13 Methods for inferring meaning:#1 of 32
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# May 22, 2001 #
# Rashis 753-755 Of 7800 (9.7%) #
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# VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES #
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GOALS:
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I decided its time for a longer unit.
This unit will focus on a major Rashi task--explaining
the MEANINGS OF WORDS.
Explaining the MEANINGS of WORDS is more than looking
something up in a dictionary. There are METHODS to
explaining WORDS.
Thus in this module we will explore HOW Rashi determines
the meanings of words.
TODAYS UNIT
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In Todays unit we begin both gently and forcibly.
We show that Rashi can explain meaning using grammatical
rules which may however not be known to the reader.
REFERENCE:
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This module comes from the following references in the
Rashi-is-Simple series.
http://www.RashiYomi.com/gn02-11a.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h3n20.htm
#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
BACKGROUND
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The Rashis brought today illustrate the following grammatical
rule, which however is not always taught in Hebrew courses.
RULE:
-----
The Hebrew letter NUN at the end of a word indicates
INTENSITY or MUCHNESS:
EXAMPLES
========
EXAMPLE 1: Gn02-11a
===================
(Rashi) The Hebrew word PISHON refers to the Nile.
Nile is called PISHON because it Produces Alot(NUN)of Flax(PS)
EXAMPLE 2: Gn02-13a
===================
(Rashi) The Hebrew word GICHON refers to Raging Rapids
RAGING RAPIDS is called GICHON because it produces
ALOT (NUN) of Goring Noise (NGCH).
EXAMPLE 3: Gn11-32b
===================
(Rashi) The Hebrew name CHARAN comes from the Hebrew
root CHARAH (anger). By adding a NUN to the word CHARAH(Anger)
the Torah signifies that there was ALOT(NUN) of ANGER(CHARAH)
in the world at CHARANS time.
This anger manifested itself in various cosmic punishments
such as
* the flood
* the destruction of the Tower of Babel
* The destruction of Sedom and Amorah
This anger stopped when the Patriarch Abraham (Charans brother)
was born and taught the world the ways of God so that God
wouldnt be angry. *1
COMMENTS
========
The proper way to read Rashi is not to simply passively accept
the explanations he gives but rather to dynamically apply Rashis'
rules to similar examples.
Below is a list of words ending in NUN whose meaning can
be explained by interpreting the NUN=N as meaning ALOT.
The etymologies of these words did not come from Rashi
but rather came from generalizing Rashi to similar
examples
=========== EXAMPLES OF WORDS WHERE NUN MEANS ALOT ============
===============================================================
# WORD ENG MEANING = ALOT (NUN) MEANING ROOT
=== ======= ============ = ====== ===== ================ ======
(4) PaaMN (Bell Claver)= Alot of(Nun) Hammering (PAAM)
(5) KoRBN (Sacrifice) = Intense(Nun) Closeness to God (KRV)
(6) ShlChaN (Table) = Alot (Nun) left out (on it) (SLCH)
(7) ZiChRN (Memorial) = Intense(Nun) Memory (ZCR)
(8) YERIVUN (Fist Fight) = Intense(Nun) Dispute (RV)
================================================================
----------------------- NOTES -----------------------------------
*1 The Rashi on Gn11-32b has led to the greatest confusion.
Rashi refers to the TERMINAL NUN on Charan as the
HURRICANE NUN (meaning that the NUN signifies ALOT).
However some commentators interpreted the Hebrew phrase
NUN HAPHUCAH literally. Literally NUN HAPUCHAH means
the OVERTURNED NUN. The word OVERTURNED can refer to
a HURRICANE that OVERTURNS. OR, it can refer to an
upside down NUN (Which is also overturned).
Thus some commentators erroneously thought that Rashis
Sefer Torah had upside down Nuns next to the word Charan.
I assure you that this is rediculous. The Mesorah was very
careful to preserve every oddity in the Torah. If there
were overturned nuns by Charan then the Mesorah would have
so indicated (which it does not).
Therefore the simple meaning of the Rashi is that the
NUN is the MUCHNESS NUN (the HURRICANE NUN) and indicates
that there was MUCH anger in the world until Charans
time when Abraham came.
#*#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi, 2001 Inc. Dr. Hendel President #*#*#*#*#