How Rashi uses dataabase methods:#2 of 3
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# July 11th, 2001 #
# Rashis 852-852 Of 7800 (10.9%) #
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# VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES #
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# Reprinted with permission from Rashi-is-Simple, #
# (c) 1999-2001, RashiYomi Inc., Dr Hendel President #
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========= SPECIAL FEATURE ====================
This unit shows the difference in approach
DR HENDEL vs THE YELLOW BOOK (Shaaray Aaron)
ALSO Please visit my RASHI-WORD SUMMARY at
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/words.htm
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GOALS:
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We have completed the previous units. The GRAND
SUMMARIES will be up Sunday.Today we start a
short unit. We show how DATABASE methods can help
resolve an impossible Rashi that contradicts
many verses.
TODAYS UNIT
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We present the basic methodology of understanding
Rashis from Databases and apply it to Gn15-05a.
Today we review the nuances of the root TZFEH
and complete our analysis of the differences
between this email group and the YELLOW BOOK
REFERENCE:
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This module comes from the following reference in the
Rashi-is-Simple series.
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn15-05a.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h10n21.htm
#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
==== THEOSAURUS OF SEE: Some words mean WATCH,SPY,GAZE ====
The synonym (Theosaurus) Database
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The key to understanding Gn15-05a is to review synonyms
of the word TO SEE. Standard Theosaurii (SYNONYM
databases) yield the following entries as synonymous
with TO SEE:
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LOOK EXAMINE SCRUTINIZE GAZE APPRAISE GLANCE
STARE ASCERTAIN SPY WATCH ASSESS SURVEY
OVERLOOK SCAN OBSERVE
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Let us now apply this to Gn15-05a
THE RASHI ON Gn15-05a
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Rashis approach is that it is a mistake
to simply translate a variety of Hebrew roots -- such
as NBaT, ShKaF, SeVeH, RaAH, TzaFeH -- as TO SEE.
Rashis contribution is that NEBAT doesnt just mean
to see, but rather NEBAT means TO ASSESS. By selecting
the right SYNONYM of seeing (assessment) Rashi makes a
contribution to our understanding of meaning. And Rashi
does this by reviewing the SYNONYM DATABASE for TO SEE.
FURTHER INSIGHTS ON THIS VERSE
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Footnote *1 below outlines the difference in approach
between Dr Hendel and the Yellow book. This is based on
the unit we did yesterday
Let us now look at the Rashis for synonyms of TO SEE. The
footnotes provide verse support for our translations.
The following list shows the SYNONYMS that best translate
the Hebrew roots. We also cite Rashi as well as indicate
what database queries support his claim.
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ROOT SYNONYMS OF TO SEE RASHI DBase-1 DBase-2
===== ======================== ======== ======== ========
RaAH To see
NeBT To assess/examine Gn15-05a verses*1
TzFeH To scan/survey/overview Gn31-49a Words*3
TzFeH To scan/survey/overview Ex16-31b Words*3
NOTES
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*1 THE YELLOW BOOK
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The use of the Theosaurus (Synonym) Database also shows
that it is a mistake to create arbitrary
distinctions that have no backup in the theosaurus
database of synonyms. So for example if Rashi citing
a midrash Rabbah states that
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the Hebrew root NeBAT means looking from above to below
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then we must reject this as a literal meaning.
Consistent with this rejection we see that
--The Midrash Rabbah Commentary,MaHarzu rejected that
God tool Abraham off the planet(so he could see from
Above below)since EVEN MOSES & ELIJAH didnt leave the
planet.
--The Gur Aryeh commentary (Cited by the YELLOW BOOK)
finds a contradictory verse (where NBT is from below
to above)
--Yesterday we brought MANY verses where NEBAT involves
seeing from BELOW UP. Furthermore the translation ASSESS
is better suited to most of these verses.
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1King19-06 He ASSESSED & above his head was a cookie
Nu21-09 ASSESS the copper snake(it is inanimate)&live
Ps34-06 I ASSESS to God--I stream to him my prayers
Isa22-11 You make defences but dont ASSESS the Maker
Gn15-05 ASSESS your heavenly (vs earthly) merit
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--Furthermore using the SYNONYM database we see that
NEBAT is better translated, not as TO SEE, but rather
as TO ASSESS. (So God simply asked Abraham to assess his
heavenly merit vs his earthly merit).(This was discussed
yesterday)
Bottom line: The yellow book only cites one commentary
Gur Aryeh. It does not cite the Maharzu. It also does
not cite the many verses where NEBAT means to look
upward. The yellow book does not seek an adequate
resolution of the contradiction between the midrash
rabbah and the verses that contradict it (Which the
Maharzu commentary does do)
Finally the real difference in approach between
me and the yellow book, is that no attempt is made to
consult the synonym database and arrive at the
translation that NEBAT means TO ASSESS.
The idea of approaching Rashi thru semantic models
from synonyms in other languages was first advocated
in my Tradition Article, PESHAT and DERASH, WINTER
1980.
*3 In the previous examples we brought support for
Rashi from the verse database. In this example
we bring support for Rashi from the WORD DATABASE--
that is from the database of words with similar
roots. Here are some other words with root TzFeH.
We claim the underlying unifying meaning is a
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MOTION that OVERLAYS A LARGE SURFACE AREA WITHOUT
DWELLING TO MUCH ON ANY ONE SPOT.
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Hence we have
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TzaPiCith -- The honey wafer -- OVERLAYED with honey
TziPuy------ An OVERLAY of say wood
Hope ------- To OVERLAY a large terrain of time
and focus on the distant future
Prophecy --- To OVERLAY a large terrain of time and
see the distant future
WatchTower - Enables someone to OVERSEE a large
amount of terrain
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Hence we have translated TzFEH as OVERVIEW/SCAN/SURVEY
(We used Radack, Book of Roots for this list--this
books provides us with the ROOT-WORD database)
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#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#