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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2008, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#
      2. RASHI METHOD: WORD MEANING
      BRIEF EXPLANATION: The meaning of words can be explained either by
      • (2a) translating an idiom, a group of words whose collective meaning transcends the meaning of its individual component words,
      • (2b) explaining the nuances and commonality of synonyms-homographs,
      • (2c) describing the usages of connective words like also,because,if-then, when,
      • (2d) indicating how grammatical conjugation can change word meaning
      • (2e) changing word meaning using the figures of speech common to all languages such as irony and oxymorons.
      This examples applies to Rashis Gn39-14b
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w33n6.htm
      Brief Summary: HEBREW comes from EYVER meaning OTHER SIDE and refers to a) Person EYVER who fathered cutting world into 2 sides, b) Abraham who stood on one side against world and c) Joseph who was an OUTSIDER (other side).

Verse Gn39-14a discussing how Potifar ranks out Joseph for allegedly making advances on her states That she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice; This is the first time in the Bible that Jews are called Hebrews from the Hebrew Eyver.

    Rashi derives the meaning of the word Hebrew from its root Eyver. Rashi presents a variety of reasons for the etymology. Very often words will have multiple explanations.
  • The Jews are descendants of Abraham who are descendants of Eyver the person who fathered the split of the world into factions(Gn11-16, Gn10-21, Gn10-25.)
  • Eyver literally means side. So to speak, the world is on one side while we (the Jews) are on the other side (So here Potifar's wife was poking fun on Joseph who came from the other side, that is, was an outsider.)
  • Chazal however state that Abraham stood on one side of the world against everybody. Here side is seen as referring to standing up for oneself.

Notice how the side in the name Eyver who fathered the split of the world mirrors Abraham's further split of the world by also standing on the side of monotheism. Such multiple meanings and echoing nuances are common in etymologies. 


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