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#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc. 2009, 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 Dt14-16a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/w34n8.htm
      Brief Summary: The BREATH-ANIMAL could refer to either an owl or bat (Both known for their shrieks)

When Rashi uses, what we may losely call, the hononym method, Rashi does not explain new meaning but rather shows an underlying unity in disparate meanings. Rashi will frequently do this by showing an underlying unity in the varied meanings of a Biblical root.

In my article Peshat and Derash found on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rashi.pdf. I advocate enriching the Rashi explanation using a technique of parallel nifty translations in modern English. Today's examples show this.

The Hebrew root Nun-Shim-Mem means to breath and hence this same root refers to the soul, the breath of life. When a Hebrew word has a prefix or suffix Tauv it refers not to the root itself but to the signs of the root. In fact the Hebrew word Tauv means signs. So for example the Hebrew root Aleph-Vav-Resh means light,sight, appearance while Tauv-Aleph-Resh refers to the figure the signs of the sight or appearance.

Hence the Tauv-Nun-Shin-Mem-Tauv would be an animal whose sign is breathing. It is intereesting that Rashi only translates the word in Dt14-16a. However at Lv11-18a Rashi is more elaborate: The Tauv-Nun-Shin-Mem-Tauv resembles a mouse that flies at night. The various English Bibles suggest either an owl or bat. Both these animals are known for their shrieks. Thus we have the Shriek owl. Similarly we know that bats navigate sonically.

We have in this Rashi an example of how an animal is named by its distinguishing characteristic and this fact is indicated by the prefix and suffix Tauv.


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