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Surfing the Talmudic Seas
(C) RashiYomi Incorporated, 2000
Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel
Volume 7 Number 22
Produced Oct 11, 2000
WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
WEEKLY PARSHAH SERIES
RASHIS EXPLAINED
Dt32-13h Rashi explains 4 letter roots
Dt32-13c The words for activities can be derived from the words
for objects (eg TO COLOR comes from the word COLOR)
Dt32-14h Poetry uses GOOD EXAMPLES to illustrate ABSTRACT
CONCEPTS
Rashis covered in this issue
----------------------------
VERSE RULE BRIEF EXPLANATION
======== ============== =================
Dt32-13h WORD MEANINGS 4 letter roots are read as 2 words
Dt32-13c WORD MEANINGS OBJECTS are named by ACTIVITIES
Dt32-14h WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
Dt32-14i WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
Dt32-14g WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
Dt32-13g WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
Dt32-13d WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
Dt32-13e WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
Dt32-13b WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
Dt32-13f WORD MEANINGS CONCEPTS are depicted with EXAMPLES
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RASHI IS SIMPLE
GOALS: To grammatically defend all 8000 Rashis on Chumash.
METHOD:Rashis are defended with LISTS of comparable cases
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JOURNAL REFERECE: Pshat & Drash,TRADITION, Win 1980,R Hendel
NOTATION: eg Gn01-02a refers to Rashi "a" on Genesis 1:2
SPECIALS:...on Parshah,Rambam,Ramban,Pedagogy,Symbolism
RASHI-IS-SIMPLE RULES Complete set of rules on bottom
EMAIL: RJHendel@Juno.Com, rashi-is-simple@shamash.org,
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VERSE: Dt32-13h
RULE: Perhaps an example will clarify the rule. Consider the 4
letter Hebrew root, Mem-Mem-Zayin-Resh. This Hebrew word means
ILLEGITIMATE. Now
* The first two hebrew letters, Mem-Mem means BLEMISHED
* The last two Hebrew letters, Zayin-Resh means STRANGER.
But that is exactly what an illegitimate person is--he is someone
who was blemished by (an affair with) a stranger! So Rashis
philosophy is to derive the meaning of a 4 letter Hebrew root by
breaking it into two 2-letter roots.
EXAMPLES:
*1)Drunken(CaChLaL) = Swirling (LL) from the Palate(ChCh)
*2)Bastard(MamZer)= Blemished(MooM) from a Stranger(ZaR)
*3)Royal Purple(ARGaMaN)=Woven(ARaG) for APPOINTED people(MN)
*4)He BRINGS OUT(Pay-Ayin)the hidden(TzfNath)from Dormancy(Nach)
*5)Hard Mountain(AZaZeL)=Thrown off(AZAL)from a hard place(AZ)
*6)Mountain Cleft(ChLMiSh)= Rock Hole (ChLaL) to Grab(M-S-H)
NOTES:
*1 Gn49-12a: That is the drunk swirls because he satisfied his
palate with wine
*2 Clear
*3 Ex25-04b: The Royal Purple was reserved for Royal garments(eg
cf Est1-6)
*4 Gn41-45a: This is the meaning of the Egyptian Name given to
Joseph because of his capacity to interpret dreams
*5 Lv16-08b: One of the he-goats on the day of atonement was
taken out to a jaggard mountain peek and thrown off it---hence
the name, THROWN OFF (AZAL) a HARD PLACE(AZ)
*6 Dt32-13h: It is not clear what this word means. It only occurs
5 times in Tnach. Rashi clarifies the punctuation of the word.
Most commentators say it means hard. I think the point is that a
rock cleft is a strong place to grab DESPITE the fact that there
is a hole there. Perhaps Isa50-7 sheds light: Isiah says >I let
them hit and spit at me...I made my face like a rock cleft...but
I will not be embarassed since God is with me< So Isiah sees the
spit coming to his face like someone spilling refuse into a rock-cleft---it does not wear out the rock and similarly the insults
at Isiah just come and go. Perhaps? My real motivation for
including this etymology here is because it does not contradict
Rashi (who says that Chalamish means hard) and it seems to fit
the pattern of the other 4 letter roots
CROSS REFERENCES:
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn49-12a.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h1n15.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h1n3.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h4n18.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h5n23.htm
RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
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VERSE: Dt32-13c
RULE: Properties and attributes (like "COLOR") can become
activities ("TO COLOR"). (Similarly activities can become
properties--similarly objects and activites can interchange)
EXAMPLES (Of nouns verbs and adjectives changing)
--------
(1) TO GROW from GROWN*1
(2) TO FREEZE from FROZEN*1
(3) TO WIDEN from WIDE*2
(4) TO FATTEN from FAT*2
(5) TO CHAIR from CHAIR*3
(6) TO FAN from FAN*3
(7) RUNWAY from TO RUN*4
(8) Ex09-31a: SPRING from SPROUTED*4
(9) Dt32-13c: RIPE FRUIT from RIPENING/MATURING*5
NOTES:
-----
*1 Something grown has ALREADY gone thru Growth. Something
frozen has ALREADY gone thru freezing
*2 TO widen is to INCREASE width. To fatten is to INCREASE fat
*3 "to fan" is to do the USUAL activities of a fan. To "CHAIR"
is to do the USUAL activities of the person who sits in a chair
*4 The runway IS WHERE planes run. The SPRING is the season
WHEN things SPROUT (Rashi)
*5 Rashis point is that the verb TO MATURE/RIPEN refers to RIPE
FRUIT. Thus the verb (activity) has become a noun(object).
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
The hyperlinks only work on the main website
Volume 1 Number 7
RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
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VERSE: Dt32-14h
RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-14h Dt32-14i Dt32-14g Dt32-13g Dt32-13d
Dt32-13e Dt32-13b Dt32-13f
RULE: It is common in poetry to indicate an ABSTRACT IDEA by a
GOOD EXAMPLE
RULE:It is common to name an object using a property of it even
if the property is exaggerated. Thus >Skyscraper< is named
because it appears to >scrape the sky< which is an exaggeration.
We call this the rule of >naming words by attributes and
exaggeration<
{LIST1}
In each of the following verses an ABSTRACT CONCEPT is
communicated using a GOOD EXAMPLE of it.
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ...
======= ==================== ========================
Gn49-11 Wash clothes in wine Having lots of wine
Gn49-11 Tie a donkey to a vine Strong Vines
Gn49-12 Red-eyed Having lots of wine
Gn34-31 Treat her like a HARLOT DEGRADE her
Dt32-14h God gives us RAMS God gives us the BEST*1
In the following verses besides naming an abstract concept
using a good example, a NEW MEANING is coined by using the
naming techniques of EXAGGERATION and PROPERTIES(See {LIST2})
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ...
===== ============= ========================
Dt32-14i rams from ASHAN ASHAN had the BEST rams*2
Dt32-14g PASTURE Sheep*3 The BEST Sheep
Dt32-13h BREAST-field fruit*4 The BEST fruit
Dt32-13d Honey from FIGS*5 Honey even from HARD PLACES
Dt32-13e Oil from hard ground*6 Oil even from HARD PLACES
Dt32-13f the HIGH PLACES*7 the BEST PLACES
Dt32-13b the EARTH ALTARS*8 Israel is CENTRALLY LOCATED
NOTES
*1 Rashi on this verse simply says >RAMS: Have their usual
meaning< The Rashi commentary, Sifsay Chachamim is troubled on
why Rashi had to say this. I believe the above {LIST}answers this
question: What Rashi is really saying is >RAMS: The word RAMS
have their usual meaning denoting the LEADERS OR BEST OF SHEEP<
In other words when Rashi said >has their usual meaning< he wasn
t just referring to the meaning of the word >RAM< but was also
referring to the connotations of RAM as the BEST OF SHEEP
*2 Notice how Rashi derives meaning here using CONTEXT. Rashi
does not etymologically analyze the word ASHAN. Neither does he
cite historical studies. Rather the CONTEXT forces Rashi to
interpret ASHAN as meaning THE BEST
*3 The Hebrew word >CARIM< literally means >PASTURE< (The Hebrew
word >CRR< means >Rich fields<. Thus the two-word phrase >PASTURE
SHEEP< would coin a new term which means >The best sheep< (This
would be similar to the English phrase >organically grown<).
*4 Rashi innocuously looks like he is saying >SADAY: This hebrew
word has the same meaning as SADEH, or FIELD<. But Rashi does not
say >SADAY: FIELD< rather Rashi says >SADAY: SIMILAR to Field<.
In other words SADEH and SADAY are >TWO FORMS< using the same
root. >SADEH< means >FIELD<. It would appear that >SADAY< comes
from the word >SHAD< which means >BREAST<. Thus >SADAY< would
mean a >BREAST-FIELD< (a new coined term).
An ordinary field yields produce after a lot of work. By contrast
a >BREAST-FIELD< yields produce easily (like an infant nursing
from a breast).
*5 The verse actually says >honey from rocks<. However using the
>WORD MEANING< technique of ATTRIBUTES and EXAGGERATION {LIST2},
Rashi inteprets >ROCKS< to refer to >HARD DRY SOURCES< from which
you wouldn t expect to get honey. More specifically, Rashi
interprets >ROCKS< to refer to >DRIED FIGS< from which it is
usually difficult to obtain honey.
Thus the verse is understood in two stages.
*First: >ROCK< is taken to mean >HARD OBJECTS< like >figs<
*Next: >Honey from figs< is taken to be a good example of >food
is easily obtainable even from traditionally difficult places<
*6 The verse literally says >oil from a rock<. Rashi uses the
>WORD MEANING< technique of ATTRIBUTES and EXAGGERATION {LIST2},
Rashi interprets >ROCK< to refer to >HARD GROUND< from which you
wouldn t expect to get a good yield of olive trees.(Rashi gives
as an example the olive trees of a certain place that was known
for its hard ground but good olives)
Thus the verse is understood in two stags
* First: >ROCK< is taken to mean >Hard ground<
* Next: >Oil from hard ground< is taken to be a good example of
>good land from which produce can easily be obtained.<
*7 The verse literally says >the altars of the earth<. This word
>altars< means >high< since it is a good example of >high<. The
phrase >high places< is taken as a good example of >the best
places<
*8 The phrase >altars of the earth< is a coined term or NEW
MEANING which refers to >centrally located<. In fact one of the
praises of Israel is that it is centrally located (Cf Ez38-12--
>Israel sits on the belly of the earth<)
{LIST2}Objects can be NAMED by the properties they have. *1 *5
(1) REVOLVER is a gun with a REVOLVING cylinder
(2) The STAND is furniture on which you STAND things
(3)The FLOPPY is a disk you can FLOP around (unlike a hard drive)
(4) A TIE is a garment that you wear by TIEING it
(5) The SWEATER is that garment which makes you sweat
(6) A LAPTOP is that computer that you can hold in your lap
(7) A ROCKER is that chair that rocks when you sit on it
(8) A TOY GUN is a TOY that LOOKS like a GUN (but is not a gun)*5
(9)BATHROOM is a room where people stand NAKED *5
(10)A SKYSCRAPER looks like it is SCRAPING the SKY*5
(11)The BREAKFAST meal, BREAKS your FAST after an entire evening
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Here are some examples from Rashi
(9) "BLUE" is thread dyed BLUE (Ex25-04a)
(10) "RED" is thread dyed RED (Ex25-04b)
(11) "SPACIOUS" ties are most probably RIBBONS*2 *3 (Ex28-14a)
(12) "SEDUCE" is an attractive dress worn by
woman to interest husbands*4 (Gn49-11d)
(13) "POUND" refers to a DRUM or Cymbal (Ex15-20c)
(14) "FIRST" is the "PRINCIPLE" (Lv05-24a) part of the
investment; while the interest is derivative (or 2ndary)
(15) NFH CHAYAH (living soul) refers to the LIFE FORCE
of an animal or person(Gn01-20a, Gn02-21b, Gn01-24b)*6
(16) NISHMAT CHAYIIM, SOUL OF LIFE refers exclusively to man*6
Gn02-07d *7
(17) PASTURE SHEEP are sheep that have rich pastures to graze in
Dt32-14g
(18) BREAST-FIELDS are fields that yield produce easily like
breasts, Dt32-13h
(19) ROCKS refer to hard,dried fruit Dt32-13d
(20) ROCKS refer to hard ground that is hard to till Dt32-13e
(21) ALTARS refers to HIGH places Dt32-13f
(22) RIDING THE ALTARS refers to CENTRALLY LOCATED PLACES
Dt32-13f
NOTES
-----
*1 In the examples above the PROPERTY is mentioned but not
the general class it comes from.
So the REVOLVER mentions REVOLVING but not a GUN.
The STAND mentions STANDING but not FURNITURE.
The FLOPPY mentions FLOPPINESS but not the DISK
The TIE mentions TIEING but not the fact that it is a GARMENT
*2 ie RIBBONS are belts that are SPACIOUS.
Note that interpreting the roots Sh-R as spacious is
controversial and the subject of dispute between Rashi and RDK in
many verses. Some sample verses where sh-r means spacious are
Isa33-09 The SH-R-ON---a spacious meadow prarie
Job37-03 "the lightning afterflash FILLS (SH-R) the sky"
Jer05-26 "They SCAN broad terrains waiting to ambush people"
*3 In the main posting we eg review verses showing that
RED was a royal color We also review the controversy between
Rashi & Radack on the meaning of the root Sh-R-R
*4 SEDUCE occurs once in the Bible.
*5 In the examples above the thing named doesn't ALWAYS have
the property associated with it (It only has to be INDICATIVE
of the object named)
So a TOY GUN need not be a GUN
You don't necessarily have BATHS in bathrooms
SKYSCRAPERS do not have to SCAPE the sky
You don't have to "FAST" before BREAKFAST (Which breaks your
fast)
Consequently these words-- BREAK-FAST, SKY-SCRAPER...---are
examples of naming words by EXAGGERATION.
*6 Rashi on Gn01-20a, Gn02-21b, Gn01-24b. Only on Gn02-07d
do we have the additional term SOUL OF LIFE which refers
exclusively to man
*7 We might also mention Ex25-04b, the TCHASH refers to
MULTICOLORED animal skins (from special animals). Apparently the
name comes from CHUSH (fast moving) since a fast moving animal
exhibits many colored patterns). Thus the multi colored TACASH
garments "look like" a fast moving animal.
REFERENCES: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ex25-04a.htm
RULES USED: WORD MEANINGS
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THE 2 DOZEN RASHI-IS-SIMPLE RASHI RULES
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rules.htm
=======================================
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rules9-6.htm
=======================================
I: RASHI gives MEANING
======================
A: NEW MEANINGS--(eg)"on the face of"=during the lifetime
Volume 2 Number 9, http://www.rashiyomi.Com/Nu04-04a.htm
B: SPECIAL WORDS--(eg)ACH=USUALLY;USUALLY observe shabbath!
Rashi Yomi Summaries,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ach-6.htm
C: SYNONYMS--(eg)AMR=to speak; DBR=to cite or to quote;
Volume 2 Number 1, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Lv20-02a.htm
D: WORD MEANINGS-Thermos(TzNTzNTh)=doubly(TZN TZN) Cold(TZN)
Volume 1 Number 9,23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex31-15a.htm
E: UNIFIED MEANINGS-PAAM=Repeated action:To Ring,Hammer,Step
Volume 1 Number 3,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn41-08a.htm
II: RASHI teaches GRAMMAR/STYLE
===============================
F: CLASSICAL GRAMMAR--(eg)QUESTION = HEY+CHATAF PATACH
Volume 3 Number 22,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn04-09z.htm
G: USAGE(NEW GRAMMAR)--(eg)INFINITIVE="be involved in";
Volume 5 Number 24,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex13-03a.htm
H: ROOT+PREPOSITION--(eg)ChZK B="to hold";ChZK M="overpower"
Volume 1 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex04-04a.htm
I: THE SENTENCE--2 verses can make 1 sentence-eg Dt02-16:17
Volume 3 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt19-06a.htm
J: STYLE--REPETITION denotes Endearment;eg 'Jacob Jacob'
Volume 1 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn46-02a.htm
K: DOUBLE NOUNS--(eg)"GIVE GIVE";if not CHARITY then LOAN
Double Noun page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/DN.htm
L: PRONOUNS-(eg)IMCHAH=with you; ITCHAH=Accompanying you;
Volume 3 Number 13,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex22-24c.htm
III: OVERALL TEXTUAL STRUCTURE
==============================
M: OTHER VERSES--Aaron SAW(Ex32-05)...the brawl(Ex32-18)
OTHER VERSE page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ov.htm
N: EXTRA SENTENCES-eg[GIVE HIM][WHAT HE NEEDS](Not if rich)
Volume 2 Number 20,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt15-08c.htm
O: DOUBLE PARSHAS-'he WILL pray'-'he WON'T pray';So Optional
Volume 3 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt24-14a.htm
P: CLIMAX-(eg Dt19-11)(a)Hate, (b)spy, (c)confront,(d)Murder
Climax Page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Climax.htm
Q: OVERALL STRUCTURE-growing nails=despisement(from context)
Volume 3 Number 8,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt21-11a.htm
R: SPREADSHEETS-What is the marriage loophole in inheritance
Volume 2 Number 23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu36-03a.htm
IV: BEYOND THE TEXT
===================
S: MORAL LESSONS/REASONS-God explains BEFORE punishing;
Volume 2 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu12-09a.htm
T: RabbiIshmael-(eg)"When an OX gores";(Or ANY animal gores)
Volume 4 Number 21,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt25-04a.htm
End of Rashi-Is-Simple Digest
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