in the footnotes *10