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VERSE: Nu14-04a
RASHIS COVERED: Nu14-04a Nu13-32b Nu13-16a Nu14-09a
============================ Nu14-04a ============================
SUCCINT SUMMARY
---------------
One of Rashis main goals was the explanation of meaning
the same way a dictionary explains meaning. Rashi had
a variety of vehicles to explain meaning. Rashi frequently
explained IDIOMS.
EXAMPLE Nu14-04a -- IDIOMS
--------------------------
We list 5 idioms for APPOINTING a leader
- PLACE leader,
- GIVE leader,
- APPOINT leader;
- RAISE leader;
- MAKE a leader)
EXAMPLE Nu13-32b Nu14-09a -- GOOD EXAMPLE METHOD
------------------------------------------------
- People of MEASURE = people who measures BIG
- SON of DEATH = will die SOON
- Person of SKILLS = VERY skilled;
- PERSON OF LIPS=smooth talking-effect of his lips is BIG
- Chidren of PROPHETS = VERY knowledgeable of prophecy
The Bible says THEY ARE OUR BREAD. This is equivalant
to the English Metaphor A PIECE OF CAKE. Notice how
BREAD/CAKE are GOOD EXAMPLES of things that are easy
to consume.
Notice how in the above examples we name an item by
a related activity. For example PIECE OF BREAD refers
to EASY TO DESTROY/CONSUME since BREAD is
also EASY to CONSUME. Here EASYNESS TO CONSUME
is named by BREAD which has EASYNESS TO CONSUME
as one of its properties. Such naming by related
items is called METONOMY and SNECHDOCHE.
EXAMPLE Nu13-16a - FOUR LETTER ROOTS
------------------------------------
Joshua = God (YAH) will SAVE YOU (shua)
==================================================================
ITEM DETAIL
======================== =========================================
RASHI RULE CLASS: WORD MEANINGS
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS 2-4 Letter roots
RASHI WORKBOOK PRINCIPLE #7
SEE BELOW LIST910h
List of 4 letter roots=sum of 2 letter roots
--------------------- ------------------------------------
RASHI SUBRULE CLASS 8 Methods of Naming
SEE BELOW LIST871d
List of idioms using metonomy(they-re our BREAD=Piece of CAKE)
--------------------- ------------------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST871i
List of words meaning APPOINT A LEADER (Give,place,raise,make)
--------------------- ------------------------------------
SEE BELOW LIST871h
List of words meaning ALOT (son of,person of,student of..)
==================================================================
========================= LIST871h ===============================
List of words meaning ALOT (son of a,person of,student of..)
==================================================================
VERSE Biblical Phrase Meaning of phrase-relation to ALOT
======== ==================== ====================================
Nu13-32b People of MEASURE People who measures BIG
1S20-31 SON of DEATH will die SOON
Pr31-10 Person of SKILLS VERY skilled;
Jb11-02 PERSON OF LIPS smooth talking effect of lips is BIG
2K02-03 Chidren of PROPHETS VERY knowledgeable of prophecy
==================================================================
======================== LIST871i ================================
List of words meaning APPOINT A LEADER (Give,place,raise,make)
==================================================================
VERSE Language for APPOINTING a leader
======== =========================================================
Dt17-14 PLACE leader
Nu14-04a GIVE leader
2K25-23 APPOINT leader
Lv04-22 RAISE leader
JU11-08 BE a leader
==================================================================
========================= LIST871d =============================
List of idioms using Metonomy (eg Egypt=Egyptians)
================================================================
VERSE TEXT OF VERSE METONOMY(ITEM means RELATED ITEM)
======== ============== ========================================
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)
===============================================================
=========================== LIST910h =======================
List of 4 letter roots=sum of 2 letter roots
============================================================
4 LETTER ROOT MEANING 1st 2 LETTERS LAST 2 LETTERS
============= ============ =============== =================
YeHoShuA*8 God will Sav God (YAH) Will Save(SHA)
AVRAYCH*1*4 Good leader Father Gentle/soft
MMZR*1 Illegitimate Blemished (From a)Stranger
ARAL Angel Lion (of) God
BLAD Except Without (BLi) Others
BRZL Iron Strong (BRi) Branch (ZLZL)
ZLAF Fright Worthless (and) Fatigued*3
SRAF Branches A Pot (ie nest) (for) Birds *2
PANAYACH Insightful Brings out(POA) The Hidden(NAX)*5
ChachLiL Intoxicating Swirling(LL) the palate(XC)*6
SnaPir Fish fins Shrub like(SN) used to fly*7
NOTES:
------
*1 There are two approaches to 4 letter roots. Sometimes we
try and see them as 2 two letter roots and sometimes we try
and see them as a 3 letter root with an extra letter. Thus
ASTR is explained in the Talmud as ASR. Rav Hirsch stuck to
the 3 letter approach even in obvious cases--thus he takes
MMZR from MZR a rare word in Job.
Similarly Rashi cites a controversy on AVRAYCH:
-- A double 2 letter approach would yield:
AVRAYCH=Gentle(Rc) Father(Av)
-- A 3 letter approach would yield:
AVRAYCH=Kneel (Brch) to me (Aleph)
*2 Note the poetic lisence in e.g.
SRAF = BIRD(AF) POT (SiR)= Something for Bird nests
This type of small poetic lisence is common in etymologies
and makes their study difficult
*3 Note the finer nuances in some translations. For example ZLAF
occurs rarely in TNACH and its meaning is inferred from its
context. The RDQ in his book of ROOTS says its meaning is SOME
TYPE OF FRIGHT....this could go well with the verse cited by
RDK: "fright has overtaken me"
But perhaps a BETTER translation is
feeling worthless and tired So that the verse with
ZLAF would mean WORTHLESSNESS & FATIGUE HAS OVERTAKEN ME
Then again perhaps there is no way to see which translation
is better
*4 Rashi Gn41-43b
*5 Rashi Gn41-45
*6 Rashi Gn49-12a
*7 The following may help:
- PRCh means to FLY; in connection with fish it could
refer to swimming throughout the water
- SN can mean THORNBUSH or BRANCHES (Songs07-09). I
therefore suggest it means SHRUB like.
So SN-PR would refer to SHRUB-LIKE(SN) protrusions by
which a fish FLYES (PR) - SNPR.
*8 Rashi Nu13-16a
=================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
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Volume 22 Number 6
#*#*#*#*# (C) 2001, RashiYomi Inc. Dr Hendel President #*#*#*#*#
Volume 22 Number 6