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Written by Dr Russell Jay Hendel
Volume 7 Number 20
Produced Oct 4, 2000
WARNING: USE FIX WIDTH FONTS (eg COURIER (NEW) 10)
Verses/Topics Discussed in This Issue with quicky explanations
IN THE NEWS
v9-10-4 *A RECAP OF MANY RECENT NEWS FLASHES
*Word Versions of Rashi is Simple
*My paper on Rashi Rules--Word Download
*My paper on Genesis 1 describes prophecy
*Arutz7(Israeli news) is hosting a learning website
*WebMap fixed up for Netscape viewers
*Rabbi Ishmael series on Website
*White paper section on Website
*We have incorporated: RashiYomi Incorporated
FROM THE READERS
Dt24-05g Yosi Zoimen points out a cute marriage truth hidden
--------in the Aramaic translations noted by Rashi.
WEEKLY PARSHAH SERIES
Dt32-10f The twinkle in the eye looks like a
Distant bonfire (So the Hebrew
Eeshun (pupil) comes from AySh(Fire)
Dt32-10a 4 stages to making a relationship:
FINDING the person, DATING(Sharing & gifts),
UNDERSTANDING each other, MARRIAGE
Dt32-06d 4 Stages in MAKING a nation
Acquiring a LEADER, receiving GUIDANCE
GROWING UP, Defining ones own CULTURE
Rashis covered in this issue
----------------------------
VERSE RULE BRIEF EXPLANATION
======== ============== =================
Dt25-04g ROOT+PREPOSITION Sin-Mem-Chet in Piel means to gladden
Dt32-10f WORD MEANINGS A Nun at end of word means ALOT
Gn02-11a WORD MEANINGS A Nun at end of word means ALOT
Dt32-10a EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a relationship
Dt32-10b EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a relationship
Dt32-10c EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a relationship
Dt32-10d EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a relationship
Dt32-10e EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a relationship
Dt32-06d EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a nation
Dt32-06e EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a nation
Dt32-06f EXAMPLE9 4 Stages in making a nation
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RASHI IS SIMPLE
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VERSE: v9-10-4
*A recap of many recent flashes
*Word Versions of Rashi is Simple
*My paper on Rashi Rules--Word Download
*My paper on Genesis 1 describes prophecy
*Arutz7(Israeli news) is hosting a learning website
*WebMap fixed up for Netscape viewers
*Rabbi Ishmael series on Website
*White paper section on Website
*We have incorporated: RashiYomi Incorporated
NEW: Visit the WHATS HOT & NEW section on the website
You can find WORD VERSIONS of Rashi-is-Simple. Let me
know how you like it (if so we will continue)
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GENESIS-1 PAPER: Still the hottest item on the website. Read
how Genesis 1 describes the creation of prophecy not the world
What happened 6000 years ago is that prophecy was created--the
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deal with how to treat legal examples: whether you should
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VERSE: Dt24-05g
RASHIS COVERED: Dt24-05g
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: To Yossi Zoimen for pointing this Rashi out
Rashi simply translates the verse:
AND HE SHALL GLADEN(*1) THE WIFE HE TOOK
NOTES:
*1 The Hebrew root Shin-Mem-Chaf means being happy.
The Hebrew word SeeMaCh means to gladden, that is, to cause
someone else to be happy.
The grammatical form of the Hebrew word SeeMaCh is the Piel Mode
As the {LIST} below shows the piel form of the root Shin-Mem-Chaf
means to gladden.
Rashi notes that the standard Aramaic translation, Oonkelos,
translates to gladden her . By contrast the alternate Aramaic
translation, Targum Yonathan, mistranslates this verse as
To be happy with her . This translation is incorrect because
---it is the Hebrew root SaMaCh in the Kal Mode that means
be happy while our verse has Seemach in the Piel Mode which
means to gladden.
---the Hebrew root SaMaCh never occurs with the preposition
with (That is there is no sentence of the form to be happy
with ).
{LIST}
Verses where the Piel form, SeeMaCh means to GLADDEN
====================================================
Verse Text with the word SeeMaCh, meaning GLADDEN
----- -------------------------------------------
Ps19-9 The words of God GLADDEN the heart
Ps86-4 GLADDEN the souls of your servants
Ps90-15 GLADDEN us the same number of years we suffered
Prv10-1 A wise son GLADDENS his father
eh12-43 Because God GLADDEN them with great happiness
RULE USED: ROOT+PREPOSITION
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VERSE: Dt32-10f
RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-10f Gn02-11a
RULE: The Hebrew letter NUN at the end of a word indicates
INTENSITY or MUCHNESS:
EXAMPLES
--------
(1) PaaMN(Bell Claver)=Alot of (Nun) Hammering(PAAM);
(2) GICHON(Raging rapids)=Alot of (NUN) Goring noise (NGCH);
(3) PISHON(the Nile)=Produces Alot(NUN)of Flax(PS);
(4) CHRN(A person during the FLOOD era)=Intense(N) Anger(CHR)*1
(5) KoRBN (Sacrifice)= Intense (Nun) Closeness to God (KRV)
(6) ShlChaN(Table)= Alot (Nun) left out (on it)(ShlCh)
(7) ZiChRN (Memorial)=Intense(Nun) Memory (ZCR)
(8) YERIVUN (Fist Fight) = Intense(Nun) Dispute (RV)
NOTES
-----
*1 Rashi
APPLICATION:
The Hebrew root Alpeh-Shin means FIRE.
Hence the root Aleph-Shin with a Nun at the end would mean
a big (NUN) fire (Aleph-Shin)--for example, a bonfire.
On a dark night a bonfire from a long distance would look almost
identical to the twinkle in the pupil of the eye.(When you look
into someones eyes you usually get a sense of distance)
Rashi in fact explicitly says the Hebrew word EeeShun refers to
the star (ie twinkle) in the pupil of the eye .
Most other Rishonim and Acharonim(eg Radack and Sifsay Chachamim)
say that the word Eeeshun comes from the word Ish meaning PERSON
because when you look into the pupil you can see a small person.
There are 3 objections to this classical explanation.
OBJECTION 1: Rashi does not say it
OBJECTION 2: You don t always see a person in a pupil By
contrast you can always see a twinkle and the pupil is
always black(like a dark night)
OBJECTION 3: Radack explicitly says that such an explanation
would require the Nun to mean SMALL since the image of a
person in the pupil of the eye is a SMALL PERSON . However
as the {LIST} above shows, a terminal NUN always means BIG.
To a certain degree there is a bit of fancy in each etymology--
small person vs bonfire at a distance . Rashis etymology
however is consistent with the principle that Nun means ALOT.
There is also an overtone of humility---when you see the twinkle
in a persons eye you think you are close to them. But in reality
the twinkle or bonfire represents a soul that is distant from you
REFERENCE: The posting on Nun meaning ALOT was first posted in
Volume 3 Number 20.
RULE USED: WORD MEANINGS
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VERSE: Dt32-10a
RASHIS USED: Dt32-10a Dt32-10b Dt32-10c
Dt32-10d Dt32-10e
RULE: We have frequently indicated that POETIC verses are
governed by the Rabbi Ishmael rule of CONTEXT. Very often poetic
verses REPEAT the same theme several times. In interpeting these
verses the following guiding principles are helpful:
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING POETIC VERSES
* First, find the overall UNIFYING principle
* Next, try and recognize the WORDS that YOU do KNOW
* Further try and find the SPECIAL NUANCES in the words you know
* Then infer the meanings of other words using PARALLEL STRUCTURE
* Try and find all SUBCATEGORIES of the UNIFYING theme
* Make a ONE TO ONE CORRESPONDENCE between the subcategories of
The unifying theme and repeated stanzas of the verse based on
the nuances you recognize in the repeated words.
EXAMPLES
1) Dt32-10
------------------------------------------------------
He(God) found them (The Jews) in a land that is a
desert and a nothingness---jackal cries of despair
He(God) Surrounded them
He gave them understanding
He watched them like the pupil of his eye
------------------------------------------------------
We now review the 5 repeated stanzas of this verse using the 6
suggested guidelines in the RULE above
UNIFYING PRINCIPLE: Clearly all 5 repeated stanzas state that
God found the Jews
WORDS YOU KNOW: Most words in the verse are common Hebrew words.
Rashi reminds us of the meaning of the following words & phrases
(which can be found in any (Biblical) dictionary)
* The Hebrew word YeVoNeNayHu comes from the
root Beth-Yud-Nun which means TO UNDERSTAND
* The Hebrew word YiTzeRenHu comes from the root
Nun-Tzade-Resh which means to Watch(eg Prv27-18, Prv22-12)
* The Hebrew word EeyShun means the pupil of the eye(eg Ps17-8)
* The concept of desert land is described using 4 words
{LIST}
The 4 words in Dt32-10 meaning Desert.
The phrase as a whole would be translated as follows:
in a land that is a DESERT and a NULLILITY---
a WAILING of DESOLATION *1
============================================================
Hebrew word English Meaning Another verse with this word
----------- --------------- ----------------------------
MidBar Desert Ex03-01
ToHu Nullility Gn01-02
YeLayL Wining, crying Jer25-36
YeShiMoN Desolation Gn47-19
NOTES
*1 Note that Rashi not only translated the words but also
gave their grammatical function--that is he indicated HOW
the words are connected. Thus for example the phrase WAILING
OF DESOLATION is placed opposite to land that is a DESERT and
NULLILITY --this is common in Biblical phrases. Thus the whole
sentence is translated In a land that is a desert and nullility-
--a wailing of desolations (Other translations of function may
be possible in Rashis words but we do not enter that here)
SPECIAL NUANCES: The following words have obvious nuances
* YeVoNeNayHu means to understand and can refer to learning
* YiMTzAyHu means to find and can indicate, in the sphere of
love relations, finding a person you get along with . Four or
five examples of this usage may be found in Songs 3:1-4 (I am
a bit surprised that Rashi did not point this out explicitly)
PARALLEL STRUCTURE: This is clearly delineated by the four verbs
*God found them
*God surrounded them
*God gave them understanding
*God watched them
SUBCATEGORIES OF FINDING A PARTNER IN A RELATIONSHIP
We already indicated that the unifying theme of the verse is
God FOUND the Jews . We also indicated that FOUND means FINDING
A PARTNER IN A RELATIONSHIP. The subcategories of FINDING are
* FINDING--Obtaining the Partner
* DATING--Sharing gifts with the partner; going places;
* UNDERSTANDING each other
* MARRIAGE--CARING FOR EACH OTHER
{LIST}
1-1 correspondence of Dt32-10 & 4 phases of FINDING someone
===========================================================
Phrase in Dt32-10 Relationship Rashi on this phrase
----------------- ------------ --------------------
God found the Jews Find God found his match*1
He Surrounded them Date God gave clouds,flags*2
Gave them understanding Understand Gave Torah*3
He Watched/cared Caring God saved from perils*4
NOTES
*1 Rashi points out that eg other nations would not have been
suitable partners--eg the Arabs and Esauvites would not have
accepted the Torah
*2 Rashi mentions 3 things (all indicative of the dating phase)
2a--He surrounded the Jews with CLOUDS (a gift)
2b--He surrounded the Jews with FLAGS for each tribe(A gift)
2c--The Jews surrounded the mountain at Sinai (The date to
receive the Torah)
The concept of a date with God was introduced to me by my
teacher Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchick who frequently used this
concept in Lecture
Note how I have INTERPRETED RASHI. The SURROUNDING by clouds
and flags is itself indicative of a DATING relationship which
is one phase of God and the Jews finding each other
I am justified in so interpreting Rashi because of the
principle of CONTEXT which requries that all 4 phrases
indicate some aspect of the relationship
*3 Thus we view the Torah as the phase where the two parties,
God and the Jews UNDERSTAND each other
*4 Rashi simply gives a list of perils that the Jews encountered
4a Snakes and scorpions (eg Compare Dt08-15) or the nations
that attacked the Jews which God saved them from (eg Dt02,Dt03)
SUMMARY: Thus Dt32-10 describes how God found his partner
the Jews Here is a loose translation with commentary
----------------------------------------------------------
He found them in a desert land where there was no one else
He surrounded the Jews with Gifts like flags and clouds
He shared understanding with them thru the Torah
He entered into Convenant with them to protect and care for them
----------------------------------------------------------------
RULE USED: EXAMPLE9
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VERSE: Dt32-06d
RASHIS COVERED: Dt32-06d Dt32-06e Dt32-06f
RULE: We have frequently indicated that POETIC verses are
governed by the Rabbi Ishmael rule of CONTEXT. Very often poetic
verses REPEAT the same theme several times. In interpeting these
verses the following guiding principles are helpful:
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING POETIC VERSES
* First, find the overall UNIFYING principle
* Next, try and recognize the WORDS that YOU do KNOW
* Further try and find the SPECIAL NUANCES in the words you know
* Then infer the meanings of other words using PARALLEL STRUCTURE
* Try and find all SUBCATEGORIES of the UNIFYING theme
* Make a ONE TO ONE CORRESPONDENCE between the subcategories of
The unifying theme and repeated stanzas of the verse based on
the nuances you recognize in the repeated words.
EXAMPLES
1) Dt32-06
----------------------------
Is He (God) not your FATHER
He NESTS you
He MADE you
and made you WELL FOUNDED
----------------------------
Let us now review this verse using the 6 Guidelines above
UNIFYING PRINCIPLE
Clearly all 4 phrases say that God MADE the Jews
WORDS YOU KNOW
All the following words have well known meanings
* Father
* Nest
* Make
* Well Founded
SPECIAL NUANCES
According to Radack, Book of Roots,the root TO MAKE(Ayin-Sin-Hey)
has 5 meanings
{LIST}
The Five meanings of Ayin-Sin-Hey----To Make
================================================
Meaning Sample Text Verse
--------------- ----------------------- --------
To create I created earth Isa45-12
To fix (he didn 2Sam19-25
Give stamade thiDt08-17
to do God DID what he planned Lam2-17
Squeeze squeeze breasts*2 Ez23-08
NOTES
*1 Another translation might be to ACQUIRE ( I ACQUIRED this
wealth ). However eg in 2Sam12-6 God, who MADE Moses and
Aaron , it doesn t mean CREATE and doesn t mean ACQUIRED but
rather means GAVE THE STATUS OF PROPHETS. The reader should
choose that explanation (STATUS, CREATE) that (s)he likes best
Perhaps it is best to translate these verses like the English
This MADE him into a man which also has a connotation of
GIVING STATUS TO
*2 Actually my opinion is that Ez23-08 would better be translated
in the sense of FIX or TRIM since you FIX BREASTS by nursing
(Similar to FIXING nails by trimming).
Thus in Dt32-06 we would translate, not
God who CREATED(Made) you
but rather
God who MADE you
(that is MADE you what you are and gave you the status of a
nation)
THE PARALLEL STRUCTURE
Dt32-06 indicates 4 phases in MAKING A NATION
* FATHER
* NESTING
* MAKING you into a nation
* WELL FOUNDED
Note how in this case the 4 stages are indicated by 4 words (not
4 verbs)
THE SUBCATEGORIES OF MAKING A NATION
* Acquiring a leader
* Getting guidance
* Growing up--becoming a recognized nation
* Developing ones own culture
THE ONE TO ONE CORRESPONDECE
{LIST}
1-1 Correspondence Between Dt32-06 & Making A Nation
======================================================
Verse Become a Nation Rashis language
----- --------------- ---------------
Father Acquired a leader*1 Acquired
Nest Guidance Fix you up *2
Made you Make Make you a nation
Well fou Prophets,Priests,Sages
NOTES
*1 Actually Rashi speaks not about the Jews acquiring a leader
but rather about God acquiring the Jews--either way, it is the
beginning of the relationship
*2 Of course there are triple puns here--the 3 words used:
---acquire (KaNah)
---nest (KaN)
---Fix (TaKayN)
all come from the same Kuf-Nun root. But the correspondence
is as shown above
*3 In other words Jewish culture is characterized by having
Sages, Priests, and Prophets.
SUMMARY: God
--became your leader and father
--he nested and fixed you up
--he MADE you into a nation
--and help you develop your own culture of priest-prophet-sages
RULE USED: EXAMPLE9
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THE 2 DOZEN RASHI-IS-SIMPLE RASHI RULES
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rules.htm
=======================================
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/rules9-6.htm
=======================================
I: RASHI gives MEANING
======================
A: NEW MEANINGS--(eg)"on the face of"=during the lifetime
Volume 2 Number 9, http://www.rashiyomi.Com/Nu04-04a.htm
B: SPECIAL WORDS--(eg)ACH=USUALLY;USUALLY observe shabbath!
Rashi Yomi Summaries,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ach-6.htm
C: SYNONYMS--(eg)AMR=to speak; DBR=to cite or to quote;
Volume 2 Number 1, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Lv20-02a.htm
D: WORD MEANINGS-Thermos(TzNTzNTh)=doubly(TZN TZN) Cold(TZN)
Volume 1 Number 9,23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex31-15a.htm
E: UNIFIED MEANINGS-PAAM=Repeated action:To Ring,Hammer,Step
Volume 1 Number 3,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn41-08a.htm
II: RASHI teaches GRAMMAR/STYLE
===============================
F: CLASSICAL GRAMMAR--(eg)QUESTION = HEY+CHATAF PATACH
Volume 3 Number 22,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn04-09z.htm
G: USAGE(NEW GRAMMAR)--(eg)INFINITIVE="be involved in";
Volume 5 Number 24,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex13-03a.htm
H: ROOT+PREPOSITION--(eg)ChZK B="to hold";ChZK M="overpower"
Volume 1 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex04-04a.htm
I: THE SENTENCE--2 verses can make 1 sentence-eg Dt02-16:17
Volume 3 Number 7,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt19-06a.htm
J: STYLE--REPETITION denotes Endearment;eg 'Jacob Jacob'
Volume 1 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Gn46-02a.htm
K: DOUBLE NOUNS--(eg)"GIVE GIVE";if not CHARITY then LOAN
Double Noun page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/DN.htm
L: PRONOUNS-(eg)IMCHAH=with you; ITCHAH=Accompanying you;
Volume 3 Number 13,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Ex22-24c.htm
III: OVERALL TEXTUAL STRUCTURE
==============================
M: OTHER VERSES--Aaron SAW(Ex32-05)...the brawl(Ex32-18)
OTHER VERSE page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/ov.htm
N: EXTRA SENTENCES-eg[GIVE HIM][WHAT HE NEEDS](Not if rich)
Volume 2 Number 20,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt15-08c.htm
O: DOUBLE PARSHAS-'he WILL pray'-'he WON'T pray';So Optional
Volume 3 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt24-14a.htm
P: CLIMAX-(eg Dt19-11)(a)Hate, (b)spy, (c)confront,(d)Murder
Climax Page, http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Climax.htm
Q: OVERALL STRUCTURE-growing nails=despisement(from context)
Volume 3 Number 8,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt21-11a.htm
R: SPREADSHEETS-What is the marriage loophole in inheritance
Volume 2 Number 23,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu36-03a.htm
IV: BEYOND THE TEXT
===================
S: MORAL LESSONS/REASONS-God explains BEFORE punishing;
Volume 2 Number 12,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Nu12-09a.htm
T: RabbiIshmael-(eg)"When an OX gores";(Or ANY animal gores)
Volume 4 Number 21,http://www.RashiYomi.Com/Dt25-04a.htm
End of Rashi-Is-Simple Digest
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