[Avodah] translation of Na

[Zev Sero]

On 11/01/2011 8:07 AM, M Cohen wrote:
> this week's parsha has the word Na twice.
> once it means please (speak to pharaoh)
> the other time it means raw (korban pesach)
> the word is spelled identically - what is the connection between two?

Onkelos almost always translates "na", not as "please" but as "now".
Rashi in one place says "ein na ela leshon bakasha", but I've heard it
suggested that he means *this instance* of "na" means "please", rather
than the usual meaning.  At any rate, the connection between "now" and
"raw" is obvious.


-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                      - Margaret Thatcher