Am I the only one that didn't the use of not after a something incredibly triggering?

Eg. "Ask not what..."
I know the meaning but I interpret it as "ask how(?) [ inverse of what]... "

No because a trigger is an event upon something happens.

Example of a trigger:
wake up alarm goes off -> I wake up

The "triggering" you talk of is not a trigger or atleast an empty event happens as nothing productive happens after the "trigger" happens.

no you're not the only one that didn't the use of not after a something ... we all didn't the use of not after a something ... at least at some point