13 Methods for inferring meaning:#19 of 32
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# June 18th, 2001 #
# Rashis 797-801 Of 7800 (10.3%) #
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# VISIT THE RASHI YOMI ARCHIVES #
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GOALS:
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I decided its time for a longer unit.
This unit will focus on a major Rashi task--explaining
the MEANINGS OF WORDS.
Explaining the MEANINGS of WORDS is more than looking
something up in a dictionary. There are METHODS to
explaining WORDS.
Thus in this module we will explore HOW Rashi determines
the meanings of words -- that is, we will explore WHAT
RASHIS METHODS ARE
TODAYS UNIT
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Today we review a fascinating example showing how Rashi
derived a dictionary meaning in all detail from only a
few verses.
REFERENCE:
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This module comes from the following reference in the
Rashi-is-Simple series.
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h5n2.htm
#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
BACKGROUND
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The Bible uses the Hebrew root SHIDAFON. Rashi and Radack explain
that this refers to a WHEAT ILLNESS CAUSED BY A STRONG EAST WIND
THAT POUNDS THE WHEAT PREVENTING MATURITY.
Thus it appears that this is simply a dictionary meaning.
It is therefore exciting to see Rashi DERIVE this meaning from
verses. This is all the more remarkable when we consider that
the root SHDF only occurs in 9 verses!!!!
The derivation will proceed in 3 steps
THE VERSES & RASHIS
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STEP 1: SHDFON involves some type of WHEAT FIELD ILLNESS
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EXAMPLE 48: Dt28-22f God will smite...with SDFHON & YAYRAKON
EXAMPLE 49: Dt28-22g God will smite...with SDFHON & YAYRAKON
The verses are speaking about how God will punish our fields.
We thus see FROM CONTEXT that SHDFON is some type of FIELD
ILLNESS. See footnote *1 for more examples.
STEP 2: SHDFON affects wheat by smiting before MATURITY
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Rashi now cites 2R19-26
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They will be a SHDF before (FIELD) MATURITY
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From this verse we infer that SHDF affects the wheat BEFORE
it matures (and is not eg an illness that happens to the
fully grown wheat like an illness of speckles)
STEP 3: SHDAFON is caused by the EAST WIND
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EXAMPLE 50: Gn41-06a Shdafon comes from an east wind
EXAMPLE 51: Gn41-06b Shdafon comes from an east wind
EXAMPLE 52: Ex14-21a The east wind is the fiercest of winds
Rashis point is that wheat can probably withstand many
types of wind. But the east wind is fierce and has the
capacity to injure the wheat. A list of verses showing
that the Bible perceives the EAST WIND as fiercest
is presented below in footnote *2.
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*1 Verses showing that SHDAFON is a field illness
VERSE TEXT
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1R8-37 When there is a famine, SHDF, YHRK, locust
2C6-28 When there is a famine, SHDF, YHRK, locust
Am4-9 I hit you with SHDF YHRK, fields
Hag2-17 I have smitten you with SHDF YHRK and HAIL
Dt28-22 God will smite you with..SHDF and YHRK
*2 Verses showing that the east wind is the fiercest
VERSE TEXT
======== ========================================================
Yir18:17 I'll scatter them before the enemy with an EAST wind
Hos13:15 Let the EAST,the Wind of God,..come up..and dry them out
Ez27:26 The EAST wind breaks them in the heart of the sea
Is27:8. With a fierce wind He'll fight..on the day of the EAST
Ex14-21 And God 'walked' the sea with a FIERCE EAST WIND
#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#