Ideas and Model Lessons in Learning Rashi-#9
Copyright RashiYomi Inc 2004 Adapted From Rashi-is-Simple http://www.RashiYomi.Com/
Written by Dr. Russell Jay Hendel;
A: REVIEW
This is the 9-th in a 30 part series on the Methods that are useful for teaching Rashi. Parts 1 - 8 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 chapter. In todays chapter we present some methods of deriving meaning which are common to all languages.

C: FORM, FUNCTION, SUBSTANCE
All languages name items based on either their
- form
- function
- substance
- frequently related items or parts
- good examples of the item
- exaggeration of their properties.
The examples we present come from English.
FORM: The Pentagon is named by the form and shape of the building which houses it.
FUNCTION: By contrast the United Nations is not named by the shape of its building headquarters, but rather is named by its function, purpose and goal -- its goal is to unite the nations of the world.
Here we see how two similar institutions are named by contrasting methods--one is named by the shape and form of its headquarters while the other is named by its function and purpose. Items can also be named by
SUBSTANCE: A glass of water, reading glasses, and irons (used for ironing) are all named by their substance--what they are made of.

D: Metonymy, Synecdoche, HYPERBOLE
All languages allow transfer of meaning---that is a word which means one thing can come to mean something else. Some common methods of transfer of meaning are
- metonymy - having a word refer to something related to it
- synecdoche - having a whole refer to a part or vice verse
- hyperbole - naming an item by exaggerating one of its properties
- good example - letting a good example refer to its class
Again: Examples are presented from English:
GOOD EXAMPLES:
- Honey can refer to anything sweet;
- day (the 12 hour period) can refer to the whole day (24 hour period).
- Bread can refer to any food.
In each of these examples, a word with a specific meaning--honey, day, bread--transferred this meaning from a good example to the entire class--sweets, day, food.
HYPERBOLE:
- A skyscraper does not scrape the sky --- this is an exaggeration -- rather a skyscraper is tall. Similarly
- the breakfast meal does not break the fast of the night -- this is an exaggeration -- rather of all 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), the breakfast more appears to break a fast than the other meals.
SYNECDOCHE / METONYMY:
Metonymy - a word referring to something related - is so common that we often don't notice it. For example the sentence America defeated Iraq uses metonymy. For technically speaking, America refers to the land of America. But the land of America is inanimate and did not defeat anyone. Rather it was the people of America, the Americans, who defeated the Iraqis. This is an example of metonymy since the word America, referring to a land, transferred meaning and referred to the people residing in the land of America. Thus America refers to a related item---the people of the America land.

E: METONYMY
It is possible to be advanced and detailed and carefully distinguish between metonymy, synecdoche and hyperbole. However our purpose here is to understand Rashi. Many scholars simply use the word metonymy -- meaning related -- to refer to any semantic transfer involving the techniques of good examples, hyperbole, metonymy or synecdoche. We shall follow this usage. To illustrate, we recap all examples above and show how they illustrate related meaning:
- honey is related to sweetness (and hence can mean sweet)
- the 12 hour day is related (as part to whole) to the 24 hour day (and hence can refer to the 24 hour day)
- bread is related to food (as part to whole) (and hence can mean food)
- Skyscraper, scraping the sky is related to tallness (and hence skyscraper can refer to a tall building)
- the breakfast occurring after an entire night without food is related or like a meal after a fast
- the land America is related to the American people who reside in America.
As seen, in all these examples transfer of meaning has taken place using metonymy---meaning relatedness.
The relatedness of the words involved may be
- relation by cause and effect
- relation by whole and part
- relation by good example
- relation by exaggeration of properties.
F: THE RASHI WEBSITE AS RESOURCE
The Rashi website located at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/ contains a variety of resources that are useful in providing examples of Rashis using these principles of form, function, substance, and metonymy. Visit the lists page at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/lists.htm. By browsing the left frame one can find lists illustrating naming by form, appearance, function, related items, good example and exaggeration. Examples and exercises illustrating these principles in Rashis are presented below.

G: EXAMPLE 1: Ex40-22a
In previous chapters the examples we presented were at the Advanced, Intermediate and Elementary level. However because the techniques we are illustrating in this chapter are common to all languages and are done in everyday speech, therefore, we suffice with a simple presentation of the Rashis. In each of the Rashis below the student is asked to identify the particular principle of word meaning used.
For example the first example in the next paragraph states
1) Ex40-22a ...place these on the Temple thigh (Rashi: thigh means side)
To do the exercise the student must identify the method used as naming by form or appearance: the thigh is on the side of the body and hence thigh can mean side. Another acceptable answer is that Rashi is using the principle of metonymy since the thigh, on the side of the body, is related to the concept side.
Rashi exercises are presented in the next paragraph;solutions are presented in the 3 paragraph afterwards
H: RASHI EXERCISES
Perform the exercises below in the manner shown in the previous paragraph. Identify the Rashi method used:
1) Ex40-22a place these on the Temple thigh (Rashi: Thigh means side)
2) Lv01-11a ...on the altar thigh (Rashi: Thigh means side)
3) Gn31-10b ...hail sheep (Rashi: hail sheep means patched sheep)
4) Ex25-04b ...worm thread (Rashi: worm thread means red thread (died with blood of worms))
5) Lv13-03b ....if a person has a cloud leprosy wound: (Rashi: cloud wound means cloud-white wound)
6) Lv11-03a ...ripped hoof (Rashi: ripped hoof means a split hoof)
7) Gn49-11d ...wash your seduces in wine (Rashi: a seduce is a marital dress)
8) Ex25-37a ...the flames of the candelabra (Rashi: flame refers to a wick)
9) Ex25-38a ...the candelabra, its utensils and its takers (Rashi: Takers refers to prongs)
10) Ex36-06a ... sheep withholds (Rashi: The withhold refers to sheep pens which withhold them from leaving)
11) Ex30-13c ...holy coins...(Rashi: holy coins are coins used for Temple purchases)
12) Ex28-04g ...holy garments (Rashi: holy garments are garments worn by priests during Temple service)
13) Nu10-21a ...their job is to carry the temple (Rashi: the word temple refers to temple utensils)
14) Gn24-18a ...a pitcher was on her hand (Rashi: hand in this verse means arm)
15) Dt18-01c ...they eat the fires of God (Rashi: fires of God refers to sacrifices)
16) Gn13-02a Abraham was heavy (Rashi: Abraham=Abraham's assets; Heavy=numerous)

I: SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISES
The bold underlined word at the beginning of each solution refers to the rule used. A brief explanation is provided afterwards.
1) FORM: The thigh is on the side of the body and hence thigh means side.
2) FORM: The thigh is on the side of the body and hence thigh means side.
3) FORM: Hailstones in the atmosphere have the same appearance as a collections of patches Hence hail-sheep means patched-sheep
4) Metonymy: The worm threads were died by worm blood and hence means red threads. Here the word worm is related to red.
5) FORM: Clouds have a white color; hence cloud wounds refer to cloud white wounds.

J: SUBTLETIES IN RASHI FORMULATION
The last example, Lv13-03b is advanced: One has to know grammar well to identify the root of the Hebrew word Sin-Aleph-Tauv as Nun-Sin-Aleph. Similarly one has to have advanced knowledge of Hebrew to know that the root Nun-Sin-Aleph means cloud. The primary meaning of the Hebrew root Nun-Sin-Aleph is to carry. However Nun-Sin-Aleph can also mean cloud since clouds have the appearance of something carried (This naming of clouds by a word meaning to carry is another example of naming by form/appearance).
Another subtlety in these explanations is that Rashi is typically very brief. On Lv13-03b Rashi simply says that Sin-Aleph-Tauv means cloud. Similarly, for example, on Gn49-11d Rashi simply says that Samech-Vuv-Tauv means dress. By applying the principle of form-appearance one obtains a richer understanding of the nuances of the words: Samech-Vuv-Tauv does not refer to any dress but more specifically refers to a marital dress worn for seduction; Sin-Aleph-Tauv does not refer to any shade of white but more specifically refers to a particular shade of white, cloud white. Hence the Rashi methods presented here produce novelty.

K: SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISES COMPLETED
For example (6) we provide two solutions:
6) FORM: The split hoof has the appearance as a ripped hoof. Hence ripped hoof means split hoof
6) Metonymy: Ripping is related to splitting since ripping causes splitting. Hence the ripped hoof means split hoof.
7) FUNCTION: The seduce is a marital dress whose function is to facilitate intimacy
8) FUNCTION: The purpose of the wick is to hold the flame; hence wick can refer to flame
9) FUNCTION: The function of prongs is to take used coals from the flames (Hence takers means prongs)
10) FUNCTION: The purpose of the sheep-pen is to withhold the sheep from exiting. (Hence the sheep-withhold means the sheep-pen).
11) Metonymy: Holy coins are not holy, but rather, are coins used to purchase holy-related (Temple)items. Here the coins are named by a related item--the holy items they are used to purchase.
12) Metonymy: Holy garments are garments worn during the Temple service. Here the holy garments are named by a related item -- the holy Temple service during which they are worn.
As mentioned above the more advanced student may wish to separate the metonymy examples into those using metonymy, synecdoche and good examples. The illustrative explanations provided facilitate this.
13) Metonymy: The Levites did not carry the Temple but rather the Temple utensils. Here the word Temple, the whole object, refers to its related parts, the Temple utensils.
14) Metonymy: The hand is related (part to whole) to the arm. Hence hand means arm.
15) Metonymy: The sacrifices are placed on the altar fire; hence they are fire related. Hence Fire of God can metonymically refer to sacrifices.
16) DOUBLE Metonymy: Abraham is related to Abraham's assets; similarly numerous is related to (i.e. is a good example of ) heavy since a heavy object has so to speak, numerous weight. Hence the verse Abraham was heavy really means Abraham's assets were numerous.