#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
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VERSE: Dt28-25a
RASHIS COVERED: Dt28-25a Dt28-37a Dt27-38b Dt27-38c Gn12-03a
Gn48-20a Gn26-04a Dt28-24a Dt28-28a
======================== Dt23-18a ============================
SUCCINCT SUMMARY
----------------
One of Rashis 5 main goals is to explain meaning the same
way a dictionary explains meaning. Rashi had a variety
of vehicles to explain meaning. Rashi frequently explained
the new idiomatic meanings of phrases of words. Rashi also
frequently explained meaning by metonomy--that is naming
items by related properties---for example naming EGYPTIANS
by their PLACE of residence, EGYPT.
EXAMPLE: NAMING BY METONOMY (RELATED MEANING)
Dt28-24a Dt28-28a
---------------------------------------------
- DUST earth = PARCHED earth
Because when the earth is parched the land looses
its cohesion and dust storms arise
- ASTONISHED heart = APATHY
A STARTLED or ASTONISHED person frequently freezes and
temporarily looses his/her capacity to interact with the
environment. Hence an ASTONISHED HEART refers to a person
whose emotional state is such that he/she cant interact
with the environment--that is, it refers to an apathetic
person.
EXAMPLE: BE A SHOCK, BE A BLESSING, BE AN EXAMPLE
(Dt28-25a Dt28-37a Dt27-38a Dt27-38b
Dt27-38c Gn12-03a Gn48-20a)
-------------------------------------------------
- to eg tell EPHY, BE A BLESSING, means that
people eg will say MAY YOU BE BLESSED LIKE EPHY(Gn48-20)
- to eg tell EPHY, BE AN EXAMPLE, means that
people eg will say MAY YOU BECOME LIKE EPHY
- to eg tell EPHY, BE A SHOCK, means that
people e.g. will say MAY YOU BE SHOCKED LIKE EPHY
==============================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =====================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS 8 METHODS OF NAMING
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST871d
List of idioms using metonomy(BE A BLESSING=BE LIKE SO&SO
----------------------- -----------------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST871i
List of verses with BE A BLESSING/CURSE=BE LIKE SO & SO
----------------------- -----------------------------------
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS NEW MEANINGS
SEE BELOW LIST854z
List of 2-3 word Biblical idioms(DUST land=PARCHED land)
================================================================
======================= LIST854z ================================
A List of Biblical idioms..eg FROM DAYS DAYS=YEARLY
LIST854z continues LIST854d
=================================================================
VERSE BIBLICAL PHRASE TRANSLATION NOTES
======== ======================= ===================== ==========
Dt28-24a DUST earth PARCHED land
Dt28-28a ASTONISHED HEART APATHY *14
Dt25-14b STONE-STONE:Big-Small Dbl standard weights *13
Dt14-19a BIRD INSECT flys
Dt23-02b CUT POURER castrated
Lv01-15c BLOOD BE SQUEEZED Squash animal on wall *7
Ex30-27f BY ITSELF BY ITSELF Equally for each one
Ex30-04a SIDE OF SIDES Corner *6
Ex14-05b CHANGE OF HEART Changed his mind
Gn43-29a FIND GRACE Wish(ed) you well *5
Gn24-57a ASK HER MOUTH Discuss/get opinions *4
Ex12-06d BETWEEN THE EVES NOON *3
Gn37-03a SON OF OLD AGE Youngest *1
Gn37-26b COVER BLOOD Conceal murder *2
Ex21-21a DAY OR DAYS 24 hours
Lv13-39a DULL WHITE DULL WHITE
Lv16-08a PLACE A LOT Have a lottery *9
Lv13-20a SHALLOW APPEARANCE DEEP wound *8 *11
Lv13-03b DEEP APPEARANCE DEEP wound *8 *11
NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi points out 3 equally possible meanings
- Youngest son (Son born while father was ELDERLY)
- Wisest son (ELDER=WISDOM)
- Son who resembles father (despite old age he still
looks like son)
*2 This is an example of a DOUBLE METONOMY
Blood is ASSOCIATED with life and COVER is
associated with denial. Hence COVER-BLOOD=conceal-murder
*3 NOON is the midpoint between EVE and DAWN. Hence
NOON is the BETWEEN THE EVES.
*4 The context is the proposed marriage of 15 year old
Rivkah to Isaac from another country. The offer had
been made by the servant of Abraham to Rivkahs family
The Biblical text states: Let us(her parents)
ASK HER MOUTH
This is the ONLY time in the Bible that this
phrase occurs(The verb ASK occurs frequently).
Apparently this phrase means
- Lets DISCUSS or LETS GET AN OPINION*10
Such an interpretation is appropriate for a marriage
decision
*5 FIND-GRACE can equally mean I WISH YOU WELL or
YOU WERE WISHED WELL. Rashi points out that GRACE
by itself has this same connotation (Without the
full phrase FIND GRACE). See LIST854g for further
details
*6 Tzade-Lamed-Ayin means SIDE (and hence can refer
to the RIBS). Thus Ex30-04 speaks about the SIDE
OF SIDES--that is the CORNER.
*7 Actually the idiom consists of two parts
- SQUEEZE the blood
- use of the passive (Blood is SQUEEZED)
Hence the idea that the slaughtered animal is
pushed against the altar wall until the blood
oozes forth.
*8 In other words the WHITE PATCHES on the skin
appear to be a DEEP WOUND (rather than a superficial
skin discoloring) *11
*9 The Bible uses a variety of phrases to indicate
lotteries such as
- SHOOT A LOT Jo18-06
- THROW A LOT Jo18-08
- RAISE A LOT Jo18-11
- PLACE A LOT Lv16-08
- CAST A LOT Is34-17 *12
---------------------- LONGER FOOTNOTES ---------------
*10 Hence the Rashi on Gn24-57b: The Biblical text
states that Rivkah responded: I WILL GO.
But Rashi, surprisingly states: I WILL GO WHETHER
YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
Why did Rashi read such an emphasis into the simple
question and answer
------------------------------------------
PARENTS: Rivkah, Will you go with this man
RIVKAH: I will go.
------------------------------------------
The answer is that the Bible says
------------------------------------------
PARENTS: We will DISCUSS THE MATTER with her;
get her opinion
PARENTS: Rivkah, Will you go with this man
RIVKAH: I will go.
------------------------------------------
Thus the context shows that Rivkah was not
INTERESTED IN A DISCUSSION--she had already
made up her mind
*11 Rashi appears to say the following
---------------------------------------
ALL WHITE appears deep; like the SUNLIT
part appears deeper than the SHADE
---------------------------------------
But the sunlit part does NOT appear deeper than
shade. Hence we interpret this Rashi as follows
--------------------------------------------
[The skin whiteness is not speckled but]
ALL WHITE; [it appears] deep like a BURN
appears deeper than just on SURFACE OF SKIN
---------------------------------------------
By comparing the capped words in these two
interpretations of Rashi we infer that we interpret
- ChaMMaH as meaning BURN vs SUNLIT
- SHADE as referring to non-burnt skin (vs shade)
We also interpret
-- [The skin is] ALL WHITE (not speckled); It appears...
vs
-- ALL WHITE APPEARS DEEP
(This is a change in punctuation)
*12 Superficially these phrases seem to be the same
However Rashi on Lv16-08 states that PLACE A LOT
means CASTING A LOT and PLACING the WINNING/LOSING
TICKETS on the winners/losers.
*13 Rashis literal langauge is
------------------------------------
Dont have BIG-SMALL stones with one
contradicting the other
------------------------------------
I however have translated the Biblical text as meaning
-----------------------------------------------
Dont have DOUBLE STANDARD STONES--big small;
(and you use them depending on the customer)
-----------------------------------------------
I believe these two translations are the same--
- Rashi emphasized the "MECHANICS" of the act
- I emphasized the NEW MEANING
aspect of the Biblical words
You need both aspects to fully understand Rashi
*14 An ASTONISHED or STARTLED person temporarily loses
their capacity to respond to the environment (The
STARTLE reflex). Hence an ASTONISHED HEART refers
to an EMOTION (=heart) where one cant respond--
namely APATHY
=========================================================
========================= LIST871d ==============================
List of idioms using Metonomy (eg Egypt=Egyptians)
=================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE METONOMY(ITEM means RELATED ITEM)
======== ============== =========================================
Gn48-20a Be a BLESSING people say MAY YOU BE BLESSED LIKE ABE*12
Gn12-03a Be a BLESSING people say MAY YOU BE BLESSED LIKE ABE*12
Gn26-04a Be a BLESSING people say MAY YOU BE BLESSED LIKE ABE*12
------- ---------- ------------------------------------
Dt27-38b be an EXAMPLE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO*12
Dt27-38c be an ADAGE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO*12
Dt28-25a Be for SHOCKS people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO*12
Dt28-37a be for DSOLAT people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO*12
Dt27-38b be an EXAMPLE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO*12
Dt27-38c be an ADAGE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO*12
------- ---------- ------------------------------------
Dt24-21a Tree BEAUTY Tree TOP(Most beautiful PART of tree)
Nu14-09a Our BREAD Our BREAD=Piece of CAKE(easy to comsume)
Nu01-51a LOWER Temple TAKE IT DOWN (analogy;RAISE it=BUILD it)
Nu01-16a The INVITED The DISTINGUISHED(you always invite them
Gn25-22e Seek GOD Seek PROPHETIC ADVICE of God*8 *10
Ex18-15b Seek GOD Seek PROPHETIC ADVICE of God*8 *10
Ex18-09a He SHARPED*11 Mirth at SHARP word or TWINGED from pain
Ex14-24a MORNING WATCH Guard Duty at DAWN*7
Ex14-25c EGYPT-the land Egyptians-the people*6
Gn49-09c ABOVE plunder REMOVED from plundering (Above it)*5
Gn49-05b VIOLENT TOOLS Criminal behavior*4
Gn45-18b FAT of land BEST of land
Gn45-08a FATHER to Phrh FRIEND/ADVISOR to Pharoh
Gn43-34a He gave LIFTS LIFTED THEIR SPIRIT-i.e. gifts
Gn41-35b HAND of Pharoh DOMAIN of Pharoh*2
Gn24-18a pitchr on HAND she lowered pitcher on her ARM
Gn37-26b COVER blood CONCEAL murder
Gn37-26b cover BLOOD conceal MURDER
Ex30-13c HOLY coins Coins used in HOLY TEMPLE matters
Dt18-01c FIRES of God SACRIFICES offered on temple Fire
Dt29-19a SMOKING anger Anger that makes person HOT
Gn13-02a Abraham HEAVY Abraham-s assets NUMEROUS
Gn13-02a ABRAHAM heavy ABRAHAM-S ASSETS numerous
Lv26-10b *9 Sign of PLENTY(have to remove old for nu
Lv26-04a *9 Sign of PLENTY-threshing seasn in HARVST
NOTES
-----
*1 Many examples in this list come from previous
list in the metonomy series (LIST871a,
LIST871b, LIST871c)
*2 See LIST871e for 6 Rashis mentioning this HAND=DOMAIN
theme
*3 See LIST871f for verses where NSA means GIFT
*4 Rashi citing the Midrash Rabbah states
-------------------------------------
Your violence is something you VIOLATED
from Esauv (You are killing like Esauv)
-------------------------------------
But I see no reason to see this Midrash
as the PRIMARY simple meaning of the
verse. The PRIMARY meaning of the verse
is that Shimon and Levi were criminals
The Midrash is simply adding a pun to this
observation.
*5 See LIST871g for some examples
*6 This is a common metonomy that occurs in English
(eg America-Americans etc).
Rashi is cute here: He EXPLAINS the metonomy
----------------------------------------------
When the soldiers die at sea their loved ones
back in Egypt also suffer and in effect are
smitten by God
----------------------------------------------
Rashi does not contradict the metonomy--he
simply shows why it is convenient to identify
the LAND and PEOPLE.
*7 The night was traditionally divided into three
times of Guard duty. The GUARD DUTY near dawn
was called the MORNING WATCH (Cf Ju07-19 for
confirmation that there was a BEGINNING WATCH, MIDDLE
WATCH and DAWN WATCH)
*8 The phrases SEEK GOD, SEEK IN GOD, occur in several
verses and denote SEEKING ADVICE OF GOD. Compare for
example (1S09-09, 1K22-08 or even 2K01-03 (Seeking
advice of idolatrous gods). For alternate meanings
see note *10.
*9 The exact verse text is
--------------------------------------------------
You will have to remove the old grain for the new
--------------------------------------------------
This means
---------------------
You will have plenty
---------------------
In other words removal of the OLD for the NEW
is simply something RELATED to PLENTY. The main
theme is plenty.
Similarly the Biblical text
------------------------------------------------------
The threshing season will bump into the harvest season
------------------------------------------------------
means
--------------------
you will have plenty
--------------------
Again the fact that we are STILL threshing when the
harvest comes is something RELATED to having plenty.
The main point is that there is PLENTY.
------------------------ LONGER FOOTNOTES -------------------
*10 On Gn25-22e there is a delightful Ramban Rashi controversy
Ramban points out that SEEK GOD can mean PRAYER. Rashi
holds it means PROPHETIC ADVICE. I brought about a dozen
verses which clearly show that
- SEEK GOD can and does refer to PRAYER
- SEEK GOD can and does refer to PROPHETIC ADVICE
- SEEK GOD can and does refer to BOTH Prayer/Prophecy
Hence I regard Ramban not as disagreeing with Rashi but
rather as complementing him. For further details see
http://www.Rashiyomi.com/gn25-22d.htm
*11 Clearly the Hebrew YeeChad comes from the root CHAD
which means SHARP. Rashi brings two opinions
- It means HE SHARPED (Mirthed at a SHARP WORD)
- It means HE TWINGED (Upset at PAINFUL news)
But Radack brings STRONG support that CHAD means
mirth. Indeed, in other verses, CHAD does mean
MIRTH (As in eg Neh08-10 or P021-07).
This controversy between Rashi and Radack
can be resolved Grammatically. The grammatical
form of VaYeeChad (Chirik, Patach) could come from
either
- INTENSE MODE of 1-2-Hey roots(Cheth-Daleth-Hey) or
- PASSIVE MODE of 1-2-2 roots(Cheth-Daleth-Daleth)
In the intense mode CHAD means MIRTH(Radack)
But in the PASSIVE MODE it would correspond to
RECEIVING (PASSIVE!) a SHARP twinge at hearing
bad news.
Hence the controversy is on the root and mode
of the word.
This explanation makes both viewpoints respectable
since Rashi would concede that CHEDVAH which
definitely comes from Cheth-Daleth-Hey means
MIRTH; Rashi could still maintain that Yee-Chad
means TWINGED since it comes from a different root
Rashi also points out that the translation
TWINGED would show that despite Jethros
happiness he still felt sorry for the Egyptians
thus showing the conflict between his past(non-jew)
and future (friend of Jews)
*12 See LIST871i for a collection of examples where
the metonomic idiom BE A BLESSING/CURSE is used
Note that the verses
-----------------------
Dt27-28b BE AN EXAMPLE
-----------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Gn48-20a MAY JEWS BLESS THRU YOU SAYING MAY GOD MAKE
YOU LIKE EPHRAIM AND MENASHEH
------------------------------------------------------
explicitly confirm the idiomatic usage suggested
================================================================
========================= LIST871i ==============================
List of idioms using Metonomy (eg Egypt=Egyptians)*1
=================================================================
Gn48-20a Be a BLESSING people say MAY YOU BE BLESSED LIKE ABE
Gn12-03a Be a BLESSING people say MAY YOU BE BLESSED LIKE ABE
Gn26-04a Be a BLESSING people say MAY YOU BE BLESSED LIKE ABE
------- ---------- ------------------------------------
Dt27-38b be an EXAMPLE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO
Dt27-38c be an ADAGE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO
Dt28-25a Be for SHOCKS people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO
Dt28-37a be for DSOLAT people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO
Dt27-38b be an EXAMPLE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO
Dt27-38c be an ADAGE people say YOU ARE CURSED LIKE SO & SO
NOTES
-----
*1 This list is reproduced from LIST871d
Note that the verses
-----------------------
Dt27-28b BE AN EXAMPLE
-----------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Gn48-20a MAY JEWS BLESS THRU YOU SAYING MAY GOD MAKE
YOU LIKE EPHRAIM AND MENASHEH
------------------------------------------------------
explicitly confirm the idiomatic usage suggested
=================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 23 Number 6
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 23 Number 6