Although most conjugation rules refer to the conjugation of verbs, there are also conjugation rules for transfroming nouns into verbs. We list several common methods for transforming nouns into verbs:
• create the noun: e.g. to flower
• remove the noun: e.g. to dust
• use the noun: e.g. to hammer
• the verb(activity) done to this noun: e.g. Dt21-04b: neck the calf in other words kill it with a blow to the neck

Verses Gn46-29b discussing Jacob's journey to meet Joseph after 22 years states And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to instruct before him towards Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. Rashi explains: Instruct always occurs either as a non-transitive verb, to instruct, (e.g. Mi03-10) or as a verb with direct object: to instruct so and so (e.g. Dt33-10, Ex44-33, Dt24-08). The construction instruct before him towards Goshen is new. We interpret this as coining a verb from a verb: The phrase instruct before him towards Goshen means to create guidance material for Jacob about Goshen. Here we have taken the verb to instruct and converted it to another verb create guidance materials. Rashi also suggests the possibility of create a guidance institution, a Yeshiva.

Advanced Rashi: First we ask: Why can't Rashi simply interpret Judah was asked to guide Jacob on the path towards Egypt - sketch a path and protect him from robbers? The answer to this is simple: As shown by the verses cited above, the Hebrew root in question always refers to teaching, intellectual guidance, it never refers to plotting a path.

A second issue is that Rashi states literally both Judah was asked to instruct Jacob on how to live in Goshen --- Judah created a Yeshiva (Institution of learning) for Jacob. My approach to this Rashi is to see it as part of spectrum of preparations of guidance when coming to a new place. When you come to a new place most people want to know a) the social norms of the place, b) how you can satisfy your own norms in this new setting, c) what contributions you can make in interacting with the place. Hence I have expanded Rashi's two interpretations Judah gave guidance on how

To defend Rashi's statement about the creation of a Yeshiva, recall that Abraham and Jacob were shepards. The Bible relates how Abraham's shepards fought with Lot's shepards. The Bible also relates how these conflicts were resolved. The Bible also relates how Jacob stated detailed categories for protecting the flocks of his father-in-law. In simple terms Abraham and Jacob developed laws governing commercial interpersonal interactions. These laws were ethical in nature and created a socially pleasant work environment. Jacob undoubtedly won fame from his methods and sent Judah, who himself was an accomplished businessman, to prepare the Jews for business integration into the Goshen community.

By interpreting the Rashi comments broadly we don't negate the Rashi but supplement and enrich it with added insight.

The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Gn46-15a Both verses/verselets discuss the chidren of Jacob and Leah. The alignment justifies the Rashi comment that: Sons in the verse are related to the mother, a woman; Daughters in the verse are related to the father, a man. The explanation for this is whichever gender allows their partner to reach climax first during intimacy thereby merits that the resulting child is of that gender.

Verse	Text of Verse	Rashi comment
Gn46-15a	These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan-Aram, with his daughter Dinah; all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty three.	Sons in the verse are related to the mother, a woman; Daughters in the verse are related to the father, a man. That is whichever gender allows their partner to reach climax first during intimacy thereby merits that the resulting child is of that gender.
Gn46-15a	These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan-Aram, with his daughter Dinah; all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty three.

Advanced Rashi: This Rashi, which may appear homiletic, has actually been verified scientifically. To make a long story short the seed creating boys vs girls have different acidity requirements and acidity in the female is affected by the timing of climax. It is interesting that our sages new of this through the alignment method over 20 centuries ago. Notice how the Jews of the time could see the Rashi as homiletic without being aware that there is a scientific justification. In this email group we always advocate seeing Rashi as the simple intended meaning of the text.

The table below presents two contradictory verses/verselets. Both verses speak about the smallness of Jacob's life The underlined words highlight the contradiction. One verse/verselet says my years (currently 130) did not reach the years of my parents, while Gn48-28 states Jacob died at 147. We see the contradiction --- If Jacob was still alive he couldn't be sure at 130 he wouldn't outlive his parents - so how could he say his life was shorter. Rashi simply resolves this using the 2 Meanings method: The number of good quality years of Jacob's life was less than the good quality years of Abraham and Isaac. Here smallness of years refers to smallness of good years. Jacob could be sure of this even before his death.

Summary	Verse / Source	Text of verse / Source
Jacob's years were smaller than his parents years	Gn47-09b	And Jacob said unto Pharaoh: 'The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.'
Jacob was still alive and didn't know his age at death	Gn47-28	And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the whole age of Jacob was a hundred and forty seven years.
Resolution:	2 Aspects	The number of good quality years of Jacob's life was less than the good quality years of Abraham and Isaac. Here smallness of years refers to smallness of good years. Jacob could be sure of this even before his death.

Certain Biblical paragraphs are stated in a Theme-Development form. In other words a broad general idea is stated first followed by the development of this broad general theme in specific details. The Theme-Detail form creates a unified paragraph. The style rule requires that we interpret the general theme with special focus on the attributes of the illustrative detail selected. Today's example illustrates this as shown below.

Verse Gn45-12b discussing Joseph's statement of love and care for his brothers is written in a theme-detail form as shown below.
• Theme-General: And, behold, your eyes [the eyes of my brothers] see,
• Detail-Development: and the eyes of my [full] brother Benjamin,
that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. Rashi following the Rabbi Ishmael style guidelines interprets the thematic general clause in light of the specific illustrative detail selected for development. I love the rest of my brothers (some of whom sold me into slavery) as much as I love my full brother Benjamin.

Advanced Rashi: From time to time I am challenged whether the Rabbi Ishmael Style rules can be applied to non-legal passages. I think the present example shows the great simplicity of interpretation that results from such an application.

We ask the following database query: How is Benjamin relationally referred to? The reader is encouraged to perform the query using a standard Biblical Konnkordance or search engine. This database query yields the list below. The list justifies the following Rashi inference: Benjamin had 10 children. He was an adult. The brothers refer to him as the youngest and sometimes as our younger brother. However Judah refers to him as the kid. Judah was trying to belittle Benjamin so as to get Joseph to accept him, Judah, as a replacement and let Benjamin go back to his father. The list below presents the results of the database query.

Verse	Verse speaks about	Reference to Benjamin
Gn42-13	Brothers speak to Joseph about family	The youngest
Gn42-20	Joseph requests Benjamin be brought to him	your younger brother
Gn44-23	Judah summarizes Joseph's requests	Your younger brother must be with you
Gn44-26	Judah summarizes dialog with his father	We can't go down unless our younger brother is with us
Gn44-20	Judah, in his conversation with Joseph summarizes the brother's request to Joseph	young child
Gn44-30,32	Judah in his conversation with Joseph states his request to Joseph	lad

Advanced Rashi: The above list could be built up more (There are about a dozen verses). This Rashi takes place in 3 stages: Our point is one of methodology.
• Rashi had this database output.
• Rashi notices that Judah in his conversation with Joseph refers to Joseph as a child/lad while other references are youngest, younger brother.
• Rashi then conjectures a reasonable explanation to the difference. Judah wanted to replace Benjamin so Benjamin could go back. To persuade Joseph Judah refers to Benjamin as the kid so as to impress Joseph that he isn't getting that much if Benjamin stays.

This is typical of the database method.

Rashi observes that Geographically, Israel is perceived on top of the world; Consequently verses always speak about going up to Israel vs. going down from Israel. The verses listed below exemplify this usage.

We have classified this as the geometric method since Rashi clarifies the meaning of a word using diagrams.

In the following verses the underlined words up,down indicate relative position to Israel and confirm the above Rashi comment:
• Dt01-25a, discussing the bringing of fruit, by the spies, from Israel to the desert states And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us back word, and said: 'Good is the land which HaShem our G-d giveth unto us.'
• Gn45-09a discussing the requested journey of the patriarch Jacob from Israel to Egypt, states Hasten ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him: Thus saith thy son Joseph: G-d hath made me lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not.
• Ex33-01a discussing the journey from the desert to Israel, states And HaShem spoke unto Moses: 'Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying: Unto thy seed will I give it--
• Dt32-13b discussing the gift of Israel by God to the Jews states states He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and he did eat the fruitage of the field; and He made him to suck honey out of the crag, and oil out of the flinty rock;
• Gn46-03:04 presenting a prophecy that Jacob must journey from Israel to Egypt, states And He said: 'I am G-d, the G-d of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.'
• Dt17-08f discussing the requirement to journey to Jerusalem for legal inquiry from the Sanhedrin in complex cases, states If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, even matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place

Note that in the last example we supplement our basic thesis that the word up is used when going to Israel while down is used when going from Israel by extending the up-down metaphor for journey to or from Jerusalem relative to the rest of Israel.

Sermonic Points: Traditionally up symbolizes heavenly maters while down symbolizes hellish earthly matters. This symbolism is valid in all languages. By associating Israel and Jerusalem with up the Bible symbolically affirms Israel's spiritual values.

Advanced Rashi: The above table uses the so called linear translation method. This method was introduced (or popularized) by Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Sharfman in his Linear Translation of the Bible and Rashi. Rabbi Sharfman's linear translation is still very popular among those who are beginners in learning Rashi. Rabbi Sharfman was in fact Rabbi of my synaggoue when I was young and I spent many enjoyable Shabbath afternoons listening to his very lucid explanations of Rashi.