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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 Lv10-16d
      URL Reference: (c) http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rule1409.htm
      Brief Summary: DBR=cite,say. AMR=discuss.

When Rashi uses the synonym method he does not explain the meaning of a word but rather the distinction between two similar words both of whose meanings we already know.

    The following Hebrew words all refer to communication.
  • Daleth-Beth-Resh, DBR, cite, say;
  • Aleph-Mem-Resh, AMR, discuss.

In our article Peshat and Derash: A New Intuitive and Logical Approach, which can be found on the world-wide-web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/rashi.pdf we have advocated punchy translations of Biblical verses as a means of presenting Rashi comments. The following translation of verse Lv10-16d embeds the Rashi translation AMR means discuss. And Moses diligently inquired for the goat of the sin-offering, and, behold, it was burnt; and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron that were left, for purposes of discussion.: Hence the Rashi on this verse: The Biblical phrase He was angry...for purposes of discussion means that when he reprimanded them it was simultaneously a potential reprimand but also a request for clarification and discussion on the matter.

Advanced Rashi: Using our proposed translations the enigmatic Talmudic adage AMR has a soft tone while DBR has a harsher tone would be pithily translated as Discussion has a soft tone [since it allows response] while cite / say have a harsher tone [since the communication is more one sided without allowing a response]. This interpretation illustrates the maxim in my article Peshat and Derash alluded to above that a punchy crisp translation is a powerful vehicle to naturally explain many midrashim.


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