#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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| (C) RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President |
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VERSE: Lv25-04b
======================= ZMR means PRUNE =========================
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
-------------------
The root Zayin-Mem-Resh basically refers to a LONG, LUSCIOUS,
FRUITFUL branch. It can also mean TO PRUNE. This is similar
to the verbs TO DUST, or to UPROOT which means REMOVAL of
the DUST or ROOT. So too TO PRUNE means to REMOVE parts of
the branch. Zayin-Mem-Resh can also mean to SING. Just as
WORDS are called LEAVES and THOUGHTS are called BRANCHES of
thought so too EMOTIONS YOU SING ON are called LUSCIOUS
FRUITFUL BRANCES.
BACKGROUND
----------
The verse uses the Hebrew root Zayin-Mem-Resh. On this email
group we traditionally look up meanings in the RADACK book
of roots. There we find that ZMR has 3 apparently different
meanings
- to SING
- to PRUNE
- long winding BRANCHES
These 3 meanings are summarized in LIST4 Below.
One of the exciting challenges in learning a Rashi is finding
the unifying theme in such disparate meanings.
SOLUTION
--------
THe primary meaning of ZMR is a LONG,FRUITFUL BRANCH.
We can justify this using the Rashi 2-letter meaning
theory which we briefly present below in LIST1.
We must now justify the connection between LONG FRUITFUL
BRANCH and PRUNING/SINGING.
We do this using what we call in this email group a
SEMANTIC TRANSFORMATION. SEMANTIC TRANSFORMATIONS explain
how eg NOUNS become VERBS.
There are at least 3 ways a noun can become a verb:
-- TO FLOWER means TO PRODUCE the noun--the flower
-- TO HAMMER means to USE the noun--to hammar
-- TO DUST means to REMOVE the noun--to dust.
LIST2 below gives other examples. It comes from
http://www.RashiYomi.com/h5n1.htm
LIST3 gives examples where ACTIVITIES of the mind
correspond to PLANT words. It then follows that
the verb TO SING, indicative of good emotions, is
symbolized by LONG FRUITFUL LUSCIOUS BRANCHES.
Here are the 3 lists.
In the first list below we use the Rashi-Hirsch 2 letter
theory. Rashi DID believe that there are 3 letter roots
and that these are used as a basis for conjugation. However
just as 3 letter roots are used for CONJUGATION so too
2 letter roots are used to INDICATE MEANING.
That is the meaning of each 3 letter root is the sum
of the meanings of its middle two letter root plus
the one letter root. In the table below we interpret
the letter ZAYIN to mean ZYZ, protrusion. This
one letter root then explains about a half dozen roots
beginning with ZAYIN. The concept of PROTRUSION refers
to ANYTHING STICKING OUT or that APPEARS TO STICK OUT
===============================================================
ROOT = EXPLANATION BY LAST 2 LETTERS
================== = ==========================================
ZD(Boil) = A DOOD(Potful) of ZZ (droplet) protrusions
ZIV = (light) PROTRUSIONS
ZNH(Prostitute) = NUN(Master) of PROTRUSIONS(ZZ-*1)
ZR(Stranger) = ZZ(Sticks out) RESH(in the land)
ZL(Winding branch) = LOL(Winding) ZZ(Branch)
ZChCh(Clamped) = CHeth(United) (from) ZZ(Protrusion)
ZMR(Long branch) = MARIH(Brazen) ZZ(Protrusion)
NOTES
-----
*1 Cf The English FORWARD(ie STICKING OUT)
================================================================
======================= SEMANTIC TRANSFORMATIONS ===============
The list below gives examples of how NOUNS become verbs
On this email group we call this the method of SEMANTIC
TRANSFORMATIONS. The 3 basic methods of SEMANTIC
TRANSFORMATION are
-- CREATION OF THE NOUN/OBJECT (eg to FLOWER)
-- REMOVAL OF THE NOUN/OBJECT (eg to DuST)
-- USAGE OF THE NOUN/OBJECT (eg TO HAMMAR)
Here is the list. Again this list comes from
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h5n1.htm
================================================================
THE VERB THE NOUN VERB does the Following to NOUN
=============== ============== ===============================
To Flower Flower To PRODUCE it
To Dust Dust To REMOVE it
To Hammer Hammer *1 To USE it
To drink Drink *1 To USE it
To fan Fan *1 To USE it
To uproot Root *2 To Remove it
To sing Song *1 To PRODUCE it
To build building *1 To PRODUCE it
To plant plant To produce it
To PRUNE long vine TO REMOVE parts of it
NOTES
-----
*1 We are simply asserting that the VERB and NOUN are related
as shown. We are not asserting that the VERB or NOUN came first
Thus some people may think that the object plant came first
and afterwards the activity "to plant" came while eg they
may believe that the activity "to build" came first and
afterwards the object "building". We are simply showing the
relationship between the two.
*2 In English the word UPROOT and ROOT are slightly different.
In Hebrew the words SRSH and SRSH are identical
=================================================================
====================== PLANTS & THOUGHTS ========================
The charming list below comes from Rav Hirsch. It was first
gathered together in an unpublished paper THE SACRED LETTERS
which I wrote in the 80s. It shows how THOUGHTS are mirrored
in language by PLANT words.
Hence TO SING (or to FEEL like SINGING) would be symbolized
by a LONG LUSCIOUS VINE
=================================================================
THOUGHT WORD PLANT WORD RELATIONSHIP
================ ================== ============================
MLL (word) MLL(Leaflets) Leaf/word=smallest unit
SeIF(paragraph) SeIF(Branch) Unit of collected items
IGERETH(letter) GRGR(clusters) A collection of items
RAYON(insights) MIREH(Pasture) Mental Grazing
ZMR(songs) ZMR(luscious brnch Good unit
=================================================================
====================== SUMMARY: ZMR =============================
Here are the 3 meanings of ZMR and their justifications
This is a summary of the 3 other lists above
=================================================================
MEANING SAMPLE VERSE RELATION TO MEANING OF BIG BRANCH
=============== =============== =================================
Luscious branch Ez08-17 Luscious branch
To prune Is05-06 REMOVAL of parts of branch
To sing Ps47-07 Feeling like a LUSCIOUS branch
=================================================================
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 23
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 13 Number 23