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3 DIVERSE MEANINGS OF Y-A-L |
BACKGROUND
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Hebrew meaning is determined by 3-letter roots. Each 3 letter
root is assigned a meaning. In this module we study the root
Yud-Aleph-Lamed
THE TEXTS
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- In Nu12-11a the root Yud-Aleph-Lamed means BEHAVE STUPIDLY
- In Job6-9 the root Yud-Aleph-Lamed means CURSE
- In Gn18-27a the root Yud-Aleph-Lamed means REFRESH/BEGIN ANEW
THE RASHI
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Rashi simply explains that the meaning of Yud-Aleph-Lamed
depends both on the ROOT and the GRAMMATICAL MODE used.
-- In the active mode (KAL) YAL means CURSE
-- In the passive mode (NIFAL) YAL means STUPID (being cursed)
-- In the causative mode (HIFIL) YAL means to REFRESH/BEGIN ANEW
(Perhaps this is connected to CURSE:
To BEGIN ANEW means to lay a CURSE on ones opponents?)
THE LIST
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The list below presents Rashis on this subject
Footnotes clarify further
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| MODE |
VERSE |
TEXT |
# |
NOTE |
| NIFAL |
Nu12-11a |
Dont place on us our STUPIDITIES |
4 |
*1 |
| KAL*2 |
Job6-9 |
God will be my CURSOR & destroy me |
1 |
*2 |
| HIFIL |
Gn18-27a |
I(Abraham) have REFRESHED my prayers |
18 |
*3 |
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COMMENTS |
*1 In 4 verses - Jer05-04 Jer50-36 Isa19-13 Nu12-11a -
the root Yud-Aleph-Lamed clearly means STUPIDITY.
*2 There is much controversy here. There are only 2 possible
verses where Y-A-L CLEARLY means CURSE: Job6-9 and 1Sam4-24
I am reinterpreting 1Sam14-24 so that Y-A-L means REFRESHED
Although, the grammarians dispute whether the form of
Y-A-L in Job6-9--VeYoAyL--is ACTIVE (KAL) or CAUSATIVE(HIFIL),
I am interpreting it as an ACTIVE mode, so that Y-A-L(in the
active mode) means CURSE.
Justification for this classification comes from the following
list,from Alfred Silbermans Grammatical form Konkordance,which
shows that the form VeYoAyL can be ACTIVE or CAUSATIVE.
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VERSE MODE ROOT FORM
-------- ------ ------ --------
Prv23-24 KAL Y-L-D VeYoLayD
Jer44-07 KAL Y-N-K VeYoNayK
Isa51-13 KAL Y-S-D VeYoSayD
2Sm24-03 KAL Y-S-F VeYoSayF
Zac12-01 KAL Y-Tz-R VeYoTzayR
Jos03-10 HIFIL Y-R-Sh VeYoRaySh
Ex36-07 HIFIL Y-T-R VeHoThayR
2K17-27 HIFIL Y-R-H VeYoRayM
Nu17-11 HIFIL H-L-Ch VeHoLayCh
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*3a Most of the 18 examples of Y-A-L in the Hifil refer to a
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NEW PROJECT ABOUT WHICH ONE IS EXCITED
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The closest English translation I have found is
REFRESHED or BEGIN ANEW
3b)This translation resolves the following contradiction in Rashi
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-Gn18-27a Y-A-L means HONORED/PLEASED (I am HONORED to speak)
-Dt01-05a Y-A-L means BEGIN (Moses BEGAN to translate Torah)
See Gn18-27 as an example where Y-A-L means BEGIN
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The point is that REFRESH or BEGIN ANEW (vs BEGIN) has
nuances BOTH of BEGINNING and BEING PLEASED--
hence there is no contradiction in Rashi.
3c) Since the other 17 examples of Y-A-L in
HIFIL mean REFRESHED (not CURSED), therefore I reinterpret
1Sam14-24 as follows
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1Sam14-24 & Saul REFRESHED (not CURSED) his war-weary
nations spirits by stating: CURSE be who eats any food
till my enemies are conquered--and no one ate anything
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