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VERSE: Nu17-03e
RASHIS COVERED: Ex12-14a Ex13-09b Ex28-12a Lv23-24a
Lv24-07c Lv02-02g Nu05-26a Nu17-03e Nu17-25b
====ZIKARON/OTH means SYMBOLIC MEMORIAL;AZCARAH means REMINDER===
There are several Biblical words used to denote SYMBOLS:
-------------------------------------------------------
--OTH which we translate as SYMBOL
--ZIKARON which we translate as MEMORIAL
--AZCARAH which we translate as REMINDER
-------------------------------------------------------
In the verses in the LIST below the word ZIKARON denotes
a MEMORIAL, a REMINDER with PERMANANCE.
By contrast AZCARAH refers to a REMINDER of an immediate
event without any connotation of PERMANANCE.
So REMINDER is used to remind of something that just
occured while MEMORIAL reminds of something in the
distant past.
Further details are given in footnote *1.
===============================================================
VERSE Type of memorial WORD USED Why this word is used
======== ================= ========= ==========================
Ex12-14a Passover memorial ZIKRAON*2 Permanant holiday
Ex13-09b Tefillin Memorial ZIKARON*2 Permanance(Written down)
Ex28-12a Priestly Memorial ZIKARON*2 Reminds of ancestors
Lv23-24a Shofar Memorial ZIKARON*2 Reminds of Akaidah
Lv24-07c Handful reminder AZCARAH*3 Minchah Handful offered
Lv02-02g Handful reminder AZCARAH*3 Minchah Handful offered
Nu05-26a Handful reminder AZCARAH*3 Levana handful offer
Nu17-03e Korach rebellion OTH*4 Symbol of rebellion
Nu17-25b Aarons priesthood OTH*4 Symbol of Priest selection
NOTES
=====
*1 Rashi treats the word OTH(SYMBOL) like MEMORIAL.
Following Rav Hirsch I define a SYMBOL as
------------------------------------------------------
An object or activity whose goal is to remind one
of others objects or activities.
------------------------------------------------------
See my Genesis 1 paper for a full discussion of
symbols: http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gen-1.htm
The difference between MEMORIAL and SYMBOL seems to
be subtle. Since Rashi does not discuss it we do
not discuss it either (Perhaps a MEMORIAL is
a PERIODICALLY REPEATING SYMBOL)
The methodology in the LIST above is MEANING BASED ON
CONTEXT. An alternate approach based on Rashis
delightful application of Rashis 2-letter semantic
theory is presented afterwards
*2 Recall that MEMORIAL denotes a PERMANANT REMINDER OF
NON-IMMEDIATE EVENTS while AZCARAH denotes a REMINDER
OF IMMEDIATE EVENTS.
In each case ZIKARON reminds of something non-immediate
or else reminds with a sense of PERMANANCE. So we have
in the above LIST that
--PASSOVER did not just remind the Egyptian jews of
the Exodus that just happened to them (an IMMEDIATE
SYMBOL) - Rather the PASSOVER is a REMINDER for
ALL GENERATIONS (Hence Rashi says on ZIKARON: For
all generations).
--The Tefillin are WRITTEN DOWN -- they commemorate
the distant exodus. The writing down gives
permanance to the symbol
--The priestly garments had a Priestly breastplate
with the names of all the tribes. This breastplate
does not only remind (God) of the present and
immediate tribes. In fact this breastplate
reminds (God) of the tribes themselves(See
Rashi) whose merit and good deeds protect
the current tribes (Thus I would imagine
that each Tribe ancestor had particular good
deeds that protected their tribe -- Thus
Reuven saved Joseph from murder, Shimon saved
his sister from Rape, Levi also saved his
sister from Rape, Judah also saved Joseph
from murder etc).
--Rashi explains that the Shofar is a MEMORIAL.
It reminds us of the Ram in the binding of
Isaac. Just as Isaac was about to die and
was saved at the last moment so throughout
history, the Shofar is symbolic of our being
saved at the last minute through a Divine
intervention.
*3 Recall that MEMORIAL denotes a PERMANANT REMINDER OF
NON-IMMEDIATE EVENTS while AZCARAH denotes a REMINDER
OF IMMEDIATE EVENTS.
The word AZCARAH in these verses denotes a
a REMINDER of an IMMEDIATE event. I would assume
this an example of the Rabbi Ishmael rule of
learning the meaning of a word by specificity
in one verse: For Lv02-02g explicitly explains
that the Priest dips his hand into the 2
gallons of flour mingled with oil and offers
that handful on the altar. Thus the HANDFUL
becomes a REMINDER of the Minchah which is
IMMEDIATELY being dealt with.
We can then transfer this meaning to Nu05
and Lv24 to infer that handfuls are also
offered to God.(In Lv24 there was a
handful of incense placed on the weekly
showbreads. Since the Bible prohibits
offering bread it makes sense that this
INCENSE REMINDER would serve as a REMINDER
on the altar the same way that the HANDFUL
serves as a reminder)
For a discussion of this Rabbi Ishmael method
that justifies transference of specificity of
meaning to other verses see
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/lv09-07d.htm
*4 Recall from the surrounding Biblical chapter that
each of the tribes submitted a branch overnight
but only Aarons branch sprouted, thus symbolically
confirming that God had chosen Aaron to be the
High Priest. These branches then became a SYMBOL--
objects that REMINDED one of ANOTHER EVENT -- of
the prophetic proof that God selected Aaron over
the other priests.
Notice that the symbol not only reminded people
of what had IMMEDIATELY JUST HAPPENED - NAMELY
that Aaron was selected HIGH PRIEST. The SYMBOL
was ALSO to remind the Jews FOR ALL GENERATIONS
of this Priestly selection. Hence it is a SYMBOL
not a MEMORIAL.
=================================================================
=========== EXAMPLES OF WORDS WHERE NUN MEANS ALOT ============
The following LIST comes from the Daily rashi series. See URL
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/means-1.htm. In this list we show
that a terminal NUN letter denotes INTENSITY. As a simple
example the word LRIV denotes a FIGHT while YERIVUN denotes
a FIST FIGHT (See Ex21-18)
Hence if ZCR means to remember then ZICARON would mean
to REMEMER ALOT, i.e. A MEMORIAL
For further examples see the above URL. For a discussion
of Rashis 2-letter theory see footnote *1
===============================================================
# 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 Rashi believed that verbs were conjugated according to the
rules governing 3-letter roots. However Rashi SUPPLEMENTED
this belief with a 2-letter root theory which posits that
the meaning of grammatical ROOTS can be derived from
a breakdown of their 3 letters.
================================================================
RASHI RULE USED: SYNONYMS
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: The following additional references may be too wordy
However they frequently contain additional information & lists
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Volume 10 Number 16
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 10 Number 16