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      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 Lv20-18a
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1215.htm
      Brief Summary: The phrase HE AROUSED HER SOURCE is an IDIOMATIC euphemism for FULL INTIMACY similar to UNCOVER HER NAKEDNESS.

    The FFF submethod states that words can be named by Form, Feel, and Function.
  • Some examples of naming words by Form include (a) the leg of a chair, (b) the handle of a pot, (c) the branch of a family tree, (d) surfing the net or (e) brainstorming Some of these examples illustrate naming objects by form while other examples illustrate naming activities by form.
  • A good punchy example distinguishing naming by form vs. function is pentagon-UN. The pentagon is named after the shape and form of the building while the United Nations is named after the function and purpose of the building. Although both these buildings have as a purpose world peace they are named differently.
  • Examples of naming by feel/substance are glasses, hardship, ironing-board, plaster etc.

The FFF principle is a special case of the literary techniques of synechdoche-metonomy. These literary principles, universal to all languages, state that items can be named by related items, by parts of those items, or by good examples of those items. For example honey refers to anything sweet since honey is a good example of something sweet. Similarly hot refers to matters of love since the two are related. Todays Rashi can best be understood by applying these principles.

Biblical verse Lv20-18a refers to full physical intimacy with the phrase he aroused her source. Rashi, in his terse manner, notes that a more common Biblical phrase for initmacy is he uncovered her nakedness. Here Rashi is using the synechdoche principle, which names categories by good examples of them. Uncovering of nakedness is typically done during intimacy. Similarly, arousal is a good example of intimacy.

Advanced Rashi: There is a subtlety in Rashi here that may easily be overlooked. One might think Rashi is simply providing a dictionary definition. But by naming a complicated phenomena, intimacy, by good examples of it, uncovering, arousal Rashi is doing more. The Talmud relates certain non-Jewish customs to fallaciously achieve modesty by not fully addressing during intimacy. By calling intimacy uncover the Bible emphasizes that the purpose of intimacy is not just release and climax but enjoyment and arousal. Similarly, by calling intimacy arousal Rashi emphasizes an important component of the Jewish attitude towards intimacy: The partners should not just release and achieve climax but they should be aroused and enjoy themselves.

Thus the Biblical idioms pithily catch important emphasii of intimacy and remind us of the good examples (that is, synechdoche) of intimacy. Thus this Rashi is a fascinating study on how formal linguistic techniques can nuance and encourage deep religious values.


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