#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| Rashi is Simple Version 2.0 |
| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
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VERSE: Lv21-20d
RASHIS COVERED: Lv21-20d Lv21-20e Lv21-20f Ex09-09a
Dt28-27a Dt28-27b Dt28-27c Ex09-09b
==================== WORD MEANINGS ==============================
----------------------------------------
TODAYS RASHI RULE: WORD MEANINGS
TODAYS RASHI SUBRULE: ALL ASPECTS
----------------------------------------
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RULE
-------------------------
Rashi has 6 main goals in his commentary. One of these
goals was to simply explain the meaning of words the
same way a dictionary explains the meaning of words.
In explaining the meanings of words Rashi might
-- explain an unknown word
-- explain the differences in nuances between 2 synonyms
-- explain the meaning of a whole phrase
-- explain a unifying feature of one root with several meanings
In doing the above Rashi had recourse to use
-- 13 different methods of inferring meaning
-- 8 different methods of naming objects
Thus the reader of Rashi can adopt
-- an elementary stance--just find out the meaning
-- an advanced stance----discover how meaning is inferred
We suffice in this brief introduction of providing
-- the main 2 methods of inferring meaning(ROOTS,OTHER VERSES)
-- resources for the more advanced student
STANDARD EXAMPLE
----------------
Perhaps the easiest example is to infer meaning from
context. Thus Dt28-27 states
------------------------------------
God will strike with EGYPTIAN BOILS
hemmorhoids psoraisis(GARAV CHARES)
that cannot be cured
------------------------------------
NOTE: Throughout this posting I speak about BOILS & PSORAISIS.
But this is to specific. I actually mean ANY SKIN disease which
resembles these. Thus BOILS could also refer to CARBUNCLES and
PSORAISIS could also refer to ECZEMA etc. In other words I refer
to CLASSES of SKIN DISEASES. However to avoid the long winded
phrase PSORAISIS-LIKE DISEASES I will simply suffice with
the term PSORAISIS
STUDENT EXERCISES
-----------------
Suppose you didnt know the meaning of GARAV & CHARES
-- What would you GENERALLY infer from the context
-- What specific DETAILS could you infer
-- Could you apply this to Lv21-20
-- Could you infer more details from Ex09-09
RASHIS SOLUTION
---------------
GENERALLY: I could infer that GARAV & CHARES are
diseases. Indeed it speaks about God STRIKING
and there being NO CURE
DETAILS: You can infer that this was an INCURABLE
disease (because the verse says THAT CANT BE CURED)
APPLICATION: Since Lv21-20 also speaks about GARAV
and YALEFETH I would assume that BOTH Garav and
YALEFETH are diseases.
FURTHER DETAILS: Ex09-09 speaks about Egyptian Boils
The verses states that the BOILS SPROUTED WITH FLOWS.
I therefore infer that these BOILS were PUSSY on
the outside.
The above solutions were not just Rashis. They are
brought down in the Talmud (Becoroth 41). This shows
that this type of analysis far from being mundane
and routine is classified as TALMUDIC ANALYSIS. It is
therefore worthy of study of any person.
Although Rashi explanations are sometimes approached from
the point of view of authority, in relation to word meanings
it is useful to use logic. Indeed modern research shows that
50% of our vocabulary arises, not from being TAUGHT A MEANING,
but rather from INFERRING a meaning from context. It is
therefore a proper procedure to use in studying the Bible.
STANDARD REFERENCES FOR THIS RULE
---------------------------------
A short reference for the 6 Rashi rules may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/rules-01.htm
A summary of Rashi explanations of words may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm
A summary of the 13 methods of inferring meaning occur at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/means-32.htm
A summary of the 8 methods of naming items occurs at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/naming-8.htm
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 gather (a) related verses and (b) related
roots. You can then have the studnets analyze
these verses. The students should perform the
4 exercises listed above on the verses presented
The students can then compare their analysis with that
of Rashis. This leads to greater appreciation of Rashi.
TODAYS EXAMPLE
--------------
We continue with the example of BOILS mentioned above.
This example is particularly useful since we can see an
elementary approach (the words mean DISEASE) and we can
also see an advanced approach (it means PSORAISIS). We
can also see how multiple verses from disparate incidents
can merge together to provide insights.
The list below contains
-- the 6 words used,
-- how WE suggest the word be translated
-- what their roots mean
-- the relationship between our translation & the root meaning
Footnotes contain word lists, Rashis and verse references.
Again this is a model piece of analysis which can be carried
out on multiple levels.
=================================================================
WORD TRANSLATION ROOT MEANING ROOT-TRANSLATION
============ ============== =============== =====================
Shchin*1 boils*1 Depressed*1 Abcess*1
Ababuoth*2 boils*2 Bubbles*2 Appearance*2
Garav*3 psoraisis*3 drag*3 itching*3
cherese*4 psoraisis*4 clay*4 scratching utensil*4
yalefeth*5 psoraisis*5 entangled*5
NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi(Ex09-09a) simply translates it as boils (Ex09-09a).
But the root SHACH means PIT, LOW etc.
So a natural connection is that BOILS create
abcesses in the skin which look like pits
Here we use a derivation from the ROOT
*2 Rashi (Ex09-09b) explains the Biblical phrase
BOILS THAT SPROUT BUBBLES to refer to pussy boils
Hence the Talmuds inference that Egyptian boils were
dry and itching inside the skin but pussy outside.
The root Beth-Ayin-Hey seems to mean a BUBBLE LIKE
APPEARANCE and can refer to
-----------------------------------------------
Isa64-01 Fire BUBBLING (STEAMING) Water
Isa30-13 A MULTI-CRACKED high wall
Ovad1-04 Its treasured places are MULTI-CRACKED
-----------------------------------------------
The bubbles and cracks have a BUBBLE LIKE appearance
This would also be a fitting description of BOILS.
Hence by using this OTHER VERSE we are justified in
explaining other verses with EGYPTIAN BOILS as meaning
PUSSY BOILS. See the Rashi on Dt28-27a (*10)
THe idea of naming items by their APPEARANCE occurs
in all languages. Consider the English metaphors
------------------------
brainSTORMING of ideas
SURFING the web
------------------------
Other examples may be found at
http://www.RashiYomi.com/naming-8.htm
*3 We can approach this using two techniques
-- OTHER VERSES
-- COMMON ROOT MEANINGS
First we look at OTHER VERSES
We already showed that the CONTEXT of Dt28-27 refers to
-------------------------------------------------------
EGYPTIAN BOILS, hemmoroids and GARAV that are incurable
-------------------------------------------------------
Thus the VERSE shows that GARAV means boils
(Dt28-27a)
A more advanced analysis can be obtained using
Rashis 2 letter theory as modified by me where
the 3rd letter also has a meaning
The root of GARAV is DRAGGING (GRR) INSIDE (BI) and
would refer to a PSORAISIS like condition where
there was constant itching and an urge to SCRATCH
(SCRATCH = A DRAGGING MOTION). Other terms for
PSORAISIS also focus on scratching.
To analyze this root GRAV we show that GARAR does
mean to DRAG. Here are some verses
----------------------------------------------
1Kings7-9 Dragged(Cut) by Saws
Jer30-22 a Dragging storm(Tornado)
Lv11-07 the throat that DRAGS the food down
-----------------------------------------------
*4 We again can use 2-4 techniques here.
INFERENCE FROM A VERSE
----------------------
Dt28-27 states that GOD STRIKES WITH EGYPTIAN BOILS
WITH HEMORROIDS GARAV AND CHERES THAT CANT
BE HEALED
Thus the context shows that CHARES means a DISEASE,
probably a skin disease
INFERENCE FROM ROOTS
--------------------
Cheres means CLAY UTENSILS or CLAY FRAGMENTS. CLAY
because of its soft nature was frequently used to
SCRATCH. Thus the root CHERES refers to the SUBSTANCE
used for SCRATCHING. Thus CHERES would probably refer
to a PSORAISIS like condition where there was itching
NAMING BY SUBSTANCE
-------------------
At http://www.RashiYomi.com/naming-8.htm we give several
examples of items named by SUBSTANCE, what they are made
of. For example
------------------------------------------------------
GLASSES What you see with
LINOLEUM A type of floor
IRON A type of garment fixing device
------------------------------------------------------
In each case the item is named by its substance.
OTHER VERSE INFERENCES
----------------------
Having established that CHERES refers to PSORAISIS
we can then transfer this meaning to Lv21-20. This
is in fact what Rashi does on Lv21-20.
We can also infer from the OTHER VERSE Ex09-09 that
EGYPTIAN BOILS can be DRY INSIDE BUT PUSSY OUTSIDE
*5 The proper procedure here is to identify what is
clear and what is not clear. We first use the
technique of VERSE INFERENCE
VERSE INFERENCE
---------------
Ex09-09 the EGYPTIANS received a plague of BOILS
that sprout PUSS
Dt28-27 God will strike with EGYPTIAN BOILS with
GARAV and CHARES
Lv21-20 If a person has a GARAV or YALEFETH
The net effect of the above 3 verses is that YALEFETH
is probably like GARAV which appears to be like
EGYPTIAN BOILS which is a PSORAISIS condition.
ROOT INFERENCE
--------------
The root of YALEFETH is not clear. I would suggest it
comes from Lamed-Pay-Tauv which means to ENTANGLE as in
-------------------------------------------
Ju16-29 Samson ENTANGLED his arms on the pillars
Ruth3-8 The man ENTANGLED when he discovered the woman
Job6-18 The rivers ENTANGLE their paths
-------------------------------------------
In all these verses LAFETH seems to mean a DOUBLING OVER
NON STRAIGHT PATH.
Thus YALEFETH would refer to an ENTANGLING DISEASE
In fact PSORAISIS is known for this: It can come and go
in periods. It is also known for its persistence(It
entangles the person his whole life(It is also incurable)
The above analysis on root is conjectural. It is not the
SOURCE OF MEANING. Rather the proper approach is that
the source of meaning is the inference from the other
verses. The analysis of root meaning is then given
afterwards as a conjecture. We however are sure of
the meaning from the OTHER VERSES.
Rashi himself mixes several levels of inference together
- Rashi uses other verses which are clear
- Rashi uses root meanings which are conjectural
- Rashi cites advanced talmudic analysis *11
Again: The proper procedure is to identify the meaning
from the other verses. The other statements can then
be taken as more conjectural.
----------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES -----------------
*10 Beth-Ayin-Hey can also mean to seek. But Hebrew uses
the word PLOW to refer to SEEKING. Hence to BUBBLE
could also mean to SEEK.
The common denominator to PLOWING A THOUGHT and
BUBBLING A THOUGHT is to look at it from several
angles and make several breakthrus. The PLOWED
mental terrain metaphorically looks like a BUBBLED
water surface
*11 The Talmud goes into the type of PSORAISIS involved.
- It is clear from Ex09-09 that EGYPTIAN BOILS are
pussy outside
- It is clear from Dt28-27 that CHERES, a SCRATCHING
disease is DRY (Which is why you scratch)
- Thus the Talmud states that BOILS are
-- pussy outside
-- dry inside
- The Talmud conjectures that CHERES which means CLAY
which is what people scratch with refers to a
PSORAISIS which is
-- dry inside
-- dry outside
- The Talmud also conjectures that GARAV which we
said means a DRAGGING FEELING INSIDE refers to
any PSORAISIS that is DRY INSIDE (The talmud also
gives rules when GARAV means DRY INSIDE BUT PUSSY
OUTSIDE and when it means DRY INSIDE AND DRY
OUTSIDE).
This of course is advanced analysis. A proper discussion
would require a discussion of PSORAISIS. I simply brought
this down to show how Rashi spanned the SIMPLE MEANING
based on other verses as well as the ADVANCED MEANING
based on subtle root meanings
===========================================================
RASHI RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
---------------------------------------------------
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 13 Number 21
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 13 Number 21