*1 Keep the questions coming in. If you want anonymity just
ask. This is an email list. You are suppose to ask.

QUESTION
--------
Along time ago (1980, Tradition) I suggested that ACH
means USUALLY. For example Ex31-13 could be translated
as USUALLY OBSERVE THE SABBATH (RASHI: USUALLY OBSERVE
but not if your life is in danger).

Anonymous demurred to this suggestion by bringing
verses that appeared to be counterexamples. More
specifically Anonymous asked about the verses
- ACH(USUALLY!???) dont rebel against God
- ACH(USUALLY??) Dont eat non-Kosher animals
- ACH(USUALLY??) she is your wife

Anonymous requested clarification about my suggested
translation in these 3 verses. A short answer is
presented below. This appeared in the widely read
email group Mail-Jewish.

The question also sheds light on a discussion I had
in my Rashi class in Philadelphia on the Rashi-Ramban
controversy on Ex31-13 (This question was raised by
yaela Baines).

Enough background on the question. The answer below
and the URLS provide a wealth of information. I am also
planning a larger article (larger than what is already
on the website) that reviews all 42 usages of ACH as
well as all Relevant Gmarrahs and Rishonim.

Russell Jay Hendel; http://www.RashiYomi.com/

*10

ANSWER
------
SOURCE- Mail Jewish Volume 41 Number 16
From- Russell J Hendel 
Date- Sun, 9 Nov 2003 17:46:34 -0500
Subject- ACH=MOST OF || Methodology in Biblical exegesis

I was really excited about Anonymous's post concerning my thesis that
the Hebrew Biblical word ACH means MOST OF as in USUALLY (most of the
time), PROBABLY (most of the time), FREQUENTLY (Most of the time) or
simply MOST OF. Anonymous allowed me to solve a difficult Rashi that had
been bothering me for 5 years.

First some sources for those who are just tuning in. My article on Pshat
and Derash (URL below) contains the basic idea that ACH means USUALLY
with 3 examples. A basic thesis of my article was that Biblical
translation could be enhanced by using culturally comparable examples in
English.

Like Anonymous I was curious whether this principle applied to all
verses. There are 41-42 Torah instances of ACH---with 17 Rashis on
them. Statistics and examples of translations may be found on the Rashi
website at the 2nd URL below. Allow me now to cite my original 3
examples and the 3 verses that Anonymous considers counter-examples

(1) MOST OF Noach remained in the ark (RASHI: MOST OF Noach but not the
part of him bit off by the lion for serving his dinner late). (2) You
will be happy MOST OF YOM TOV (RASHI: MOST OF Yom Tov, but not on the
first night). (3) Avimelech, after seeing Isaac PLAYING with Rivkah,
whom he claimed was his sister, cynically commented - You claimed she
was your sister, but she is PROBABLY your wife. (4) The following
animals are USUALLY not eaten because they have only one of the signs of
cloven hoofs or chewing the cud (RASHI/SIFRE/RAMBAM--USUALLY Not
eaten....but eg an unkosher pig that was born (in a Jews presence) to a
kosher cow COULD (theoretically) be eaten..similarly a kosher animal
given birth to by a non-kosher animal cannot be eaten).

Upon reviewing Anonymous' examples I found that in most verses ACH
precedes the verb (and hence denotes usually or most of). However in the
following 2 verses ACH precedes the noun and this changes the emphasis
somewhat though the basic idea is the same: (5) USUALLY it is the
Sabbaths that you observe (RASHI: USUALLY...observe Sabbath not the
Temple; So eg you dont construct the Temple on the Sabbath. But the
Sabbath Sacrifice can be brought in the Temple even on Sabbath--thus for
the Sabbath sacrifice we observe the Temple laws not the Sabbath
laws(hence the word USUALLY)). (6) Recall the Jews did not believe that
God could deliver Israel to them. The Jews started to rebel.Joshua and
Calev said God could deliver it. They continued...USUALLY your
rebellions are not against God (TORAH SHLAYMAH(paraphrased): That is: if
you must rebel, rebel against Moses and Aaron not God...most rebellions
in the wilderness were against Moses/Aaron not God)

Note how example 5 sheds light on a complex Rashi-Ramban controversy on
the nuances of Ach.

I could say more but I would like to take up the general question
brought up by Anonymous: If Russell (or anyone) brings forward a new
English translation, then how do we test it? Does one counterexample
refute it? If the example usually works should it be accepted
(especially when the traditional translations in English dont work)? In
my article I ironically point out that the translation ACH=USUALLY is
consistent with Talmudic derash and makes them the simple meaning of the
text while the traditional translation ACH=ONLY is inconsistent with
derash.

But is consistency with Derash a criteria for good translation.

I think all these questions sorely deserve a thread Too often I see on
mail-jewish and elsewhere a good idea shot down because of one
counter-example EVEN THOUGH the idea is correct and solves more problems
than it causes. (There was some cynicism in Anonymous' post--->Or does
ACH=USUALLY only work MOST OF THE TIME<. Actually it works all the time
but EVEN if it worked most of the time I think there would be validity
to it).


Respectfully
Russell Jay Hendel; http://www.RashiYomi.com/.

ARTICLE-TRADITION http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rashi.pdf
DAILY RASHI on ACH: http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ach-6.htm

(NOTE: Last two urls were omitted (by me) in mail jewish