13 Methods for inferring meaning:#9 of 32
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# 10 YEAR Ayelet DAILY-RASHI-YOMI CYCLE #
# June 3rd, 2001 #
# Rashis 767-769 Of 7800 (9.9%) #
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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.
TODAYS UNIT
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Todays unit shows how Rashi infers meaning
from parallel phrases in the same verse.
This is a very powerful technique especially
when the words hardly ever occur.
REFERENCE:
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This module comes from the following references in the
Rashi-is-Simple series.
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/gn01-02a.htm
http://www.RashiYomi.Com/h7n23.htm
#*#*#*# (C) RashiYomi Inc., 2001, Dr. Hendel, President #*#*#*#*#
EXAMPLE 17: Gn01-02a
EXAMPLE 18: Gn01-02b
EXAMPLE 19: Gn01-02c
BACKGROUND
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In the method of PARALLELISM we line up the phrases in a
verse and compare the meanings of words in SIMILAR POSITIONS
Thus the unknown Hebrew words TOHU and BOHU in Gn01-02
are PARALLEL to the word DARKNESS which has a known meaning
Here is the text
VERSE
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& The earth was TOHU
& BOHU
DARKNESS on the deep
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RASHI
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Thus Rashi-is-simple.The words TOHU and BOHU means DARKNESS
---------------------- NOTES -----------------------------------
True, Rashi does cite specific meanings on these words including
similar Old French words and the Aramaic translation.However
Rashi is simply saying that these words mean DARKNESS (or
similar meanings like DESOLATION)
It is instructive to compare Rashi to other commentaries. The
Radack cites the Greek philosophical approach that >Tohu and
Bohu< refer to the primeval matter and primeval form from which
God created the world. By contrast Rashis approach is fresh and
to the point and self contained.
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