פשת Pshat Simple meaning	רמז Remez Hinted / allegorical[1] meaning	דרש Drush Metaphoric[2] Meaning	סוד Sod Symbolic[3] meaning
Field: A working place for nourishment.	Field: A place where Torah Scholars work.[4]	Field: A city (Edom) / the world.[5]	Field: A woman.[6]

פשת Pshat

Simple meaning

רמז Remez

Hinted / allegorical[1] meaning

דרש Drush

Metaphoric[2] Meaning

סוד Sod

Symbolic[3] meaning

Field:

A working place for nourishment.

Field:

A place where Torah Scholars work.[4]

Field:

A city (Edom) / the world.[5]

Field:

A woman.[6]

Consider the table above as we study a most facinating topic, a field. Lets begin by briefly speaking about the four levels of hermaneutics: Pshat, remez, drash, and sod. The whole of Torah and many of the other books of the Tanach conceal a large amount of facinating information that needs to be coaxed out using different rules. We are going to use these levels to examine a single word, field, and the ramifications that can be discerned from the scriptures using these levels. We are not going to be spending time using the underlying hermaneutics, but rather we will just be looking at this one word through the eyes of our Jewish sages.

At the sod level

At the sod level, a wife is a field. A field is where seed is planted and things grow. A wife is where a seed (sperm) is planted and a child grows.

Appendix A:

פרדס	פשאת	רמס	דרש	סוד
PaRDeS	Pshat	Remez	Derash	Sod
Definition	Simple	Hint	Explore - Ask	Secret
Literary level	Grammatical	Allegory	Parabolic	Mystical
Audience level	Common People	Noble (Lawyers, Judges, Scientists)	Kingly (civil servants, political scientists)	Mystic (psychologists)
Hermeneutic level[7]	7 Hillel Laws	13 Ishmael Laws	32 Ben Gallil Laws	42 Zohar Laws
Rabbinic level	Mishna	Gemara	Midrash	Zohar
Gospel	Marqos (Mark), 1 & 2 Peter	I and II Luqas (Luke)	Matityahu (Matthew)	Yochanan (John) 1, 2, 3, and Revelation
Presentation	HaShem’s Servant	Son of Man	The King	Son of G-D
Gospel	Marqos[8] (Mark)	Luqas[9] (Luke)	Matitiyahu (Matthew)	Yochanan (John)
Principle Concern	What do we have to do?	What is the meaning behind what we have to do?	How do we go about establishing HaShem’s Kingdom on earth?	What metaphysical meaning is there to what is happening?
World	Asiyah	Yetzirah	Beriyah	Atzilut
Symbol	Man	Ox/Bull	Lion	Eagle
Mazzaroth	Deli	Shaur	Aryeh	Aqurav
Tribe	Reuben	Ephraim	Judah	Dan
Temple	Outside Chatzer	Chatzer	Kodesh	Kodesh Kodashim
Purim	Mikrah Megillah	Matanot L’Evyonim	Mishloach Manot	Seudas Purim

[1] What is an allegory? A story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning.

[2] Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness between them (as in drowning in money). A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable (e.g. food for thought). 2 a thing symbolic of something else. ORIGIN from Greek, from metapherein ‘to transfer’.

[3] What is a symbol? A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. A mark or character used as a conventional representation of something, e.g. a letter standing for a chemical element. — ORIGIN Greek sumbolon ‘mark, token’.

[4] Yevamoth 97b (comment #7) Lit., ‘drawers who draw the bucket’. Men engaged in the irrigation of fields (cf. Rashi and last.); scholars drawing from the fountains of wisdom (cf. Aruk. and Tosaf. s.v.)

[5] Midrash Rabbah - Ruth I:5; Matityahu (Matthew) 13:38

[6] Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 36b

[7] The Hermeneutical Laws for the first and second levels of Rabbinical Hermeneutics you will find in the Siddur. In the ArtScroll Siddur (Nusach Sefard), pp. 53-54, which are found in the Morning Service on the “Offerings Section” before the “Kadish D’Rabanan” (The Rabbi’s Kaddish) and which are a quote from the Sifra. The laws of Hermeneutics for this second level are recited every single day of the year by all Torah Observant Jews!

[8] Greek form of the Hebrew Mordecai.

[9] Greek form of the Hebrew Hillel.