Ideas and Model Lessons in Learning Rashi-#5
Copyright RashiYomi Inc 2004 Adapted From Rashi-is-Simple http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
Written by Dr. Russell Jay Hendel;
A: REVIEW
This is the 5-th in a 30 part series on the Methods that are useful for teaching Rashi. Parts 1 - 4 may be accessed on the Rashi website at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ in the workbook series. Part 1 contains useful information on our notation and methods - to best understand this issue the reader should be familiar with our conventions.

B: THE MEANING METHODS
In the previous two issues we have introduced Rashi methods dealing with meaning. A major component of any commentary is the explanation of meaning. However, it would be overly simplistic to regard all explanations of meaning as the same. In this and the next few issues we cover 10 meaning methods.

C: OVERVIEW OF THE 10 METHODS
Rashi can explain or clarify Biblical meaning by either
a) Citing OTHER VERSES (as we showed in Workbook #3)
b) Using one of the many meanings of SPECIAL WORDS (as in Workbook #4)
c) explaining multi-word phrases -- IDIOMS
d) distinguishing nuances of SYNONYMS
e) showing a UNIFIED MEANING to the varied nuances of one Biblical root
f) correlating meaning with GRAMMATICAL MODE and PREPOSITION USAGE
g) deriving meaning using 2,3, and 4 LETTER ROOTS
h) poetic new related meaning -- METONOMY, SYNECHDOCHE, HYPERBOLE
i) deriving meaning from FORM-FUNCTION-SUBSTANCE-PROPERTIES
j) deriving meaning from the ALIGNMENT of two almost identical verses

D: SOME SIMPLE EXAMPLES
We have already given examples of some of the above. For example
- In Workbook #3 we showed, using OTHER VERSES, that CALF vs COW refers to an animal under 2 years
- In Workbook #4 we showed that the SPECIAL HEBREW word KI can mean IF, THEN, BECAUSE, WHEN, RATHER, PERHAPS
If this and future issues we will show other examples: Thus
- the IDIOMATIC phrase ON THE FACE OF means DURING THE LIFETIME;
- the SYNONYMS MaChaVaT and MarCheSheth mean FRYING PAN and POT respectively;
- the Hebrew word YaDa does not really mean TO KNOW but is better translated as BE FAMILIAR--such a translation UNIFIES it with other meanings of the root such as RELATIVE and APPRECIATE;
- the Hebrew root Y-R-Sh can mean INHERIT, CONQUER, or POOR depending on the GRAMMATICAL MODE of the root
- The Hebrew word ChachLiL means INTOXICATING and can be derived from its CONSTITUENT TWO LETTER ROOTS--SWIRLING(LL) at the PALATE(Chaych)
- The word HAND METONOMICALLY means ARM in the verse SHE LOWERED THE PITCHER FROM HER HAND
- An example of NAMING BY FORM would be calling the Candellabrah BOTTOM its THIGH
- The ALIGNMENT of the two phrases in the verse: He washes his CLOTHING in wine and his SUTH in grape-blood implies that SUTH is a TYPE OF CLOTHING

E: FUTURE ISSUES
Of course, in future issues we will give verse citations, Rashi citations and exercises. However we will also show how to recognize each method and indicate the goals of each method.

F: RECOGNITION
Thus in Workbook #4 we explained that SPECIAL WORDS are Biblical words which occur very frequently -- several dozen times. They are connective words like BECAUSE, ALSO, EVEN THOUGH etc This means that you can recognize a situation reequiring the SPECIAL WORD method whenever you encounter a frequently occuring Biblical connective word.

G: GOALS
Similarly in Workbook #4 we showed that the goal of the SPECIAL WORD method was to give a LIST of meanings of a single word. Thus we gave verses where the Hebrew word KI could mean IF, THEN, WHEN, BECAUSE, PERHAPS, RATHER.

H: OTHER EXAMPLES
Similarly in workbook #3 we showed how to recognize situations where the OTHER-VERSE-MEANING method applied: Namely, we use the OTHER-VERSE-MEANING method if the verse contains words like CALF whose basic sphere of meaning is known and this word occurs in other verses; the goal of the OTHER VERSE METHOD is to provide more details of meaning--so we showed that CALVES are animals younger than 2 years.

I: IDIOMS
We now explain the remaining 8 methods. Let us begin with the IDIOM method. The need to use the IDIOM method can be recognized by the presence of a PHRASE OF SEVERAL WORDS -- each of the words may have a known meaning but the phrase as a whole has a new meaning. The goal of the IDIOM method is to explain the phrase. Note that we traditionally think of dictionaries as explaining word meaning -- however a good dictionary will also explain idiomatic phrase meaning.

J: EXAMPLE 1 - ON THE FACE OF (Nu03-04a)
Biblical Text
Nadav and Avihuh died when they offered an unauthorized sacrifice before God;
Elazar and Ithamar were Priested ON THE FACE OF Aaron their father
Rashi Text
ON THE FACE OF means DURING THE LIFETIME

K: TEACHING AT 3 STUDENT LEVELS
Advanced Level
Review all verses with the phrase ON THE FACE OF; in which of these verses does ON THE FACE OF mean DURING THE LIFETIME? What do these verses have in common? What does ON THE FACE OF mean in other verses?
Intermediate Level
Review the Rashis on the 4 verses: Nu03-04a, Gn11-28a, Ex20-03c and Dt05-07a.
How does Rashi translate ON THE FACE OF? What do these 4 verses have in common?
Elementary Level
The phrase ON THE FACE OF can simply mean ON as in Gn06-01. However
in the following 4 verses the translation ON does not make sense: Nu03-04a, Gn11-28a, Ex20-03c, Dt05-07a. What is different in these 4 verses? Why does the translation DURING THE LIFETIME sound better.

L: SOLUTION TO EXERCISES (All Levels)
The phrase ON THE FACE OF occurs several hundred times in the Bible. Usually ON THE FACE OF simply means ON--for example, Gn06-01 can be translated as WHEN PEOPLE BEGAN TO INCREASE ON (i.e. ON THE FACE OF) THE EARTH. However in 5 verses the phrase ON THE FACE OF refers to a PERSON. In this case it sounds better to translate the pharse as DURING THE LIFETIME as in Nu03-04a ELAZAR AND ITHAMAR WERE PRIESTED DURING THE LIFETIME OF AARON THEIR FATHER

M: FURTHER RESEARCH
4 of the 5 cases where ON THER FACE OF refers to a person are listed above. in Example 1. However in Dt22-07 ON THE FACE OF refers to a person but there is no Rashi comment. This opens the door for further research.

N: HOMEWORK EXERCISES:
All levels:
- Find all verses where the following list of words occurs
- What do the words mean BY THEMSELVES?
- How does Rashi idiomatically translate them?
Example 2) DAY OR DAYS
Example 3) WAY OF WOMEN
Example 4) LEFT AND RIGHT
Example 5) SUN SHINES ON HIM
Example 6) CHANGE HIS HEART

O: ANSWERS TO EXERCISES
Example 2) (Nu03-04a) - DAY OR DAYS means 24 hours
Example 3) (Gn18-11b) - WAY OF WOMEN means DURING THEIR PERIOD
Example 4) (Dt17-11a) - LEFT AND RIGHT means A LITTLE BIT
Example 5) (Ex22-02a) - SUN SHINES ON HIM means IT IS CLEAR
Example 6) (Ex14-05b) - CHANGE HIS HEART means CHANGE HIS MIND

P: FURTHER SOURCES
The Rashi website can be used as a resource for further examples. You can visit the LISTS page at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lists.htm and do a search for IDIOMS. Alternatively you can review the following lists
- http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h20n3.htm#LIST854d
- http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h21n20.htm#LIST854z

Q: FUTURE ISSUES
In the next 3-4 issues we will fully develop the other meaning methods