Ideas and Model Lessons in Learning Rashi-#6
Copyright RashiYomi Inc 2004 Adapted From Rashi-is-Simple http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
Written by Dr. Russell Jay Hendel;
A: REVIEW
This is the 6-th in a 30 part series on the Methods that are useful for teaching Rashi. Parts 1 - 5 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
Part 5 began a 3-4 part subseries reviewing the 10 Rashi methods for explaining meaning. The background and examples provided by Part 5 will also be extremely useful for understanding this issue.

C: SYNONYMS: RECOGNITION & METHOD
Explaining the meaning of a word is different than explaining the meaning of synonyms. Explaining the meaning of a synonym also requires -- besides explaining the meaning of the word -- explaining the nuances and contrastive features of the synonym. There are several possible methods to accomplish this:
i) One can indicate both what the word means and what it doesn't mean
ii) One can present the class of the word and indicate 2 possible members in that class
iii) One can specialize the meaning of the word
Frequently one must guess or approximate the synonym nuance. This sometimes creates resistance (Because one is adding to the Rashi text). In such a case the interpreter of Rashi must be understood as suggesting, but not fixing, the exact nuance. The examples below will clarify the methods of this paragraph.

D: EXAMPLE 1 - POT vs PAN (Lv02-05a Lv02--07a)
Biblical Text
If the Minchah offering is brought in a PAN (MaChaVath) then...
If the Minchah offering is brought in a POT (MarCheSheth) then...
Rashi Text
MaChaVath refers to a PAN; MarCheSheth refers to a POT.

E: TEACHING AT 3 STUDENT LEVELS
All Levels
Have the student answer the following questions
a) What is the common feature of PAN and POT
b) What are the differences between PAN and POT
c) Can you find support for the PAN-POT distinction either in other verses or in the Hebrew roots of
MaChaVath and MarCheSheth.

F: ANSWERS TO THE THREE QUESTIONS
a) Both PAN and POT are cooking utensils
b) The PAN and POT differ in depth. The PAN is only an inch or so deep and is therefore good for quick frying while the POT may be several inches deep--since the POT can hold more it is good for deep cooking-frying.
c) The root of Machavath is ChovA--to hide--since the rim of the PAN just barely hides the food; the root of MarCheSheth is RaChaSh--insect swarms--since the food in a POT typically bubbles to and fro like a swarm of insects (Rashi).
Notice how the answers to questions a,b,c implement approaches i,ii,iii given above in Paragraph C: Thus the CLASS OF MEANING involved is cooking utensils. The TWO MEMBERS OF THE MEANING CLASS are pans and pots. By translating the MaChaVath as pan I am emphasizing that it doesn't mean pot (and vice verse). Alternatively we can see the translation of MaChaVath on two levels: First we explain it as a cooking utensil and then we SPECIALIZE and explain it as a pan.

G: SUPPORT vs. PROOF
The answer to (c) -- contents of cooking pots swarm to and fro like swarms of insects -- should not be seen as the proof or source of the Rashi comment but rather as (light) supportive evidence. The true source of the Rashi is the fact of dictionary usage. Very often we have no additional way to defend Rashi--rather we take the Rashi explanation of synonyms as a statement of dictionary tradition.

H: WEB RESOURCES
One can visit the RashiYomi LIST page at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lists.htm. There, one can click on the EDIT feature in the main menu on top and then click FIND. One should seek the word SYNONYMS. One will then find many lists on synonyms. One good source for many Rashi synonyms is http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h21n2.htm#LIST955a The homework exercises in paragraph I come from this list of synonym pairs.

I: HOMEWORK EXERCISES:
All levels:
For each of the examples below answer the following:
a) What is the common feature of the two given words
b) What are the differences between the two words
c) Can you find support for the suggested distinction either in other verses or in the Hebrew roots
EXAMPLE 2) oven vs stove (Lv11-35a)
EXAMPLE 3) good looks vs good figure (Gn29-17b Gn29-17c)
EXAMPLE 4) top-grindstone vs bottom-grindstone (Dt24-06a Dt24-06b)
EXAMPLE 5) cloud-white vs clear-white (Lv13-02a Lv13-02b)

J: SOME SUBTLETIES
As an example of the approach to these exercises consider exercise 5. Rashi simply explains that the words SeAyth and BaHeReth refer to white leprosy afflictions.
I suggest that Rashi is using the synonym method. I further suggest that Rashi believes that the Hebrew SeAyth comes from the root Nun-Sin-Aleph which has the (rare) meaning of cloud---hence SeAyth would mean Cloud-white (similar to the names of other colors such as cherry, orange,...). Once we accept this it is easy to contrast SeAyth with BaHeReth from the root BaHir meaning clear--thus we would have cloud-white vs clear-white.
Jewish law in fact identifies the BaHeReth as a snow-white color while SeAyth is compared to marble-white. The commentator Malbim suggests that marble-white vs snow-white differ in the degree of diffusion present in the color. This would be consistent with our suggested distinction: cloud-white vs clear-white. (For further details / source see the Malbim on Lv13-01:02)

K: EXAMPLE 7 - Cut vs Scrape vs Sandpaper (Lv14-41a)
We now present two examples which illustrate how elements of conjecture and uncertainty enter into Rashi interpretation when using the synonym method.
Biblical Text
And the house shall be scraped (YakTziAh) on the inside and the dust that was scraped shall be spilled on the outside of the city....
Rashi Text
YakTziAh means scrape....the word occurs frequently in Mishnaic Hebrew.

L: TEACHING AT ALL STUDENT LEVELS
We ask 3 questions and give answers
a) The common feature of all possible translations is a cutting-separating activity.
b) Cutting, scraping, sandpapering all have different connotations. Cutting usually connotes separating into two pieces; scraping usually connotes a process of cutting off many microscopic splinters along the periphery; while scraping usually connotes destruction, sandpapering usually connotes scraping for the purpose of improving the object scraped.
c) The Hebrew root Kuph-Tzade-Ayin is possibly related to the Hebrew root Kuph-Tzade-Hey which means end. Hence scraping/sandpapering connotes a cutting action on the periphery.
This example illustrates various ideas we have mentioned above
- The Hebrew root argument is supportive not proof (Since we don't know for certain that all roots ending in Ayin are similar to corresponding roots ending in hey)
- both scrape and sandpaper are only approximations. There are possibly problems with both of them.
Indeed, the important point in explaining the Rashi and translation YakTziAh is to emphasize that Rashi is translating YakTziAh as a cutting action but not exactly cutting---perhaps it is scraping or perhaps it is sandpapering. If one looks at the whole parshah one gets the impression that YakTziAh here refers to removal of the mortar connecting the house stones. This removal-of-mortar is similar (but not exactly equal to ) scraping and sandpapering. Again: the use of approximate translations has utility since it enables empathy with Biblical nuances.

M: EXAMPLE 8: (DIVINE) OATHS (Covers 9 Rashis)
We indicate approaches at three student levels.
Advanced Level
Find all possible means to indicate that a (Divine) oath has been taken (Note that a Biblical
Concordance and search engine will not help)
Intermediate Level
There are 5 ways to indicate (Divine) oaths in the Bible. Using a Biblical Concordance or search engine find examples of each. The five methods are
- I swear
- The Raising of the Hand
- Repetition
- Therefore
- By My Life
Elementary Level
Review the following 9 verses. In each verse identify the method used to indicate a (Divine) oath
Gn08-21b I WILL NOT I WILL NOT bring a flood (ANSWER: Repetition)
Gn14-22a I RAISE MY HAND TO HEAVEN:I'll not take booty (ANSWER: Raise hand)
Dt32-40a I will RAISE MY HAND to heaven (I will avenge) (ANSWER: Raise hand)
Nu20-12c THEREFORE you will not bring Jews to Israel (ANSWER: Therefore)
Ex06-06a THEREFORE tell the Jews I will redeem them (ANSWER: Therefore)
1S03-14 THEREFORE I swear to the Priests of Eli (ANSWER: Therefore)
Dt32-40b I will say: I, (GOD) AM LIVING (I will avenge) (ANSWER: By my life)
Nu14-21b However I AM ALIVE: These spies will die (ANSWER: By my life)
Nu14-28a I AM ALIVE...this is what I-ll do to spies (ANSWER: By my life)

N: WEB SOURCE FOR EXAMPLE 8
A source for example 8 may be found at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/h22n11,htm#LIST955g
Note that further research and distinctions are possible--for example, how many methods can be used to indicate a Divine oath; how many methods can be used to indicate a non-Divine oath. We will not pursue this further here as our goal was explaining the synonym method.