ACH means USUALLY:#4 of 6
##########################################################
# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# May 12, 2000 #
# Rashis 39-41 Of 7800 (0.5%) #
# #
# Reprinted from Rashi-is-Simple, #
# (c) 1999-Present, Dr. Hendel #
# with permission of the author, myself #
# #
# For further details/archives visit the Rashi website #
# #
# http://www.shamash.org/rashi/ #
# #
# or the Rashi Yomi website #
# #
# http://www.shamash.org/rashi/chevruta.htm #
# #
# [Permission granted to reprint these articles #
# WITH this header provided it is not for profit] #
# #
# WARNING: READ with COURIER (Fixed width) FONTS #
##########################################################
In this series we review the meanings of the Hebrew word
>ACH
This word occurs about 40 times in Chumash.
Its main three meanings are
>ACH = USUALLY
>ACH = MOST OF
>ACH = PROBABLY
A person completing this module will have the skill competencies
necessary to UNDERSTAND and even REPRODUCE standard Talmudic
interpretations of ACH.
In this issue we study 4 examples of
>ACH = MOST OF
Each example by itself would look peculiar but by reviewing them
together the examples gain credibility.
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*
EXAMPLE 6: Gn07-23b (Repeated example from the previous module)
----------
>Gn07-23b
>Gn07-23b ..And MOST OF (ACH) Noach remained in the ark
>
>RASHI:
>MOST OF Noach remained but not all of him.
>Noach was busy serving all the animals food every day
>in the ark. At one point he served the lion late; the
>lion got angry and smote or bit Noach.
>Therefore, when Noach left the ark ONLY MOST of him
>left (but not the smitten/bitten piece)
EXAMPLE 8: Nu31-22a
-------------------
>Nu31-22a
>MOST of the Gold (utensils) will be purified by
>dipping in fire and/or water
>
>RASHI:
>
> >MOST of the Gold utensil will be purified (by dipping in
>fire and/or water)---but you must first remove the rust.
>That is when immersing a utensil to make it pure you do NOT
>immerse the WHOLE utensil as is but rather first remove
>rust
So you immerse MOST of the utensil but not the whole utensil
(since you immerse the utensil WITHOUT the rust)
EXAMPLE 9: Dt12-22a
----------
(The text is talking about the difference between temple and
profane meats).
>Dt12-22a
>MOST of the properly slaughtered animal can be
>eaten profanely (without temple purity)
>RASHI:
>MOST of the properly slaughtered animal can be eaten,
>BUT NOT its fat
It is further developed that without the explicit statement
>'MOST of the animal but not its fat'
I would have thought
>Temple law prohibited BOTH eating MEAT and FAT
>
>Profane law came and allowed the MEAT to be eaten
>
>Hence, by analogy we should allow the FAT also.
Thus the verse-word
>MOST
teaches us that the meat of a profane animal can't be eaten,
but the fat, whether of a profane or Temple animal cannot be eaten.
EXAMPLE 10: Gn27-30a
-----------
>Gn27-30
>Esauv was coming as MOST of Jacob's exit was being
>completed
>RASHI:
>
>In other words, Jacob was leaving as Esauv was coming in
>
>(Hence the Biblical text: Esauv came as MOST of Jacob's
>exit was being completed)
Note: Our explanation of this particular Rashi follows the
RAAM. For an alternative approach see the SIFSAY CHACHAMIM that
derives the Rashi from the use of the double verb
>As Jacob was "going out going out"
SUMMARY: ACH=MOSt
=================
>Gn07-23b MOST of Noach remained in ark(EXCEPT what the lion bit)
>Nu31-22a MOST of the utensil is purified(BUT 1st scrape off rust)
>Dt12-22a MOST of the animal can be eaten(BUT not the fat)
>Gn27-30a Esauv came as MOST of Jacobs' exit was completed
Notice how the list gives credibility to the thesis
>ACH=MOST
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# (C) Dr Hendel, 1999 *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*