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The more common one,\u0026nbsp;תַּעַר \u003Ci\u003Eta'ar\u003C\/i\u003E, is found in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/8593.%D7%AA%D6%B7%D7%A2%D6%B7%D7%A8\"\u003Efive verses\u003C\/a\u003E: Bamidbar 6:5, 8:7; Yeshaya 7:20; Tehilim 52:4,\u0026nbsp; and Yechezkel 5:1. (In Yirmiyahu 36:23, it refers to a scribe's knife.)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe less frequent word,\u0026nbsp;מוֹרָה \u003Ci\u003Emorah\u003C\/i\u003E, only appears \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/4177.%D7%9E%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%94\"\u003Ethree times\u003C\/a\u003E: Shoftim 13:5, 16:17; and Shmuel I 1:11. All of these mentions of \u003Ci\u003Emorah\u003C\/i\u003E refer to nazirites (Shimshon and Shmuel).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe laws of the nazirite are found in Bamidbar, and that is where \u003Ci\u003Eta'ar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears. The phrasing of the verses is very similar. Bamidbar 6:5 says תַּעַר לֹא־יַעֲבֹר עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ \"no razor [\u003Ci\u003Eta'ar\u003C\/i\u003E] shall touch his head.\" Of both Shimshon and Shmuel the verses say וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ \"and no razor [\u003Ci\u003Emorah\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;shall come on his head.\" This would seem to indicate that the two words are synonymous - referring to the same object, first in the law of the nazir, and then in the stories of two nazirites.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis understanding is reflected in the etymology of the two words. Many recent scholars say that they share a common origin. For example, Klein writes in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%94_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ehis entry for \u003Ci\u003Emorah\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EOf uncertain origin; possibly contraction of מַעֲרָה, from ערה ᴵ (= to lay bare), whence תַּעַר (= razor).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe root ערה, \"to lay bare, strip\" (the source of \u003Ci\u003Earom \u003C\/i\u003Eערום - \"naked\") therefore led to both words. \u003Ci\u003EMorah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was a contraction (the ayin dropped out) of \u003Ci\u003Ema'areh \u003C\/i\u003E(meaning an open, bare place - see Shoftim 20:33), and \u003Ci\u003Eta'ar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was a different way the noun was formed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKaddari also accepts this theory, and expands it by noting the connection between the root גלח - \"to shave\" and גלה - \"to uncover, expose.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis same root - \"to reveal\" - can explain another usage of \u003Ci\u003Eta'ar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the Tanakh. It can also mean \"sheath (of a sword), scabbard\" (Shmuel I 17:51; Shmuel II 20:8; Yirmiyahu 47:6; Yechezkel 21:8,9,10,35).\u0026nbsp;As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%AA%D6%B7%D6%BC%D6%BD%D7%A2%D6%B7%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein points out\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EProb. from ערה ᴵ (= to lay bare, uncover), whence also Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Et‘rt\u003C\/i\u003E (= sheath of a sword); hence of the same etymology as תַּעַר ᴵ.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGesenius says that \u003Ci\u003Eta'ar \u003C\/i\u003Eas sheath, \"perhaps so called from emptiness.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, \u003Ci\u003Emorah \u003C\/i\u003Eis almost never used for \"razor\" (probably because its other meaning, female teacher, is much more prevalent). \u003Ci\u003ETa'ar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is used for razor, although the phrase סַכִּין גִּלּוּחַ \u003Ci\u003Esakin giluach\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is also common. As far as sheath\/scabbard, I guess I never had a reason to use the word, since the current word surprised me: נָדָן \u003Ci\u003Enadan\u003C\/i\u003E. But it too is biblical, found in Divrei Hayamim I 21:27. However its origin is Persian (see a discussion \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/1451063\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/208911338483544065\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=208911338483544065","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/208911338483544065"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/208911338483544065"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/08\/taar-and-morah.html","title":"taar and morah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4489027917372520018"},"published":{"$t":"2022-08-08T19:32:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-08-08T19:32:44.357+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gazam and higzim"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E'When discussing \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/07\/hiflig-and-muflag.html\"\u003Ehiflig\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, I mentioned that while one definition is \"exaggerate\", that's not a use common in Hebrew today.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI've now given it a bit more thought, and I think the reason is perhaps the popularity of the word \u003Ci\u003Ehigzim \u003C\/i\u003Eהגזים for \"exaggerate.\" With a word that pervasive, there wasn't need for a synonym, which left \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig \u003C\/i\u003Eas \"exaggerate\" an archaic usage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat got me wondering about \u003Ci\u003Ehigzim\u003C\/i\u003E. It is the \u003Ci\u003Ehifil \u003C\/i\u003Eform of the verb גזם. That verb, in its \u003Ci\u003Ekal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form, means \"to cut\", or more specifically \"to prune, trim.\" (We've \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/01\/gezer.html\"\u003Ealready\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/gimmel.html\"\u003Enoted \u003C\/a\u003Ethat it fits the pattern of roots beginning with *גז meaning \"to cut.\") How did a root that means \"to prune\" (the process of shortening) come to mean \"to exaggerate\" - which is making something bigger than it really is?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D7%96%D7%9D_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein notes\u003C\/a\u003E that in addition \u003Ci\u003Ehigzim \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"to exaggerate\", it also means \"to threaten.\" While not in common use today, that sense is found in Talmudic Hebrew. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%92%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%96%D6%B7%D7%9D.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E provides a few such cases in his entry. For example, he quotes Shevuot 46a:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eעביד איניש דגזים וכ׳\u003C\/span\u003E a man frequently threatens mischief and does not do it. Ib. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eהכי נמי ג׳ וכ׳\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;..\u0026nbsp;in this case, too, he may have threatened and not done it.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Shevuot.46a.15?lang=bi\"\u003EThe English Steinsaltz translation\u003C\/a\u003E is slightly different than Jastrow's:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eאלמא עביד איניש דגזים ולא עביד הכא נמי דגזים ולא עביד\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EEvidently, a person is prone\u003C\/b\u003E to \u003Cb\u003Ebluster without acting\u003C\/b\u003E on his threat. \u003Cb\u003EHere, also,\u003C\/b\u003E it could be \u003Cb\u003Ethat he was blustering\u003C\/b\u003E about seizing collateral, \u003Cb\u003Ebut did not act\u003C\/b\u003E on it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe choice of \"to bluster\" as the translation of the Aramaic cognate גזים was a clever choice. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/bluster\"\u003EMeaning\u003C\/a\u003E \"to talk or act with noisy swaggering threats\" and \"to utter with noisy self-assertiveness\", it encompasses both the sense of \"to threaten\" and \"to exaggerate.\" This is appropriate for the case above, where the person doesn't carry through with his threat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut not every threat is a bluster. For example, the midrash (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Bamidbar_Rabbah.14.7?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EBamidbar Rabbah 14:6\u003C\/a\u003E) refers to the story of Joseph and Potifar's wife, saying that if Joseph did not acquiesce to her request, she threatened to tell her her husband that Joseph assaulted her. And yet Joseph did not give in to her, despite what she threatened to do to him -\u0026nbsp;שֶׁהָיְתָה מַגְזֶמֶת לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ. And as we know from the biblical story - she did indeed tell her husband that Joseph assaulted her - she carried out her threat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne word can't therefore contain all the meanings of \u003Ci\u003Ehigzim\u003C\/i\u003E. So we need a different explanation as to the different meanings of the verb גזם. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D7%96%D7%9D_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E provides just such an explanation. After providing an initial definition of גזם meaning \"to cut down, hew down,\" in his explanation of the second meaning (\"to exaggerate, to threaten\"), he writes:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EThis base is prob. identical with גזם ᴵ. The phases of sense development prob. are: cut; ‘to speak in a cutting or sharp manner; to exaggerate; to threaten’.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt seems to me that \"to threaten\" probably preceded \"to exaggerate\", but his connecting of \"to cut\" and to speak in a \"cutting or sharp manner\" makes sense to me.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4489027917372520018\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4489027917372520018","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4489027917372520018"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4489027917372520018"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/08\/gazam-and-higzim.html","title":"gazam and higzim"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3375226035819407661"},"published":{"$t":"2022-07-31T19:38:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-07-31T19:38:10.733+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"hiflig and muflag"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EA few months ago, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/04\/folk-pelach-and-peleg.html\"\u003Ewe discussed the root \u003Ci\u003Epeleg\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;פלג. I noted the following:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cognate \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%92?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003Eפלג \u003C\/a\u003Eprovides  even more words. As with פלח, the root means \"cleave, split, divide.\"  Here are a sample of some of the words deriving from that root:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eפִּלֵּג\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Epileg -\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\"to divide, separate\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eהִפְלִיג \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to depart (by ship), to set sail\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking back, I don't think I gave enough attention to the form \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig\u003C\/i\u003E, and I didn't even mention the passive form - \u003Ci\u003Emuflag \u003C\/i\u003Eמופלג. Let's look at them now.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike \u003Ci\u003Epileg\u003C\/i\u003E, these forms only appear in post-Biblical Hebrew. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%92?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein provides\u003C\/a\u003E a few different meanings:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003EHiph.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eהִפֽלִיג\u003C\/strong\u003E    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E he separated (orig. ‘he divided’);     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E he went off (lit.: ‘he separated himself’); for sense development cp. Fren. \u003Ci\u003Epartir\u003C\/i\u003E (= to divide, separate), \u003Ci\u003Ese partir\u003C\/i\u003E (= to separate oneself, depart, leave);     \u003Cb\u003E3\u003C\/b\u003E he set sail;     \u003Cb\u003E4\u003C\/b\u003E he turned aside, diverted, put off;     \u003Cb\u003E5\u003C\/b\u003E he removed;     \u003Cb\u003E6\u003C\/b\u003E he exaggerated (lit. prob. meaning ‘he went too far’). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Hoph.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eהֻפֽלַג\u003C\/strong\u003E    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E was diverted;     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E was removed.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%BB%D7%A4%D6%B0%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%92.1?lang=bi\"\u003Emuflag\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;he offers a few more:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u0026nbsp;PBH  \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E distant, remote.   PBH  \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E distinguished, excellent.   NH  \u003Cb\u003E3\u003C\/b\u003E exaggerated.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, there are many more meanings found in Talmudic and Rabbinic Hebrew. Jastrow lists the following (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%9C%D6%B7%D7%92.1?lang=bi\"\u003Esee the link\u003C\/a\u003E for citations) for \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto part, go away\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto go to sea\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto rest from work, to pause\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto divert, put off; to discard\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto reject, disregard, discard\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto decline from the road\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto withdraw one's self, to be reserved, speak in indefinite and general terms\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto differ\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto go too far\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnd for \u003Ci\u003Emuflag\u003C\/i\u003E, Jastrow adds: removed, far, distinguished, special expert.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EBut Jastrow is only a dictionary of Talmudic and Midrashic Hebrew. The Ben-Yehuda dictionary, which goes all the way up to the early modern period, has even more. For example, it also includes:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto put off with fair words\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto put aside\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto separate oneself\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto branch off, to step aside\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto not mind, to not pay attention\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto go astray\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto go far\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIt also has \"detached\" for \u003Ci\u003Emuflag.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(I should note that the Ben-Yehuda dictionary has 6 (!) pages of examples of uses of these two roots, and they cover far more subtle differences than the translations I provided above).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat I find remarkable, is that with the root having so many meanings and connotations over the centuries, in modern Hebrew very few are still in use.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe dictionary web site Morfix only provides \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%9C%D6%B7%D7%92.1?lang=bi\"\u003Ethree definitions for \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%9C%D6%B7%D7%92.1?lang=bi\"\u003Ehiflig\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003Eto depart (by ship, boat); to sail; to exaggerate\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EHowever, I don't recall hearing \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig \u003C\/i\u003Eused in the sense \"to exaggerate\" in conversation in Israel. That could simply be an oversight on my part, but looking at the site Reverso, which takes its examples from a corpus of translated texts, I think I'm not so far off. For \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/context.reverso.net\/translation\/hebrew-english\/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%92#\"\u003EReverso\u003C\/a\u003E only suggests the following:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003Esailed, sail, sailing, shipped out, proceeded, departed\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf we add the word שבח \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/05\/shevach_02.html\"\u003Eshevach \u003C\/a\u003E- \u003C\/i\u003E\"praise\" - to the phrase, then we find examples both in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/search?q=%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%92%20%D7%91%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%97%D7%95\u0026amp;tab=text\u0026amp;tvar=1\u0026amp;tsort=relevance\u0026amp;svar=1\u0026amp;ssort=relevance\"\u003EMedieval Hebrew\u003C\/a\u003E and in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%92+%D7%91%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%97\u0026amp;client=firefox-b-d\u0026amp;sxsrf=ALiCzsa7aIzgPBj7vdx0cRmj7lupMwuWDA:1659285397787\u0026amp;source=lnms\u0026amp;tbm=nws\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjA6dzlx6P5AhX6JMUKHdpICMwQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA\u0026amp;biw=2560\u0026amp;bih=1279\u0026amp;dpr=1\"\u003EModern Hebrew\u003C\/a\u003E of הפליג בשבח meaning \"lavish praise (on someone\/something).\" Those examples don't imply exaggeration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERegarding \u003Ci\u003Emuflag\u003C\/i\u003E, we see a similar phenomenon. Looking at the definition found in the various dictionaries, you might think that the common meaning was \"exaggerated.\" That's particularly true if you consider some of the negative connotations of \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;cited, like \"to go astray\", \"to reject', and in particular, \"to go too far\", which Klein suggested was the origin of the meaning \"exaggerated\".\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut again, that's not really what we see in common use. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.morfix.co.il\/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%92\"\u003EMorfix\u003C\/a\u003E does suggest \"exaggerated\", but the meanings listed are \"grand\" and \"exalted\".\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/context.reverso.net\/translation\/hebrew-english\/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%92\"\u003EReverso \u003C\/a\u003Edoesn't have \"exaggerated\" at all, instead offering:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Esuperlative, ripe old, old age, great age, overdrive, superlatively, superfluous\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI do recognize that \"superfluous\" isn't so far from \"exaggerated\", but I think the latter implies more conscious intent. A common use of \u003Ci\u003Emuflag\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;today is in the phrase \u003Ci\u003Egil muflag\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;גיל מופלג (as seen in some of Reverso's suggestion), referring to someone very old.\u0026nbsp; So I think good translations of \u003Ci\u003Emuflag \u003C\/i\u003Ecould be \"exceeding(ly great)\" or \"excessive\", depending on the context. Sometimes it would reflect the earlier sense of \"to go far\" and other times \"to go too far.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3375226035819407661\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3375226035819407661","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3375226035819407661"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3375226035819407661"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/07\/hiflig-and-muflag.html","title":"hiflig and muflag"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3704903252542085834"},"published":{"$t":"2022-07-24T19:51:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-07-24T19:51:04.351+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"olar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EA reader asked about the etymology of\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;אוֹלָר \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"pen knife\" - since \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%A8.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E reports that the word is \"of unknown origin.\" The more recent Even-Shoshan dictionary also does not provide the origin of the word.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe word \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears for the first time in Mishnaic Hebrew, but appears in only a very few sources, making its history difficult to decipher.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe most prominent source is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Kelim.12.8?vhe=Torat_Emet_357\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMishna Kelim 12:8\u003C\/a\u003E, which lists various utensils subject to ritual impurity. It begins by mentioning:\u0026nbsp;הָאוֹלָר, וְהַקֻּלְמוֹס\u0026nbsp; - the \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the \u003Ci\u003Ekulmos. \u003C\/i\u003ESince the latter is a \"reed pen\" (as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/05\/kalmar.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E), the \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was understood to specifically refer to a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Penknife\"\u003Epenknife\u003C\/a\u003E, since that kind of small knife was originally used for cutting the quills used for pens. Like the English word penknife, today \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;refers to any kind of pocket knife, like the famous Swiss Army knife.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe also find the \u003Ci\u003Eolar \u003C\/i\u003Eand the \u003Ci\u003Ekulmos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;together in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Tosefta_Kelim_Batra.7.4?vhe=Tosefta_Keilim_Batra_-_Machon_Mamre\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;lookup=%D7%94%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%A8%20%D7%95%D7%94%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A1\u0026amp;with=Lexicon\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETosefta Kelim BB 7:12\u003C\/a\u003E, and that's pretty much it. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/maagarim.hebrew-academy.org.il\/Pages\/PMain.aspx?koderekh=1747\u0026amp;page=1\"\u003EHistorical Dictionary Project\u003C\/a\u003E of the Academy of the Hebrew Language provides a few more mentions, but none shed light on the possible origin of the word. However, looking at the quotes mentioned there, we do find that some sources have the word spelled\u0026nbsp;אוֹלָד \u003Ci\u003Eolad\u003C\/i\u003E, instead of \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%90%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%9C%D7%95%D6%B9%D6%BE?ven=London,_Luzac,_1903\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E prefers this spelling, and provides this definition:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ea tool for hollowing out and cutting the writing reed\u003C\/i\u003E (scalprum), a sort of \u003Ci\u003Epen-knife\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing his general tendency to look for Semitic origins for Talmudic words, Jastrow suggests that \u003Ci\u003Eolad\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;comes from the roots ילד or ולד, presumably in the way that a fetus fills the abdominal cavity of a pregnant woman.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat suggestion seems farfetched to me. Yet putting his etymology aside, it's not clear which is the original word - \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or \u003Ci\u003Eolad. \u003C\/i\u003EBased on the similarity between the letters \u003Ci\u003Eresh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Edalet\u003C\/i\u003E, it's understandable how such a rare word could have been the subject of a scribal error in either direction. But with no etymology, we can't really say which form should be preferred.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe question of \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;vs \u003Ci\u003Eolad \u003C\/i\u003Ebecame more intense during the dawn of modern Hebrew - I assume because the word was now entering the vernacular, and people needed to know how to say and write it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lib.cet.ac.il\/pages\/item.asp?item=16950\"\u003EBialik\u003C\/a\u003E claimed that \u003Ci\u003Eolad\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was the original form (which lead to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nli.org.il\/en\/newspapers\/mar\/1972\/12\/22\/01\/article\/160\/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1\"\u003Ean interesting conversation with Avineri\u003C\/a\u003E), as did \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrewbooks.org\/pdfpager.aspx?req=48229\u0026amp;st=\u0026amp;pgnum=347\u0026amp;hilite=\"\u003EKohut in his Arukh Hashalem\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/24384534?read-now=1\u0026amp;refreqid=excelsior%3Aed0b7193260a67bc15b5598d17fcf7f3\u0026amp;seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents\"\u003ETur-Sinai\u003C\/a\u003E agreed that \u003Ci\u003Eolad \u003C\/i\u003Ewas probably the original form, but noted that since we don't know the etymology, there's no point in objecting to the popular form \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E. And since \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the way it appears in most printed editions of the Mishna, as well as in the later works of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Vessels.9.16?vhe=Torat_Emet_363\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003ERambam\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(as pointed out by Melamed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/24371349?read-now=1\u0026amp;refreqid=excelsior%3A8995e6c8c3eb2beb298f183c07f1e542\u0026amp;seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E) , that's what stuck.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo what about the etymology? The footnote to the \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;entry in the Ben-Yehuda dictionary concedes that the source isn't known (which is likely what led Klein to the same conclusion). It notes that there were attempts to find a Greek source, but like Jastrow's Hebrew one, they are not convincing. It quotes \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Heinrich_Leberecht_Fleischer\"\u003EFleischer\u003C\/a\u003E as saying that \u003Ci\u003Eolar \u003C\/i\u003E(or \u003Ci\u003Eolad\u003C\/i\u003E) is one of those words that entered Hebrew in the Mishnaic period that we simply don't know the etymology. Fleischer was commenting on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/9889-levy-jacob\"\u003EJacob Levy\u003C\/a\u003E's dictionary of Talmudic terms (in German). Levy (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/neuhebrischesu01levyuoft\/page\/40\/mode\/2up\"\u003Epage 40\u003C\/a\u003E) proposes a Greek etymology, and then Fleischer later disagrees \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/neuhebrischesu01levyuoft\/page\/278\/mode\/2up\"\u003E(page 279\u003C\/a\u003E). Using \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/translate.google.com\/?sl=de\u0026amp;tl=en\u0026amp;text=S.%20%2040%2C%20%20Sp.%20%201%2C%20%20Z.%20%207%20%20V.%20%20u.%20%20flg.%20%20Da%5E%20%20die%20%20versuchte%20%0AAbleitung%20%20des%20%20Wortes%20%20%22%2CbnN%20%20von%20%20op-jcco%2C%20%20cpc%2C%20%0Abesonders%20%20in%20%20der%20%20Endsylbe%20%20lar%20%20auf%20%20eine%20%20un%C3%BCber-%20%0Awindliche%20Schwierigkeit%20%20st%C3%B6sst%2C%20%20so%20%20m%C3%B6chte%20%20ich%20%0Adasselbe%20%20lieber%20%20zu%20%20den%20%20zahlreichen%20%20noch%20%20unge-%20%0Al%C3%B6sten%20%2C%20%20vielleicht%20%20%C3%BCberhaupt%20%20unl%C3%B6sbaren%20%20etymolo-%20%0Agischen%20R%C3%A4thseln%20%20dieser%20%20Mischsprache%20%20rechnen.%20\u0026amp;op=translate\"\u003EGoogle Translate\u003C\/a\u003E, Fleischer considers this one of the \"numerous unsolved, maybe even unsolvable, etymological riddles of this mixed language.\" (German speakers are welcome to provide a better translation).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENothing I found in more recent scholarship has presented a \"new\" etymology for \u003Ci\u003Eolar\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you read this far that might not be satisfying, and even frustrating. But I look at it as an opportunity. Perhaps one of you will be the one to crack the case!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3704903252542085834\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3704903252542085834","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3704903252542085834"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3704903252542085834"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/07\/olar.html","title":"olar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-55355784520204276"},"published":{"$t":"2022-07-17T21:49:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-07-17T21:49:05.794+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kasda"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThis is a short one, but I thought it was interesting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew word for helmet, \u003Ci\u003Ekasda\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eקַסְדָּה (or in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Kelim.11.8?lang=bi\"\u003EMishna\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;קַסְדָּא) comes from Latin. Here is Klein's etymology:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EFrom L. \u003Ci\u003Ecassis\u003C\/i\u003E, gen. \u003Ci\u003Ecassidis\u003C\/i\u003E, which prob. stands for * \u003Ci\u003Ekadh-tis\u003C\/i\u003E, from IE * \u003Ci\u003Ekadh\u003C\/i\u003E– (= to guard, watch), whence also Old Eng. \u003Ci\u003Ehōd, hood, haett\u003C\/i\u003E (= hat).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile words like \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/hood#etymonline_v_14420\"\u003Ehood\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/hat?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003Ehat\u003C\/a\u003E may indeed be distantly cognate with \u003Ci\u003Ekasda\u003C\/i\u003E, I liked these closer cousins.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/cassida#Latin\"\u003Ecassida \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Eshows up in the name of a genus of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cassida\"\u003Etortoise beetles\u003C\/a\u003E, whose shells do recall a helmet:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhnFDT8Nfzm14KBbFeZa5oMeZDC3PjlJRz5m-7ROS6QBu3FTiFuGdcKedkJcpP8PX9GXJ_bhe0fElKw_BFZsftjA9metS3PtsRncpb7mZKici8qJTzAIgsXFc2JNPZSMVR6LQ__A0pTuRQVV7HBq6vsnzvt2XskkZQwZ4STRK01OEFKryHZWg\/s800\/Cassida_nebulosa.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"551\" data-original-width=\"800\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhnFDT8Nfzm14KBbFeZa5oMeZDC3PjlJRz5m-7ROS6QBu3FTiFuGdcKedkJcpP8PX9GXJ_bhe0fElKw_BFZsftjA9metS3PtsRncpb7mZKici8qJTzAIgsXFc2JNPZSMVR6LQ__A0pTuRQVV7HBq6vsnzvt2XskkZQwZ4STRK01OEFKryHZWg\/s320\/Cassida_nebulosa.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003EFrom \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:P1080933_Cassida_nebulosa.jpg\"\u003EWikipedia\u003C\/a\u003E \/\u0026nbsp;© Darius Baužys\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt also appears in the name of of a family of large sea snails, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cassidae\"\u003ECassidae\u003C\/a\u003E, who are also known as \"helmet snails\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjnHo-o1n06T6S5KNEJ4aMajudILQDc8l62lcd03uEhIAitB0fTrpaAvjWRurSB2gAymaeCefvRBe1CG1NdI9YDToR6k51SeaZRLxK5NEGCYZ2cwaYQyAWZ-hrSbrhYBx3v5Otk6uycw9V_8IDVuX_KALvKrRcYI8f_Bfykp3yxNGeNSy0BuQ\/s799\/snail.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"533\" data-original-width=\"799\" height=\"213\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjnHo-o1n06T6S5KNEJ4aMajudILQDc8l62lcd03uEhIAitB0fTrpaAvjWRurSB2gAymaeCefvRBe1CG1NdI9YDToR6k51SeaZRLxK5NEGCYZ2cwaYQyAWZ-hrSbrhYBx3v5Otk6uycw9V_8IDVuX_KALvKrRcYI8f_Bfykp3yxNGeNSy0BuQ\/s320\/snail.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/budak\/51362681871\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow responsible of them to be wearing a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ekasda\u003C\/i\u003E!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/55355784520204276\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=55355784520204276","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/55355784520204276"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/55355784520204276"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/07\/kasda.html","title":"kasda"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhnFDT8Nfzm14KBbFeZa5oMeZDC3PjlJRz5m-7ROS6QBu3FTiFuGdcKedkJcpP8PX9GXJ_bhe0fElKw_BFZsftjA9metS3PtsRncpb7mZKici8qJTzAIgsXFc2JNPZSMVR6LQ__A0pTuRQVV7HBq6vsnzvt2XskkZQwZ4STRK01OEFKryHZWg\/s72-c\/Cassida_nebulosa.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5473682616109243330"},"published":{"$t":"2022-07-11T19:45:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-07-11T19:45:10.148+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"safsal and asla"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EOne of the fun things when doing etymological research is discovering two related words, that you previously had no idea were connected, but once you look into it the connection makes a lot of sense.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat's the case with the words סַפְסָל \u003Ci\u003Esafsal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;אַסְלָה \u003Ci\u003Easla\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A1%D6%B7%D7%A4%D6%B0%D7%A1%D6%B8%D7%9C.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein's entry for \u003Ci\u003Esafsal\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EPBH    bench, stool.  [From L. \u003Ci\u003Esub-selliam\u003C\/i\u003E (= bench, seat), through the medium of Gk. \u003Ci\u003Esuphellion\u003C\/i\u003E, formed from \u003Ci\u003Esub\u003C\/i\u003E (= under; see סוּבּ◌), and \u003Ci\u003Esella\u003C\/i\u003E, from the base of \u003Ci\u003Esedēre\u003C\/i\u003E (= to sit)]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaving \u003Ci\u003Esafsal \u003C\/i\u003Ederive from the Latin \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/subsellium\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Esubsellium\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Emakes even more sense when you note that \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=SMzgBLT87MkC\u0026amp;pg=PA521\u0026amp;lpg=PA521\u0026amp;dq=subsellium+Hebrew\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=t6McP4MJmr\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U1wJwvooEzf2np-PHkZIuF7fedyQA\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwio9u78g-L4AhX1h_0HHXs9AEoQ6AF6BAgoEAM#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Esome manuscripts of the mishna\u003C\/a\u003E vocalize the word as \u003Ci\u003Esafsel\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Latin \u003Ci\u003Esella\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"seat, chair\" - also appears in \u003Ci\u003Easla \u003C\/i\u003E(today \"toilet\" \/ \"toilet bowl\"). Again, here's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D6%B7%D7%A1%D6%B0%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%94.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EPBH (pl. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eאֲסָלוֹת\u003C\/span\u003E, resp. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eאֲסֶלּוֹת\u003C\/span\u003E)   closet stool, lavatory seat.  [L. \u003Ci\u003Esella\u003C\/i\u003E (= seat, chair, stool), for \u003Ci\u003Esed-lā\u003C\/i\u003E, from \u003Ci\u003Esedēre\u003C\/i\u003E (= to sit). ... The אַ◌ in אַסְלָה is prosthetic.]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe same roots for these Hebrew words have also made their way into English. The verb \u003Ci\u003Esedere \u003C\/i\u003Emade its way into such words as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/sedentary\"\u003Esedentary\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/preside#etymonline_v_19458\"\u003Epreside\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/sedate#etymonline_v_23094\"\u003Esedate\u003C\/a\u003E. And if we go back to its Proto-Indo-European root, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/*sed-#etymonline_v_52569\"\u003E*sed\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, we get even more English words, including very common ones like \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/sit?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003Esit\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/set?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23291\"\u003Eset\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/chair?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003Echair\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat same PIE root, via Greek, gave us one more very familiar Hebrew word - \u003Ci\u003Esanhedrin\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;סנהדרין. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A1%D6%B7%D7%A0%D6%B0%D7%94%D6%B6%D7%93%D6%B0%D7%A8%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9F.1?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein \u003C\/a\u003Eprovides the background:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EPBH    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E ‘Sanhedrin’ — the supreme Jewish court (\u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eסַנְהֶדְרִין גְּדוֹלָה\u003C\/span\u003E) in the time of the Second Temple, consisting of 71 scholars.     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E one of the lesser courts with 23 members, called \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eסַנְהֶדְרִין קְטַנָּה\u003C\/span\u003E, lit.: ‘the small Sanhedrin’.  [Gk. \u003Ci\u003Esynedrion\u003C\/i\u003E (= council, council chamber), lit.: ‘sitting together’, from \u003Ci\u003Esyn\u003C\/i\u003E (= with, together with), and \u003Ci\u003Eedra\u003C\/i\u003E (= a seat), which is cogn. with L. \u003Ci\u003Esedēre\u003C\/i\u003E (= to sit).]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/sanhedrim?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E gives a similar etymology, but has the Greek \u003Ci\u003Ehedra \u003C\/i\u003Efor \"seat.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll these words represent very different kinds of \"seats\", each with their own purpose. Since sitting is such a common experience, it shouldn't be surprising that it has led to so many words - expressing both the literal and symbolic expression of the action.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5473682616109243330\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5473682616109243330","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5473682616109243330"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5473682616109243330"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/07\/safsal-and-asla.html","title":"safsal and asla"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3956370858486127643"},"published":{"$t":"2022-06-30T22:00:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-06-30T22:05:07.461+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"falafel, pilpel, and pilpul"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EOne of the foods most identified with Israel is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Falafel\"\u003Efalafel\u003C\/a\u003E. While the food is ancient, the name is more recent - and derives from the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Efalafil\u003C\/i\u003E. There are a number of theories as to the etymology of \u003Ci\u003Efalafil\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003Efrom an Arabic word meaning \"fluffy\", \u003Ci\u003Efilfil \u003C\/i\u003E(\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=gFK_yx7Ps7cC\u0026amp;pg=PT584\u0026amp;lpg=PT584\u0026amp;dq=arabic+filfil+fluffy\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=b-zo3DEX2g\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U16aDhB856sIlB6b5lV-FXdWIFrmw\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwilgNroytX4AhVBtqQKHe2PBKIQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EThe Encyclopedia of Jewish Food\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Efrom an Arabic word meaning \"crunchy\" (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/falafel\"\u003EThe Online Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\"perhaps from plural of earlier *\u003Ci\u003Efilfal\u003C\/i\u003E, from Aramaic \u003Ci\u003Epilpāl\u003C\/i\u003E, small round thing, peppercorn, from \u003Ci\u003Epalpēl\u003C\/i\u003E, to be round, roll.\" (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ahdictionary.com\/word\/search.html?q=falafel\u0026amp;submit.x=38\u0026amp;submit.y=12\"\u003EAmerican Heritage Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Efrom a Coptic word meaning \"of many beans\" (see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/71676097\/Booklet_part_2_printed_Sohair_Ahmed\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, for example)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe most common suggestion I found was that the Arabic derives from the Persian word for \"pepper\", which in turn was borrowed from Sanskrit. This is likely due to how the falafel was spiced.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ELike Arabic, Hebrew also received their word for pepper - פִּלְפֵּל \u003Ci\u003Epilpel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- in a similar fashion. Here's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%9C%D6%B0%D7%A4%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%9C.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein's entry\u003C\/a\u003E for \u003Ci\u003Epilpel\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003ELike Arab. \u003Ci\u003Efulful, filfil\u003C\/i\u003E (= pepper) borrowed through Persian and Aram. mediation from Old I. \u003Ci\u003Epippalī́\u003C\/i\u003E (= berry, peppercorn), which is of imitative origin. Gk. \u003Ci\u003Epeperi\u003C\/i\u003E (whence L. \u003Ci\u003Epiper\u003C\/i\u003E) is of the same origin. L. \u003Ci\u003Epiper\u003C\/i\u003E was borrowed by many European languages.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose European languages include English. Here's the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/pepper\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary entry\u003C\/a\u003E for \"pepper\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"dried berries of the pepper plant,\" Middle English \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epeper\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Old English \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epipor\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from an early West Germanic borrowing of Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Epiper\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"pepper,\" from Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epiperi\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, probably (via Persian) from Middle Indic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epippari\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Sanskrit \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Epippali\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"long pepper.\" The Latin word is the source of German \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EPfeffer\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Italian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epepe\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epoivre\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Old Church Slavonic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epipru\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Lithuanian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epipiras\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Old Irish \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epiobhar\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Welsh \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epybyr\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, etc.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApplication to fruits of the \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003ECapsicum\u003C\/span\u003E family (unrelated, originally native of tropical America) is from 16c.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther words deriving from the spice \"pepper\" include \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/peppermint\"\u003Epeppermint\u003C\/a\u003E\", \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/pepperoni\"\u003Epepperoni\u003C\/a\u003E\", and \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/pep\"\u003Epep\u003C\/a\u003E\" (as in \"vigor, energy\"). The Hungarian word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/paprika\"\u003Epaprika\u003C\/a\u003E\", however, got its name from the New World sweet (bell) peppers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Epilpel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is found in rabbinic literature, starting in the mishna. It also appears in the Aramaic form\u0026nbsp;פִּלְפַּלְתָּא \u003Ci\u003Epilpalta\u003C\/i\u003E, but with the same meaning. In modern Hebrew \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%9C-%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%AA.pdf\"\u003Ethere was an attempt\u003C\/a\u003E to establish the related\u0026nbsp;פִּלְפֶּלֶת \u003Ci\u003Epilpelet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as the word for bell peppers, leaving \u003Ci\u003Epilpel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;for the spice pepper. You'll still see \u003Ci\u003Epilpelet \u003C\/i\u003Ein dictionaries, but from my experience, Israelis use \u003Ci\u003Epilpel \u003C\/i\u003Efor both kinds of pepper, and don't use \u003Ci\u003Epilpelet \u003C\/i\u003Eat all.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne Hebrew word that many claim ultimately derives from the same Sanskrit root is\u0026nbsp;פִּלְפּוּל \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pilpul\"\u003Epilpul\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E. It is variously translated as \"sharp analysis\", \"intense debate\", or for those less charitable, \"hairsplitting\" or \"sophistry.\" It is a method found in studying Talmud, where different texts, or passages in the same text, are closely analyzed, and conclusions are found from the contradictions between them. The sharpness of the debates has led to the theory that \u003Ci\u003Epilpul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is related to \u003Ci\u003Epilpel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(pepper). For example, here's the opening of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/12153-pilpul\"\u003Ethe entry from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for \u003Ci\u003Epilpul\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EA method of Talmudic study. The word is derived from the verb \"\u003Ci\u003Epilpel\u003C\/i\u003E\"  (lit. \"to spice,\" \"to season,\" and in a metaphorical sense, \"to dispute  violently\" [Tosef., B. B. vii. 5] or \"cleverly\" \u003Cspan class=\"sefaria-ref-wrapper\"\u003E[\u003Ca aria-controls=\"sefaria-popup\" class=\"sefaria-ref\" data-ref=\"Shab. 31a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Shabbat.31a?lang=he-en\u0026amp;utm_source=jewishencyclopedia.com\u0026amp;utm_medium=sefaria_linker\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EShab. 31a\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E;  B. M. 85b]). Since by such disputation the subject is in a way spiced  and seasoned, the word has come to mean penetrating investigation,  disputation, and drawing of conclusions, and is used especially to  designate a method of studying the Law (Ab. vi. 5; Baraita; B. B. 145b;\u003Cspan class=\"sefaria-ref-wrapper\"\u003E \u003Ca aria-controls=\"sefaria-popup\" class=\"sefaria-ref\" data-ref=\"Tem. 16a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Temurah.16a?lang=he-en\u0026amp;utm_source=jewishencyclopedia.com\u0026amp;utm_medium=sefaria_linker\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ETem. 16a\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E;\u003Cspan class=\"sefaria-ref-wrapper\"\u003E \u003Ca aria-controls=\"sefaria-popup\" class=\"sefaria-ref\" data-ref=\"Ket. 103b\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Ketubot.103b?lang=he-en\u0026amp;utm_source=jewishencyclopedia.com\u0026amp;utm_medium=sefaria_linker\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKet. 103b\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E; Yer. Ter. iv. 42d).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, it then goes on to note that a different etymology derives from it from the Hebrew root פלל. This is the origin that Klein provides in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%9C_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ehis entry\u003C\/a\u003E for the verb פלפל, meaning \"to discuss, argue, debate\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EPilp. of base פלל. Whence also Syr. פַּל (= he sprinkled), corresponding to Heb. בְּלֵל, respectively בִּלֽבֵּל. There is no connection between the v. פלפל ᴵ and the n. פִּלְפֵּל (= pepper) as most scholars would have it.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(Interestingly, in his earlier CEDEL, Klein does write that \u003Ci\u003Epilpul \u003C\/i\u003Ederives from \"he spiced, he seasoned\" from which came the meaning \"he argued, he debated, he disputed violently.\")\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/01\/tefila-and-pelili.html\"\u003EAs we've discussed before\u003C\/a\u003E, the root פלל means both \"to judge\" and \"to pray\", and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%9C_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\"\u003Eaccording to Klein\u003C\/a\u003E, originally meant \"to cut,\" and \"to decide\", which would presumably be his connection to the debates of \u003Ci\u003Epilpul\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs often happens, Klein's Hebrew etymological dictionary relies on the Ben Yehuda dictionary, which also denies a connection between \u003Ci\u003Epilpul \u003C\/i\u003Eand pepper, and directs us to a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/23583706\"\u003E1935 essay\u003C\/a\u003E by the linguist \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hanoch_Yelon\"\u003EHanoch Yelon\u003C\/a\u003E. Yelon interprets the word\u0026nbsp;תִּתַּפָּל in Shmuel II 22:27 as deriving from פלל, and meaning \"to roll (over)\" and so the root פלפל (in the sense of analysis) would mean to turn something from side to side while investigating it. This use is found in the midrash (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Pesikta_Rabbati.21.1?lang=bi\"\u003EPesikta Rabbati 21:1\u003C\/a\u003E) where we read of a warrior who\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;מפלפל בזיינו ומראה פנים לכל צד - \"turned his sword about and made it face each direction.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom this, and other examples he brings, Yelon is convinced the connection to pepper is only a folk-etymology. This folk-etymology may go back a long time (see for example \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Yoma.85b.6?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ethis passage\u003C\/a\u003E from Yoma 85b, which compares a good argument to spicy pepper), but most modern scholars accept that \u003Ci\u003Epilpul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and pepper aren't related. However, they don't all agree with Yelon's etymology. For example, the Even-Shoshan dictionary says פלפל derives from בלבל, meaning \"to confuse, to mix up\", although it does give a similar definition of the original meaning of \u003Ci\u003Epilpul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;based on that etymology: \"to turn something over and over.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWell, this analysis has gone on quite a bit, and I don't want to be accused of excessive \u003Ci\u003Epilpul\u003C\/i\u003E, so we'll end it here...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3956370858486127643\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3956370858486127643","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3956370858486127643"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3956370858486127643"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/06\/falafel-pilpel-and-pilpul.html","title":"falafel, pilpel, and pilpul"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4739186951919226572"},"published":{"$t":"2022-06-21T19:21:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-06-21T19:21:05.769+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Betelgeuse"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"There is no question that the name of the star\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Betelgeuse\"\u003EBetelgeuse\u003C\/a\u003E (the inspiration for the 1988 movie\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beetlejuice\"\u003EBeetlejuice\u003C\/a\u003E) derives from Arabic. However, how it got that name is the subject of dispute. Let's review how different sources present the etymology, and how it might connect to any Hebrew words.\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe Online Etymology Dictionary has a short entry for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/betelgeuse\"\u003EBetelgeuse\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ealpha Orionis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, bright reddish star in the right shoulder of Orion, 1515, from Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EIbt al Jauzah\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,  traditionally said to mean \"the Armpit of the Central One\" (with this  arm he holds his club aloft), but perhaps more accurately \"Hand of \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eal-Jauza\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (Orion).\" Intermediary forms include \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBed Elgueze\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBeit Algueze\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EHowever, this leaves many open questions. The Arabic\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E'\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%B7\"\u003EibT\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"armpit\", but why then would the term be \"more accurately\" be the \"Hand of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eal-Jauza\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Orion)\", with hand being \u003Ci\u003Eyad\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Arabic (as in Hebrew). What is the role of these \"intermediary forms\":\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBed Elgueze\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBeit Algueze\u003C\/i\u003E, the latter of which would seem to indicate the Arabic word for house: \u003Ci\u003Ebayt\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(again similar to the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Ebeit\u003C\/i\u003E)? And what is the meaning of \u003Ci\u003EJauza\u003C\/i\u003E? Why is it \"the Central One\" or \"Orion\"? And what is its etymology?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThese questions are addressed in other sources, although without complete clarity. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Betelgeuse\"\u003EWiktionary entry for Betelgeuse\u003C\/a\u003E attempts to tackle them:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EUltimately from an alteration of the Arabic يَد الجَوْزَاء‎ (\u003Ci\u003Eyad al-jawzāʾ\u003C\/i\u003E, “hand of the central one”), from يَد‎ (\u003Ci\u003Eyad\u003C\/i\u003E, “hand”) + جَوْزَاء‎ (\u003Ci\u003Ejawzāʾ\u003C\/i\u003E, “central one”).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003EJawzā\u003C\/i\u003E, ‘the central one’, initially referred to Gemini among the Arabs, but at some point they decided to refer to Orion by that name. During the Middle Ages the first character of the name, \u003Ci\u003Eyā\u003C\/i\u003E’ (ي, with two underdots), was misread as a \u003Ci\u003Ebā\u003C\/i\u003E’ (ب, with one underdot) when transliterating into Latin, and \u003Ci\u003EYad al-Jauza\u003C\/i\u003E became \u003Ci\u003EBedalgeuze\u003C\/i\u003E. This was then misinterpreted during the Renaissance as deriving from a corruption of an original Arabic form إِبْط الجَوْزَاء (\u003Ci\u003Eʾibṭ al-jawzāʾ,\u003C\/i\u003E “armpit of the central one”).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA similar explanation is found in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ahdictionary.com\/word\/search.html?q=Betelgeuse\"\u003EAmerican Heritage dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EThe history of the curious star name \u003Ci\u003EBetelgeuse\u003C\/i\u003E is a good example  of how scholarly errors can creep into language. The story starts with  the pre-Islamic Arabic astronomers, who called the star \u003Ci\u003Eyad al-jawz\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Minion New;\"\u003Eā\u003C\/span\u003E',\u003C\/i\u003E \"hand of the \u003Ci\u003Ejawz\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Minion New;\"\u003Eā\u003C\/span\u003E'.\"\u003C\/i\u003E The \u003Ci\u003Ejawz\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Minion New;\"\u003Eā\u003C\/span\u003E'\u003C\/i\u003E was their name for the constellation Gemini. After Greek astronomy  became known to the Arabs, the word came to be applied to the  constellation Orion as well. Some centuries later, when scribes writing  in Medieval Latin tried to render the word, they misread the \u003Ci\u003Ey\u003C\/i\u003E as a \u003Ci\u003Eb\u003C\/i\u003E (the two corresponding Arabic letters are very similar when used as the  first letter in a word), leading to the Medieval Latin form \u003Ci\u003EBedalgeuze.\u003C\/i\u003E In the Renaissance, another set of scholars trying to figure out the name interpreted the first syllable \u003Ci\u003Ebed-\u003C\/i\u003E as being derived from a putative Arabic word \u003Ci\u003E*b\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Minion New;\"\u003Eā\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Minion New;\"\u003Eṭ\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E meaning \"armpit.\" This word did not exist; it would correctly have been \u003Ci\u003Eib\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Minion New;\"\u003Eṭ\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/i\u003E Nonetheless, the error stuck, and the resultant etymologically \"improved\" spelling \u003Ci\u003EBetelgeuse\u003C\/i\u003E was borrowed into French as \u003Ci\u003EBételgeuse,\u003C\/i\u003E whence English \u003Ci\u003EBetelgeuse.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EMore details about how this came to be can be found in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.universalworkshop.com\/2015\/01\/01\/yetelgeuse\/\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and in \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ianridpath.com\/startales\/orion2.html#betelgeuse\"\u003Ethis one\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWe've now learned two more things. One, that there may have been a number of transcription and translations errors, leading from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EYad al-Jauza \u003C\/i\u003Eto\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EBedalgeuze\u003C\/i\u003E, which was then misunderstood as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eʾibṭ al-jawzāʾ. \u003C\/i\u003E(The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%91%D7%99%D7%98%D7%9C%D7%92%27%D7%95%D7%96\"\u003EHebrew Wikipedia article for Betelgeuse\u003C\/a\u003E notes that the transcription error may have led to the term being interpreted as \u003Ci\u003EBeit al-Jauza -- \u003C\/i\u003Ethe house of \u003Ci\u003EJauza\u003C\/i\u003E).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003ESecondly, the term originally referred to the constellation Gemini, and only later came to refer to Orion.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ENow let's turn to \u003Ci\u003Ejawza\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- the \"central\" one. This etymology surprised me. Recall that the term originally referred to the constellation \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gemini_(astrology)\"\u003EGemini\u003C\/a\u003E, \"the twins.\" The Arabic term for Gemini is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/onesky.arizona.edu\/2015\/12\/jawza-snow-queen-of-the-arabs\/\"\u003EJawza\u003C\/a\u003E'. \u003C\/i\u003EAnd the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/4847281\/Arabic_Etymological_Dictionary\"\u003EArabic Etymological Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E has the following entry:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ejauz \u003C\/i\u003E: pair [\u003Ci\u003Ezauj\u003C\/i\u003E]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom this it would seem that \u003Ci\u003Ejauz \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Ezauj \u003C\/i\u003E(also the Arabic word for \"husband\", one member of the pair), are related through \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Metathesis_(linguistics)\"\u003Emetathesis\u003C\/a\u003E. This would make them both cognate with the Hebrew \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/05\/zug.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ezug \u003C\/i\u003Eזוג\u003C\/a\u003E - also meaning \"pair.\" To me this seems like a pretty obvious etymology: the constellation Gemini, the \"twins\", was called \u003Ci\u003Eal-jauza\u003C\/i\u003E, \"the pair.\" But I haven't seen any sources that take this approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERather, they all claim, as we've quoted above, that it derives from \u003Ci\u003Ejawza \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"central.\" Does that term have any Hebrew cognates?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%B2\"\u003EWiktionary entry for the Arabic root \u003Ci\u003Ejwz\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, we see that as a verb it has a number of meanings, including \"to cause to travel over, pass through\" and \"to\u0026nbsp;carry through one's views.\" As a noun it can mean \"main part\" or \"middle\" - both giving us our \"central.\" The connection between \"passing through\" and \"central\" is easy to understand - in general, one passes through the middle. The Arabic Etymological Dictionary adds that the verb \u003Ci\u003Ejaza \u003C\/i\u003Ealso means \"to divide\" (in addition to \"go through, cross over, pass along.\").\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis verb does give us a connection to Hebrew. Stahl, in his Hebrew etymological dictionary of Arabic, notes that \u003Ci\u003Ejaza\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"to divide, cut\", is cognate to the Hebrew גזז - \"to cut off, shear.\" Here's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D7%96%D7%96.1?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein's entry for גזז:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EJAram. גְּזַז, Syr. גַּז, Arab. jazza (= he cut off, shore), Aram. גִּזָּא, Syr. גֶּזְּתָא (= wool), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Egizzu sha ṣēni\u003C\/i\u003E (= sheep-shearing, wool). cp. the related base גזה.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI still think that the term might have originally meant \"the twins\/pair.\" But it's nice to know that even the accepted etymology has a possible Hebrew cognate as well.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4739186951919226572\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4739186951919226572","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4739186951919226572"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4739186951919226572"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/06\/betelgeuse.html","title":"Betelgeuse"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8347630061339664150"},"published":{"$t":"2022-06-13T11:52:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-06-13T11:52:45.084+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"shamir, shumar and emery"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe word שמיר \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has two meanings in the Tanach. In the book of Yeshayahu (5:6, 7:23-25, 9:17, 10:17, 27:4, 32:13) it refers to a kind of thorny plant or thistle. In other books of the prophets (Yirmiyahu 17:1, Yechezkel 3:9, Zechariah 7:12) it has a different meaning - a very hard stone, like a diamond.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein suggests they are related. For the thistle meaning he has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D6%B8%D7%81%D7%9E%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ethis entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שְׁמִיעָתִי\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, שְׁמִיעָתִי 1\" class=\"segment highlight invisibleHighlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שְׁמִיעָתִי 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵ\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵ 1\" class=\"segment highlight invisibleHighlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵ 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eשָׁמִיר ᴵ\u003C\/strong\u003E m.n.    Christ’s thorn (mostly occurring together with, שַׁיִת, q.v.).  [Related to JAram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eשַׁמָּרָא\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eשֻׁמָּרָא\u003C\/span\u003E (= fennel), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Esamur\u003C\/i\u003E. cp. שֻׁמָּר.]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd for the stone he has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D6%B8%D7%81%D7%9E%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ethe following\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵ\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵ 1\" class=\"segment highlight invisibleHighlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵ 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵᴵ\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵᴵ 1\" class=\"segment highlight invisibleHighlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, שָׁמִיר ᴵᴵ 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eשָׁמִיר ᴵᴵ\u003C\/strong\u003E m.n.    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E smiris corundum, adamant, diamond, emery (in the Bible occurring only Jer. 17:1; Ezek. 3:9; Zech. 7:12).     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E ‘shamir’ (a legendary worm or stone created on the Sabbath eve that could cut any stone).  [Related to Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eשָׁמִירָא\u003C\/span\u003E (= adamant; emery), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Esammūr\u003C\/i\u003E. שָׁמִיר ᴵᴵ is prob. a special sense development of שָׁמִיר ᴵ and properly denotes orig. a thorn or prickle used as a point for engraving. cp. Jer. 17:1: \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eחַטַּאת יְהוּדָה כְּתוּבָה בְּעֵט בֵּרְזֶל בְּצִפֹּרֶן שָׁמִיר\u003C\/span\u003E, ‘The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond’. Gk. \u003Ci\u003Esmiris\u003C\/i\u003E (= emery powder) — whence Gk. \u003Ci\u003Esmeri\u003C\/i\u003E, whence It. \u003Ci\u003Esmeriglio\u003C\/i\u003E, whence Fren. \u003Ci\u003Eémeri\u003C\/i\u003E, whence Eng. \u003Ci\u003Eemery\u003C\/i\u003E — is prob. borrowed from שָׁמִיר ᴵᴵ. cp. ‘emery’ in my CEDEL.]\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo he concludes that the stone, used for engraving, was similar to the earlier meaning of thorn, and therefore derives from it. And as he notes, this could be a source for the English word \"emery,\" as conceded by the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/emery\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Egranular mixture used as an abrasive, late 15c., from French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eémeri\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Old French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eesmeril\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Italian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Esmeriglo\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Vulgar Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Esmyrilium\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Esmyris\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"abrasive powder\" used for rubbing and polishing, probably a non-Greek word, perhaps from a Semitic source. \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EEmery board\u003C\/span\u003E is attested from 1725.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the Encyclopedia Mikrait (entry מלים זרות, page 1078), includes the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the Greek\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Esmyris\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Ein a list of biblical Semitic and Indo-European words that derive from a language family not common to either. It doesn't say where this word (or the others in the list) comes from, but says it's possible that the origin is from Asia Minor, Crete or elsewhere in the Mediterranean.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENeither of the two meanings is in popular use today. The Talmud and\u0026nbsp; midrash (for example \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Pirkei_Avot.5.6?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EAvot 5:6\u003C\/a\u003E) identified the second meaning not as a stone, but as Klein mentioned, \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Solomon%27s_shamir\"\u003Ea legendary worm\u0026nbsp; ... that could cut any stone.\u003C\/a\u003E\" This version continued to appear in legends.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two original meanings inspired the future Israeli prime minister, then\u0026nbsp;Yitzhak Yezernitsky, to change his name to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yitzhak_Shamir\"\u003EYitzchak Shamir\u003C\/a\u003E. As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Stern-Man-his-Gang-Golan\/dp\/9659172400\/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=9789659172405\u0026amp;linkCode=qs\u0026amp;qid=1655106521\u0026amp;s=books\u0026amp;sr=1-1\u0026amp;asin=9659172400\u0026amp;revisionId=\u0026amp;format=4\u0026amp;depth=1\"\u003Ea biography\u003C\/a\u003E notes, he chose it because it means a \"thorn, which stabs and stings: the question is who\" and a \"hard precious stone capable of breaking steel.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut the most common usage of \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;today is one that Klein doesn't mention: the herb \"dill.\" Almost all dictionaries, if they mention any background at all, will comment that this is the \"popular\" usage, but the correct Hebrew term for dill is\u0026nbsp;שֶׁבֶת \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or more specifically\u0026nbsp;שֶׁבֶת רֵיחָנִי \u003Ci\u003Eshevet reichani\u003C\/i\u003E. This is the term found in the Mishna. Then why did the people start calling dill \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt seems to be due to a confusion between dill, and the botantically related, and similar looking, \"fennel\".\u0026nbsp; As Klein noted above, the thistle meaning of \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is related to the words for fennel in other Semitic languages: \u003Ci\u003Eshumra\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Aramaic and \u003Ci\u003Esamur\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Arabic. This led to the adoption of \u003Ci\u003Eshumar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;for fennel in later Hebrew, with \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;available for dill. Here is how each of those spices are defined in the Encyclopedia Judaica, as cited in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org\/spices\"\u003EJewish Virtual Library\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 align=\"justify\"\u003E\u003Csmall\u003E\u003C\/small\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Ch3 align=\"justify\"\u003E\u003Csmall style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EFENNEL\u003C\/small\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E            \t\t\t  \t\t\t\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E            \t\t\t  \t\t\t  \u003Cp align=\"justify\"\u003EThe umbelliferous plant \u003Ci\u003EFoeniculum vulgare\u003C\/i\u003E, leaves of which are used as a spice similar to dill, fennel is called \u003Ci\u003Egufnan\u003C\/i\u003E in the Mishnah (Dem. 1:1) and \u003Ci\u003Eshumar\u003C\/i\u003E in the Talmud. The Jerusalem Talmud (Dem. 1:1, 21d) states that the  Galileans did not consider it a spice, but it was regarded as such in  Judah.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Ch3 align=\"justify\"\u003E\u003Csmall style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EDILL\u003C\/small\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E            \t\t\t  \t\t\t\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E            \t\t\t  \t\t\t  \u003Cp align=\"justify\"\u003ECalled \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E in the Mishnah, dill is the plant \u003Ci\u003EAnethum graveolens\u003C\/i\u003E used today mainly as a spice in pickled cucumbers. In mishnaic times  its foliage, stems, and seed were used as a spice (Ma'as. 4:5), and it  was sown for this purpose (Pe'ah 3:2). It is an umbelliferous plant with  yellow flowers, which grows wild in the \u003Cspan class=\"glossaryTerm\" data-pt-title=\"The southern, mostly arid region of Israel.\"\u003ENegev\u003C\/span\u003E (it is popularly but erroneously called \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom the Chubeza site (a great CSA farm in Israel), t\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/chubeza.com\/?p=17537\u0026amp;lang=en\"\u003Ehe following is added\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EOfficially, the proper Hebrew name for dill is “shevet reichani” –  aromatic “shevet,” but the name this herb somehow ended up with is  “Shamir”, a word actually used to describe a thorny wild plant used  metaphorically in the Bible when describing a farm overgrown with weeds.  Amotz Cohen, teacher and nature explorer, believes that dill is really  the “poterium” found primarily in abandoned fields over the country.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESteinberg, in the Milon HaTanach entry for \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E, writes that \"in the European exile \u003Ci\u003Eshamir \u003C\/i\u003Ewas used for the plant we call \u003Ci\u003Eshumar \u003C\/i\u003E(i.e., fennel).\" So perhaps first \u003Ci\u003Eshamir \u003C\/i\u003Ewas used to mean fennel, and then later became designated for dill.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs often happens with \"popular\" usage, there isn't a definitive answer to when and how the term was adopted, but there is no doubt that in Israel today, \u003Ci\u003Eshamir = \u003C\/i\u003Edill, and dill = \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne word that Klein doesn't connect to \u003Ci\u003Eshamir\u003C\/i\u003E, and I find this surprising, is \u003Ci\u003Emasmer \u003C\/i\u003Eמסמר - \"nail.\" Here is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%A1%D6%B0%D7%9E%D6%B5%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003Ehis entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EA collateral form of מַשְׂמֵר; derived from סמר. cp. Aram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eמַסְמְרָא\u003C\/span\u003E (= nail). Arab. \u003Ci\u003Emismār\u003C\/i\u003E is prob. an Aram. loan word\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking at the root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A1%D7%9E%D7%A8.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eסמר\u003C\/a\u003E, it's noteworthy that Klein defines it as \"to bristle up.\" To me, \"bristle\" recalls \"thorn\" and \"nail\" echoes the hard stone used for cutting. While Klein doesn't connect them, the Even-Shoshan dictionary does entertain the possibility that they are related. So perhaps this is one more cognate word to consider.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp align=\"justify\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8347630061339664150\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8347630061339664150","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8347630061339664150"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8347630061339664150"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/06\/shamir-shumar-and-emery.html","title":"shamir, shumar and emery"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3183812998976955867"},"published":{"$t":"2022-05-01T23:49:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-05-01T23:49:00.838+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"shidah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EA reader asked about the word \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;שִׁדָּה, translated by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.morfix.co.il\/%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%93%D7%94\"\u003EMorfix \u003C\/a\u003Eas \"dresser, chest of drawers.\" That seemed like an easy task - but I didn't know what I was getting into.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe word \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears in only one verse in the entire Tanach. It appears twice in the verse, so I don't know if it counts as a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hapax_legomenon\"\u003Ehapax legomenon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, but it certainly suffers from the same fate that other such words do - without multiple appearances, they are hard to translate. In this case, it's even harder, because the context of the verse itself leaves nearly infinite possible interpretations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt appears in the book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) in a section where the king is boasting about his possessions. Here is the Hebrew:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eכָּנַסְתִּי לִי גַּם־כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב וּסְגֻלַּת מְלָכִים וְהַמְּדִינוֹת עָשִׂיתִי לִי שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת וְתַעֲנֻגוֹת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם שִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EAnd the English (but I'm not translating - yet - our word \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EI further amassed silver and gold and treasures of kings and provinces; and I got myself male and female singers, and the pleasures of people,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eshida v’shidot.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Kohelet 2:8)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThis is an incredibly difficult phrase to translate. What does \u003Ci\u003Eshidah \u003C\/i\u003Emean here? Why is the singular \u003Ci\u003Eshida \u003C\/i\u003Efollowed by the plural \u003Ci\u003Eshidot\u003C\/i\u003E?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Even the punctuation is hard to place properly, but I'll leave that aside for now.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EAll we can really say is that it's something (or a set of things) that a king would list among his treasured possessions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThis question did not escape the Sages. In the Talmud (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Gittin.68a.5?ven=William_Davidson_Edition_-_English\u0026amp;vhe=William_Davidson_Edition_-_Vocalized_Aramaic\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Commentary\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EGittin 68b\u003C\/a\u003E), two interpretations are offered:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eשִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת הָכָא תַּרְגִּימוּ שֵׁידָה וְשֵׁידְתִין בְּמַעְרְבָא אָמְרִי שִׁידְּתָא\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EI'll translate the passage as follows:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\"Here [in Babylonia] they interpreted the phrase as follows: 'male and female demons' [\u003Ci\u003Eshedim\u003C\/i\u003E]. In the West [= in the Land of Israel], they said it means \u003Ci\u003Eshiddeta.\u003C\/i\u003E\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003ELet's put aside the \"demon\" translation. As Rav Hai Gaon (quoted by the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrewbooks.org\/pdfpager.aspx?req=48236\u0026amp;st=\u0026amp;pgnum=34\u0026amp;hilite=\"\u003EArukh\u003C\/a\u003E) noted, this is a \u003Ci\u003Edrash\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cu\u003E,\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eand not the plain meaning of the verse in Kohelet. But what about the \"Western\" translation? I once again haven't translated it into English!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EWell, if you look at the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Gittin.68a.5?ven=William_Davidson_Edition_-_English\u0026amp;vhe=William_Davidson_Edition_-_Vocalized_Aramaic\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Commentary\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EEnglish\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/halakhah.com\/gittin\/gittin_68.html\"\u003Etranslations\u003C\/a\u003E, they say that in the Land of Israel they translated \u003Ci\u003Eshidah \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eshidot \u003C\/i\u003Eas \"carriages.\" This is clearly due to the influence of Rashi, the preeminent Talmudic commentator, who \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Rashi_on_Gittin.68a.5.4?vhe=Vilna_Edition\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ewrites here\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ci\u003Eshiddeta\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Erefer to carriages for women and nobles:\u0026nbsp;שידתא - שידה עגלה למרכבת נשים ושרים.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EBut with all due respect to Rashi, I'm not convinced that this is the only (or best) interpretation of the Talmudic passage, and as a result, the meaning of the verse in Kohelet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThe term \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/maagarim.hebrew-academy.org.il\/Pages\/PMain.aspx?koderekh=32104\u0026amp;page=1\"\u003Eappears repeatedly\u003C\/a\u003E throughout the Mishna, Tosefta and Talmuds. It frequently is part of a set, a \u003Ci\u003Eshidah, \u003C\/i\u003Ea \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/01\/teiva.html\"\u003Eteiva\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, and a \u003Ci\u003Emigdal -\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eשִׁדָּה תֵּבָה וּמִגְדָּל. All of these are \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/6431-furniture-household#anchor10\"\u003Etypes of furniture\u003C\/a\u003E. The Steinsaltz English translation renders them, for example in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Shabbat.16.5?ven=William_Davidson_Edition_-_English\u0026amp;vhe=Torat_Emet_357\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Commentary\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMishna Shabbat 16:5\u003C\/a\u003E, as \"a box, a chest, and a closet.\" (The Ben Yehuda dictionary says the difference between these types of boxes is not clear). These identifications, or something similar\u0026nbsp;to them, are offered by most translators, including \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Kelim.15.1?ven=Mishnah_Yomit_by_Dr._Joshua_Kulp\u0026amp;vhe=Torat_Emet_357\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Rambam_on_Mishnah_Kelim.15.1.1\u0026amp;vhe2=Vilna_Edition\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003ERambam\u003C\/a\u003E. Rashi is the exception, who in almost all cases associates \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;with carriages (see the examples brought \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrewbooks.org\/pdfpager.aspx?req=38047\u0026amp;st=\u0026amp;pgnum=330\u0026amp;hilite=\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EWhy does he do that? I couldn't find any obvious examples in the Talmudic or Midrashic literature where \u003Ci\u003Eshidah \u003C\/i\u003Emeans carriage. There is mention of a \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;having wheels (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Kelim.18.1?ven=Mishnah_Yomit_by_Dr._Joshua_Kulp\u0026amp;vhe=Torat_Emet_357\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Commentary\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMishna Kelim 18:1-2\u003C\/a\u003E), but this doesn't appear to be referring to carriages intended for nobles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E(The only possible exception is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Torah_Temimah_on_Ecclesiastes.2.8.1?vhe=Torah_Temimah,_Vilna,_1904\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003Ea midrash quoted by Torah Temimah\u003C\/a\u003E on Kohelet 2:8, but I couldn't find the midrash anywhere, and in his commentary on the midrash he quotes Rashi. So something strange is going on.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EI assume the topic has been researched, and it's very likely I simply haven't seen more established theories. But here's my suggestion. I think that Rashi was trying to be consistent across all of his commentaries when he was defining words (this is something that Avineri discusses in his Heichal Rashi). In his commentary on Kohelet 2:8, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Ecclesiastes.2.8?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Rashi_on_Ecclesiastes.2.8.4\u0026amp;ven2=The_Metsudah_Five_Megillot,_Lakewood,_N.J.,_2001\u0026amp;vhe2=The_Metsudah_Five_Megillot,_Lakewood,_N.J.,_2001\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003ERashi writes\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003Eשִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת.\u003C\/b\u003E מַרְכְּבוֹת נוֹי, עֶגְלוֹת צָב, וּבִלְשׁוֹן גְּמָרָא יֵשׁ: שִׁדָּה, תֵּיבָה וּמִגְדָּל:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThis is translated as:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EBeautiful coaches, covered wagons, a term used in the Gemara, \"a coach [\u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E], a chest and a closet.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003ESo once again, Rashi is willing to interpret the \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the furniture set as a carriage (or coach). I think that this may be the source of the rest of his explanations. Why would a king boast about having a box or a closet? However, a particular kind of container, a carriage, does have royal associations. (See for example the \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/04\/apiryon.html\"\u003Eapriyon\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003C\/i\u003E\"litter\", mentioned with King Shlomo in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Song_of_Songs.3.9?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EShir HaShirim 3:9\u003C\/a\u003E).\u0026nbsp;So to explain Kohelet, Rashi extends his understanding of the word to other contexts, even when they don't fit as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EI admire Rashi's consistency here, but I don't know if it's required in this case. As I mentioned, it's incredibly hard to interpret \u003Ci\u003Eshidah veshidot\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Kohelet, and it simply might not be related to the \u003Ci\u003Eshidah \u003C\/i\u003Efound in the Talmud. That certainly appears to be the opinion of Ibn Ezra, who writes in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Ecclesiastes.2.8?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Ibn_Ezra_on_Ecclesiastes.2.8.3\u0026amp;vhe2=Wikisource\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003Ehis commentary to Kohelet\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Eוענין שדה ושדות. הם הנשים ויורה עליו ותענוגות בני האדם ועוד שהזכיר דברי כל תאוות העולם מבנין ונטיעה ומקנה וסגולה ושמוע שירים ואין זכרון לנשים ונחלקו המפרשים במלת שדה והטוב שבכולם שהוא מן שדד הנשים השדודות הנלקחות בחזקה בשוד ושביה שיבחר מהן כפי תאותו וענין שדה ושדות אחת ורבות כמו רחם רחמתים לראש גבר בעלת רחם אשה אחת ושתים והענין שלא תאמר אחת לבדה כי יש מי שתפש שתים:\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003ETo summarize his comment, he says that \u003Ci\u003Eshida \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eshidot\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"women.\" His evidence is that the verse earlier mentions the \"pleasures of people\" and the earlier verses relate to all kinds of other desires, but don't mention women, which would be expected. He derives \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the root שדד, \"to plunder\", indicating women taken as captives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EIbn Ezra's explanation is accepted by a number of modern scholars as well, who also find support in an Ugaritic cognate meaning \"woman\" (see Daat Mikra on Kohelet, and Kaddari's dictionary).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EBut there are many more suggestions for the meaning of \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Kohelet, as well as the etymology of the word. Here are a few:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003Echests \u003C\/b\u003E(Artscroll), \u003Cb\u003Ecoffers \u003C\/b\u003E(New JPS)\u0026nbsp; - these translations (and others) are like Rashi in that they try to find consistency between \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Kohelet, and the appearances in later Rabbinic Hebrew. By translating the phrase as \"chests and chests of them\", it indicates an impressive quantity of the pleasures mentioned earlier, which they translate as \"luxuries.\" That could indeed be fit for a king. As far as etymology, one theory that I've seen, connects \u003Ci\u003Eshidah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to \u003Ci\u003Eshed\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;שד, \"breast.\" I think it is noteworthy that in English as well, \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/chest\"\u003Echest\u003C\/a\u003E\" can refer to both a box and to the breast, both holding something (in the latter case, the heart.)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003Ewine, cup bearer, goblets\u003C\/b\u003E - These renderings are found in the ancient Septuagint, Peshitta and Vulgate translations. BDB says these may be related to the Aramaic שדא - \"to pour out.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003Emusical instruments\u003C\/b\u003E - this is the suggestion of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Ralbag_on_Ecclesiastes.2.8.1?vhe=Perush_al_Hamesh_Megillot,_Konigsberg,_1860\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003ERalbag\u003C\/a\u003E, who says they were shaped like boxes. This would fit with the previous phrase, \"male and female singers.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EPerhaps most the most audacious suggestion comes from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Parshan\/Shadal\/Kohelet\/2.8#m7e0n6\"\u003EShadal\u003C\/a\u003E, who suggests the verse in Kohelet should have a different vocalization, and says it should be read as \u003Ci\u003Esadeh \u003C\/i\u003Eשדה - \"field.\" While that is certainly an interesting idea, I generally feel that such emendations should only be a last resort.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3183812998976955867\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3183812998976955867","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3183812998976955867"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3183812998976955867"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/05\/shidah.html","title":"shidah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2202057768675081823"},"published":{"$t":"2022-04-19T18:04:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-04-19T18:04:32.863+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kodesh and kadosh"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;A reader asked me to write about the Hebrew words \u003Ci\u003Ekadosh \u003C\/i\u003Eקדוש and \u003Ci\u003Ekodesh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קודש - generally translated as \"holy\" and \"holiness,\" respectively. It's taken me a few months to get to the request, because while I agree that the root קדש deserves examination, the word is so loaded with religious meaning and pervasive in Jewish liturgy and culture that I found it somewhat intimidating to tackle.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, here are just a few of the important terms that derive from the root קדש:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekiddush \u003C\/i\u003Eקידוש - the prayer and blessing over wine inaugurating Shabbat or holidays\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekedusha \u003C\/i\u003Eקדושה - the section of the repeated Amida prayer which emulates the praise angels give to God\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekaddish \u003C\/i\u003Eקדיש - the Aramaic praise of God, which is part of all prayer services, and whose recitation is part of the mourning rituals\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekiddushin \u003C\/i\u003Eקידושין - betrothal - the first step of the marriage process\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ehekdesh \u003C\/i\u003Eהקדש - property consecrated to the Temple\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Emikdash \u003C\/i\u003Eמקדש - the Holy Temple\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnd looking in the Bible, there are over 800 words deriving from the root. Daunting, no?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut that doesn't mean I shouldn't try. So I'm acknowledging that I won't touch on every aspect of the words, and perhaps I'll update this post or write another one in the future with additional insights.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELet's start by looking at the forms of the verb.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eקָדַשׁ \u003Ci\u003Ekadash\u003C\/i\u003E: The \u003Ci\u003Ekal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form of the verb is not commonly used today, but it does appear a number of times in the Bible. According to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D7%93%D7%A9%D7%81.1?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EKlein \u003C\/a\u003Eit can either mean \"was set apart, consecrated\" or \"was forbidden.\" It is interesting to note that in the two verses quoted in the Even-Shoshan dictionary for this form (Shemot 29:37 and Devarim 22:9), קדש has a negative connotation, referring to something forbidden.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eנקדש \u003Ci\u003Enikdash\u003C\/i\u003E: The \u003Ci\u003Enifal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form, the passive of the \u003Ci\u003Ekal\u003C\/i\u003E, is more commonly found. Klein offers \"was hallowed, was sanctified\" and \"was consecrated, was dedicated.\" The former is found in Biblical Hebrew (only used to refer to God), and the latter meaning seems to have begun in the Rabbinic period.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eקִדֵּשׁ \u003Ci\u003Ekidesh \u003C\/i\u003Eand קֻדַּשׁ \u003Ci\u003Ekudash\u003C\/i\u003E: The \u003Ci\u003Epiel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(active) and \u003Ci\u003Epual \u003C\/i\u003E(passive) forms also mean both \"to sanctify\" (or be sanctified) and \"to dedicate\" (or was dedicated). Other meanings associated with this root are \"to cleanse, purify\" (as in Shemot 19:10), and then in Rabbinic Hebrew, to sanctify the Shabbat and holidays (i.e., kiddush) and to betroth (i.e., kiddushin).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eהקדיש \u003Ci\u003Ehikdish \u003C\/i\u003Eand הוקדש \u003Ci\u003Ehukdash\u003C\/i\u003E: The \u003Ci\u003Ehifil \u003C\/i\u003E(active) and \u003Ci\u003Ehufal \u003C\/i\u003E(passive) forms in Modern Hebrew mean \"to dedicate, allocate, designate, devote\" - with either religious or secular connotations. But in earlier periods, it could mean \"was set apart as holy, regarded as holy.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eהתקדש \u003Ci\u003Ehitkadesh\u003C\/i\u003E: In the \u003Ci\u003Ehitpael \u003C\/i\u003E(reflexive) form, the root means \"to keep (oneself) separated\" or \"purified (oneself).\" It can also mean \"to become sanctified,\" and this is how it used in the Kaddish prayer, when we pray that God's name become sanctified.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWe can see from these various definitions, that the root קדש has two primary connotations.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E1) \"to be holy\", in the sense of \"lofty, exalted\", even \"perfect\", and perhaps closer to divine. This is captured well by the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/holy\"\u003Eholy\u003C\/a\u003E\" (and the related \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/hallow\"\u003Ehallow\u003C\/a\u003E\") which derive from an earlier root meaning \"whole, uninjured\" (and is ultimately cognate with \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/whole\"\u003Ewhole\u003C\/a\u003E\" as well.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E2) \"to set apart, separate.\" Perhaps this meaning could better be expressed with the adjective \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/sacred\"\u003Esacred\u003C\/a\u003E,\" and the verb \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/sanctify\"\u003Esanctify\u003C\/a\u003E\", both of which derive from roots indicating separation or consecration.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThere are certainly occasions where that sense overlaps with the \"exalted, holy\" sense. Something dedicated to God has an exalted status, and anything holy would be separate and distinct from an object without that position. But when there is no such overlap, it allows for the \"forbidden\" meaning in Biblical Hebrew, and the \"designated\" meaning in Modern Hebrew.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAccording to Klein's etymology, the second connotation is the original one:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ERelated to Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Eqdsh\u003C\/i\u003E (= sanctuary), Phoen. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקדש\u003C\/span\u003E (= holy), \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eמקדש\u003C\/span\u003E (= sanctuary, holy place), Aram.-Syr. קַדֵּשׁ (= he hallowed, sanctified, consecrated), Palm. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקדש\u003C\/span\u003E (= to sanctify, consecrate), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqadusa\u003C\/i\u003E (= was holy, was pure), \u003Ci\u003Equaddasa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he hallowed, sanctified, consecrated; he went to Jerusalem), \u003Ci\u003Equds\u003C\/i\u003E (= purity, holiness), \u003Ci\u003Eal-quds\u003C\/i\u003E (= Jerusalem; lit.: ‘the holy place’), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Equddushu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to cleanse, to hallow, sanctify,), Aram.–Syr. קְדָשָׁא (= ear or nose ring; orig. ‘holy thing’). The orig. meaning of this base prob. was ‘to separate’.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis is also the view of the BDB dictionary, who writes that the original idea behind the root may have been \"separation, withdrawal\" and translates \u003Ci\u003Ekodesh \u003C\/i\u003Eas \"apartness, sacredness.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EHowever, others, such as Gesenius, claim that the original meaning was connotation 1, noting that the \u003Ci\u003Ekal \u003C\/i\u003Eform of the verb (presumably the most basic one), meant \"to be pure, clean, prop. used of physical purity and cleanliness.\" This approach does find support in the cognates found in other Semitic languages (as quoted by Klein above.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI'd like to end with a quote from the philosopher and theologian Rabbi Eliezer Berkovits. He wrote a lengthy essay entitled \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Man_and_God%2C_Chapter_4_the_Concept_of_Holiness?ven=Detroit:_Wayne_State_University_Press,_1969\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EThe Concept of Holiness\u003C\/a\u003E\" in his book \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Man_and_God\"\u003EMan and God: Studies in Biblical Theology\u003C\/a\u003E.\" I can't review the entire essay here (I do recommend reading it), but I think the last paragraph is very profound:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn our own analysis, interest was concentrated on the meaning of the term as it is applied to God and man, but we have not lost sight of its purely ritualistic significance either. We have found that the word, holy, does not stand for divine nature in whatever way that nature is understood, it is not a mere “otiose epithet” of God; but it is a specific attribute of the deity and it is consistently used all through the Bible in that specific sense. Rather than indicating transcendence, it seems to be inseparable from the idea of immanence. Far from meaning inaccessibility, it reveals closeness and association. It is not the \u003Ci\u003Emysterium tremendum\u003C\/i\u003E; if anything, it is its very opposite.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Rabbi Berkovits, even if \u003Ci\u003Ekadosh \u003C\/i\u003Edoes refer to separateness, that does not mean that God is distant from us, but rather shows just how closely involved God is with humanity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2202057768675081823\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2202057768675081823","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2202057768675081823"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2202057768675081823"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/04\/kodesh-and-kadosh.html","title":"kodesh and kadosh"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8078019891963689394"},"published":{"$t":"2022-04-11T20:14:00.005+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-04-11T20:14:49.820+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"pilegesh"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/04\/folk-pelach-and-peleg.html\"\u003Ewriting about words deriving from the root פלג\u003C\/a\u003E, a reader asked if there was a connection to the word \u003Ci\u003Epilegesh \u003C\/i\u003Eפילגש - \"concubine.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy first instinct was to consult \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%99%D7%9C%D6%B6%D7%92%D6%B6%D7%A9%D7%81?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EKlein's Hebrew etymology dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E, which did not make a connection to פלג, but had an interesting story nonetheless:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ecp. Aram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eפַלְקְתָא\u003C\/span\u003E, Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eפלקא\u003C\/span\u003E (= concubine). cp. also Greek\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Epallake, pallakis\u003C\/i\u003E (= concubine). Avestic \u003Ci\u003Epairika\u003C\/i\u003E (= beautiful women seducing pious men). All these words are certainly related, but it is difficult to establish the degree of their relationship to one another.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe also suggests a possible connection to the post-biblical Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%9C%D6%B0%D7%92%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A1.1?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003Epalgas\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eפלגס - which means \"a sheep thirteen months old,\" and says that it derives from the Greek \u003Ci\u003Epallax, \u003C\/i\u003E\"youth, girl\", which is a cognate of the Greek words\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Epallake, pallakis \u003C\/i\u003Ethat he mentioned in the \u003Ci\u003Epilegesh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;entry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his CEDEL entry for \"Pallas\" (another name for the Greek goddess Athene), he expands on this further. He says the name of the goddess comes from the Greek \u003Ci\u003Epallados\u003C\/i\u003E, \"maiden\" which is cognate with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Epallake, pallakis - \u003C\/i\u003E\"concubine.\"\u0026nbsp; After quoting some other Greek forms of the word, and the Avestic \u003Ci\u003Eparika\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(quoted above), he mentions the Persian \u003Ci\u003Epari \u003C\/i\u003E(\"fairy\", usually rendered as \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peri\"\u003Eperi\u003C\/a\u003E\" in English), and then suggests comparing with \"Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Epileghesh, \u003C\/i\u003EAramaic \u003Ci\u003Epilaqta\u003C\/i\u003E, 'concubine', and Arabic \u003Ci\u003EBilqis\u003C\/i\u003E, name of the queen of Sheba.\" And like his Hebrew entry, he isn't sure about how exactly these words are related. He notes that \"the above cited Indo-European words are possibly Semitic loan words.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether Hebrew borrowed from the Greek, or if the Greek borrowed from a Semitic language, that would make \u003Ci\u003Epilegesh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;cognate with the metallic element \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Palladium\"\u003Epalladium\u003C\/a\u003E, which \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/palladium#etymonline_v_3028\"\u003Ewas named\u003C\/a\u003E after the asteroid \u003Ci\u003EPallas, \u003C\/i\u003Ewhich in turn was named for the Greek goddess.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther suggest additional languages as the source of \u003Ci\u003Epilegesh. \u003C\/i\u003EBDB mentions a possible Hittite origin, and in the footnotes of the Ben Yehuda dictionary, Tur-Sinai writes that it's possible that Egyptian is the source. Egyptian is also mentioned in the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (TDOT), which also quotes Chaim Rabin as concluding that the word is Philistine in origin (which could certainly have Greek influences.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut surprisingly (at least to me) is that TDOT also proposes a connection to פלג:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe can give no satisfactory explanation for the origin of \u003Ci\u003Epileges\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Greek \u003Ci\u003Epallax, pallakis\u003C\/i\u003E; Latin\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;pellex;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;Jewish-Aramaic \u003Ci\u003Epalqeta\u003C\/i\u003E; Syriac \u003Ci\u003Epalqa\u003C\/i\u003E; Arabic in the feminine proper name \u003Ci\u003Ebilqis\u003C\/i\u003E). Scholars have sought its home in both the Semitic and the Indo-European language families and have put forward many conjectures about mutual influence. Suggested etymologies include the Hebrew root \u003Ci\u003Eplg, \u003C\/i\u003E\"divide, cleave,\" or a back-formation from Greek \u003Ci\u003Epallakis, pallake, pallax, \u003C\/i\u003Eoriginally \"youth\" or \"girl,\" or from the same source \u003Ci\u003Eplgs, \u003C\/i\u003E\"marriageable.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Gesenius, after quoting the same Greek and Latin words, writes:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe etymology is obscure, but the origin may be sought with some appearance of truth in the idea of softness and pleasure, with the Phoenicio-Shemitic roots פלג, פלק.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI don't really follow what he's writing here. First of all, I'm not familiar with the root פלק, and he doesn't include it in his dictionary, so maybe that was a typo. But I also don't see how to connect פלג with \"softness and pleasure.\" And I don't see any mention of those terms in his entry for פלג, so I don't know where to go from there.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI took at look at Steinberg's \u003Ci\u003EMilon HaTanakh,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;who is usually happy to come up with a Hebrew origin for potentially foreign words, but he wasn't very helpful either. He does write that the Greek and Latin words we've mentioned were borrowed, via the Phoenicians, from Hebrew. But aside from rejecting \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Elia_Levita\"\u003ELevita's \u003C\/a\u003Eidea that \u003Ci\u003Epilegesh \u003C\/i\u003Ecomes from פלג-אשה (I guess \"split-wife, half-wife\"?), because it is \"against the spirit of the language\", he doesn't make a proposal of his own.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo to answer the initial question, I think that it doesn't seem too likely that \u003Ci\u003Epilegesh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;comes from \u003Ci\u003Epeleg\u003C\/i\u003E, but if it does, I'd need a better explanation (not just a guess) as to why.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8078019891963689394\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8078019891963689394","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8078019891963689394"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8078019891963689394"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/04\/pilegesh.html","title":"pilegesh"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4083961495879470158"},"published":{"$t":"2022-04-05T22:59:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-04-05T22:59:02.926+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"folk, pelach and peleg"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I recently finished reading John McWhorter's book\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3x74ufE\"\u003EOur Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E. Throughout the book, he claims that English arrived at its current state through the influence of other languages. Much of the book talks about how the Celtic languages influenced the grammar of English. But at the end of the book, he builds on a theory by the German linguist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Theo_Vennemann\"\u003ETheo Vennemann\u003C\/a\u003E, which argues that the Germanic languages (including English) are different from the other Indo-European languages because of interaction with speakers of a Semitic language - probably seafaring Phoenicians or Punics from Carthage.\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI won't go into the whole argument, but it does bring up some interesting questions, and I don't think the theory is entirely unreasonable. One particular example that caught my eye was this one (from page 184):\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E... \u003Ci\u003Efolk\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;started in Germanic as a word referring to a division of an army, and only later morphed into meaning a tribe or a nation. The Proto-Germanic word was \u003Ci\u003Efukla\u003C\/i\u003E; the early Semitic root for \u003Ci\u003Edivide\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;-- i.e., as in making a \u003Ci\u003Edivision -- \u003C\/i\u003Ewas \u003Ci\u003Ep-l-kh\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ep-l-kh\u003Cbr \/\u003Ef-l-k\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the early Semitic language Assyrian, that root was used to mean \u003Ci\u003Edistrict\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(i.e., a division of land), with the \u003Ci\u003Ekh \u003C\/i\u003Esoftening into a \u003Ci\u003Eg \u003C\/i\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Epuluggu\u003C\/i\u003E). In Hebrew today, a detachment is a \u003Ci\u003Eplaga\u003C\/i\u003E. Maybe in Northern Europe, that root came out as \u003Ci\u003Efulka\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the same meaning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/folk\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E has a different theory about the origin of \"folk\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EOld English \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Efolc\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"common people, laity; men; people, nation, tribe; multitude; troop, army,\" from Proto-Germanic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Efulka\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E (source also of Old Saxon \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Efolc\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Old Frisian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Efolk\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Middle Dutch \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Evolc\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Dutch \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Evolk\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Old High German \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Efolc\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, German \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EVolk\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"people\"). Perhaps originally \"host of warriors:\" Compare Old Norse \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Efolk\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"people,\" also \"army, detachment;\" and Lithuanian \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Epulkas\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"crowd,\" Old Church Slavonic \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Epluku\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"division of an army\" (hence Russian \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Epolk\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"regiment\"), both believed to have been borrowed from Proto-Germanic. Old English \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Efolcstede\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Ecould mean both \"dwelling-place\" and \"battlefield.\" According to Watkins, from PIE \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Eple-go-\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, suffixed form of root *\u003Ci\u003Epele\u003C\/i\u003E- (1) \"to fill,\" which would make it cognate with Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eplethos\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"people, multitude,\" and Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eplebes\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,  \"the populace, the common people.\" Boutkan thinks both the Germanic and  Balto-Slavic could be a common borrowing from a substrate language.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe entry makes no mention of a Semitic connection. However, it does keep most of the cognate words to \"folk\" in the Germanic language family, and after quoting Watkins' theory about a connection to \u003Ci\u003Eplethos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Eplebes\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(a theory which Klein rejects in his CEDEL, presumably because \"people\" and \"multitude\" were not the same as a division of warriors), there is mention\u0026nbsp;of a \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stratum_(linguistics)\"\u003Esubstrate language\u003C\/a\u003E.\" That term refers to a language that influences another language by contact - which is exactly what McWhorter and Vennemann are saying that a Semitic language was in this case.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether or not they are the source of \"folk\", the two related Semitic roots that McWhorter mentioned - פלח (\u003Ci\u003Ep-l-kh\u003C\/i\u003E)\u0026nbsp;and פלג (\u003Ci\u003Ep-l-g)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E- gave us many Hebrew words.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B6%D6%BC%D6%BD%D7%9C%D6%B7%D7%97.1?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003Eפלח \u003C\/a\u003Eoriginally meant \"to cleave, split\", as McWhorter mentioned. That meaning is maintained in Hebrew in the word פֶּלַח \u003Ci\u003Epelach\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"section, slice of fruit.\"\u0026nbsp; But from there it developed into the specific sense of \"to plow, till the ground.\" Arabic has a cognate to this meaning, \u003Ci\u003Efalahah\u003C\/i\u003E, which led to \u003Ci\u003Efallah \u003C\/i\u003E\"plowman\", the source of the word for peasant, \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fellah\"\u003Efellah\u003C\/a\u003E\", which has entered into English. (No connection to \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/fellow\"\u003Efellow\u003C\/a\u003E\", though.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom working and serving the land, פלח expanded to a more religious meaning of divine worship, similar to how the root עבד can indicate both working the land and worshipping God (or \"cultivate\" and \"cult\" in English). This sense is most commonly seen in the word (originally from Aramaic) פולחן \u003Ci\u003Epulchan - \u003C\/i\u003E\"service.\" \u003Ci\u003EPulchan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;originally was any kind of service, then became religious service \/ divine worship, but in Modern Hebrew it has returned to a more secular meaning, of any kind of ritual indicating extreme admiration and devotion (like a cult).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cognate \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%92?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003Eפלג \u003C\/a\u003Eprovides even more words. As with פלח, the root means \"cleave, split, divide.\" Here are a sample of some of the words deriving from that root:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eפִּלֵּג\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Epileg -\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\"to divide, separate\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eהִפְלִיג \u003Ci\u003Ehiflig - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to depart (by ship), to set sail\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eהתפלג \u003Ci\u003Ehitpaleg - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to split\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eפֶּלֶג \u003Ci\u003Epeleg - \u003C\/i\u003E\"section, faction\", also \"brook, tributary\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eפְּלֻגָּה \u003Ci\u003Epluga - \u003C\/i\u003E\"army division\" specifically a \"company\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eפְּלֻגְתָּא \u003Ci\u003Eplugta - \u003C\/i\u003E\"disagreement, argument\". This is from Aramaic, and has a literary connotation, and is commonly found in the phrase\u0026nbsp;בַּר-פְּלֻגְתָּא \u003Ci\u003Ebar plugta - \u003C\/i\u003E\"scholarly opponent.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eמִפְלָגָה \u003Ci\u003Emiflaga - \u003C\/i\u003E\"political party\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESo what we have seen here is how many Hebrew words might be related to the English word \"folk\". And that's no folk etymology!\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4083961495879470158\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4083961495879470158","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4083961495879470158"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4083961495879470158"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/04\/folk-pelach-and-peleg.html","title":"folk, pelach and peleg"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2265994407246793787"},"published":{"$t":"2022-03-27T20:43:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-03-27T20:46:00.346+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ghoul and gorilla"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe English word \"ghoul\" derives from Arabic. Here's the Online Etymology Dictionary entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/ghoul\"\u003Eghoul\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E1786, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egoul\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, in the English translation of William Beckford's Orientalist novel \"Vathek\" (which was written in French), from Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eghul\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on corpses, from \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eghala\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"he seized.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Arabic \u003Ci\u003Eghul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as \"demon\" also gives us the name of the star \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Algol\"\u003EAlgol\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;which is also known as the \"Demon Star.\" The full name in Arabic is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eraʾs al-ghūl\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp; - \"the head of the demon\" (because as part of the constellation of Perseus, it is the head of Medusa that Perseus is holding.) This name entered more modern mythology as a villain in the Batman comic books -\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ra%27s_al_Ghul\"\u003ERa's al Ghul\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStahl, in his etymological dictionary of Arabic, quotes the historian and linguist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%97%D7%A7_%D7%99%D7%97%D7%96%D7%A7%D7%90%D7%9C_%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94\"\u003EIsaac Yahuda\u003C\/a\u003E as saying that the word \"gorilla\" may have the same origin. While there is consensus on how \"gorilla\" entered English, its earlier history is unclear. For example, here's the Online Etymology Dictionary \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/gorilla\"\u003Eentry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E1847, applied to a species of large apes (\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ETroglodytes gorilla\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E) by U.S. missionary Thomas Savage, from Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egorillai\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,  plural of name given to wild, hairy beings (now supposed to have been  chimpanzees) in a Greek translation of Carthaginian navigator Hanno's  account of his voyage along the northwest coast of Africa, c. 500 B.C.E.  Allegedly an African word.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his book \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?redir_esc=y\u0026amp;id=ew0rAQAAIAAJ\u0026amp;focus=searchwithinvolume\u0026amp;q=%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9C\"\u003EMishley Arav\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(\"Proverbs of Arabia\") Yahuda identifies\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eghul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;with \"gorilla\". I don't know how likely it is that \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hanno_the_Navigator\"\u003EHanno \u003C\/a\u003Ewould have encountered Arabic speakers in that part of Africa, but perhaps this was a cognate in a different Semitic, or \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Afroasiatic_languages\"\u003EAfroasiatic\u003C\/a\u003E language. Or maybe Arabic speakers later conflated their \u003Ci\u003Eghul \u003C\/i\u003Edemon with the scary gorilla. (See\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=GECrpJvx1wYC\u0026amp;pg=PR16\u0026amp;dq=%22gorilla%22+ghoul+arabic\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjx2I312eb2AhWOTcAKHRgSBg8Q6AF6BAgLEAI#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=%22gorilla%22%20ghoul%20arabic\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003E here\u003C\/a\u003E for another example of that association in Arabic).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYahuda also claims that \u003Ci\u003Egilul \u003C\/i\u003Eגלול - the Biblical Hebrew word for idols - is also cognate with \u003Ci\u003Eghul. \u003C\/i\u003EPresumably, he's referring to the ancient practice of worshiping demons, which the Bible prohibits and denigrates.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, I couldn't find any other source that makes that claim. The popular view is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%9C%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%9C?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EKlein's position\u003C\/a\u003E, that \u003Ci\u003Egilul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;refers to rolled (גלל) dung:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eגִּלּוּל\u003C\/b\u003E m.n.    idol.  [According to some scholars related to גָּלָל (= dung); according to Baudissin and to others \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eגִּלּוּלִים\u003C\/span\u003E derives from גלל (= to roll), and orig. meant ‘rolled blocks’. cp. BAram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eאֶבֶן גְּלָל\u003C\/span\u003E (= square stones), and see \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eגּֽלָל\u003C\/span\u003E. The form גִּלּוּל was influenced by שִׁקּוּץ (= abomination).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI'm still curious if \u003Ci\u003Eghul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has a more solid Hebrew cognate. I didn't see anyone who made this connection, but Klein does discuss the root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%9C_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003Eעול \u003C\/a\u003E- \"to give suck\" (like a nursing mother), and says that it is \"related to Arabic\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eghālat\u003C\/i\u003E (= she gave suck).\" Could \u003Ci\u003Eghala \u003C\/i\u003E(\"he seized\") perhaps be related to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eghālat\u003C\/i\u003E? A nursing baby latches on to, \"seizes\", the mother. Maybe? If so, it would provide us with the words\u0026nbsp;עוּל and עולל, meaning \"baby, infant.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2265994407246793787\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2265994407246793787","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2265994407246793787"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2265994407246793787"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/03\/ghoul-and-gorilla.html","title":"ghoul and gorilla"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3992484114232235241"},"published":{"$t":"2022-03-20T21:54:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-03-20T21:54:19.029+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"April"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Last week on Purim we read the book of Esther, and next week we start the month of April. It turns out that Esther and April have more in common than just sharing the same few weeks.\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOne of my first posts on Balashon was about the etymology of the name Esther. Here's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/esther.html\"\u003Ewhat I wrote then\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe name Esther - אסתר - is connected to the Babylonian deity Ishtar (yes, the same name as the notoriously unsuccessful \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0093278\/\"\u003Emovie\u003C\/a\u003E.) They both derive from the Indo-European root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thefreedictionary.com\/_\/roots.aspx?type=Indo-European\u0026amp;root=ster-\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ester\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and the related Semitic root\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ahdictionary.com\/word\/semitic.html#%CA%BF%E1%B9%AFtr\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eʿṯtr\u003C\/i\u003E \u003C\/a\u003Ewhich gave us the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the Phoenician goddess \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Astarte\"\u003EAstarte\u003C\/a\u003E עשתרת. That same root gives us the English words star, astral, stellar and disaster (not in the stars.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI briefly mentioned Aphrodite, but didn't focus any further on that name. The Online Etymology Dictionary provides \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/aphrodite\"\u003Ethis origin\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreek goddess of love and beauty, personification of female grace, 1650s; the ancients derived her name from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eaphros\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"foam,\" from the story of her birth, but the word is perhaps rather from Phoenician \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EAshtaroth\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(Assyrian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EIshtar\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E).  Beekes writes, \"As the goddess seems to be of oriental origin ..., the  name probably comes from the East too. .... It may have entered Greek  via another language.\" He concludes, \"[I]t seems possible that the name  came from the one languages [sic] which on historical grounds we should  expect to be relevant: Cypriot Phoenician.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EKlein agrees that the idea that the name derives from \u003Ci\u003Eaphros \u003C\/i\u003E(\"foam\") is a folk etymology, but does suggest that perhaps her association with foam caused the change in pronunciation from Ashtoreth to Aphrodite. He gives other examples of \"sh\" turning into \"f.\" He points out that garlic in Hebrew is שום \u003Ci\u003Eshum\u003C\/i\u003E, but in Arabic it is either \u003Ci\u003Ethum\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or \u003Ci\u003Efum.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;Similarly, the Russian name \u003Ci\u003EFeodor\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;derives from the Greek \u003Ci\u003ETheodore.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EFrom Aphrodite, according to some theories, we get the name of the month of April. Klein writes that April, in Latin \u003Ci\u003EAprilis\u003C\/i\u003E, comes from Greek \u003Ci\u003EAp(h)ro, \u003C\/i\u003Ea short form of Aphrodite, and so\u0026nbsp;was \"the month of Aphrodite.\" The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/April\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E suggests (among other possibilities), an Etruscan origin, but still coming from Aphrodite.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003ESo we've shown connections between Esther and April, but one word I was surprised to discover isn't related is Easter, which usually falls in this time period as well. However, here is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/Easter\"\u003EEaster's etymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EOld English \u003Ci\u003EEasterdæg\u003C\/i\u003E, from \u003Ci\u003EEastre \u003C\/i\u003E(Northumbrian \u003Ci\u003EEostre\u003C\/i\u003E), from Proto-Germanic *\u003Ci\u003Eaustron\u003C\/i\u003E-, \"dawn,\" also the name of a goddess of fertility and spring, perhaps originally of sunrise, whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox, from *\u003Ci\u003Eaust\u003C\/i\u003E- \"east, toward the sunrise\" (compare east), from PIE root *\u003Ci\u003Eaus\u003C\/i\u003E- (1) \"to shine,\" especially of the dawn.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI guess that connection wasn't in the stars...\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3992484114232235241\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3992484114232235241","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3992484114232235241"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3992484114232235241"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/03\/april.html","title":"April"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2688156025795680884"},"published":{"$t":"2022-03-15T20:19:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-03-15T20:19:53.175+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gizzard"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003ESeveral years ago, I wrote about the root \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/01\/gezer.html\"\u003Egazar\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eגזר - \"to cut\". After pointing out that it's not related to \u003Ci\u003Egezer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eגֶּזֶר - \"carrot\", I pointed out a number of Hebrew and Arabic words that likely derive from the root and its cognates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWell, I recently discovered another word that may have גזר as its etymology: gizzard.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdmittedly, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/gizzard\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E doesn't offer a Semitic origin:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"stomach of a bird,\" late 14c., from Old French \u003Ci\u003Egisier\u003C\/i\u003E \"entrails, giblets (of a bird)\" (13c., Modern French \u003Ci\u003Egésier\u003C\/i\u003E), probably from Vulgar Latin *\u003Ci\u003Egicerium\u003C\/i\u003E, a dissimilation of Latin \u003Ci\u003Egigeria \u003C\/i\u003E(neuter plural) \"cooked entrails of a fowl,\" a delicacy in ancient Rome, from PIE *\u003Ci\u003Eyekwr\u003C\/i\u003E- \"liver\" (see hepatitis). The unetymological -\u003Ci\u003Ed \u003C\/i\u003Ewas added 1500s (perhaps on analogy of -ard words).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, Klein, in his CEDEL entry, does offer one. He also writes that the English derives from the French, but from there offers a different Latin one:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom Latin \u003Ci\u003Egizeria\u003C\/i\u003E, 'cooked entrails of poultry', which is probably a Punic-Phoenician-Hebrew loan word. Compare Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Egezarim\u003C\/i\u003E, construct state \u003Ci\u003Egizrei, \u003C\/i\u003E'pieces of sacrificed animals', plural of \u003Ci\u003Egezer, \u003C\/i\u003E'anything cut, a piece,' from the stem of \u003Ci\u003Egazar\u003C\/i\u003E, 'he cut, divided'.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI assume that Klein's inspiration for \u003Ci\u003Egezarim\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;being \"pieces of sacrificed animals\" comes from the story of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Covenant_of_the_pieces\"\u003ECovenant of the Pieces\u003C\/a\u003E, where God tells Abraham to sacrifice a number of animals, and then after Abraham prophesized,\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eוַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה וַעֲלָטָה הָיָה וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָבַר בֵּין הַגְּזָרִים הָאֵלֶּה׃\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWhen the sun set and it was very dark, there appeared a smoking oven, and a flaming torch which passed between those pieces [\u003Ci\u003Eha-gezarim]\u003C\/i\u003E. (Bereshit 15:17)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThat is the only mention of \u003Ci\u003Egezer \u003C\/i\u003Eindicating a sacrifice in the Bible.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou may have noticed that Etymonline has the Latin \u003Ci\u003Egigeria\u003C\/i\u003E, and Klein has \u003Ci\u003Egizeria. \u003C\/i\u003EThat is also addressed in his CEDEL:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Latin, \u003Ci\u003Egigeria\u003C\/i\u003E, a collateral from of \u003Ci\u003Egizeria\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Ez\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has been assimilated to the preceding \u003Ci\u003Eg.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom searching through Google Books (see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=EoBiAAAAMAAJ\u0026amp;dq=gigeria+gizeria+latin\u0026amp;focus=searchwithinvolume\u0026amp;q=gizeria\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=KdR4jRJCxEsC\u0026amp;pg=PA83\u0026amp;lpg=PA83\u0026amp;dq=gigeria+gizeria\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=qYlXypWWpZ\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U2D-D9-jlCrMv8ibDI1PzSYbYHpsQ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwikzovo2sj2AhUDY8AKHXOiBSQQ6AF6BAgyEAM#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=gigeria%20gizeria\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=3mQTAAAAYAAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA48\u0026amp;dq=%22gigeria%22+%22gizeria%22+latin\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwi72dGn3cj2AhURrxoKHYO4Dwc4FBDoAXoECAUQAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=%22gigeria%22%20%22gizeria%22%20latin\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E), it seems that it's not clear which word Latin used - \u003Ci\u003Egigeria \u003C\/i\u003Eor \u003Ci\u003Egizeria - \u003C\/i\u003Eso that may have added to the confusion over the etymology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2688156025795680884\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2688156025795680884","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2688156025795680884"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2688156025795680884"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/03\/gizzard.html","title":"gizzard"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1814467095143946071"},"published":{"$t":"2022-03-07T18:03:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-03-09T10:32:31.645+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ikar, akar and akeret bayit"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003ELet's take a look at the Hebrew root עקר. As a verb, in the \u003Ci\u003Ekal \u003C\/i\u003Eform it means \"to uproot, extract, displace\" and in the \u003Ci\u003Epiel \u003C\/i\u003Eform means \"to neuter, spay, sterilize.\"\u0026nbsp; The adjective עקר \u003Ci\u003Eakar, \u003C\/i\u003Eor in the feminine \u003Ci\u003Eakara\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;עקרה means \"infertile, barren.\" And the noun \u003Ci\u003Eikar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(spelled either\u0026nbsp;עִקָּר or עיקר) means \"essence, main thing\/part, gist\", with the associated adjective \u003Ci\u003Eikari\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;עיקרי meaning \"essential, fundamental, major\" and the related \u003Ci\u003Eikaron \u003C\/i\u003Eעקרון - \"principle\" and \u003Ci\u003Eekroni\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;עקרוני - \"of principle, basic.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat is the connection between these various meanings?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey all derive from the sense of \"root.\" That is the original meaning of \u003Ci\u003Eikar\u003C\/i\u003E. That sense isn't found in Biblical Hebrew (although a related word, \u003Ci\u003Eeker - \u003C\/i\u003E\"offshoot\",\u0026nbsp;appears in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Leviticus.25.47?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EVayikra 25:47\u003C\/a\u003E), but is common in Aramaic, and can be found as such in the Aramaic sections of Daniel (4:12,20,23). Those verses all have the phrase\u0026nbsp;עִקַּר שׇׁרְשׁוֹהִי, which is generally translated as \"the stump with its roots.\" But since both words mean root in Aramaic, perhaps a more precise translation would be \"root of the roots\" or \"the main root.\" From Aramaic, \u003Ci\u003Eikar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;entered rabbinic Hebrew, where it has the literal meaning of root (for example in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Maasrot.3.10?ven=Mishnah_Yomit_by_Dr._Joshua_Kulp\u0026amp;vhe=Torat_Emet_357\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMishna Maasrot 3:10\u003C\/a\u003E) and the more metaphorical sense of the \"important thing\" (as in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Pirkei_Avot.1.17?ven=Mishnah_Yomit_by_Dr._Joshua_Kulp\u0026amp;vhe=Torat_Emet_357\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMishna Avot 1:17\u003C\/a\u003E).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnglish relates to the word \"root\" similarly, with it also having the meaning \"the cause, source or origin of something.\" And just as in English, the verb \"to root\" means \"to pull up by the roots, to uproot\", so too does the Hebrew verb \u003Ci\u003Eakar \u003C\/i\u003Emean \"to extract, uproot\" (see for example \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Zephaniah.2.4?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETzefania 2:4\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Zephaniah.2.4?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKohelet 3:2\u003C\/a\u003E). This is an example of a contronym (a homonym which is also an antonym, and we've \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/11\/gala-and-chol.html\"\u003Eseen them before\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom here we get to the words related to \"barrenness.\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A2%D7%A7%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein says\u003C\/a\u003E that they are \"probably a special sense development\" from the meaning \"to pluck, root up, remove.\" Gesenius implies that this may derive from an original sense of \"castration.\" (He makes a similar connection between \u003Ci\u003Eshoresh \u003C\/i\u003Eשורש - \"root\" and \u003Ci\u003Esaris \u003C\/i\u003Eסריס - \"eunuch.\")\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne phrase that doesn't appear to be connected to any of the above is \u003Ci\u003Eakeret bayit \u003C\/i\u003Eעקרת בית - \"homemaker, housewife.\" The phrase originates from a biblical verse, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Psalms.113.9?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETehillim 113:9\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eמוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת אֵם־הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה הַלְלוּ־יָהּ\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThis is a difficult verse to translate. The new Koren translation offers:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\"He sets the childless woman in her home as a joyous mother of children. Hallelujah.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EMeaning that the phrase \u003Ci\u003Eakeret habayit\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"the barren woman \u003Ci\u003Ein\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;the house\", and (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Ibn_Ezra_on_Psalms.113.9.1?vhe=Ibn_Ezra_on_Psalms_--_Daat\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003Eas Ibn Ezra writes\u003C\/a\u003E) it's not a conjunctive phrase at all. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Psalms.113.9?ven=The_Rashi_Ketuvim_by_Rabbi_Shraga_Silverstein\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EOthers\u003C\/a\u003E see \u003Ci\u003Eakeret habayit \u003C\/i\u003Eas one phrase, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A2%D6%B2%D7%A7%D6%B6%D7%A8%D6%B6%D7%AA.1?ven=Carta_Jerusalem%3B_1st_edition,_1987\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Emeaning\u003C\/a\u003E \"the barren one \u003Ci\u003Eof \u003C\/i\u003Ethe house.\" Even if more translations today suggest the first possibility, the latter one seems to be more popularly accepted. (The grammatical structure does seem to suggest \u003Ci\u003Esemichut\u003C\/i\u003E, so I can see why).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EFrom this understanding of the phrase, a \u003Ci\u003Edrasha \u003C\/i\u003Edeveloped, saying that this\/the woman is not barren, but rather the \u003Ci\u003Eikar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- the essence - of the home. For example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Genesis.29.31?ven=Tanakh:_The_Holy_Scriptures,_published_by_JPS\u0026amp;vhe=Miqra_according_to_the_Masorah\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EBereshit 29:31\u003C\/a\u003E says that Rachel was barren (\u003Ci\u003Eakara\u003C\/i\u003E).\u0026nbsp;The midrash (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Bereishit_Rabbah.71.2?ven=Sefaria_Community_Translation\u0026amp;vhe=Midrash_Rabbah_--_TE\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EBereshit Rabbah 71:2\u003C\/a\u003E) reinterprets the verse to say that Rachel was the \u003Ci\u003Eikar\u003C\/i\u003E, the main part of the household:\u0026nbsp;וְרָחֵל עֲקָרָה, רָחֵל הָיְתָה עִקָּרוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EIt's not exactly clear when the phrase came to mean \"housewife,\" (for a more detailed history \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2021\/02\/22\/%d7%94%d7%99%d7%90-%d7%a2%d6%b2%d7%a7%d6%b6%d7%a8%d6%b6%d7%aa-%d7%94%d6%b7%d7%91%d6%bc%d6%b7%d7%99%d6%b4%d7%aa-%d7%95%d7%94%d7%95%d7%90\/\"\u003Esee here\u003C\/a\u003E) but it was very likely influenced by this\u0026nbsp; midrash and others like it (see also \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Bamidbar_Rabbah.14.8?ven=Rabbi_Mike_Feuer,_Jerusalem_Anthology\u0026amp;vhe=Midrash_Rabbah_--_TE\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EBamidbar Rabba 14:8\u003C\/a\u003E). However, instead of saying that the essence of the home was the wife, the meaning shifted to \"the main part of the (this) woman is in the home.\" An early example of this is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Gittin.52a.15?ven=William_Davidson_Edition_-_English\u0026amp;vhe=William_Davidson_Edition_-_Vocalized_Aramaic\u0026amp;lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Rashi_on_Gittin.52a.15.1\u0026amp;vhe2=Vilna_Edition\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003ERashi's commentary on Gittin 52a\u003C\/a\u003E. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Gittin.52a.15?ven=William_Davidson_Edition_-_English\u0026amp;vhe=William_Davidson_Edition_-_Vocalized_Aramaic\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003ETalmud there\u003C\/a\u003E mentions that Rabbi Yosei never called his wife \"his wife\" but rather \"his home.\" Rashi explains his reasoning because \"all the needs of the home are taken care of by her hands, and she is the essence of the home.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1814467095143946071\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1814467095143946071","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1814467095143946071"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1814467095143946071"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/03\/ikar-akar-and-akeret-bayit.html","title":"ikar, akar and akeret bayit"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1207860380184230809"},"published":{"$t":"2022-01-31T17:18:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-01-31T17:18:45.769+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"naar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Enaar\u003C\/i\u003E נער has a number of meanings - two verbs and a noun. Let's look and see if they are related.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne verb means \"to shake\" or \"to shake out.\" It appears \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/5287\"\u003E11 times\u003C\/a\u003E with that meaning in the Bible. Sometimes the meaning is more than the simple \"shake\" as in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Exodus.14.27?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EShemot 14:27\u003C\/a\u003E, where it says that God \"hurled\"\u0026nbsp;וַיְנַעֵר the Egyptians into the sea.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D7%A2%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein's entry\u003C\/a\u003E for that meaning:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Eshake, shake out, shake off, stir.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Qal\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eנָעַר\u003C\/strong\u003E    he shook, shook out, shook off, stirred.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Niph.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eנִנְעַר\u003C\/strong\u003E    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E he shook himself free.     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E was shaken out;   PBH  \u003Cb\u003E3\u003C\/b\u003E he bestirred himself;   PBH  \u003Cb\u003E4\u003C\/b\u003E was poured out, was emptied.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Pi.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eנִעֵר\u003C\/strong\u003E    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E he shook out;     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E he stirred up.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Pu.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eנֻעַר\u003C\/strong\u003E  NH  \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E was shaken;   PBH  \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E was stirred;   PBH  \u003Cb\u003E3\u003C\/b\u003E was emptied.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Hith.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eהִתְנַעֵר\u003C\/strong\u003E    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E he shook himself;   NH  \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E he bestirred himself.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Hiph.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eהִנְעִיר\u003C\/strong\u003E    he encouraged.  [Aram. נְעַר (= he shook, stirred), Syr. נְעַר (= he poured out), whence \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eנָעוֹרָא\u003C\/span\u003E (= waterwheel). Arab. \u003Ci\u003Enā‘ūra\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E (= waterwheel with buckets, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Noria\"\u003Enoria\u003C\/a\u003E), is a Syr. loan word. cp. Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ena‘ara\u003C\/i\u003E (= it spurted, gushed forth — said of the blood of a vein), \u003Ci\u003Ena‘āra\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E (= earthen jug, pot).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein doesn't include it (perhaps it wasn't common in his time), but the \u003Ci\u003Ehitpael\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form התנער \u003Ci\u003Ehitnaer \u003C\/i\u003Etoday means \"to shirk\" or \"to renounce responsibility.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe other verb means \"to bray, roar, growl\" and only appears once in the Bible:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eיַחְדָּו כַּכְּפִרִים יִשְׁאָגוּ נָעֲרוּ כְּגוֹרֵי אֲרָיוֹת\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\"Like lions, they roar together, they growl [\u003Ci\u003Ena'aru\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;like lion cubs. (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jeremiah.51.38?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EYirmiyahu 51:38\u003C\/a\u003E).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EWhile in this verse the metaphor is for the growl of a lion, in Rabbinic Hebrew the verb was designated for the bray of a donkey, and so it continues today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EAnd here's what \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D7%A2%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E about this meaning:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EAram.-Syr. נְעַר (= roared, growled, brayed), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ena‘ara\u003C\/i\u003E (= rattled), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Enēru\u003C\/i\u003E (= to growl), \u003Ci\u003Enā’iru\u003C\/i\u003E (= roaring)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut by far the most common appearance of \u003Ci\u003Enaar \u003C\/i\u003Ein the Bible is as a noun, meaning \"boy, lad, youth\", with sometimes the more specific sense of \"servant\" or \"soldier.\" There are 240 occurrences with this meaning, and another 63 for the female form נערה \u003Ci\u003Ena'ara\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(girl, maiden, servant.) Related words in Hebrew are \u003Ci\u003Enoar \u003C\/i\u003Eנוער - \"youth\" and \u003Ci\u003Eneurim \u003C\/i\u003Eנעורים - \"adolescence.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo are any of these meanings related to each other? Klein does not connect the two verbs, but presents two theories as to the origin of the noun.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first says that the noun, meaning \"youth,\" comes from the verb meaning \"to shake\", which he extends to the sense \"to throw\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, נער ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"\/Klein Dictionary,_נער ᴵ.1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;נַֽעַר\u0026nbsp;would lit. mean ‘that which is brought forth, young’; compare Ger. \u003Ci\u003Ewerfen\u003C\/i\u003E, ‘to throw’, in the sense ‘to bring forth, young’\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe other theory connects it to the braying and roaring usage, as an \"allusion to the roughness of the voice at the beginning of puberty.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne word that is nearly certainly unrelated to any of these is the Yiddish \u003Ci\u003Enar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"fool\" (the source of the familiar Yiddish word \u003Ci\u003Enarishkeit - \u003C\/i\u003E\"foolishness.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The Yiddish \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%A0%D7%90%D6%B7%D7%A8\"\u003Enar\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;derives from the German \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/narro#Old_High_German\"\u003Enarr\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;of the same meaning. The etymology of \u003Ci\u003Enarr \u003C\/i\u003E(or the related \u003Ci\u003Enarre \u003C\/i\u003Eor \u003Ci\u003Enarro\u003C\/i\u003E) isn't clear. Some say it comes from the Latin \u003Ci\u003Enaris\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"nose\" (ultimately the source of the English \"nasal\"), developing from \"sneering (with the nose)\" to \"mocking, jeering\" to \"fool.\" In any case, this word has been in German for a long time - which means that it's much more likely that Yiddish borrowed it from German instead of German borrowing it from Yiddish.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur youth might need education, but we don't need to make them the source of all foolishness...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1207860380184230809\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1207860380184230809","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1207860380184230809"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1207860380184230809"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/01\/naar.html","title":"naar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5985243474375553357"},"published":{"$t":"2022-01-23T20:52:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-01-23T20:52:57.780+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"yashfeh and diaper"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn Shemot 28:15-20, there is a description of the breastplate of the high priest - the \u003Ci\u003Echoshen mishpat\u003C\/i\u003E. The breastplate contained 12 stones, in four rows of three.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe identities of many of the stones listed are highly debated. It's very difficult to find two translations that render each of the stones in the same way. But one stone almost always gets the same translation, the \u003Ci\u003Eyashfeh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;יָשְׁפֵה of Shemot \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Exodus.28.20?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003E28:20\u003C\/a\u003E. All the English translations I consulted had it as \"jasper.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis should not be surprising, as the English word \"jasper\" very likely derives from \u003Ci\u003Eyashfeh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or a cognate Semitic word. Here's the Online Etymology Dictionary entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/jasper\"\u003Ejasper\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eprecious stone, c. 1300, from Anglo-French \u003Ci\u003Ejaspre\u003C\/i\u003E, Old French \u003Ci\u003Ejaspre\u003C\/i\u003E, with unetymological -\u003Ci\u003Er-\u003C\/i\u003E, a variant of \u003Ci\u003Ejaspe \u003C\/i\u003E(12c.), from Latin \u003Ci\u003Eiaspidem \u003C\/i\u003E(nominative \u003Ci\u003Eiaspis\u003C\/i\u003E), from Greek \u003Ci\u003Eiaspis \u003C\/i\u003E\"jasper,\" via an Oriental language (compare Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eyashpeh\u003C\/i\u003E, Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Eyashupu\u003C\/i\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein has a similar entry for \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%99%D6%B8%D7%A9%D6%B0%D7%81%D7%A4%D6%B5%D7%94.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eyashfeh\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProbably borrowed from \u003Ci\u003Eyashupū\u003C\/i\u003E (also \u003Ci\u003Eashpū\u003C\/i\u003E), whence also Syriac יָשְׁפֵה, \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eיַשֽׁפָא\u003C\/span\u003E, Persian\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eyashm\u003C\/i\u003E, whence Arabic\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;yashb\u003C\/i\u003E (= jasper). Greek. \u003Ci\u003Eiaspis\u003C\/i\u003E, whence Latin\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eiaspis\u003C\/i\u003E, is a Sem. loan word.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll of this isn't so surprising. Gems were rare, and so it makes sense that they would retain the name from where they came. However, the next development surprised me.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Klein's CEDEL, he has the following entry for the word \"diaper\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMiddle English \u003Ci\u003Ediaper, diapery\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;from Old French \u003Ci\u003Ediapre\u003C\/i\u003E, from earlier \u003Ci\u003Ediaspre\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(whence French \u003Ci\u003Ediapre\u003C\/i\u003E, 'diapered, variegated'), from Middle Latin \u003Ci\u003Ediasprum\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(whence also Italian \u003Ci\u003Ediaspro\u003C\/i\u003E, Old Provencal \u003Ci\u003Ediaspre\u003C\/i\u003E, Spanish \u003Ci\u003Ediaspero\u003C\/i\u003E, Portugese \u003Ci\u003Ediaspero\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Ediaspro\u003C\/i\u003E), 'jasper', from Latin \u003Ci\u003Eiaspis\u003C\/i\u003E, from Greek \u003Ci\u003Eiaspis, \u003C\/i\u003E'jasper', ultimately from Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eyashpheh\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI suppose I can see how the words are similar (although he doesn't explain where the added \"d\" comes from), but what is the connection between the meanings of \"jasper\" and \"diaper\"?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.collinsdictionary.com\/dictionary\/english\/diaper\"\u003EThis site\u003C\/a\u003E, quoting Webster's New World College dictionary, provides a possible explanation:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EME \u0026lt; OFr \u003Cspan class=\"hi rend-i\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ediapre\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Ediaspre\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, kind of ornamented cloth \u0026lt; ML \u003Cspan class=\"hi rend-i\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ediasprum\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, flowered cloth, altered (after \u003Cspan class=\"hi rend-i\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Edia\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E,  dia-, because of ML pronun. of initial \u003Cspan class=\"hi rend-i\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ej\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E) \u0026lt; \u003Cspan class=\"hi rend-i\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ejaspis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u0026lt; L \u003Cspan class=\"hi rend-i\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eiaspis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,  jasper\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo it seems that the connection here is that just like jasper is an ornamental gem, diapers were originally ornamental cloth. A different gem actually appears in the first (archaic) definition that dictionary provides:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E1.\u003Cbr \/\u003Ea.\u0026nbsp; Archaic: cloth or fabric with a woven pattern of repeated small figures, such as diamonds\u003Cbr \/\u003Eb. a napkin, towel, etc. of such cloth\u003Cbr \/\u003Ec. such a pattern, as in art\u003Cbr \/\u003E2.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003Ea. a soft, absorbent cloth folded and arranged between the legs and around the waist of a baby to absorb and contain excretions\u003Cbr \/\u003Eb. a piece of absorbent material with a waterproof outer layer, having the same function but intended to be discarded after a single use\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt's interesting to see how the meaning of diaper progressed to an item of less and less value - from a fancy ornamented cloth, to a cloth in general, to a cloth used to wrap around babies, to the disposable kind popular today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI'm just still not sure I understand why it begins with \"d.\" For that, perhaps its worth looking at the Online Etymology entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/diaper\"\u003Ediaper\u003C\/a\u003E. While they don't accept the \"jasper\" connection, they do say that the prefix \"dia-\" meant \"thoroughly, interspersed\", which could apply to the gem shapes (jasper) as much to the \"white\" that they suggest:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Emid-14c., \"costly silken fabric of one color having a repeated pattern of the same color woven into it,\" from Old French \u003Ci\u003Ediapre\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Ediaspre \u003C\/i\u003E\"ornamental cloth; flowered, patterned silk cloth,\" perhaps via Medieval Latin \u003Ci\u003Ediasprum \u003C\/i\u003Efrom Medieval Greek \u003Ci\u003Ediaspros \u003C\/i\u003E\"thoroughly white,\" or perhaps \"white interspersed with other colors,\" from \u003Ci\u003Edia \u003C\/i\u003E\"thoroughly\" (see dia-) + \u003Ci\u003Easpros \u003C\/i\u003E\"white.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow while the \u003Ci\u003Echoshen\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was in fact a fancy woven cloth with stones interspersed, I don't recommend you call it a \"diaper\" unless you're willing to face some serious questions...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5985243474375553357\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5985243474375553357","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5985243474375553357"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5985243474375553357"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2022\/01\/yashfeh-and-diaper.html","title":"yashfeh and diaper"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4829497793590510085"},"published":{"$t":"2021-11-18T17:26:00.003+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-11-18T17:26:46.584+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"cucumber and kishu"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In 2007, we discussed the Hebrew word for \"cucumber\", \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/04\/melafefon.html\"\u003Emelafefon\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eמלפפון. In the end of the post, I quoted an article that stated:\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003Ethe \u003Cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003Emelafefon\u003C\/span\u003E in the Talmud is a melon, and the cucumber should be called by its Biblical name - \u003Cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003Ekishu\u003C\/span\u003E קישוא (from Bamidbar 11:5 - זָכַרְנוּ, אֶת-הַדָּגָה, אֲשֶׁר-נֹאכַל  בְּמִצְרַיִם, חִנָּם; אֵת הַקִּשֻּׁאִים, וְאֵת הָאֲבַטִּחִים,  וְאֶת-הֶחָצִיר וְאֶת-הַבְּצָלִים, וְאֶת-הַשּׁוּמִים. \"We remember the  ... cucumbers (\u003Cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003Ekishuim\u003C\/span\u003E) ... that we ate in Egypt\") and what we today call \u003Cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003Ekishu\u003C\/span\u003E (zucchini squash) ... should be called \u003Cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003Ekishot\u003C\/span\u003E קישות  or \u003Cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003Ekishu-bishul\u003C\/span\u003E קישוא-בישול.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile that recommendation was not adopted by Hebrew speakers, I recently discovered a theory that connects \u003Ci\u003Ekishu \u003C\/i\u003Eand \"cucumber.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI actually could have noticed it when I wrote my earlier post, since Klein mentions it in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B4%D7%A9%D6%BC%D7%81%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%90.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ehis entry for \u003Ci\u003Ekishu\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E cucumber (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Num. 11:5).     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E gourd, vegetable marrow.  [Related to MH קָשׁוּת, Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקַשׁוּתָא\u003C\/span\u003E, Punic \u003Ci\u003Ekissou\u003C\/i\u003E, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Equththā, qiththa\u003C\/i\u003E, Ethiop. pl. \u003Ci\u003Eq\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ees\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eāt\u003C\/i\u003E, Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eqishshu\u003C\/i\u003E (= cucumber). Gk. \u003Ci\u003Esikuos\u003C\/i\u003E (= cucumber) is a Heb. loan word. See ‘Sicyos’ in my CEDEL.]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, even if I had noticed that the Greek \u003Ci\u003Esikuos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is a Hebrew loan word, I didn't have his CEDEL dictionary at the time, so I couldn't have picked up the trail. Here's what he writes for \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sicyos\"\u003ESicyos\u003C\/a\u003E\", the genus of plants that includes the burr cucumbers:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModern Latin, from Greek \u003Ci\u003Esikuos\u003C\/i\u003E, 'cucumber', which [...] is borrowed from Hebrew \u003Ci\u003E*qishshu'ah \u003C\/i\u003E(plural \u003Ci\u003Eqishshu'im\u003C\/i\u003E)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe then points to his entry for \"cucumber.\" The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cucumber\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E includes some of his findings:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Elate 14c., \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecucomer\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Old French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecocombre\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(13c., Modern French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Econcombre\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecucumerem\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(nominative \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecucumis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), perhaps from a pre-Italic Mediterranean language.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut Klein goes further. He says that the Latin comes from Greek, which eventually connects to Hebrew. He writes that the Latin \u003Ci\u003Ecucumis\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Efrom Greek \u003Ci\u003Ekukuos\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Assimilation_(phonology)\"\u003Eassimilated\u003C\/a\u003E from \u003Ci\u003Esikuos\u003C\/i\u003E, 'cucumber', a collateral form of \u003Ci\u003Esikuh\u003C\/i\u003E, of same meaning, which was probably formed through \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Metathesis_(linguistics)\"\u003Emetathesis\u003C\/a\u003E from Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eqishshu'ah\u003C\/i\u003E, 'cucumber'.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecalling that the Greeks pronounced the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Esh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as \u003Ci\u003Es \u003C\/i\u003E(think Shlomo \/ Solomon), we can see how \u003Ci\u003Ekishu \u003C\/i\u003Ecould become \u003Ci\u003Esikuh\u003C\/i\u003E. And from there, the path to cucumber is certainly possible (see the same theory\u0026nbsp; mentioned \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/40639453\/Food_in_Ancient_Mesopotamia_Cooking_the_Yale_Babylonian_Culinary_Recipes\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E as well). I wonder what additional insights I'll have when I look at \u003Ci\u003Ethis\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;post 14 years from now...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4829497793590510085\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4829497793590510085","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4829497793590510085"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4829497793590510085"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/11\/cucumber-and-kishu.html","title":"cucumber and kishu"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5414950238864542669"},"published":{"$t":"2021-11-11T16:59:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-11-15T07:03:35.095+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"benzene and levonah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EOne of the most common queries I receive is if two similar looking words - one in Hebrew and one in English (or some other language) are related. More often than not, there's no connection. It's just a coincidence, no more significant than two unrelated people looking like each other.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, sometimes the two words are cognates, and that makes for a great post here, especially when despite the similar sounds and letters, the meanings don't seem to be connected at all (like our last post on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/10\/cherry-and-keres.html\"\u003Echerry and \u003Ci\u003Ekeres\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther times, however, the remnants of a Semitic origin in an English word are difficult to identify with the naked eye. They might only maintain one or two letters from that cognate. That's the case with the word \"benzene.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe chemical \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Benzene\"\u003Ebenzene\u003C\/a\u003E is found in crude oil, and when added to gasoline provides its sweet smell. In Hebrew, the equivalent word, בנזין, refers to gasoline (or petrol) in general. Other languages that call their equivalent of benzene for gasoline include German (\u003Ci\u003EBenzin)\u003C\/i\u003E, Italian (\u003Ci\u003Ebenzina\u003C\/i\u003E) and Russian (бензин - \u003Ci\u003Ebenzin\u003C\/i\u003E).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere's the Online Etymology Dictionary entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/benzene\"\u003Ebenzene\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eclear, colorless liquid used as a solvent, 1835, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ebenzine\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, altered from German \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBenzin\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, coined in 1833 by German chemist \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eilhard_Mitscherlich\"\u003EEilhardt Mitscherlich\u003C\/a\u003E (1794-1863) from \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBenz(oesäure)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"benzoic acid\" + \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E-\u003Ci\u003Ein\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, indicating \"derived from\". Mitscherlich obtained it from a distillation of benzoic acid, obtained from benzoin. The form \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ebenzene\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (with hydrocarbon suffix \u003Ci\u003E-ene\u003C\/i\u003E) was proposed in 1835 and began to be used from 1838 in English.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein credits \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/August_Wilhelm_von_Hofmann\"\u003EA. W. Hofmann\u003C\/a\u003E for the spelling \"benzene.\" Since benzene came from \"benzoin\", we need to see the origin of that word as well. Here's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/benzoin\"\u003Ethe entry\u003C\/a\u003E in the Online Etymology Dictionary:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ebalsamic resin obtained from a tree (\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EStyrax benzoin\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E) of Indonesia, 1560s (earlier as \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ebengewine\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, 1550s), from French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ebenjoin\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (16c.), which comes via Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian from Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eluban jawi\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"incense of Java\" (actually Sumatra, but the Arabs confused the two), with \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Elu\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E probably mistaken in Romance languages for a definite article.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom here we see that bezoin actually comes from two words: \u003Ci\u003Eluban jawi\u003C\/i\u003E. While this entry renders it as \"incense of Java\", a more precise translation for \u003Ci\u003Eluban\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(as Klein offers \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%91%D6%B6%D6%BC%D7%A0%D6%B0%D7%96%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9F.1?lang=bi\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E) would be \"frankincense.\" \u003Ci\u003ELuban\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has a Hebrew cognate, \u003Ci\u003Elevonah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;לבונה, which appears \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/3828\"\u003E21 times in the Bible\u003C\/a\u003E, and was used in the Temple service, including in the incense offering, due to its pleasing aroma.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003ELevona\u003C\/i\u003E, in turn,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9C%D6%B0%D7%91%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%A0%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003Egets its name\u003C\/a\u003E due to its white - \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/08\/lavan.html\"\u003Elavan\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eלבן - color.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo returning to \"benzene\", we can now see that two of the letters - \"b\" and \"n\" - are cognate with the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Elevonah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Elavan. \u003C\/i\u003EI'm sure that's a question that no one will ever walk up to me on the street and ask me, but I find it fascinating nonetheless.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5414950238864542669\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5414950238864542669","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5414950238864542669"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5414950238864542669"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/11\/benzene-and-levonah.html","title":"benzene and levonah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-245472918445494325"},"published":{"$t":"2021-10-24T17:22:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-24T17:22:40.549+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"cherry and keres"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;I was surprised to learn that the English word \"cherry\" may have Semitic roots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Online Etymology Dictionary has the following entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cherry\"\u003Echerry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Efrom Anglo-French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Echerise\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Old North French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Echerise\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(Old French, Modern French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecerise\u003C\/span\u003E, 12c.), from Vulgar Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Eceresia\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from late Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ekerasian\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"cherry,\" from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ekerasos\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"cherry tree,\" possibly from a language of Asia Minor. Mistaken in Middle English for a plural and stripped of its \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E-s.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Etymology Nerd blog has a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymologynerd.com\/blog\/cherries-plural\"\u003Esimilar post\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EA long time ago, the Akkadians associated the phoneme\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ekarsu\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;with  the morpheme concerning trees bearing tiny fruits. The rest is history,  as the word passed into Anatolian and then Greek (following  geographical lines, I might add), as\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ekerasos\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;and specifically applying to the bird cherry tree. This logically created another noun, that of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ekerasion\u003C\/em\u003E, or \"cherry\", as an -\u003Cem\u003Eion\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Esuffix was affixed. As many Greek words did, this passed into Latin, and as all Greek words with a\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ek\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethat pass in to Latin change into a word with a\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ec\u003C\/em\u003E, as did did\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ekerasion\u003C\/em\u003E, which became the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ecerasium\u003C\/em\u003E, later\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eceresium\u003C\/em\u003E​. In Vulgar Latin, this became\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eceresia\u003C\/em\u003E, and in Old Northern French it became\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echerise\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;(nothing to do with\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Emon cheri\u003C\/em\u003E). This then became a loanword as it crossed the English channel to become\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echerise\u003C\/em\u003E,  and here people began to use it daily until someone along the line  \"realized\" that this was a plural, and that was incorrect, so that  person decided to abridge it to something like\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echerri\u003C\/em\u003E, which became\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echerry\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ein due course.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth note that the \"s\" was dropped when the word entered English from French due to a mistaken assumption that word was plural. (The same thing happened with the word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/pea\"\u003Epea\u003C\/a\u003E.) That's a fun fact, but I'm more interested in the Akkadian etymology. Klein, in his CEDEL, provides a little more information. After tracing the word to the Greek like the sources above, he adds:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ewhich probably derives from Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Ekarshu\u003C\/i\u003E, 'stone fruit'\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis piqued my curiosity. While many words in Akkadian have cognates in Hebrew (or Aramaic), Klein didn't offer one here. I tried looking up \u003Ci\u003Ekarsu, karshu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or \u003Ci\u003Ekarashu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Akkadian dictionaries, but none explicitly gave a meaning of \"stone fruit.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, there were other meanings that could provide a connection. One meaning of \u003Ci\u003Ekarasu \u003C\/i\u003Ein Akkadian is listed as \"stone.\" For example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.assyrianlanguages.org\/akkadian\/dosearch.php?searchkey=7511\u0026amp;language=id\"\u003Ethis Akkadian dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E has an entry for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ekarašu\u003C\/i\u003E with these meanings:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"wordlink\"\u003E1) a leek (cultivated, or wild in mountains) ; 2) (a kind of stone)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe meaning \"leek\" isn't so surprising. We've already discussed before the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Ekreisha \u003C\/i\u003Eכרשה and the Aramaic word \u003Ci\u003Ekarti \u003C\/i\u003Eכרתי - both meaning \"leek\", and having \u003Ci\u003Ekarashu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as a cognate seems logical. But what is the connection between leeks and stones?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/oi.uchicago.edu\/research\/publications\/assyrian-dictionary-oriental-institute-university-chicago-cad\"\u003EChicago Assyrian Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(CAD) has a far more detailed entry. In \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/oi.uchicago.edu\/sites\/oi.uchicago.edu\/files\/uploads\/shared\/docs\/cad_k.pdf\"\u003Etheir entry for\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/oi.uchicago.edu\/sites\/oi.uchicago.edu\/files\/uploads\/shared\/docs\/cad_k.pdf\"\u003Ekarašu\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(page 212) they first define it as \"leek\", then\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ein descriptions of stones … the stone whose color is green like leeks\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd later there is mention of stones. While it is possible that this became the \"stone\" of stone fruits, it seems less likely to me, and is also rejected by \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/digilib.phil.muni.cz\/bitstream\/handle\/11222.digilib\/130047\/1_GraecoLatinaBrunensia_19-2014-1_5.pdf?sequence=1\"\u003ERosół and Blažek\u003C\/a\u003E\" according to the Wiktionary entry for the Greek\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%CE%BA%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%8C%CF%82\"\u003Ekerasos\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo me, a more likely candidate would be a different meaning of the Akkadian word. According to the CAD,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/oi.uchicago.edu\/sites\/oi.uchicago.edu\/files\/uploads\/shared\/docs\/cad_k.pdf\"\u003Ekaršu\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(page 223) can mean\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E1. stomach, belly, womb, body\u003Cbr \/\u003E2. mind, heart, plan, desire\u003Cbr \/\u003E3. inner or lower side\u003C\/blockquote\u003EWhile there is no mention of stone fruits, or fruits at all, in their entry, it seems reasonable to me that the word could have been borrowed for stone fruits specifically (considering that the stone is inside the fruit, as if in the belly), or perhaps fruit in general (metaphorically the produce of the womb).\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf this is the case, there is a cognate with a Hebrew word: \u003Ci\u003Ekeres, \u003C\/i\u003Ealso meaning \"belly.\" It appears in Biblical Hebrew only once, with the spelling כרש, in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jeremiah.51.34?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EYirmiyahu 51:34\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;מִלָּא כְרֵשׂוֹ מֵעֲדָנָי\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EHe filled his belly with my dainties\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EHowever, the word \u003Ci\u003Ekeres\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Ebecame \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%9B%D6%B6%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B6%D7%A1?lang=bi\"\u003Emore common in Rabbinic Hebrew\u003C\/a\u003E, where the spelling changed to כרס.\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9B%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B5%D7%A9%D7%81.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003E Klein confirms\u003C\/a\u003E the cognate with Akkadian:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ebelly (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Jer. 51:34). In PBH spelled כָּרֵס (q.v.).  [Related to Aram.-Syr. כַּרְסָא (= belly), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ekarish, kirsh\u003C\/i\u003E, Ethiop. \u003Ci\u003Ekarsh\u003C\/i\u003E (= stomach, belly), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Ekarshu, karashu\u003C\/i\u003E (= belly).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EIt does surprise me that he doesn't connect the entry for \u003Ci\u003Ekeres \u003C\/i\u003Ewith his entry for \"cherry\", but I don't think that necessarily means he didn't connect them. In any case, the next time I fill my \u003Ci\u003Ekeres\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;with cherries, I'll be sure to think of the etymological connection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/245472918445494325\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=245472918445494325","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/245472918445494325"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/245472918445494325"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/10\/cherry-and-keres.html","title":"cherry and keres"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8435036460388124118"},"published":{"$t":"2021-10-19T22:24:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-19T22:24:05.018+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"marpek and rafiki"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew word for \"elbow\" - מרפק \u003Ci\u003Emarpek\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is not of biblical origin. It first appears in Rabbinic Hebrew, for example in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Shabbat.10.3?lang=bi\"\u003EMishna Shabbat 10:3\u003C\/a\u003E. However, the word does derive from a root, רפק, that has one appearance in the Tanakh. Here is Klein's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%A4%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%A7.1?lang=bi\"\u003Eentry for \u003Ci\u003Emarpek\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EFrom רפק (= to support). cp. Aram. מַרְפְּקָא, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Emarfiq\u003C\/i\u003E (= elbow).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd here is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A8%D7%A4%D7%A7?lang=bi\"\u003Ewhat he writes about רפק\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"loadingMessage sans-serif base prev\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"int-he\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, רפק\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, רפק 1\" class=\"segment highlight invisibleHighlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, רפק 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eרפק\u003C\/strong\u003E    to support, lean. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Pi.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eרִפֵּק\u003C\/strong\u003E  MH  \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E he supported, upheld;   NH  \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E he elbowed. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Pu.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eרֻפַּק\u003C\/strong\u003E    was supported, was upheld. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E— Hith.\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eהִתְרַפֵּק\u003C\/strong\u003E    he leant against, clung to (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Cant. 8:5).  [Arab. \u003Ci\u003Erafaqa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he helped, supported), Ethiop. \u003Ci\u003Erafaqa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he reclined at the table, leaned upon). Base of מַרְפֵּק (= elbow).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELet's take a look first at the last form of the verb, התרפק \u003Ci\u003Ehitrapek\u003C\/i\u003E, since it is the one that appears in the Bible:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eמִי זֹאת עֹלָה מִן־הַמִּדְבָּר מִתְרַפֶּקֶת עַל־דּוֹדָהּ...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\"Who is she that comes up from the desert, leaning [\u003Ci\u003Emitrapeket\u003C\/i\u003E] upon her beloved?...\" (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Song_of_Songs.8.5?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EShir HaShirim 8:5\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThis modern translation (New JPS) relies upon the same scholarship that Klein had, and therefore renders \u003Ci\u003Emitrapeket\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as \"leaning.\" The medieval commentaries, such as Rashi and Ibn Ezra quote the Arabic cognate, but give that as proof that it means \"to attach.\" In light of this Artscroll renders the verse \"clinging to her Beloved\" and the new Koren Tanakh has \"entwined with her beloved.\" I'm not sure where this interpretation of the Arabic came from - perhaps they knew that \u003Ci\u003Erafik\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Arabic meant friend, which is \u003Ci\u003Echaver\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eחבר in Hebrew, and that recalled the root חבר meaning \"to attach.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%A4%D6%B7%D7%A7.1?lang=bi\"\u003EJastrow writes\u003C\/a\u003E that in Talmudic Hebrew the \u003Ci\u003Ehitpael\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form of the verb meant \"to endear one's self.\" He quotes \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Bereishit_Rabbah.45.4?lang=bi\"\u003EBereshit Rabba 45:4\u003C\/a\u003E, where we find mention of women who were\u0026nbsp;מִתְרַפְּקוֹת עַל בַּעֲלֵיהֶן בְּנוֹיָן - \"endearing themselves [\u003Ci\u003Emitrapkot\u003C\/i\u003E] to their husbands through their beauty.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EIn more recent times, the verb has taken on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.morfix.co.il\/%D7%9E%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%A4%D7%A7\"\u003Eanother set of meanings\u003C\/a\u003E: \"to hug, to cling to; to remember fondly.\" The first - \"to hug\" - is perhaps influenced by the approach of the\u0026nbsp; medieval commentators. The latter - \"to remember fondly\" - I assume was a more creative interpretation of the verse in Shir HaShirim.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EKlein also mentions a \u003Ci\u003Epiel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form - ריפק \u003Ci\u003Eripek. \u003C\/i\u003EI've never heard it used today to mean \"to support\" or \"to uphold,\" but the use \"to elbow\" does exist, but it's more commonly found today as ממרפק \u003Ci\u003Emimarpek.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=241569097271551\"\u003EAvshalom Kor points out here\u003C\/a\u003E, that's one of the few uses of the root that doesn't have a positive connotation - instead of support, clinging and fond remembrance, to elbow is to rudely push your way into a place.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EReturning to the Arabic cognate, we find that \u003Ci\u003Erafik\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;provided the name \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rafiq\"\u003ERafiq\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning \"friend\" or \"companion.\" From Arabic, the same word was borrowed into Swahili, where it became \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/rafiki\"\u003Erafiki\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E. That name may be familiar from the Disney movie, \u003Ci\u003EThe Lion King, \u003C\/i\u003Ewhere it was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_The_Lion_King_(franchise)_characters#Rafiki\"\u003Ethe name of the mandrill\u003C\/a\u003E who through magical and spiritual efforts, helped the protagonists. He was their \"friend\", and as it happened, was always leaning on a walking stick, while bending his elbow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8435036460388124118\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8435036460388124118","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8435036460388124118"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8435036460388124118"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/10\/marpek-and-rafiki.html","title":"marpek and rafiki"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8596047298984363241"},"published":{"$t":"2021-10-10T21:57:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-10T21:57:19.022+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"cedar, citron and ketoret"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIf you haven't noticed, my recent posts have frequently referred to \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B001O4RS9M\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;camp=1789\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;creativeASIN=B001O4RS9M\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;linkId=f9c138f5d463c2f37700c7a62467bc5c\"\u003EKlein's Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(CEDEL). I purchased the two volume set a few years ago, but recently decided that if I want to find the cases where he provides Semitic origins to English words, I'd have to just start reading it from the beginning. And that's what I've been doing for the past few weeks. It will probably take me several months to complete the project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI can't say that every entry with a connection to Hebrew is entirely convincing, but I can say that Klein does seem to be doing his best with the tools he had, and often provides sources, which makes follow up research much easier.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne interesting aspect of this project has been noticing when the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Etymonline), a very popular internet etymology resource (which I quote often), relies on the CEDEL for an etymology, but won't go the final mile and mention the Hebrew cognate that Klein suggests.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn example of this can be found in the entry for \"cedar\" and related words. Etymonline has the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cedar\"\u003Efollowing entry for cedar\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"type of coniferous tree noted for its slow growth and hard timber,\" late Old English \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eceder\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, blended in Middle English with Old French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecedre\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, both from Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecedrus\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ekedros\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"cedar, juniper,\" a word of uncertain origin.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter mentioning the Middle English, Old English, French, Latin and Greek origins (as also done by Etymonline), Klein continues:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ewhich probably denoted originally 'a tree whose wood was used for burning sacrifices,' and derives from Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eqatar\u003C\/i\u003E, 'it exhaled odor, smoked'; see\u0026nbsp;Heinrich Lewy, \u003Ci\u003EDie semitischen Fremdwörter im Griechischen, \u003C\/i\u003EBerlin, 1895, p. 35.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe discussed \u003Ci\u003Eqatar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/01\/ketoret-and-nectar.html\"\u003Epost about the etymology of \"nectar\", and its relationship to \u003Ci\u003Eketoret\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. But I wasn't familiar at the time with the possible connection to \"cedar,\" so I didn't mention it then.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of that entry, Klein recommends also looking at his entry for \"citron\" (the English name for the \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/10\/etrog.html\"\u003Eetrog\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;tree and fruit.) He connects \"citron\" to \"cedar\", and then mentions that \"citrus\" comes from \"citron\" as well. Here Etymonline does make direct mention of Klein. Here's their entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/citrus\"\u003Ecitrus\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Eany tree of the genus \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003ECitrus\u003C\/span\u003E, or its fruit, 1825, from the Modern Latin genus name, from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecitrus\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E \"citron tree,\" the name of an African tree with aromatic wood and  lemon-like fruit, the first citrus fruit to become available in the  West. The name, like the tree, is probably of Asiatic origin [OED] or  from a lost non-IE Mediterranean language [de Vaan]. But Klein and  others trace it to Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ekedros\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"cedar,\" perhaps via Etruscan (a suggested by the change of \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E-\u003Ci\u003Edr\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E to \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E-\u003Ci\u003Etr\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd their entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/citron\"\u003Ecitron \u003C\/a\u003Eis connected:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"large, thick-rinded, lemon-like citrus fruit,\" late 14c., also \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecitrine\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(early 15c.), from Old French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecitron\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"citron, lemon\" (14c.), possibly from Old Provençal \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecitron\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecitrus\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"citron-tree,\" and influenced by \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Elemon\u003C\/span\u003E; or else from augmentative of Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecitreum \u003C\/i\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Emālum\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E \"citron (apple);\" see \u003Ca class=\"crossreference notranslate\" href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/citrus?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003Ecitrus\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo be clear, I don't object to Etymonline disagreeing with Klein's conclusions. I just think it would be easier for future investigations if they were quoted more inclusively.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne remaining question is what is the connection between the cedar and citron trees? In \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Citron#Other_languages\"\u003EItalian \u003C\/a\u003Ethe same word - \u003Ci\u003Ecedro\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E-\u0026nbsp; is used for both, so certainly some association is possible. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=VqSODwAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA193\u0026amp;dq=citron+cedar\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiI2pXYu8DzAhUID2MBHf9aBvAQ6AF6BAgIEAI#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=citron%20cedar\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EThis book\u003C\/a\u003E quotes \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Galen\"\u003EGalen\u003C\/a\u003E (the Greek physician living in the Roman empire) who provided a few possible theories:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ebecause the green unripe citron resembles the unripe cedar-cone; or because cedar and citron trees have spines around the leaves [...] or more fancifully because the the fruit and leaves had the smell of cedar...\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(Regarding the first theory, there are \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/.premium-word-of-the-day-hadarim-1.5290260\"\u003Ethose who claim\u003C\/a\u003E that when the Bible refers to \u003Ci\u003Epri etz hadar \u003C\/i\u003Eפרי עץ הדר, it did not mean the \u003Ci\u003Eetrog \/ \u003C\/i\u003Ecitron, but rather the cedar cone. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=d0VYDwAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA78\u0026amp;lpg=PA78\u0026amp;dq=cedar+etrog+sanskrit\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=huzqzYfxGR\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U1zbKkGt6IgLKl8KT68YIKuHelaDA\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjwmMnEwMDzAhXmBGMBHb77CEAQ6AF6BAgcEAM#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=cedar%20etrog%20sanskrit\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EOthers reject this\u003C\/a\u003E, because the cedar tree has a common name in the Bible, \u003Ci\u003Eerez \u003C\/i\u003Eארז and no connection is made between \u003Ci\u003Eerez \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Ehadar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in any biblical text.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile all of Galen's theories may be a possible connections between cedar and citron, if we rely upon Klein's etymology for cedar, which goes back to the odor from the tree, then perhaps the citron tree was similarly named for its strong aroma. While the cedar may have got its name from the odor when the wood was burned, certainly anyone who has smelled a citron can attest to its powerful scent as well.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8596047298984363241\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8596047298984363241","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8596047298984363241"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8596047298984363241"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/10\/cedar-citron-and-ketoret.html","title":"cedar, citron and ketoret"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3759967773593425328"},"published":{"$t":"2021-10-06T16:42:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-06T16:42:35.178+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"amazon, amitz and imutz"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the past few decades, Amazon has been one of the most recognized brand names worldwide. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_Amazon#Choosing_a_name\"\u003EThe founder chose the name\u003C\/a\u003E because of the exotic nature and great size of the Amazon river. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amazon_River#Etymology\"\u003Eriver got its name\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the women fighters of the native tribe who attacked the Spanish explorers, who reminded them of the Greek myth of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amazons\"\u003EAmazons\u003C\/a\u003E - a group of female warriors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd where did the Greeks get the name Amazon? The Online Etymology Dictionary has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/amazon\"\u003Ethis entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Elate 14c., via Old French (13c.) or Latin, from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EAmazon\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(mostly in plural \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAmazones\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E)  \"one of a race of female warriors in Scythia,\" probably from an unknown  non-Indo-European word, or possibly from an Iranian compound \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Eha-maz-an\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E \"(one) fighting together\" [Watkins], but in folk etymology long derived from \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ea\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E \"without\" + \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Emazos\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, variant of \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emastos\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"breast;\" hence the story that the Amazons cut or burned off one breast so they could draw bowstrings more efficiently.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat was the non-Indo-European word? There are \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.straightdope.com\/21343273\/what-s-up-with-the-amazons\"\u003Emany theories\u003C\/a\u003E, but I'd like to focus on Klein's suggestion in his CEDEL:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Efrom Greek \u003Ci\u003EAmazon\u003C\/i\u003E, which probably derives from Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eammitz\u003C\/i\u003E, 'strong'\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAmitz \u003C\/i\u003Eאמיץ, derives from the root אמץ, meaning \"to be strong.\" A synonym of the more popular\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Echazak\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;חזק (the verb חזק appears \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/2388.%D7%97%D6%B2%D7%96%D6%B7%D7%A7\"\u003E290 times\u003C\/a\u003E in the Bible, while אמץ only appears \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/553.%D7%90%D6%B7%D7%9E%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%A5\"\u003E41 times\u003C\/a\u003E), it is the source of several words relating to strength:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eometz\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;אומץ - \"bravery\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ema'amatz \u003C\/i\u003Eמאמץ - \"effort\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ehitametz \u003C\/i\u003Eהתאמץ - \"went to great lengths, endeavored\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EBut one meaning of the root does not seem to fit with the others: \u003Ci\u003Eimetz \u003C\/i\u003Eאימץ - \"adopted\" and \u003Ci\u003Eimutz \u003C\/i\u003Eאימוץ - \"adoption.\" How did those uses come from a root meaning \"be strong\"?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A5_%E1%B4%B5?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E lists the meaning \"was adopted (said of a child)\" but does not explain the development. After going through meanings related to strength, Ben Yehuda adds:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-19iMStzLNjo\/YV2Wmaec83I\/AAAAAAAAAuY\/lKTs1CL38zcHAtb0EwJ_HxpHu2eYZHzBACLcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"122\" data-original-width=\"581\" height=\"67\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-19iMStzLNjo\/YV2Wmaec83I\/AAAAAAAAAuY\/lKTs1CL38zcHAtb0EwJ_HxpHu2eYZHzBACLcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\"Some writers would say that someone \u003Ci\u003Eimetz \u003C\/i\u003E(adopted) to him a son or daughter.\" However, he does not indicate when this usage began, or give any examples of its usage.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003EThere is one biblical verse, however, that some point to as an example of אמץ meaning \"to adopt.\" This is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Psalms.80.16?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETehillim 80:16\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" dir=\"rtl\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"\u003Eוְ\u003Cbig\u003Eכַ\u003C\/big\u003Eנָּה אֲשֶׁר־נָטְעָה יְמִינֶךָ וְעַל־בֵּן אִמַּצְתָּה לָּךְ׃\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" dir=\"rtl\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003EThis is a difficult verse to understand, and there are many translations. The JPS, for example translates this verse (and the preceding one, which I've added for context as):\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"O God of hosts, turn again,\u003C\/div\u003Elook down from heaven and see;\u003Cbr \/\u003Etake note of that vine, the stock planted by Your right hand,\u003Cbr \/\u003Ethe stem [\u003Ci\u003Eben\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;you have taken [\u003Ci\u003Eimatzta\u003C\/i\u003E] as Your own.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA footnote to their translation, on the word \"stem,\" notes: \"literarly 'son.'\" So according to this translation, the literal meaning of the phrase would be \"the son you have taken as Your own,\" which could imply something like adoption.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003ERobert Alter, in his translation, goes for that literal meaning, translating it as \"the son You took to Yourself\", and adds this note:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EIf the received text shows an authentic reading here, there is a slightly disconcerting shift from the vehicle of the metaphor (the vine) to its tenor (the people of Israel as God’s son). Some interpreters have understood \u003Ci\u003Eben\u003C\/i\u003E as a poetic term for “branch” or as a scribal error for some other word that means “branch,” but the verb attached to it - \u003Ci\u003Eʾimatsta\u003C\/i\u003E, which suggests adoption of a child—is appropriate for a son, not a plant.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIt seems to me that Alter is perhaps putting the cart before the horse. Both verses 15 and 16 are clearly using imagery of plants. If there were other verses where \u003Ci\u003Eimetz\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meant \"to adopt\", then they could be used to justify that translation here. But I haven't found any, and I suspect Alter is influenced by modern usage.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn fact, Ben Yehuda does quote this verse, in his entry for אמץ, under the meaning \"to plant.\" He adds another verse, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Isaiah.44.14?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EYeshaya 44:14\u003C\/a\u003E -\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eלִכְרׇת־לוֹ אֲרָזִים וַיִּקַּח תִּרְזָה וְאַלּוֹן וַיְאַמֶּץ־לוֹ בַּעֲצֵי־יָעַר נָטַע אֹרֶ\u003Csmall\u003Eן\u003C\/small\u003E וְגֶשֶׁם יְגַדֵּל׃\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EBy including it under the subentry, Ben Yehuda is implying that it means \"to plant\" here as well. What is the connection between \"planting\" and \"strength\"? That can be found in a number of translations to these two verses. For example the (old) Koren Jerusalem Bible translates the verse from Yeshaya as:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EHe hews him down cedars, and takes the pine and the oak, which he strengthens for himself [\u003Ci\u003Evay'ametz\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;among the trees of the forest: he plants a forest tree and the rain nourishes it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EPart of the planting process, or a result of is, the strengthening of the tree. The new Koren Tanakh, in their translation of the Tehillim verse, uses similar language: \"this shoot You nurtured as Your own.\" Kaddari, quoting these verses (and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Psalms.80.18?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETehillim 80:18\u003C\/a\u003E) says it means גידלת, which can mean \"to raise\" or \"to grow\" (which also could imply adoption.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EOthers, however, stick to a meaning related to \"taking.\" The JPS translates the Yeshaya phrase as \"He sets aside trees of the forest\" and Alter suggests \"he picks from the trees of the forest.\" How is choosing or taking related to strength? The BDB offers the meaning \"assure, secure for oneself.\" Secure implies both strength and possession.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EUltimately, the meaning of the verb אמץ is unclear in these verses (and the Daat Mikra, for example on Yeshaya 44:14, offers both \"to strengthen\" and \"to set aside.\") But one thing is clear - these verses weren't followed up with uses of אמץ to mean the adoption of a child in the remainder of Biblical literature, or any of Talmudic literature. In fact, a search of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/maagarim.hebrew-academy.org.il\/Pages\/PMain.aspx?koderekh=1894\u0026amp;page=1\"\u003EHistorical Dictionary Project of the Academy of the Hebrew Language\u003C\/a\u003E shows the first clear example of that usage in an 1873 essay (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/maagarim.hebrew-academy.org.il\/Pages\/PMain.aspx?mishibbur=1049004\u0026amp;mm15=000000000143007\u0026amp;mismilla=10\"\u003Epage 143\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/maagarim.hebrew-academy.org.il\/Pages\/PMain.aspx?mishibbur=1049004\u0026amp;mm15=000000000144023\u0026amp;mismilla=6\"\u003Epage 144\u003C\/a\u003E) by the writer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peretz_Smolenskin\"\u003EPeretz Smolenskin\u003C\/a\u003E. And even following that, it wasn't a very popular usage. For example, see the results of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/ngrams\/graph?content=%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A5+\u0026amp;year_start=1600\u0026amp;year_end=2019\u0026amp;corpus=35\u0026amp;smoothing=3\u0026amp;direct_url=t1%3B%2C%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A5%3B%2Cc0#t1%3B%2C%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A5%3B%2Cc0\"\u003Ethis Google Books Ngram Viewer search\u003C\/a\u003E. I looked for the word אימוץ, which as a gerund wouldn't be used for much else other than adoption. It only really picks up in the 1950s, growing to a much higher usage in the last twenty years.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESo what happened here? I think this is an example of a phenomenon we've discussed many times before on Balashon. I don't know the technical name of the linguistic phenomenon (but I have a feeling a reader will enlighten me in the comments), but what happens frequently in Hebrew when there are two synonyms is that one will become the popular one for common usage and the other will take on a different meaning. This new meaning will generally fill in a semantic gap, becoming the word for a concept previously without a good word as a fit. (This is part of the process called \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Semantic_change\"\u003Esemantic change\u003C\/a\u003E, but I don't think it's exactly \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/semantic-narrowing-specialization-1692083\"\u003Esemantic narrowing\u003C\/a\u003E, since the new meaning isn't necessarily less general than the earlier meaning - just different.) We saw it with \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/01\/etz-and-ilan.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eetz \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eilan\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, with \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/02\/atar-and-asher.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eatar \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Emakom\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, with \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/04\/tzedek-and-tzedaka.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Etzedek \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/04\/tzedek-and-tzedaka.html\"\u003Etzedaka\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003C\/i\u003Eand now with \u003Ci\u003Echizek\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eimetz. \u003C\/i\u003EHebrew today doesn't really need two words for \"strengthen.\" So when a writer like Smolenskin borrows from a verse in Tehillim and turns \u003Ci\u003Eimetz\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;into adopt (a child), then the speakers will, well, \u003Ci\u003Eadopt\u003C\/i\u003E the usage with open arms. (Yes, the meaning of \u003Ci\u003Eimetz\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has since expanded to mean adopting of any practice or idea.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EPerhaps the lesson here is just as Amazon the company takes over marketplaces, and the waters of the Amazon river flow through the land of South America, so too will words like \u003Ci\u003Eimutz\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;fill in the linguistic gaps if only given a chance.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3759967773593425328\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3759967773593425328","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3759967773593425328"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3759967773593425328"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/10\/amazon-amitz-and-imutz.html","title":"amazon, amitz and imutz"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-19iMStzLNjo\/YV2Wmaec83I\/AAAAAAAAAuY\/lKTs1CL38zcHAtb0EwJ_HxpHu2eYZHzBACLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/image.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3700607144655236885"},"published":{"$t":"2021-09-30T23:10:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-06T16:48:20.380+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"meged, almond and armageddon"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EWe've previously discussed the Hebrew word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2009\/02\/shaked.html\"\u003Eשקד\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eshaked\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning \"almond.\" But what about the etymology of the word \"almond\" itself?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/almond\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E provides the following origin:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ekernel of the fruit of the almond tree, c. 1300, from Old French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ealmande\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eamande\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, earlier \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ealemondle\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"almond,\" from Vulgar Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Eamendla\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Eamandula\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eamygdala\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(plural), from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eamygdalos\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"an almond tree,\" a word of unknown origin, perhaps from Semitic. Late Old English had \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eamygdales\u003C\/span\u003E \"almonds.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis makes it cognate with the part of the brain responsible for emotions known as the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amygdala\"\u003Eamygdala\u003C\/a\u003E. Here's the Online Etymology entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/amygdala\"\u003Eamygdala\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Epart of the brain, from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eamygdalum\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"almond\" (which the brain parts resemble), from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eamygdale\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"almond\" (see almond). English also had \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eamygdales\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"the tonsils\" (early 15c.), from a secondary sense of the Latin word in Medieval Latin, a translation of Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eal-lauzatani\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"the two tonsils,\" literally \"the two almonds,\" so called by Arabic physicians for fancied resemblance.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe connection between almonds and tonsils exists in Hebrew as well - \u003Ci\u003Eshaked\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can refer to both.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, I'd like to return to the mention above that the Greek \u003Ci\u003Eamygdalos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;may be \"perhaps from Semitic.\" In Klein's CEDEL, he expands on this idea. In his entry for \"almond\" he writes:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E…according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/de.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Heinrich_Lewy\"\u003EH. Lewy\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ci\u003EDie semitischen Fremdwörter im Griechischen\u003C\/i\u003E, pp. 25-26, [\u003Ci\u003Eamygdalos\u003C\/i\u003E] is\u0026nbsp;borrowed from Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Emeghedh El, \u003C\/i\u003E'divine fruit'.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew word referred to here, \u003Ci\u003Emeged \u003C\/i\u003Eמגד, is not a very common one in the Bible, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/4022\"\u003Eonly appearing eight times\u003C\/a\u003E. However, those familiar with the Torah reading for Simchat Torah will certainly recognize it, as it repeats five times during Moshe's blessing of the tribes of Yosef (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Deuteronomy.33.13?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EDevarim 33:13-16\u003C\/a\u003E) . The word is variously translated as \"sweetness,\" \"best\", or \"bounty.\" Some say it means \"blessing\", particularly when comparing the parallel blessing Yaakov gave Yosef in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Genesis.49.25?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EBereshit 49:25\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B6%D6%BD%D7%92%D6%B6%D7%93.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein's etymology\u003C\/a\u003E for \u003Ci\u003Emeged\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is not much more precise:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eמֶֽגֶד\u003C\/strong\u003E m.n.    choice of things, excellence.  [Related to Aram. מִגְדָּא (= fruit, something precious), Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eמַגְדָּא\u003C\/span\u003E (= fruit), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Emajd\u003C\/i\u003E (= glory, honor).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn any case, based on all the biblical appearances of the word, it always refers to good crops or fruits, and so the possibility that it eventually was borrowed by the Greeks for their word for the fruit of the prized almond tree should not be dismissed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein mentioned the Arabic cognate, \u003Ci\u003Emajd\u003C\/i\u003E. That Arabic word is found in a number of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Majd\"\u003Enames of people and places\u003C\/a\u003E, One such place, familiar to Israelis, is the Arab town of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Majd_al-Krum\"\u003EMajd al-Krum\u003C\/a\u003E in the Galilee. While the English Wikipedia page says that the name translates to \"watch-house of the vineyard\" (perhaps cognate with the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Emigdal \u003C\/i\u003Eמגדל - \"tower\"), the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%9E%D7%92%27%D7%93_%D7%90%D7%9C-%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9D\"\u003EHebrew entry\u003C\/a\u003E translates the name as \"glory of the vineyards\", which makes it cognate with \u003Ci\u003Emeged.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYet there is another town in northern Israel, even more well known, which may derive from \u003Ci\u003Emeged \u003C\/i\u003Eas well. This is the Biblical city of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tel_Megiddo\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMegiddo \u003C\/i\u003Eמגידו\u003C\/a\u003E. Megiddo appears \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/4023\"\u003E12 times in the Bible\u003C\/a\u003E, once (Zecharia 12:11) as Megidon. While its \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/03\/maudlin-and-armageddon.html\"\u003Eetymology is debated\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/kotar.cet.ac.il\/kotarapp\/index\/Chapter.aspx?nBookID=95901081\u0026amp;nTocEntryID=95912714\"\u003EEncyclopedia Mikrait\u003C\/a\u003E suggests that it may come from \u003Ci\u003Emeged\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;due to the produce grown there.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mountain of Megiddo was known in Hebrew as \u003Ci\u003Ehar Megido \u003C\/i\u003Eהר מגידו (or perhaps \u003Ci\u003Ehar Megidon\u003C\/i\u003E), and this led to another familiar word in English - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/armageddon\"\u003EArmageddon\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"cataclysmic final conflict,\" 1811, figurative use of the place-name in  Revelation xvi.16, site of the great and final conflict, from Hebrew \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EHar Megiddon\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"Mount of Megiddo\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday many are concerned about the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/life-and-style\/food-and-drink\/are-almonds-bad-for-the-environment-1.4138427\"\u003Eenvironmental impact of almond growing\u003C\/a\u003E. Let's hope that instead of leading to an armageddon, they continue to be the divine fruit of blessing that we've enjoyed for millennia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3700607144655236885\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3700607144655236885","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3700607144655236885"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3700607144655236885"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/09\/meged-almond-and-armageddon.html","title":"meged, almond and armageddon"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7459319852754540353"},"published":{"$t":"2021-09-19T15:49:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-19T15:49:38.647+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Syracuse"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn an earlier post, we discussed the Semitic etymologies of two towns in upstate New York: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/05\/utica.html\"\u003EUtica and Ithaca\u003C\/a\u003E. Both are named for cities in the Mediterranean, and are claimed to ultimately have Phoenician origins. Well, if you \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/dir\/Utica,+New+York\/Ithaca,+New+York\/@42.762947,-76.4150966,9z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x89d93751356a7629:0x111a362618edfc86!2m2!1d-75.232664!2d43.100903!1m5!1m1!1s0x89d08182e0af88f7:0xae52768a56ece74!2m2!1d-76.5018807!2d42.4439614\"\u003Edrive from Utica to Ithaca\u003C\/a\u003E, you will pass through another city with a similar story: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Syracuse,_New_York\"\u003ESyracuse\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaving grown up in nearby Rochester, all of these cities were familiar to me. On a recent visit to Rochester, my brother and sister-in-law prepared \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allrecipes.com\/recipe\/141785\/syracuse-salt-potatoes\/\"\u003ESyracuse salt potatoes\u003C\/a\u003E - a delicious dish that I hadn't tried before. Only later did I learn that Syracuse is nicknamed \"The Salt City\", due to the salty springs in the area, that led to it becoming a center of salt production. So I guess in a city like that, you can afford to cook potatoes in 1.5 cups of salt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose same sources of salt also led to the name of the city. In the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_Syracuse,_New_York#19th_century\"\u003E19th century\u003C\/a\u003E, officials \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.cnyhistory.org\/2016\/09\/how-did-syracuse-get-name\/\"\u003Echose to name the city\u003C\/a\u003E \"Syracuse\" after an ancient town of the same name in the Mediterranean island of Sicily. That older \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Syracuse,_Sicily\"\u003ESyracuse\u003C\/a\u003E also was known for producing salt, and had marshes like the one in upstate New York. It was a good fit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to some, those marshes provided the original name of the city. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/Syracuse\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E gives this origin:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ecity in Sicily, founded as a Corinthian colony, and with a name traceable to 8c. B.C.E., from a pre-Hellenic word, perhaps Phoenician \u003Ci\u003Eserah \u003C\/i\u003E\"to feel ill,\" in reference to its location near a swamp. The city in New York, U.S., was named 1825 for the classical city.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe word \u003Ci\u003Eserah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;mentioned here is a cognate with the Hebrew סרח, meaning \"to stink\". \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%97_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein has this etymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EAram. סְרַח (= it decayed, putrefied), Syr. סְרַח (= he sinned, was corrupt), Aram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eסוּרְחָנָא\u003C\/span\u003E (= corruptness).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt only appears in the Bible in one verse, Yirmiyahu 49:7, describing the nation of Edom. The prophet asks:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eנִסְרְחָ֖ה חׇכְמָתָֽם\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHas their wisdom gone stale?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut the verb became much more common in Rabbinic Hebrew. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A1%D6%B8%D7%A8%D6%B7%D7%97_III.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E offers the following meanings: \"to evaporate, be decomposed; to decay; to smell badly.\" Today, the most common form of the verb is the \u003Ci\u003Ehifil - \u003C\/i\u003Eהסריח \"it stank.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(There is another root with the same letters - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%97_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eסרח\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning \"to stretch, spread out, extend\", but it is unrelated to the meaning \"to stink.\")\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is not the only suggested etymology of Syracuse. The French diplomat\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Victor_B%C3%A9rard\"\u003EVictor Bérard\u003C\/a\u003E proposed that it \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Syracuse,_Sicily#Archaic_period\"\u003Eoriginally derived from\u003C\/a\u003E the Phoenician\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003ESour-ha-Koussim, \u003C\/i\u003Etranslated as \"stone of the seagulls.\" This would be cognate with the Hebrew צור הכוסים. \u003Ci\u003ETzur \u003C\/i\u003Ecertainly means \"rock\", but \u003Ci\u003Ekos, \u003C\/i\u003Ea bird mentioned in Vayikra 11:17 and Devarim 14:16 is usually translated as \"owl\" - a bird found in the desert, not at sea. However, Gesenius does write that \u003Ci\u003Ekos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;should be identified as the \"pelican\" (whose pouch perhaps recalls the other meaning of \u003Ci\u003Ekos - \u003C\/i\u003E\"cup, vessel.\") Those are much more likely to be found around Sicily than desert owls.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7459319852754540353\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7459319852754540353","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7459319852754540353"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7459319852754540353"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/09\/syracuse.html","title":"Syracuse"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6148924638665316402"},"published":{"$t":"2021-08-30T11:16:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-08-30T11:16:51.926+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"REVIEW: Insights into Hebrew, Holidays, History \u0026 Liturgy"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rootsandrituals.org\/\"\u003EMitchell First\u003C\/a\u003E is a scholar of Jewish history who, like me, has a fascination with the origin of Hebrew words and phrases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe has published two books (\u003Ci\u003ERoots \u0026amp; Rituals: Insights into Hebrew, Holidays, and History\u003C\/i\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003ELinks to Our Legacy: Insights into Hebrew, History, and Liturgy\u003C\/i\u003E)\u0026nbsp;which have collected his columns on the subject, as well as other columns related to the history of the Jewish calendar, the prayers, and other topics of Jewish history.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI've reviewed the books on the Tradition website, and you can read my review here:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/traditiononline.org\/review-insights-into-hebrew-holidays-history-liturgy\/\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/traditiononline.org\/review-insights-into-hebrew-holidays-history-liturgy\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6148924638665316402\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6148924638665316402","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6148924638665316402"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6148924638665316402"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/08\/review-insights-into-hebrew-holidays.html","title":"REVIEW: Insights into Hebrew, Holidays, History \u0026 Liturgy"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2884539602166977119"},"published":{"$t":"2021-08-25T19:00:00.004+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-08-26T12:14:58.393+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Seville and Cordoba"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen I was a young kid, I visited Spain. It was my first overseas trip, and I really enjoyed it. We drove all over the southern part of the country, visiting half a dozen cities in just a couple of weeks. I haven't returned since, but I still have strong memories from that trip.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne thing that I know know, but didn't know then, was how significant the Phoenician settlement was in that area. I've written about Semitic origins of the name \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/11\/sepharad-revisited.html\"\u003ESpain\u003C\/a\u003E, and the city of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/05\/marshmallow.html\"\u003EMalaga\u003C\/a\u003E. But I only recently discovered that two of the cities I visited on my trip also may have Phoenician origins as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the name of the city of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/Seville\"\u003ESeville\u003C\/a\u003E has a Semitic etymology:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Einland port city in Spain, Spanish \u003Ci\u003ESevilla\u003C\/i\u003E, ultimately from Phoenician, from \u003Ci\u003Esefela \u003C\/i\u003E\"plain, valley.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat makes it cognate with the Hebrew root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D7%81%D7%A4%D7%9C?lang=bi\"\u003Eשפל\u003C\/a\u003E - \"to become or be low.\" The Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Eshefela \u003C\/i\u003Eשפלה is similar to the Phoenician \u003Ci\u003Esefela. \u003C\/i\u003EIt means \"lowland.\" And if the theory we discussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/asphalt.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E is true, then it is cognate with the English word \"asphalt\" as well, since it may have been named for a source of asphalt - the Dead Sea, which was possibly known as \u003Ci\u003EYam Shafelet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;ים שפלת - \"the low sea.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother city I visited was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/C%C3%B3rdoba,_Spain\"\u003ECordoba\u003C\/a\u003E. There are a few theories as to the etymology, most of which offer a Semitic origin. Those include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=UB4uSVt3ulUC\u0026amp;pg=PA102\u0026amp;lpg=PA102#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EIt comes from\u003C\/a\u003E the Phoenician-Punic\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eqart ṭūbah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning \"good town\", which would be cognate with the Hebrew קריה טובה \u003Ci\u003Ekirya tova\u003C\/i\u003E. The city of Carthage, as we mentioned \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/sefarad.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, has a similar origin:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EQart-Hadasht\u003C\/em\u003E, related to the Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Ekirya hadasha\u003C\/em\u003E קריה חדשה - \"new city\".\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=g4LVvWDdlUwC\u0026amp;pg=PA56#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EAnother theory\u003C\/a\u003E also says the first half of the name comes from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eqart\u003C\/i\u003E, but says that the second half derives from the name Juba, a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Numidia\"\u003ENumidian\u003C\/a\u003E general who died around 230 BCE in that area. So the town would have originally been known as the \"City of Juba.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cordovan\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E gives this origin: the name is said to be Carthaginian, from Phoenician \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eqorteb\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"oil press.\" I've seen this theory mentioned in many books and websites (sometimes spelling it \u003Ci\u003Ekorteb\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or \u003Ci\u003Ecorteb\u003C\/i\u003E). However, they're all fairly recent - from the last century, and it's unclear to me where it originated. More significantly, I can't find a word in any Semitic language that resembles \u003Ci\u003Eqorteb\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and means anything like \"oil press.\" The only word I could find even somewhat similar is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%95%D7%91\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekurtov \u003C\/i\u003Eקרטוב\u003C\/a\u003E, which as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/07\/koret.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E meant a volume of liquid, and came from Greek. I don't see how that would come to mean \"oil press,\" and I don't know how likely the Phoenicians were to have borrowed from the Greeks at that time. If any readers can shed light on this question, I'd love to hear from them.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E*** Update ***\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOnly a few hours after I posted my question, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/08\/seville-and-cordoba.html#comment-5508270129\"\u003Ereader Y responded with an answer\u003C\/a\u003E! Here's my summary of Y's theory (with some additions of my own):\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe first to say that Cordoba came from Phoenician word meaning \"oil press\" was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Samuel_Bochart\"\u003ESamuel Bochart\u003C\/a\u003E, who wrote an entire book discussing Semitic origins to place names, including those settled by the Phoencians:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EGeographia Sacra seu Phaleg et Canaan \u003C\/i\u003E(1646).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=4PNDAAAAcAAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA667\u0026amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EBochart based his etymology\u003C\/a\u003E on the word \u003Ci\u003Ekotev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קטב or \u003Ci\u003Ekotbi\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קטבי. It appears in the Mishna (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Sheviit.8.6?lang=bi\"\u003ESheviit 8:6\u003C\/a\u003E), but the meaning isn't entirely clear. Rambam says it means an small oil press, which would support Bochart's etymology. However, Bochart actually quotes the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Sefer_HeArukh%2C_Letter_Kof.90?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EArukh\u003C\/a\u003E, who says \u003Ci\u003Ekotev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;refers to the wooden beam used to hold the millstone that presses the olives. (Certainly both explanations are related to the production of olive oil). In his expansion on the Arukh, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=x-EsAAAAYAAJ\u0026amp;lpg=PA77\u0026amp;pg=PA77\u0026amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EArukh Hashalem\u003C\/a\u003E connects this meaning of \u003Ci\u003Ekotev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to the homonym \u003Ci\u003Ekotev \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"axis, pole\" as we've discussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/09\/ketev-and-kotev.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A7%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%98%D6%B6%D7%91?lang=bi\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E makes the same connection, but Ben Yehuda and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B9%D6%BD%D7%98%D6%B6%D7%91_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E do not connect the two meanings.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe addition of the \"r\" to \u003Ci\u003Ekotev\u003C\/i\u003E, to eventually arrive at \"Cordoba\"\u0026nbsp;was Bochart's conjecture. As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein notes here\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, ר 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"\/Klein Dictionary,_ר.1\"\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Eר often serves for the dissimilation of the reduplication of a consonant. So, e.g., \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eדַּרְמֶשֶׂק\u003C\/span\u003E is a dissimilated form of \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eדַּמֶשֶׂק\u003C\/span\u003E (= Damascus). In this way many bases and words have been enlarged into quadriliterals; cp. e.g. BAram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eכָּרֽסֵא\u003C\/span\u003E (= chair), which is prob. a loan word from Akka. \u003Ci\u003Ekussu\u003C\/i\u003E (= chair, throne), whence prob. also Heb. כִּסֵּא; base כרסם (= to chew, gnaw, devour), dissimilated from כסם (= to shear, clip); שַׁרְבִיט (= scepter), enlarged from שֵׁבֶט (of s.m.); סַרֽעַפָּה (= branch), enlarged from סֽעַפָּה (of s.m.); \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eשַׂרְעַפִּים\u003C\/span\u003E (= thoughts), enlarged from \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eשֽׂעִפִּים\u003C\/span\u003E (of s.m.).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo it's not unprecedented for a \u003Ci\u003Eresh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to be added to a Semitic word. And indeed, the name Cordoba in Hebrew was written as קורטבא (or קרטבא), the same spelling as קוטב, with only the \u003Ci\u003Eresh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;added. You can see this spelling in the writings of the rabbis who lived in Spain (see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Teshuvot_HaRosh.96.6?lang=bi\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E for example of a responsa by the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Asher_ben_Jehiel\"\u003ERosh\u003C\/a\u003E, who also mentioned Seville). But I was surprised to find that the name appears even in the Babylonian Talmud, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Yevamot.115b?vhe=Wikisource_Talmud_Bavli\u0026amp;lang=bi\"\u003EYevamot 115b\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eיצחק ריש גלותא בר אחתיה דרב ביבי הוה קאזיל מקורטבא לאספמיא ושכיב\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EYitzḥak the Exilarch, son of the sister of Rav Beivai, was walking from Cortva to Spain and died along the way.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A7%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%98%D6%B0%D7%91%D6%B8%D7%90?lang=bi\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E claims that this was a Babylonian town, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B7%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%93%D6%BC%D7%95%D6%BC_II.1?lang=bi\"\u003EKardu\u003C\/a\u003E, also known as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kardunia%C5%A1\"\u003EKarduniaš\u003C\/a\u003E. But Steinsaltz, in his notes on Yevamot, writes that according to the context (which also mentions Spain), the town was likely Cordoba, which was an important city in Talmudic times. (Spain, or more precisely \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hispania\"\u003EHispania\u003C\/a\u003E, did not always control Cordoba, so the trip from Cordoba to Spain could make sense depending on the time).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EUltimately, this was a theory by Bochart, writing in the 17th century, without access to modern research. Y comments:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EBack to Cordoba, since Bochart's additional r is ad hoc, and since a  city is unlikely to be named after a technical term referring to a part  of an oil mill, the etymology can be rejected. The \"Phoenician\" part is  also an unsupported speculative extrapolation.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EWhile I'm certainly not fully convinced of the etymology, I'm a little more generous with the possibility than Y. If the \u003Ci\u003Ekotev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;referred to the olive oil press in general, and since Spain has long been associated with olives and olive oil, it's not impossible that it was the source of the name. But whether Bochart was correct or not, I certainly appreciate the scholarship of my readers today, who are always ready to answer the questions that leave me puzzled.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2884539602166977119\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2884539602166977119","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2884539602166977119"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2884539602166977119"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/08\/seville-and-cordoba.html","title":"Seville and Cordoba"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-647022313892370690"},"published":{"$t":"2021-08-16T11:13:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-08-16T11:13:03.159+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"katzin, qadi and alcalde"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/kaytana.html\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;A while back\u003C\/a\u003E, I discussed Hebrew words that begin with the letters קצ. In that list I wrote:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Eקצה - cut, from it we have קצין, captain, judge. The word cut is figuratively used for deciding.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis was based on Horowitz's book. Klein has a similar entry for the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/7101\"\u003Ebiblical word\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ekatzin\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eקצין:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקָצִין\u003C\/strong\u003E m.n.    \u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E judge, prince, leader.   NH  \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E officer.  [Derived from קצה ᴵᴵ and lit. meaning ‘decider’. Related to Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqāḍi\u003C\/i\u003E (= judge), prob. part. of \u003Ci\u003Eqaḍā(y)\u003C\/i\u003E (= he decided).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStahl, in his \u003Ci\u003EBilingual Etymological Dictionary of Spoken Israeli Arabic and Hebrew\u003C\/i\u003E, in the entry קאדי, writes that the root קצה derives from קץ \u003Ci\u003Eketz\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"end\", because the one who decides (in this case, the judge) puts an \"end\" to the disagreement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Klein noted, \u003Ci\u003Ekatzin\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is also related to the Arabic \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Qadi\"\u003Eqadi\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(sometimes spelled \u003Ci\u003Ecadi\u003C\/i\u003E), also meaning \"judge.\" From Arabic, the word entered Spanish as \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alcalde\"\u003Ealcalde\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, a term meaning \"mayor\", but one who also has a judicial role, like a \"justice of the peace.\" It is used with that meaning in Spain and throughout Latin America.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/647022313892370690\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=647022313892370690","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/647022313892370690"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/647022313892370690"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/08\/katzin-qadi-and-alcalde.html","title":"katzin, qadi and alcalde"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-9109429135303181540"},"published":{"$t":"2021-07-11T22:35:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-07-12T11:15:50.918+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"mikledet"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe last post was discussing the word \u003Ci\u003Edfus\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;דפוס - \"printing,\" and how it derives from the Greek\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;typos, \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"type.\" At the end, I noted that the verb \u003Ci\u003Ehidpis \u003C\/i\u003Eהדפיס means (perhaps surprisingly) \"to print\", not \"to type.\" So today let's look at the Hebrew word meaning \"to type.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Hebrew, \u003Ci\u003Ehiklid \u003C\/i\u003Eהקליד means \"he typed\", \u003Ci\u003Ehaklada \u003C\/i\u003Eהקלדה is typing, and \u003Ci\u003Emikledet \u003C\/i\u003Eמקלדת means \"keyboard.\" This root קלד, has a more interesting story than I expected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo understand the background, we should focus on the last of the three words I mentioned above: \u003Ci\u003Emikledet\u003C\/i\u003E. Even if you weren't familiar with the Hebrew word, did you ever wonder why a keyboard is called that? The buttons you press when you type aren't actually \"keys\"...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut if you think about a similar device upon which you press all your fingers, you might be able to understand the association better. That device is the piano, with its 88 keys. And in fact, long before a keyboard referred to a device for typing on a computer, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/keyboard\"\u003Eit was used\u003C\/a\u003E to describe the set of keys used to play \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/06\/psanter.html\"\u003Epianos\u003C\/a\u003E, organs and other similar musical instruments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/key\"\u003Ekey\u003C\/a\u003E originally meant \"an instrument for opening locks,\" as it does today. So how did it come to be used for the levers of the piano?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are a number of different theories. The Online Etymology Dictionary mentions has the following passage in their entry for key:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EThe musical sense originally was \"tone, note\" (mid-15c.). In music  theory, the sense developed 17c. to \"sum of the melodic and harmonic  relationships in the tones of a scale,\" also \"melodic and harmonic  relationships centering on a given tone.\" Probably this is based on a  translation of Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eclavis\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"key,\" used by Guido for \"lowest tone of a scale,\" or French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eclef\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(see \u003Ca class=\"crossreference notranslate\" href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/clef?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003Eclef\u003C\/a\u003E; also see \u003Ca class=\"crossreference notranslate\" href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/keynote?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003Ekeynote\u003C\/a\u003E).  Sense of \"mechanism on a musical instrument operated by the player's  fingers\" is from c. 1500, probably also suggested by uses of \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eclavis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E.  OED says this use \"appears to be confined to Eng[lish].\" First of  organs and pianos, by 1765 of wind instruments; transferred to  telegraphy by 1837 and later to typewriters (1876).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe see from here that \"key\" developed into two different meanings. In addition to the mechanism in musical instruments, it also took another musical \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.lexico.com\/en\/definition\/key\"\u003Emeaning\u003C\/a\u003E: \"a group of notes based on a particular note and comprising a scale.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat isn't clear from the Online Etymology Dictionary is if one meaning of key arose from the other. Some say that the earlier meaning, \"tone, note\" led to the sense of the mechanisms used to play those notes. They also point out that the tone was called a \"key\" because it opened the scale. The word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/keynote\"\u003Ekeynote\u003C\/a\u003E\" preserves this sense, as it is the first (lowest) note of the scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOthers say that the two meanings arose independently, and that piano keys were so called because the way they were designed and assembled was similar to a lock and key. For example, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/penelope.uchicago.edu\/Thayer\/E\/Roman\/Texts\/secondary\/SMIGRA*\/Hydraula.html\"\u003Ethis site\u003C\/a\u003E shows how ancient organs were made by \"adapting keys with levers.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhatever the origin, the meaning stuck, and in English keys in that sense are used to refer the things pressed on both a piano and a typewriter (and keyboard).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Yaakov Etsion points out in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/musaf-shabbat.com\/2011\/12\/01\/%D7%9E%D7%9E%D7%A4%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A7%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%A7\/\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E, Hebrew was also faced with the question of what to call the keys of a piano. That in itself isn't so remarkable - in Modern Hebrew there were multitudes of words that needed coining. What is uncommon here, is that Hebrew already had a word for keys of musical instruments. When David returned the Ark to Israel, the verse says:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eוְדָוִד \u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E וְכׇל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשַׂחֲקִים לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה בְּכֹל עֲצֵי בְרוֹשִׁים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וּבִנְבָלִים וּבְתֻפִּים וּבִמְנַעַנְעִים וּבְצֶלְצֱלִים׃\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EMeanwhile, David and all the House of Israel danced before the LORD to \u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E[the sound of] all kinds of cypress wood [instruments], with lyres, harps, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals. (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/II_Samuel.6.5?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EShmuel II 6:5\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe word translated here as \"sistrums\" (other translations have \"rattles\" or \"coronets\") is מנענעים \u003Ci\u003Emina'anim\u003C\/i\u003E. At some point (and without any direct evidence to the contrary), the \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B0%D7%A0%D6%B7%D7%A2%D6%B2%D7%A0%D6%B5%D6%BD%D7%A2%D6%B7?lang=bi\"\u003Emina'anea\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Ebecame associated with the keys of the piano and organ. But this was a difficult word to pronounce, and in 1955 the Academy of the Hebrew Language came up with an alternate word for keys of the piano: \u003Ci\u003Eklidim \u003C\/i\u003Eקלידים.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhy this word? Because it was based an archaic word for \"keys\" - \u003Ci\u003Eaklida \u003C\/i\u003Eאקלידא.\u0026nbsp;It is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%90%D6%B7%D7%A7%D6%B0%D7%9C%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%93%D6%B8%D7%90.1?lang=bi\"\u003Efound in Talmudic literature\u003C\/a\u003E, for example in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Sanhedrin.113a.12?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ESanhedrin 113a\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eבעי רחמי והבו ליה אקלידא דמטרא\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E[Elijah] prayed for mercy and they gave him the key (\u003Ci\u003Eaklida\u003C\/i\u003E) to rainfall\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOf course, Hebrew already had a very common word for key: \u003Ci\u003Emafteach\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מפתח. But by adopting an obscure word instead, there would be no chance that someone might mix up the words for piano keys and house keys.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B8%D7%9C%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%93.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;points out that \u003Ci\u003Eaklida\u003C\/i\u003E, an Aramaic word, derives from the Greek\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ekleida,\u003C\/i\u003E accusative of \u003Ci\u003Ekleis\u003C\/i\u003E (= key). Those Greek words have given us a number of words in English, including \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/clavicle#etymonline_v_13786\"\u003Eclavicle\u003C\/a\u003E\" (literally a \"small key\", based on the shape of the bone) and perhaps \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/Cleopatra#etymonline_v_13801\"\u003ECleopatra\u003C\/a\u003E, which may have meant \"key to the fatherland.\" The Latin cognate, \u003Ci\u003Eclavis\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(also meaning \"key\") gave us words like \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/enclave\"\u003Eenclave\u003C\/a\u003E (enclosed, \"locked in\"), as well as the musical terms \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/clef#etymonline_v_13795\"\u003Eclef\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(parallel to keynote, as we discussed above) and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/clavichord#etymonline_v_13785\"\u003Eclavichord\u003C\/a\u003E (a medieval musical instrument, played with a type of keys).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Academy's recommendation to use \u003Ci\u003Eklid \u003C\/i\u003Eקליד for \"piano key\" was widely accepted, although not without opposition. The linguist \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%97%D7%A7_%D7%90%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%99\"\u003EYitzchak Avineri\u003C\/a\u003E wrote in a 1958 column, that while he did not object to adopting foreign words when necessary, this was not the case here, since Hebrew already had a word for piano key, the \"biblical\" \u003Ci\u003Emina'anea \u003C\/i\u003E(in quotes because I haven't seen any proof that it was anything like a piano.)\u0026nbsp; Not only did \u003Ci\u003Eklid\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;have Greek origins (as compared to Semitic ones), even the loan translation was from English, a foreign language that invented the idea that pianos had 88 \"keys.\" He concluded the column by saying that \"this is not the way to expand the language.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, language doesn't always listen to the experts. \u003Ci\u003EKlidim\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;became the accepted term for piano keys, and a keyboard - both musical and for typing - is a \u003Ci\u003Emikledet.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;However, this new root did not take over fully. The keys of a piano are \u003Ci\u003Eklidim\u003C\/i\u003E, but the keys on a computer keyboard (and typewriter) are \u003Ci\u003Emakashim \u003C\/i\u003Eמקשים (\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%A7%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A9%D7%81.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Emakash\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in singular, from the root נקש, \"to strike.\") And while one is \u003Ci\u003Emaklid\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;on a keyboard, that verb is reserved for typing. On the piano, one is \u003Ci\u003Eporet al haklidim \u003C\/i\u003Eפורט על הקלידים (from a Biblical root meaning \"to play a musical instrument\", as found in Amos 6:5).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo perhaps Avineri would have some comfort in the fact that at least in some contexts those ancient Hebrew roots persevered.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/9109429135303181540\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=9109429135303181540","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/9109429135303181540"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/9109429135303181540"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/07\/mikledet.html","title":"mikledet"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3851444113766155060"},"published":{"$t":"2021-07-06T22:20:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-07-06T22:20:51.097+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"dfus, tofes and tipus"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EAs I've written before, I'm a major podcast listener, and am always looking for podcasts that discuss language, particularly the Hebrew language.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecently, I came across a podcast devoted to the nuts and bolts of the Hebrew language, called \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/leshoniada.co.il\/category\/%D7%94%D7%A1%D7%9B%D7%AA-%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%93%D7%A7%D7%90%D7%A1%D7%98\/\"\u003EKululusha\u003C\/a\u003E. It's in Hebrew, and the host, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%9D_%D7%A0%D7%AA%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95\"\u003EYiram Netanyahu\u003C\/a\u003E (no relation), interviews experts on Hebrew language and linguistics, including some people I've quoted here frequently.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/leshoniada.co.il\/2021\/06\/27\/%d7%a4%d7%a8%d7%a7-28-%d7%a9%d7%90%d7%99%d7%9c%d7%aa-%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%9c%d7%95%d7%a2%d7%96%d7%99%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%90%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9d-%d7%90%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%aa%d7%99-%d7%a2%d7%9c\/\"\u003Elatest episode\u003C\/a\u003E, he had a conversation with the linguist \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%92%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%90%D7%9C_%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%91%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9D\"\u003EDr. Gabriel Birnbaum\u003C\/a\u003E, about the influence of foreign words on Hebrew. It was a very interesting discussion, and I recommend that any of you who can follow a talk like that in Hebrew to listen.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA lot of the foreign words that Dr. Birnbaum mentioned will be familiar to readers of Balashon. But there was one that he mentioned briefly that I've been meaning to write about for a while - the Greek \u003Ci\u003Etypos\u003C\/i\u003E. As noted in the podcast, that one Greek word gave us three distinct words in Hebrew: \u003Ci\u003Edfus \u003C\/i\u003Eדפוס, \u003Ci\u003Etofes \u003C\/i\u003Eטופס and \u003Ci\u003Etifus \u003C\/i\u003Eטיפוס. Let's take a look.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Greek word \u003Ci\u003Etypos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the origin of the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/type\"\u003Etype\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Elate 15c., \"symbol, emblem,\" from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Etypus\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"figure, image, form, kind,\" from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Etypos\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E \"a blow, dent, impression, mark, effect of a blow; figure in relief,  image, statue; anything wrought of metal or stone; general form,  character; outline, sketch,\" from root of \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Etyptein\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"to strike, beat,\" from PIE \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Etup\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E, variant of root \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*(\u003Ci\u003Es\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003Ci\u003Eteu\u003C\/i\u003E-\u003C\/span\u003E (1) \"to push, stick, knock, beat\" (see steep (adj.)).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExtended  1713 to printing blocks of metal or wood with letters or characters  carved on their faces, usually in relief, adapted for use in letterpress  printing. The meaning \"general form or character of some kind, class\"  is attested in English by 1843, though the corresponding words had that  sense in Latin and Greek.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs in English, the Greek \u003Ci\u003Etypos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;had both the the sense of \"to strike\" and \"a form, kind.\" (I would not have guessed, as I \u003Cu\u003Etype\u003C\/u\u003E\u0026nbsp;on my keyboard, that the earlier meaning was to \"to strike.\") The Hebrew words reflect those different meanings as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003EDfus\u003C\/b\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eis closest to the sense of a \"dent, impression\". It\u0026nbsp;is found in early Rabbinic Hebrew, such as Mishna \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Menachot.11.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMenachot 11:1\u003C\/a\u003E, where it refers to a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mold_(cooking_implement)\"\u003Ebaking mold\u003C\/a\u003E that was used to prepare the offering of the\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.chabad.org\/library\/article_cdo\/aid\/2599670\/jewish\/The-Shtei-Halechem-Two-Breads.htm\"\u003E \u003Ci\u003Eshtei halechem\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(the two loaves of bread), brought on Shavuot. While many editions of the Talmud have the word written in the form familiar today - \u003Ci\u003Edfus\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;דפוס, other manuscripts preserve what is likely the original spelling - \u003Ci\u003Etfus\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;טפוס. The letters \"t\" and \"d\" both produce \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dental_stop\"\u003Edental stop\u003C\/a\u003E sounds, and just saying them out loud makes it understandable how \u003Ci\u003Etfus \u003C\/i\u003Ebecame \u003Ci\u003Edfus\u003C\/i\u003E. After the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%93%D6%B0%D6%BC%D7%A4%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%A1.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETalmudic meanings\u003C\/a\u003E of \"form, model, mold\", in modern Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Edfus\u003C\/i\u003E took on the sense of \"print, printing, press.\" The related verb, \u003Ci\u003Ehidpis\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;הדפיס means \"to print\" and a \u003Ci\u003Emadpeset\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מדפסת is a \"printer.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETofes\u003C\/b\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eטפס\u003Ci\u003E, \u003C\/i\u003Ein Talmudic Hebrew, meant the standard, boilerplate lines in a document (in contrast with the \u003Ci\u003Etoref \u003C\/i\u003Eתורף, which refers to the specific details of that document, like the dates, names, etc.) Today it means any kind of form to be filled out.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETipus\u003C\/b\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eis the most abstract of the three, meaning \"type, kind, class.\" In modern Hebrew, the adjective \u003Ci\u003Etipusi \u003C\/i\u003Eטיפוסי - \"typical\" (which also derives from \u003Ci\u003Etypos\u003C\/i\u003E) was added. In Hebrew slang, a \u003Ci\u003Etipus\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is an unusual character.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurious about the Hebrew word for the verb, \"to type\"? Then keep an eye out for the next post...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3851444113766155060\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3851444113766155060","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3851444113766155060"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3851444113766155060"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/07\/dfus-tofes-and-tipus.html","title":"dfus, tofes and tipus"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1619189070735481874"},"published":{"$t":"2021-06-28T18:32:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-06-29T12:49:52.338+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"tripe"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe English word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/tripe\"\u003Etripe\u003C\/a\u003E has two definitions:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"vg\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"sb has-num\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"sb-0\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"sense has-num-only\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"sn sense-1\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"num\"\u003E1\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E                  \u003Cspan class=\"dt\"\u003E                                                                                     \u003Cspan class=\"dtText\"\u003E\u003Cb class=\"mw_t_bc\"\u003E: \u003C\/b\u003Estomach tissue especially of a ruminant (such as an ox) used as food\u003C\/span\u003E                                                       \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"vg\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"sb has-num\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"sb-0\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"sense has-num-only\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"sn sense-2\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"num\"\u003E2\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E                  \u003Cspan class=\"dt\"\u003E                                                                                     \u003Cspan class=\"dtText\"\u003E\u003Cb class=\"mw_t_bc\"\u003E: \u003C\/b\u003Esomething poor, worthless, or offensive\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor me, the second definition was more familiar than the first - but that may be because I don't eat red meat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/tripe\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E provides this origin for tripe:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Ec. 1300, from Old French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Etripe\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"guts, intestines, entrails used as food\" (13c.), of unknown origin, perhaps via Spanish \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Etripa\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Efrom Arabic \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Etherb\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E \"suet\" [Klein, Barnhart]. Applied contemptuously to persons (1590s),  then to anything considered worthless, foolish, or offensive (1892).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=MiNWi1g3fJ4C\u0026amp;pg=PA324\u0026amp;dq=Arabic+(%22therb%22+OR+%22tharb%22)+etymology\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjb5-26vLrxAhX6aRUIHU47C1AQ6AEwAXoECAIQAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EThis book\u003C\/a\u003E gives it a similar etymology, saying it comes from the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Etharb\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning a \"thin layer of fat lining the intestines.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI haven't seen explicit proof, but I think \u003Ci\u003Etharb\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as \"fat\" may be cognate with the Hebrew root רבב, meaning \"to become many, much, great.\" As we saw in our discussion of \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/05\/ribah.html\"\u003Eribah\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%91_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E notes that the related Arabic verb \u003Ci\u003Erabba\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"to make thick or dense.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/ArabicEnglishLexicon.CopiousEasternSources.EnlargedSuppl.Kamoos.Lane.Poole.1863\/01.ArabicEnglLex.v1p1.let.1.2.3.4..Alif.Ba.Ta.Tha..Lane.1863.\/page\/n370\/mode\/2up?view=theater\"\u003EArabic-English Lexicon\u003C\/a\u003E, in its entry for the related Arabic verb\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D8%AB%D8%B1%D8%A8\"\u003Etaraba\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cu\u003E,\u003C\/u\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Esays that it originally meant \"the removing of the \u003Ci\u003Etharb, \u003C\/i\u003Ei.e. the fat that forms the integument of the stomach of a ruminant\", and then associatively became \"the act of blaming, reproving, and punishing or chastising for an offence or a crime.\"\u0026nbsp; As we noted in the entry for the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/chitui.html\"\u003Echitui\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, sometimes a verb that derives from a noun refers to the removal of that noun. In this case, the verb \u003Ci\u003Etaraba\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meant the removal of the \u003Ci\u003Etharb\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the fat itself might have had a positive association, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=mclrIKdye5QC\u0026amp;pg=PA142\u0026amp;dq=tathrib\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjowsS9vbrxAhUaRRUIHfmJAUcQ6AEwBHoECAkQAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ethe noun \u003Ci\u003Etharb \u003C\/i\u003Ealso took on the negative sense\u003C\/a\u003E of \"blame, reproof, reproach.\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D9%8A%D8%AB%D8%B1%D8%A8\"\u003EThis may be the reason\u003C\/a\u003E that Muhammad changed the name of the Arabian city\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EYathrib\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to \u003Ci\u003EMedina\u003C\/i\u003E, as we mentioned in our discussion of the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/02\/medina.html\"\u003Emedina\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E** Update\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThank you to reader Shalom for pointing this out:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EThe Aramaic translation of the Biblical חלב (fat) is תרב.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EHe then shared \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%AA%D6%B0%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%91?lang=he\"\u003EJastrow's entry for תרב\u003C\/a\u003E, which gives examples of \u003Ci\u003Eterav \u003C\/i\u003Ebeing used as a translation for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/06\/chalav-and-chelev.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Echelev\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and also provides a cognate with the Hebrew root רב, \"to increase.\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"vg\"\u003E                    \u003Cdiv class=\"sb has-num\"\u003E      \u003Cspan class=\"sb-0\"\u003E                        \u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E              \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"vg\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"sb has-num\"\u003E      \u003Cspan class=\"sb-0\"\u003E                        \u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1619189070735481874\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1619189070735481874","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1619189070735481874"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1619189070735481874"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/06\/tripe.html","title":"tripe"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4551446405625586699"},"published":{"$t":"2021-06-21T09:36:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-06-21T09:36:59.008+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"akhu and oasis"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EIn Pharaoh's famous dream, he was standing by the river,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"when out of the Nile there came up seven cows, handsome and sturdy, and they grazed in the reed grass.\" (Bereshit 41:2)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe word translated here as \"reed grass\" is \u003Ci\u003Eakhu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;אחו in Hebrew. Other translations include \"marsh grass,\" \"marshland,\" or \"meadow.\" The word only appears a few more times in the Bible - once later in the chapter, when Pharaoh retells his dream (41:18), and in Hoshea 13:15 (\"For though he flourish among \u003Cu\u003Ereeds\u003C\/u\u003E\" - in the plural form אחים \u003Ci\u003Eachim\u003C\/i\u003E) and Iyov 8:11 (\"Can papyrus thrive without marsh?  Can \u003Cu\u003Erushes\u003C\/u\u003E grow without water?).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDue to its first appearance in Pharaoh's dream, it should not be too surprising that it has an Egyptian origin. R. Aryeh Kaplan \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/bible.ort.org\/books\/pentd2.asp?ACTION=displaypage\u0026amp;BOOK=1\u0026amp;CHAPTER=41\"\u003Ewrites\u003C\/a\u003E, \"\u003Ci\u003EAchu\u003C\/i\u003E in the Hebrew, from the Egyptian \u003Ci\u003EAkhi\u003C\/i\u003E.\" Sarna, in the the JPS commentary on Genesis, similarly notes:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EHebrew \u003Ci\u003E'ahu\u003C\/i\u003E, from an Egyptian loan word that originally meant the land flooded by the Nile, and then came to be used for pastureland in general. From Egyptian it passed into Hebrew and other Semitic languages.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom those other Semitic languages, we\u0026nbsp; may get a familiar word in English. Stahl, in his entry for the Arabic word \u003Ci\u003Ewaha\u003C\/i\u003E, says that it also derives from the Coptic (Ancient Egyptian) word that gave Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eakhu\u003C\/i\u003E. In Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ewaha\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"oasis\", which a lush meadow could would certainly have been seen as in the desert.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStahl goes on to say that the word \"oasis\" itself also came from the same Egyptian root, via Greek. An early mention of the Egyptian origin of \"oasis\" can be found in\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.perseus.tufts.edu\/hopper\/text?doc=Hdt.%203.26\u0026amp;lang=original\"\u003E the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus\u003C\/a\u003E. A full etymology is offered by the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/oasis\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"fertile spot in a desert, where there is a spring or well and more or  less vegetation,\" originally in reference to the Libyan desert, 1610s,  from French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eoasis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (18c.) and directly from Late Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eoasis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eoasis\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, probably from Hamitic (compare Coptic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ewahe\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Eouahe\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"oasis,\" properly \"dwelling place,\" from \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eouih\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"dwell\"). The same Egyptian source produced Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ewahah\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E. Figurative sense of \"any fertile place in the midst of a waste\" is by 1800.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI found it interesting that today, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Al-Waha\"\u003EAl-Waha\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E refers to \"an immersion-based Arabic-language camp for students.\" I suppose that's similar to the \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/alef.html\"\u003Eulpan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;for learning Hebrew. I can certainly imagine that any place dedicated to learning a new language would be a kind of oasis...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4551446405625586699\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4551446405625586699","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4551446405625586699"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4551446405625586699"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/06\/akhu-and-oasis.html","title":"akhu and oasis"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1874377785408093527"},"published":{"$t":"2021-06-13T21:01:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-06-13T21:01:26.517+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kriyat yam suf"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EI recently came across an early draft of the speech my son prepared for his \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2011\/08\/bar-mitzva.html\"\u003Ebar mitzva\u003C\/a\u003E, ten years ago this month. It was rather nostalgic to see it again. And while I enjoyed hearing his points, I was actually more fascinated with the typos and misspellings in this first draft. On the one hand, they prove that he actually wrote the speech himself, which was impressive for a 13 year old. But it also was cute to enter the mind of a kid who grew up in Israel, spoke English at home, and tried to straddle both worlds when writing his speech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the most curious phrases he used was \"the tearing of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2010\/03\/yam-suf-red-sea-or-sea-of-reeds.html\"\u003ERed Sea\u003C\/a\u003E.\" Normally, in English we say \"the splitting of the Red Sea.\" But he directly translated the Hebrew phrase \u003Ci\u003Ekriyat yam suf \u003C\/i\u003Eקריעת ים סוף. The verb \u003Ci\u003Ekriya\u003C\/i\u003E, from the root קרע, means \"to tear\" and so in the literal sense, his translation to English was logical.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut this actually brings us to a more substantial question. Why do we call it \u003Ci\u003Ekriyat yam suf\u003C\/i\u003E? In the Bible, the verbs used to describe the splitting of the sea are \u003Ci\u003Ebaka \u003C\/i\u003Eבקע (as in Shemot 14:16, 21, Tehillim 78:13 and Nechemiah 9:11), or less frequently, \u003Ci\u003Egazar \u003C\/i\u003Eגזר (as in Tehillim 136:13). Both roots mean to split, with various nuances. So why did Rabbinic Hebrew (like in the Dayenu song found in the Haggadah) prefer a different Biblical root:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ekara\u003C\/i\u003E?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI found a detailed discussion of the question in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/efrata.emef.ac.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/%D7%B3%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A3%D7%B3-%D7%9B%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%A7%D7%A4%D7%AA-%D7%AA%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%90%D7%94-%D7%91%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%94-%D7%90%D7%95-%D7%92%D7%96%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%94-%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%99.pdf\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003E\"'קריעת ים סוף' כמשקפת תהליכי לשון\" מאת ציון עוקשי\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Eפורסם בכתב העת דעת לשון – מחקרים בלשון העברית לתקופותיה, מכללת אפרתה, ירושלים תשס\"ח\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe author, Tzion Okashi, focuses primarily on the distinction between \u003Ci\u003Ebaka\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Ekara\u003C\/i\u003E, and suggests two possible reasons for the later use of \u003Ci\u003Ekara\u003C\/i\u003E. One might be from Aramaic influence, as is frequently found in words adopted in Rabbinic Hebrew. He point out that the Aramaic translations of the Bible use the root בזע to translate both בקע and קרע, which may have led to the shift of one usage to the other.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe other answer I found more interesting. He says this is due to a change in the perception of the nature of the event. While the Torah uses the word \u003Ci\u003Ebaka\u003C\/i\u003E, that is generally applied to the splitting of a solid, hard object, like a rock or a block of wood. That type of splitting can not be repaired or restored. The action of \u003Ci\u003Ekriya\u003C\/i\u003E, however, is associated with the tearing of softer items like garments (as is practiced, for example, in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bereavement_in_Judaism#Keriah\"\u003EJewish mourning\u003C\/a\u003E.) According to this theory, those who preferred to refer to \u003Ci\u003Ekriyat yam suf\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;visualized the sea closing up on itself after the split. The split was not permanent, just as clothing can be repaired, or a zipper can close the opening in a garment. Okashi writes that the Tanach chose to focus on the force of the miracle, which split the sea as one would break open a block of wood, while the Sages preferred the image of the water letting Israel pass through, only to close upon the pursuing Egyptians.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo it seems that even at that early age, our son somehow picked up on the same message the Sages did when they chose their phrasing. Quite impressive, I must say!\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1874377785408093527\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1874377785408093527","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1874377785408093527"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1874377785408093527"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/06\/kriyat-yam-suf.html","title":"kriyat yam suf"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4220384344095332732"},"published":{"$t":"2021-05-23T19:18:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-05-30T22:30:24.036+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ribah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew word for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/food52.com\/blog\/11662-the-taxonomy-of-jams-preserves-and-confitures\"\u003Ejam\u003C\/a\u003E or \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.seriouseats.com\/difference-between-jam-jelly-compote-conserve-apple-butter-preserves-types\"\u003Ejelly\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Eribah \u003C\/i\u003Eריבה, was coined by the father of modern Hebrew, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda. On that, everyone agrees. However, there has been debate over how he came up with the word, and if it was a good choice. Let's look at its history.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/.premium-word-of-the-day-riba-how-israel-got-its-jam-1.5250531?lts=1621755022994\"\u003EElon Gilad writes\u003C\/a\u003E, the first mention of \u003Ci\u003Eribah \u003C\/i\u003Ewas in a column by Ben-Yehuda in his newspaper, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HaZvi\"\u003EHaZvi\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, in 1888. To show that this was not a coinage out of whole cloth, he titled his piece \"A new word that is old.\" Gilad summarizes Ben-Yehuda's justification for choosing the word:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"jk le iz lf lg lh\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"jk le iz lf lg lh\"\u003EIn the article Ben-Yehuda set out to show  how he found the word \u003Ci\u003Eriba \u003C\/i\u003Ein the Jerusalem Talmud (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jerusalem_Talmud_Shekalim.7.3.30?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Steinsaltz\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EShekalim 7:9\u003C\/a\u003E) in a  passage concerning the frying of a dish call \u003Ci\u003Etofini\u003C\/i\u003E. What exactly this  \u003Ci\u003Etofini \u003C\/i\u003Eis is not at all clear, but that’s besides the point. We find a  bunch of rabbis seemingly debating the recipe, when one of them says  \u003Ci\u003Etofinei riba\u003C\/i\u003E. Ben-Yehuda acknowledges that commentators wrote that this  was a copying error and that originally the text said \u003Ci\u003Eraka\u003C\/i\u003E, which means  “soft” - meaning that the dough was half done.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"FI_PH\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"bd jn jo x jp jq\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"eo\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"dm\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"js-dfp-ad apr aps apy fd\" data-audtarget=\"all\" data-test=\"haaretz.com.inread.1.mobile\" id=\"haaretz.com.inread.1.mobile\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp class=\"jk le iz lf lg lh\"\u003EBen-Yehuda  concludes that the word \u003Ci\u003Eriba\u003C\/i\u003E comes from the root \u003Ci\u003Er-b-b\u003C\/i\u003E and that this  root means, as it means in Arabic, something condensed by heating. It's a  root that gave Arabic the word \u003Ci\u003Emurabab\u003C\/i\u003E - jam. “Thus, we gained a new  word that is old for a kind of sweets, for the kinds of fruit cooked in  sugar, in honey, and it is \u003Ci\u003Eriba\u003C\/i\u003E,” Ben-Yehuda concluded.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, looking at the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nli.org.il\/en\/newspapers\/hzv\/1888\/03\/09\/01\/article\/10\/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1\"\u003Eoriginal text of Ben-Yehuda's column (page 4)\u003C\/a\u003E, I think Gilad's explanation could use some clarification. Here's what Ben-Yehuda wrote:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nD-DyqVXAVA\/YKphmw00L8I\/AAAAAAAAAqo\/os_3uH8asv8xVzQOOrrfvdahWLBxEebPACLcBGAsYHQ\/s840\/benyehuda1.PNG\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"840\" data-original-width=\"574\" height=\"499\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nD-DyqVXAVA\/YKphmw00L8I\/AAAAAAAAAqo\/os_3uH8asv8xVzQOOrrfvdahWLBxEebPACLcBGAsYHQ\/w342-h499\/benyehuda1.PNG\" width=\"342\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy understanding is that Ben Yehuda claimed that those who felt the text should read \u003Ci\u003Eraka\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;רכה were in error. He relies on the parallel text in the Babylonian Talmud (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Menachot.50b.18?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Rashi\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMenachot 50b\u003C\/a\u003E) which has the word with a \u003Ci\u003Ebet\u003C\/i\u003E - \u003Ci\u003Eraba \u003C\/i\u003Eרבה. He relies on Rashi's explanation on the passage in Menachot, which says that \u003Ci\u003Eraba\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"a lot\", so it should be baked more than once.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut then he goes on to reject that approach as well, and says that the word should be read as \u003Ci\u003Eriba \u003C\/i\u003Eריבה, not \u003Ci\u003Eraba, \u003C\/i\u003Eaccording to the the text in the Jerusalem Talmud. And for this he quotes the Arabic cognate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%91_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E, the Arabic verb \u003Ci\u003Erabba\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"he reared, increased, originally 'he made thick or dense,'\" and \u003Ci\u003Erubb \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"thickened juice of fruit\", which led to \u003Ci\u003Emirabb - \u003C\/i\u003E\"jam, preserved fruit.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd so Ben Yehuda concludes that this is how he understands the Talmudic passage - the \u003Ci\u003Etofini\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is not repeatedly cooked, but rather made thick by cooking.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBen-Yehuda's coinage, and particularly his interpretation of the text in the Talmud, aroused the ire of another pillar of modern Hebrew - the writer S.Y. Agnon. In his 1943 novel \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1592643566\/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;creativeASIN=1592643566\u0026amp;linkId=60247ff0d17239bce2bc8d9eeea2862b\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EShevuat Emunim\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(\"Betrothed\")\u003C\/a\u003E, Agnon writes about pre-World War I Jaffa, and says that in the evenings they would drink tea and eat preserves, and then adds:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EIf some intellectual were present, he would make fun of the hotel-keeper who had misunderstood a Talmudic word, and called fruit preserves 'jam.'\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis was clearly a jab at Ben-Yehuda. Not only does Agnon say that it is a mistake to call preserves (for which he uses the older word \u003Ci\u003Emirkahat \u003C\/i\u003Eמרקחת), but he refers to him as a \"hotel keeper.\" In the Hebrew, that phrase is \u003Ci\u003Ebaal hamalon \u003C\/i\u003Eבעל המלון. Ben-Yehuda was the author of the first modern Hebrew dictionary, and so could have been known as the \u003Ci\u003Ebaal hamilon\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;בעל המילון (literally, \"master of the dictionary.\") But Agnon rejected Ben-Yehuda's switching \u003Ci\u003Eraba \u003C\/i\u003Efor \u003Ci\u003Eriba \u003C\/i\u003Ein the Talmudic passage, and made the same vowel switch back from \u003Ci\u003Emilon \u003C\/i\u003Eto \u003Ci\u003Emalon\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ruvik.co.il\/%D7%94%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%99\/2019\/111019.aspx\"\u003EMany have\u003C\/a\u003E also criticized Ben-Yehuda's rejection of the scholars who claimed that the word in Shekalim should be read \u003Ci\u003Eraka\u003C\/i\u003E. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forum.otzar.org\/download\/file.php?id=33052\u0026amp;sid=48da52b61169d4a1fcbdbb144baaaa63\"\u003EAccording to them\u003C\/a\u003E, that word represents the more accurate texts of the passage (as well as the text in Menachot). And perhaps for that reason, when Ben-Yehuda's dictionary was published after his death, neither the entry for \u003Ci\u003Eriba\u003C\/i\u003E, nor the notes by Tur-Sinai mention the Shekalim passage at all, but rely entirely on the Arabic cognate, and other medieval Hebrew words based on the same root:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-J2LZpswBUt8\/YKpwc2y1TcI\/AAAAAAAAAqw\/fRdZk_WFm30Plqf61-h8Vv0a8L2HCL-_wCLcBGAsYHQ\/s595\/benyehuda2.PNG\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"469\" data-original-width=\"595\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-J2LZpswBUt8\/YKpwc2y1TcI\/AAAAAAAAAqw\/fRdZk_WFm30Plqf61-h8Vv0a8L2HCL-_wCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/benyehuda2.PNG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe've now shown Ben-Yehuda's original justification for choosing \u003Ci\u003Eriba\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;for jam, and the revised explanation in his dictionary. A third report, found often in Ultra-Orthodox circles (who in his lifetime and even today don't have much respect for Ben-Yehuda), attributes Ben-Yehuda with a poor understanding of basic Talmudic terminology. There are a few different versions, but they generally say that he read a passage like this:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\"מאי ריבה? מיני מתיקה\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Ci style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EMai ribah? Minei metika.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eand from it coined the word \u003Ci\u003Eribah\u003C\/i\u003E. If that were so, it would indeed be a gross misreading of the text. The phrase \u003Ci\u003Emai ribah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is found in a number of Talmudic passages (for example \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Sotah.16b.2?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ESotah 16b\u003C\/a\u003E), and means, \"What does it include?\" This is because ריבה \u003Ci\u003Eriba\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in this case \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A8%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%91%D6%BC%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%99.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eliterally means\u003C\/a\u003E \"an extension of scope, widening qualification\". So while the passage really meant \"What does [this case] include? Sweet things\", Ben-Yehuda thought it meant \"What is \u003Ci\u003Eriba\u003C\/i\u003E? Sweet things\", and so used it to refer to jam.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe problem is not only as we've seen did Ben-Yehuda not use that passage as his reason for the coinage, but there is no such passage anywhere in Talmudic literature (nor is there for any of the variants of this story). It's rather ironic that people who are trying to make fun of Ben-Yehuda for not understanding the Talmud are actually proving their own ignorance instead. They should really leave the satire to people like Agnon...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"jk le iz lf lg lh\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4220384344095332732\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4220384344095332732","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4220384344095332732"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4220384344095332732"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/05\/ribah.html","title":"ribah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nD-DyqVXAVA\/YKphmw00L8I\/AAAAAAAAAqo\/os_3uH8asv8xVzQOOrrfvdahWLBxEebPACLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w342-h499-c\/benyehuda1.PNG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8618764832701621659"},"published":{"$t":"2021-05-16T16:33:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-05-16T16:33:21.578+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"cameo and kamea"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EI was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/elli.fischer\/posts\/10110427966024348\"\u003Erecently asked\u003C\/a\u003E if there \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Adderabbi\/status\/1384780075560734727\"\u003Eis a connection between\u003C\/a\u003E the English word \"cameo\" and the Hebrew word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%A7%D7%9E%D7%A2\"\u003Eקמיע\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"amulet.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf that seems like a strange suggestion, perhaps you aren't familiar with the background of \"cameo.\" While today it \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/cameo\"\u003Eusually means\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"a small theatrical role usually performed by a well-known actor and often limited to a single scene,\" that's not the original sense. (Modern Hebrew also has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%94%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A2%D7%AA_%D7%A7%D7%9E%D7%A2\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ehofa'at kamea\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;הופעת קמע\u003C\/a\u003E meaning a \"cameo appearance, but that is a much more recent usage.) The original sense can be found in this entry from the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cameo\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eearly 15c., \u003Ci\u003Ekaadmaheu, camew, chamehieux\u003C\/i\u003E and many other spellings (from early 13c. in Anglo-Latin), \"engraving in relief upon a precious stone with two layers of colors\" (such as onyx, agate, or shell) and done so as to utilize the effect of the colors, from Old French \u003Ci\u003Ecamaieu \u003C\/i\u003Eand directly from Medieval Latin \u003Ci\u003Ecammaeus\u003C\/i\u003E, which is of unknown origin, perhaps ultimately from Arabic \u003Ci\u003Eqamaa'il \u003C\/i\u003E\"flower buds,\" or Persian \u003Ci\u003Echumahan \u003C\/i\u003E\"agate.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 19c. also used of other raised, carved work on a miniature scale. Transferred sense of \"small character or part that stands out from other minor parts\" in a play, etc., is from 1928, from earlier meaning \"short literary sketch or portrait\" (1851), a transferred sense from cameo silhouettes. A cameotype (1864) was a small, vignette daguerreotype mounted in a jeweled setting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince cameo originally meant a type of jewelry, that's much closer to the sense of \"amulet.\" Yet, none of the suggestions mentioned in this entry can be connected to \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E. (I haven't been able to find any Hebrew cognate to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eqamaa'il \u003C\/i\u003Ereferenced above. In fact, the claims is disputed entirely in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/43346017\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E, saying that \u003Ci\u003Eqamaa'il\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is not found in Arabic dictionaries.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, that doesn't mean a connection isn't possible. Let's first look at the origin of \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E, to see if it can bring us closer to cameo. (Ben Yehuda points out that the original pronunciation was \u003Ci\u003Ekamia\u003C\/i\u003E, but the transition to \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;may have been from the Italian \"cameo.\") Here's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B8%D7%9E%D6%B5%D6%BD%D7%99%D7%A2%D6%B7?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein's entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קָמֵֽיעַ\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קָמֵֽיעַ 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קָמֵֽיעַ 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקָמֵֽיעַ\u003C\/strong\u003E m.n. PBH (pl. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקְמֵיעִים\u003C\/span\u003E, also \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקֽמֵיעוֹת\u003C\/span\u003E)   amulet.  [Related to Aram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקֽמֵיעָא\u003C\/span\u003E, Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקֽמִיעָא\u003C\/span\u003E, Mand. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקמאהא\u003C\/span\u003E (= amulet), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqama‘a\u003C\/i\u003E (= he tamed, curbed, bridled).] \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקְמֵיעָה\u003C\/strong\u003E f.n. MH    amulet.  [A secondary form of קָמֵיעַ.]\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EAnd while he doesn't directly link the two, a connection between \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the root קמע is likely. He had said that \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is related to an Arabic root meaning \"tamed\" or \"bridled\", and here is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D7%9E%D7%A2.1?lang=bi\"\u003Ehis entry for קמע\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקמע\u003C\/strong\u003E    to bind, tie up. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003ERelated to Aram. קְמַע (= he bound, tied up).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003ETo bridle is to tie up a horse with reins, so I can see a connection between \u003Ci\u003Ekamea - \u003C\/i\u003E\"bridled\" and קמע - \"to tie up.\" An amulet, as jewelry, is also \"tied up\" to the wearer, so all of these meanings appear to be related. (Kohut, in the Aruch HaShalem, entry קמע, points out that just as the Greek word for amulet, \u003Ci\u003Eperiamma\u003C\/i\u003E, comes from \u003Ci\u003Eamma\u003C\/i\u003E, \"knot\", so too does \u003Ci\u003Ekamea \u003C\/i\u003Ecome from קמע, \"to tie.\")\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003EHe then \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B4%D7%9E%D6%B0%D7%A2%D6%B8%D7%94.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Egoes on to say\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ci\u003Ekim'ah \u003C\/i\u003Eקמעה - \"a little\" may also derive from the same root:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקִמְעָה\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eקִמְעָא\u003C\/strong\u003E adv. PBH    a little.  [Aram. קִמְעָא; according to some scholars prob. related to Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqamā‘, qamā‘a\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E (= smallness, littleness). It is more probable, however, that it derives from the v. קמע, equivalent of Heb. קמץ (= he took a handful). See קמץ ᴵ.]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E(We discussed the Hebrew equivalent קמץ \u003Ci\u003Ekamatz\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/kamatz.html\"\u003Ethis earlier post\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EKim'ah \u003C\/i\u003Eis the root of the modern Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Ekim'oni \u003C\/i\u003Eקמעוני - \"retail\", just as the English word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/retail\"\u003Eretail originally meant\u003C\/a\u003E \"to sell in small quantities.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003EAll this is nice, and would seem to point us in the direction of a connection between \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and cameo, but as we've seen many times here before, words that appear to be connected do not necessarily share a common origin. There are sources out there that say the two are directly connected, but do not offer any proof.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003EHowever, I did find one, admittedly older, theory that ties the two words together. There was a claim, mentioned in early editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica, that cameo derives from the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E, \"amulet\", which would clearly be cognate with the Hebrew. For example, this is in the entry from the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.1902encyclopedia.com\/C\/CAM\/cameo.html\"\u003E1902 edition\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThe word cameo is generally regarded as being derived from the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ecamea\u003C\/i\u003E, a charm or amulet\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textRange basetext\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"text\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"textInner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" class=\"segment highlight enOnly showNamedEntityLinks\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, קְמֵיעָה 1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003EBut as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/224386\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E points out, the word \u003Ci\u003Ecamea\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was not found \"with this significance in the Arabic dictionaries\" and \"in all probability, the writer of the Encyclopedia Britannica thought of the Aramaic \u003Ci\u003Ecamea.\u003C\/i\u003E\" It also notes that later editions of the encyclopedia dropped that etymology.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003EThat's certainly possible. I did find a number of mentions from 19th century books that also mentioned an Arabic form of \u003Ci\u003Ecamea\u003C\/i\u003E, but it's possible they were all mistaken separately or influenced from one source that mixed up the Aramaic and Arabic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"segmentText\"\u003EBut that doesn't make me think that an etymology is unlikely. We've seen relevant cognates in a few Semitic languages, and all the meanings seem related to the same sense of \"amulet.\" If a more convincing etymology for cameo is found, then we can perhaps drop the connection to \u003Ci\u003Ekamea\u003C\/i\u003E. But for now, it still seems like a reasonable proposition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8618764832701621659\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8618764832701621659","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8618764832701621659"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8618764832701621659"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/05\/cameo-and-kamea.html","title":"cameo and kamea"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3223883499851402237"},"published":{"$t":"2021-04-21T14:17:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-04-21T14:17:44.377+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"email subscriptions update"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EAs I mentioned in an earlier post, FeedBurner, the service that provided email subscriptions to Balashon, will be ending that service in a few months.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI've set up a new service with Mailchimp, to provide the same option of receiving Balashon posts by email.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf anyone would like to subscribe that way, you can easily do so by entering your email address in the box on the right margin of this page, under \u003Cb\u003ESubscribe to Balashon by email\u003Ci\u003E.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor those who were already subscribed via FeedBurner, I've migrated your subscriptions to Mailchimp. If you do not wish to receive those emails, you can easily unsubscribe by clicking the \u003Cb\u003Eunsubscribe from this list\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;link at the bottom of every email.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThanks for your patience during this transition, and I hope to have some new posts with regular Balashon content up soon!\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3223883499851402237\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3223883499851402237","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3223883499851402237"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3223883499851402237"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/04\/email-subscriptions-update.html","title":"email subscriptions update"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7570676752834765370"},"published":{"$t":"2021-04-20T11:24:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-04-20T11:24:33.270+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"still working on the email subscriptions"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EI'm still working on getting the new email subscription service working, so I need to do some additional test posts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo make this a little more interesting, I'll provide some links about other things I've been working on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor over a year, I've been writing for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.929.org.il\/lang\/en\/today\"\u003E929\u003C\/a\u003E - the project that studies a chapter of Bible each day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYou can read my posts, which generally talk about words, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.929.org.il\/lang\/en\/author\/64450\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI also write for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mizrachi.org\/hamizrachi\/\"\u003EHaMizrachi\u003C\/a\u003E, a magazine with articles about Torah and other subjects, printed around the holidays. Again, I write about words, and while there isn't an index of all my articles, my latest one - for Yom HaAtzmaut - is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mizrachi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/HaMizrachi_Yom-Ha_Atzmaut_Israel_2021_51.pdf\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAside from writing about words, I also like to write about the Bible and Jewish thought. I've published in Tradition, Lehrhaus, Hakirah, and JBQ. I've put everything I've published on my \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/independent.academia.edu\/DavidCurwin\"\u003EAcademia.edu profile\u003C\/a\u003E. Feel free to browse and let me know what you think.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOk, that's good for now, I probably should save some more in case I need additional posts like this...\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7570676752834765370\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7570676752834765370","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7570676752834765370"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7570676752834765370"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/04\/still-working-on-email-subscriptions.html","title":"still working on the email subscriptions"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7429232800764095727"},"published":{"$t":"2021-04-17T22:20:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-04-17T22:20:47.879+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"changes for email subscribers"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EJust a little maintenance here. Feedburner, the service that provided email subscriptions to Balashon, will be ending that service in a few months. So I am in the process of investigating new options and will hopefully migrate all subscribers soon.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you don't subscribe by email, you can ignore this message. Thanks!\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7429232800764095727\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7429232800764095727","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7429232800764095727"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7429232800764095727"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/04\/changes-for-email-subscribers.html","title":"changes for email subscribers"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2497548614082360992"},"published":{"$t":"2021-03-29T13:07:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-03-29T13:07:54.678+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"mashal and moshel"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.929.org.il\/lang\/en\/today\"\u003E929 Project\u003C\/a\u003E, which covers a chapter of the Tanakh every day over a 3.5 year cycle, will be starting the book of Mishlei (Proverbs) soon. Since I write a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.929.org.il\/lang\/en\/author\/64450\"\u003Eweekly entry for 929\u003C\/a\u003E, I thought I would take the opportunity here to look into the word \u003Ci\u003Emashal \u003C\/i\u003Eמשל - the source of the book Mishlei.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the Bible, the root משל has two meanings - \"to rule\" and \"to resemble, to make like, to speak in parables.\" The first sense, to rule, appears 81 times as a verb, and also has noun forms, like \u003Ci\u003Emoshel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מושל - \"ruler. governor\" and \u003Ci\u003Ememshala \u003C\/i\u003Eממשלה - meaning \"rule, dominion\" in Biblical Hebrew, and \"government\" in Modern Hebrew.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second meaning occurs 17 times as a verb, and an additional 39 as a noun, generally translated as \"proverb\" (giving the name to the biblical book.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIs there a connection between the two meanings? Many older sources do make a connection. Here are a few examples:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERabbi Hirsch, on Bereshit 4:9, writes that the basic meaning of \u003Ci\u003Emashal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \"to declare what something is and should be, to give its character and designation. Hence: to command, to rule. […] Hence, also the Proverbs of Shlomo: saying which tell us what men and things are and should be. So in general. But hence \u003Ci\u003Emashal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;also means quite specially such a saying or sentence whose meaning refers not to the things actually described in it, but they are used metaphorically to refer to some general fact or teaching, to describe the character or designation of something else, i.e. a parable.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B8%D7%A9%D6%B7%D7%81%D7%9C_II.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E has the original meaning as \"to handle, to touch\" (he brings the example of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Yoma.46a.4?lang=bi\"\u003EYoma 46a\u003C\/a\u003E - \"the fire had taken hold of them.\")\u0026nbsp; That sense developed into a) to attend, manage, control, and b) something tangible, substantial, plausible. From there it developed to \"a truth substantiated by an illustration, wise saying, fable, allegory, example.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESteinberg suggests that the earlier, common meaning was \"to straighten, to organize.\" This organization can both be done by a ruler, or by an orator, who arranges two concepts in a parable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGesenius, in his dictionary, writes: \"Learned men have made many attempts to reconcile the significations of \u003Ci\u003Emaking like\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Eruling\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;[…] I have no doubt but from the signification of \u003Ci\u003Emaking like\u003C\/i\u003E, is derived from that of \u003Ci\u003Ejudging, forming an opinion\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;[…] which is nearly allied to the notion of \u003Ci\u003Egiving sentence, ordering, ruling\u003C\/i\u003E.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, more recent scholars have begun to doubt that the two meanings share a common origin. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B8%D7%A9%D6%B8%D7%81%D7%9C?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E, for example, lists them as two separate entries. For the meaning \"to rule,\" he provides one cognate: the Phoenician משל. For the sense \"to be like, resemble, to speak in parables,\" he offers a number of Semitic cognates:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EAramaic\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eמְתַל\u003C\/span\u003E (= was like, resembled), Syriac\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eמְתַל\u003C\/span\u003E (= he compared; he spoke in parables), Akkadian\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emashālu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to be like), Arabic\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emathala\u003C\/i\u003E (= was like, resembled, imitated), \u003Ci\u003Emithl\u003C\/i\u003E (= a thing similar, resemblance, likeness), Ethiopian\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emasala\u003C\/i\u003E (= became like).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe substitution of the \"sh\" for \"t\/th\" in many of these languages, but only for this meaning, could indicate a separate origin. (The Aramaic \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D6%B2%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%AA%D6%B0%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003Eamatla\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eאמתלא - \"excuse, pretext\" derives from the cognate מתל, and has entered Hebrew as אמתלה, with the same meaning.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut as Prof. Chaim Cohen argued in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/humanities.tau.ac.il\/sites\/humanities.tau.ac.il\/files\/media_server\/Jewish%20History\/Teuda\/Teuda-%20Vol%202-%20English\/Teuda-%20Vol%202-%20English.pdf\"\u003Ethis comprehensive article\u003C\/a\u003E (English summary \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/humanities.tau.ac.il\/sites\/humanities.tau.ac.il\/files\/media_server\/Jewish%20History\/Teuda\/Teuda-%20Vol%202-%20English\/Teuda-%20Vol%202-%20English.pdf\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, pp. 372-373), this may not be the case. He writes that \"while a majority of Biblical scholars today derive the term משל from a primary verb מש\"ל 'to be like' […] this view, despite many attempts to bolster it with additional evidence, has never been sufficiently compelling to win overall scholarly approval.\" He goes on to claim that the original meaning of the noun\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emashal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \"saying\" and the verb means \"to express, relate.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis understanding fits the book of Proverbs well. While many of the Proverbs are indeed parables - for example, \"A passerby who gets embroiled in someone else’s quarrel is like one who seizes a dog by its ears.\" (Mishlei 26:17), others are simply sayings without a metaphor: \"Do not envy evil men; Do not desire to be with them\" (Mishlei 24:1).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo it could well be that the original meaning of \u003Ci\u003Emashal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was \"saying\" and then later developed to the more specific type of saying - the parable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf that's the case, perhaps we can make a connection to \"ruling\" after all. I did not see this mentioned in the sources I read, but there are other words in Hebrew that connect ruling to speaking - see my posts on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/04\/haggadah-and-aggadah.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Enagid \u003C\/i\u003Eנגיד\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/admiral.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eamar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;אמר\u003C\/a\u003E. It would not surprise me if \u003Ci\u003Emashal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is an additional example.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2497548614082360992\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2497548614082360992","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2497548614082360992"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2497548614082360992"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/03\/mashal-and-moshel.html","title":"mashal and moshel"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1224061993061552491"},"published":{"$t":"2021-03-24T16:24:00.006+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-03-25T09:52:49.930+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"sutro and tzair"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EI grew up in San Francisco, and anyone from there will recognize the name Sutro.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sutro_Tower\"\u003ESutro Tower\u003C\/a\u003E is giant radio and TV antenna that can be seen from most places in the city. It sits on a hill between Twin Peaks and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mount_Sutro\"\u003EMount Sutro\u003C\/a\u003E, another place with the Sutro name.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jeii-eZ9Ik4\/YFtIsn0VesI\/AAAAAAAAAo4\/Me6SZylwI-ERZfohB5MHd3rqBgxmD6dpQCLcBGAsYHQ\/s2048\/San_Francisco_Sutro_Tower_from_Grandview_Park_%25282%2529.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"2048\" data-original-width=\"1581\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jeii-eZ9Ik4\/YFtIsn0VesI\/AAAAAAAAAo4\/Me6SZylwI-ERZfohB5MHd3rqBgxmD6dpQCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/San_Francisco_Sutro_Tower_from_Grandview_Park_%25282%2529.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sutro_District\"\u003ESutro Historic District\u003C\/a\u003E, on the Pacific coast, you'll find \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sutro_Heights_Park\"\u003ESutro Heights Park\u003C\/a\u003E, and it once included the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sutro_Baths\"\u003ESutro Baths\u003C\/a\u003E. And there are other places with the Sutro name in the area.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll of these places were named for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Adolph_Sutro\"\u003EAdolph Sutro\u003C\/a\u003E (1830-1898), the first Jewish mayor of San Francisco\u003Ca href=\"#1\" name=\"top1\"\u003E\u003Csup\u003E1\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. He was a collector of books, and when I lived there I heard he had \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jweekly.com\/2016\/04\/08\/on-display-yemenite-scroll-that-solved-the-mystery\/\"\u003Ea manuscript with the signature of Maimonides\u003C\/a\u003E (now housed in Sutro Library of course).\u0026nbsp; I never visited that exhibit - maybe I'll try on my next visit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI recently learned that this pervasive word, Sutro, actually has Hebrew origins. According to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/23515504?seq=1\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E, \"the family name is probably a writing of the Aramaic \u003Ci\u003Ezutra\u003C\/i\u003E.\" And indeed, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/title\/catalogue-of-the-old-hebrew-and-arabic-manuscripts-of-the-library-of-hon-adolph-sutro-san-francisco-24-february-1897-reshimat-kitve-yad-meotsar-ha-sefarim-shel-ha-gevir-ha-sar-h-adolf-zutra-poh-san-frantsiska\/oclc\/244483372\"\u003EHebrew entry for the catalog of his books\u003C\/a\u003E writes Sutro as זוטרא (\u003Ci\u003Ezutra\u003C\/i\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Aramaic word \u003Ci\u003Ezutra\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"small.\" From it we get in modern Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Ezutar \u003C\/i\u003E- זוטר, an adjective meaning \"junior\" or \"minor.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%96%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%98%D6%B0%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%90?lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%96%D7%A2%D7%A8.1\u0026amp;lang2=bi\u0026amp;p3=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A6%D7%A2%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5.1\u0026amp;lang3=bi\u0026amp;p4=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%96%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%98%D6%B8%D7%A8.1\u0026amp;lang4=bi\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E that the root of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ezutra\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- זטר - is related to the root זער - \"to be small\", which in turn is related to the root צער - also meaning \"to be small, insignificant.\" This last root gives us the word \u003Ci\u003Etzair\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;צעיר - \"young\" and \u003Ci\u003Etzoer \u003C\/i\u003Eצוער, which appears once in the Bible (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Zechariah.13.7?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EZechariah 13:7\u003C\/a\u003E) as \"shepherd boy,\" and today means \"cadet.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother meaning of the root צער - \"sadness, suffering\" only appears in post-biblical Hebrew. In the \u003Ci\u003Ehitpael\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form - הצטער - it literally means \"to feel pain, remorse\", and is used to say \"I'm sorry\" - אני מצטער \u003Ci\u003Eani mitztaer.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Klein, the two roots are related. One who is treated caused to suffer, treated shamefully, is \"belittled\" or \"made insignificant.\" Yaakov Etsion, in \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.safa-ivrit.org\/writers\/etsion\/zoer.php\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E, agrees that the roots are related, but suggests instead that it's not others making the \u003Ci\u003Emitztaer\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;feel small, but the one suffering acts as if they are contracting, reduced in size, as opposed to someone comfortable who can relax and spread out.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile Adolph Sutro's name may have meant \"small,\" his legacy in San Francisco is anything but insignificant, and the landmarks bearing his name are the tallest in the city.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Chr width=\"80%\" \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca name=\"1\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1 \u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EI have been informed that actually, the first Jewish mayor of San Francisco was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Washington_Bartlett\"\u003EWashington Bartlett\u003C\/a\u003E. Bartlett later converted to Christianity, but was Jewish during his term as mayor.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"#top1\"\u003E\u003Csup\u003E↩\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1224061993061552491\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1224061993061552491","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1224061993061552491"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1224061993061552491"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/03\/sutro-and-tzair.html","title":"sutro and tzair"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jeii-eZ9Ik4\/YFtIsn0VesI\/AAAAAAAAAo4\/Me6SZylwI-ERZfohB5MHd3rqBgxmD6dpQCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/San_Francisco_Sutro_Tower_from_Grandview_Park_%25282%2529.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2009379065867390350"},"published":{"$t":"2021-03-01T14:25:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-03-01T14:25:15.721+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"minaret and menorah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe word \"minaret\", meaning the tower of a mosque, is cognate with the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Emenorah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מנורה. From the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/minaret\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"slender, lofty turret of a mosque,\" typically rising by stages and  having one or more projecting balconies around it, 1680s, from French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eminaret\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from a Turkish pronunciation of Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Emanarah\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emanarat\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"minaret,\" also \"lamp, lighthouse,\" which is related to \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emanar\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"candlestick,\" a derivative of \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Enar\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"fire;\" compare Hebrew \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ener\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"lamp\" (see menorah).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Menorah_(Temple)\"\u003EMenorah\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was the term for the lampstand with seven lamps first established for the roaming Tabernacle, and then later in the Temple in Jerusalem. It was famously lit again by the Maccabees, when the Temple was rededicated, after the Greeks had defiled it. This is commemorated in the holiday of Chanukah. During that holiday, a lamp is lit with additional candles every night, reaching eight candles on the last night, plus one extra (ninth) candle used to light the others.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo distinguish between the \u003Ci\u003Emenorah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;used in the Temple and what was lit in homes on Chanukah, traditionally the latter was called \u003Ci\u003Emenorat chanukah \u003C\/i\u003Eמנורת חנוכה, although some people used \u003Ci\u003Emenorah \u003C\/i\u003Efor both. Sephardic and Balkan Jews used the term \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%97%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%99%D7%94\"\u003Echanukiya\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eחנוכייה (with the accent on the second to last syllable - \u003Ci\u003EchanuKIya\u003C\/i\u003E), and that term was introduced into modern Hebrew by Hemda Ben Yehuda (Eliezer Ben Yehuda's wife).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday in Israel \u003Ci\u003Emenorah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;refers to the lamp in the Temple, the symbol of the State of Israel (which was modeled on the biblical \u003Ci\u003Emenorah\u003C\/i\u003E) and for \"lamp\" in general. \u003Ci\u003EChanukiya\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E(with the accent on the last symbol) is used for the lamp lit on Chanukah.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMenorah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;derives from the root\u0026nbsp; נור, and other words related to lamps also come from the same source. \u003Ci\u003ENer \u003C\/i\u003Eנר means \"candle\" and \u003Ci\u003Enurah \u003C\/i\u003Eנורה means \"bulb.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother related word is \u003Ci\u003Esanver - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to blind.\" It was back formed from \u003Ci\u003Esanverim \u003C\/i\u003Eסנורים - \"blindness\" (as found in Bereshit 19:11).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A1%D6%B7%D7%A0%D6%B0%D7%95%D6%B5%D7%A8%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9D.1?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein provides the following etymology\u003C\/a\u003E for \u003Ci\u003Esanverim\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EAccording to some scholars, euphemistic use of Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eshunwuru\u003C\/i\u003E (= to give light). According to others סַנְוֵרִים is formed from the Siph‘el of נור (= to give light), used euphemistically.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;A sister root to נור is נהר, meaning \"to shine.\" It is found in only a few biblical verses (e.g. Yeshaya 60:5 and Iyov 3:4). But its use in Aramaic is much more common. And just as \u003Ci\u003Esanverim\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means blindness and may have euphemistic origins, the term used in Hebrew for \"euphemism\" also comes from a phrase meaning blindness: סגי נהור \u003Ci\u003Esagi-nahor. \u003C\/i\u003EIt literally means someone with \"(more than) enough light\", a euphemism for a blind person. That classic case of euphemism has been extended to all euphemisms, which are known as לשון סגי נהור \u003Ci\u003Elashon sagi nahor.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2009379065867390350\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2009379065867390350","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2009379065867390350"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2009379065867390350"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/03\/minaret-and-menorah.html","title":"minaret and menorah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5723454489868943138"},"published":{"$t":"2021-02-08T14:00:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-02-09T09:53:55.465+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"mafia and hiftzir"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThere are \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mafia#Etymology\"\u003Emany theories\u003C\/a\u003E as to the etymology of the word \"mafia.\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/mafia\"\u003EOne of the leading ones\u003C\/a\u003E says it comes from the Arabic \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.wordhippo.com\/what-is\/the-meaning-of\/arabic-word-b69e054b0eebe0f4f97ea472abe82a523544c4f8.html\"\u003Emarfud\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"rejected\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E1875, from Italian \u003Ci\u003EMafia \u003C\/i\u003E\"Sicilian secret society of criminals\" (the prevailing sense outside Sicily), earlier, \"spirit of hostility to the law and its ministers.\" A member is a \u003Ci\u003Emafioso\u003C\/i\u003E (1870), fem. \u003Ci\u003Emafiosa\u003C\/i\u003E, plural \u003Ci\u003Emafiosi\u003C\/i\u003E, and this may be the older word in this sense. Arabic is often cited as the ultimate source (the Arabs ruled Sicily for more than two centuries in the Middle Ages), but which Arabic word is a matter of disagreement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe immediate source of \u003Ci\u003Emafioso\u003C\/i\u003E, then, would be 19c. Sicilian \u003Ci\u003Emafiusu\u003C\/i\u003E, \"signifying a bully, arrogant but also fearless, enterprising, and proud\" [\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/23997542\"\u003EGambetta\u003C\/a\u003E], who favors as the Arabic source an adjective from \u003Ci\u003Emarfud \u003C\/i\u003E\"rejected.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/historyofmafia00lupo\/page\/282\/mode\/2up\"\u003Ethis source\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emarfud\u003C\/i\u003E (\"rejected\") became the Sicilian \u003Ci\u003Emarpiuni\u003C\/i\u003E (\"swindler\") and from there to \u003Ci\u003Emafiusu\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs often happens when I read etymologies of English words with Semitic roots, I wonder if there is a cognate in Hebrew. Well, this is one I would never have expected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E**\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo find a Hebrew word related to \u003Ci\u003Emarfud\u003C\/i\u003E, we need to look a seemingly unrelated Hebrew root: פצר. It \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/6484.%D7%A4%D7%A6%D7%A8\"\u003Eappears in the Bible seven times\u003C\/a\u003E - six of which are in the \u003Ci\u003Ekal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form - \u003Ci\u003Epatzar\u003C\/i\u003E. In all of those cases it means \"to implore, to beg earnestly.\" Modern Hebrew uses the \u003Ci\u003Ehifil\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form of the verb, \u003Ci\u003Ehiftzir\u003C\/i\u003E, to mean \"implore\" as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%A6%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E writes that it is a secondary form of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B6%D6%BC%D6%BD%D7%A8%D6%B6%D7%A5?lang=bi\"\u003Eroot פרץ\u003C\/a\u003E - \"to push, to break through.\" That root can also mean \"to spread, to extend.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis sense of \"spreading, extension\" is how classic commentators understood the use of פצר in its seventh use, in \u003Ca href=\"כִּי חַטַּאת־קֶסֶם מֶרִי וְאָוֶן וּתְרָפִים הַפְצַר\"\u003EShmuel I 15:23\u003C\/a\u003E. The prophet Shmuel is castigating Shaul, the king, and says:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eכִּי חַטַּאת־קֶסֶם מֶרִי וְאָוֶן וּתְרָפִים הַפְצַר\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is a notoriously difficult phrase to explain. It ends with the words \u003Ci\u003Eutrafim haftzar \u003C\/i\u003E(our root). Rashi says it means \"an addition\", and in that light, ArtScroll translates the phrase as:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"For rebelliousness is like the sin of sorcery, and verbosity [\u003Ci\u003Ehaftzar\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;is like the iniquity of idolatry\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, modern translations, like the JPS have a different interpretation. They offer:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"For rebellion is like the sin of divination; defiance [\u003Ci\u003Ehaftzar\u003C\/i\u003E], like the iniquity of teraphim\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETranslating \u003Ci\u003Ehaftzar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as \"defiance\" provides symmetry with the first half of the phrase, where everyone agrees that \u003Ci\u003Emeri\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"rebelliousness.\" And there is linguistic support for this translation as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Yellin\"\u003EDavid Yellin\u003C\/a\u003E wrote in an essay, \"Forgotten Meanings of Hebrew Roots in the Bible\" (published \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?redir_esc=y\u0026amp;id=zpXXAAAAMAAJ\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, and quoted by Stahl in his etymological dictionary of Arabic) that this use of the root פצר is unrelated to the other six, and based on cognates with other Semitic languages should be translated as \"defiance.\" One of those cognates is the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Erafad\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"to reject,\" which is the source of our word \u003Ci\u003Emarfud\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;above.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow did he get from \u003Ci\u003Efatzar \u003C\/i\u003Eto \u003Ci\u003Erafad\u003C\/i\u003E? Through a number of phonetic shifts. First of all, the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Etz\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;sound can become \u003Ci\u003Ed \u003C\/i\u003Ein Arabic (for example the Hebrew \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A8%D6%B6%D6%BD%D7%9E%D6%B6%D7%A5?lang=bi\"\u003Eרמץ \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A8%D6%B6%D6%BD%D7%9E%D6%B6%D7%A5?lang=bi\"\u003Eremetz\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Ebecomes \u003Ci\u003Eramida\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Arabic, the source of the month \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/languagehat.com\/ramadanramzan\/\"\u003ERamadan\u003C\/a\u003E.) And then through metathesis, \u003Ci\u003Efadar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;became \u003Ci\u003Erafad\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E**\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuite a journey, no? So how can you remember that \"mafia\" and \u003Ci\u003Efatzar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;are cognate? Just think of a mafioso imploring someone to not be defiant...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5723454489868943138\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5723454489868943138","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5723454489868943138"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5723454489868943138"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/02\/mafia-and-hiftzir.html","title":"mafia and hiftzir"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1467505777848283525"},"published":{"$t":"2021-01-24T17:29:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-01-24T17:29:37.154+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"loco"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EA Spanish word that has entered English slang is \u003Ci\u003Eloco\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"crazy.\" The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/loco\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E provides the following origin:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"mad, crazy,\" 1844, American English, from Spanish \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eloco\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (adj.) \"insane,\" of uncertain origin, perhaps from Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Elauqa\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, fem. of \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E'alwaq\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"fool, crazy person.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/proto_roots_he_eu.enacademic.com\/182\/lwq\"\u003EAmerican Heritage Dictionar\u003C\/a\u003Ey goes a bit further in their entry for the Semitic root \u003Ci\u003Elwq\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u0026nbsp;Arabic root, to soften. \u003Ci\u003Eloco\u003C\/i\u003E, perhaps from Arabic \u003Ci\u003Elawqā\u003C\/i\u003E, feminine singular of \u003Ci\u003Ealwaq\u003C\/i\u003E, bent, foolish, from \u003Ci\u003Elāqa\u003C\/i\u003E, to soften.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ECould this Arabic root have a Hebrew cognate? I believe there might be one.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EPost-biblical Hebrew has the root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9C%D7%A7%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003Eלקה\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning \"to strike, to flog.\" The biblical equivalent is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D7%9B%D7%94.1?lang=bi\"\u003Eנכה\u003C\/a\u003E - \"to best, strike.\" The root לקה gives us the noun מלקות\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emalkut \u003C\/i\u003E(sometimes pronounced \u003Ci\u003Emalkot\u003C\/i\u003E) for \"punishment by lashes,\" whereas the root נכה provides מכה \u003Ci\u003Emaka, \u003C\/i\u003Ein plural מכות \u003Ci\u003Emakkot. \u003C\/i\u003EThis last word is the name of the Talmudic tractate \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Makkot\"\u003EMakkot\u003C\/a\u003E, which deals with the laws of punishment by lashes, and within it frequently uses the synonym \u003Ci\u003Emalkot\u003C\/i\u003E. (For more on the confusion between the two terms, see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ohr.edu\/this_week\/whats_in_a_word\/8715\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, this is not the only meaning of לקה. Klein offers the following meanings: \"to be stricken, be smitten, be flogged, be scourged; to be affected with disease; to be eclipsed.\" (This last meaning gives us the Hebrew term for \"eclipse\" - ליקוי \u003Ci\u003Elikui\u003C\/i\u003E.)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his Arukh HaShalem, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alexander_Kohut\"\u003EKohut\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;writes that the essence of the root means \"to be softened, beaten,\" and mentions the Arabic root that means \"to soften.\" So it seems we have our cognate. As proof, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nathan_ben_Jehiel#The_Arukh\"\u003EThe Arukh\u003C\/a\u003E (the dictionary published about 800 years earlier upon which Kohut wrote his supplement) quotes a Talmudic passage (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Yevamot.80b.4?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Rashi\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EYevamot 80b\u003C\/a\u003E), which mentions someone who has שער לקוי \u003Ci\u003Ese'ar lakui. \u003C\/i\u003EThe Arukh says that means he has \"soft hair\" (and Rashi agrees in his commentary.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor some reason, there are many fast food restaurants called \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/El_Pollo_Loco\"\u003EEl Pollo Loco\u003C\/a\u003E, including \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.mishloha.co.il\/r\/inactive\/%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%99%D7%95%20%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%A7%D7%95%20%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D#!\/rest\/5187\/menu\"\u003EIsraeli equivalents\u003C\/a\u003E. While they say it means \"crazy chicken,\" I think \"softened chicken\" actually sounds more appetizing...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1467505777848283525\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1467505777848283525","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1467505777848283525"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1467505777848283525"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/01\/loco.html","title":"loco"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8416586559026279274"},"published":{"$t":"2021-01-17T21:34:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-01-17T21:34:42.545+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gerbil"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe word for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mongolian_gerbil\"\u003Egerbil\u003C\/a\u003E, the small rodent, has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/gerbil\"\u003ESemitic origins\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E1849, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egerbile\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Egerbille\u003C\/span\u003E, from Modern Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EGerbillus\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, the genus name, from \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egerbo\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eyarbu\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E. Earlier English form, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ejarbuah\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(1660s), was directly from Arabic.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother rodent that I hadn't heard of before also gets its name from the same Arabic word - the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jerboa\"\u003Ejerboa\u003C\/a\u003E. They aren't from the same genus or even family, but because both are small desert rodents, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/jerboa\"\u003EArabic name was also used\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Esmall desert rodent, 1660s, Modern Latin, from Arabic \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ejarbu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E \"flesh of the loins,\" also the name of a small jumping rodent of North  Africa. So called for the strong muscles of its hind legs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/4847281\/Arabic_Etymological_Dictionary\"\u003EThe Arabic Etymological Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E finds cognates in other Semitic languages:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eyarbu‘\u003C\/i\u003E : a rodent, jerboa [Akkadian\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Earrabu\u003C\/i\u003E, Syriac\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eyarbu‘a\u003C\/i\u003E, Ebla\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Earrabu\u003C\/i\u003E]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIs there also a connection to any Hebrew words?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne possibility is that it's related to \u003Ci\u003Eakhbar \u003C\/i\u003Eעכבר - \"mouse.\" We discussed \u003Ci\u003Eakhbar \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/06\/achbar.html\"\u003Ea few years ago\u003C\/a\u003E, relying on the theory that it derives from the root כבר - \"great.\" Those that connect \u003Ci\u003Eyarbu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to \u003Ci\u003Eakhbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;take a different route. I found that theory mentioned \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/repository.yu.edu\/bitstream\/handle\/20.500.12202\/60\/Steiner%20Review_of_harsusi_Lexicon_by_T.M._Johnstone%20OCR.pdf?sequence=1\u0026amp;isAllowed=y\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/starling.rinet.ru\/cgi-bin\/etymology.cgi?single=1\u0026amp;basename=%5Cdata%5Csemham%5Csemet\u0026amp;text_recno=2339\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B9#Arabic\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. While they don't map it out directly, my understanding is that the \"kh\/k\" sound dropped out (perhaps easier to imagine knowing that it was also pronounced\/spelled\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eagbaru\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Akkadian, since the \u003Ci\u003Eg \u003C\/i\u003Esound gets swallowed in the \u003Ci\u003Eb \u003C\/i\u003Esound), and then through metathesis it became \u003Ci\u003Earrabu\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd while the Online Etymology Dictionary says the name of the rodent came from the strong leg muscles, the first source (an essay by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_C._Steiner\"\u003EProf. Richard Steiner\u003C\/a\u003E) posits that the root first meant \"mouse\" and then later meant \"muscle,\" particularly the Achilles tendon, or hamstring. He points out that in other languages we also find the word for muscles deriving from the word for mouse, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/muscle\"\u003Eincluding English\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"contractible animal tissue consisting of bundles of fibers,\" late 14c., \"a muscle of the body,\" from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emusculus\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"a muscle,\" literally \"a little mouse,\" diminutive of \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emus\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"mouse\".\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo  called because the shape and movement of some muscles (notably biceps)  were thought to resemble mice. The analogy was made in Greek, too, where  \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emys\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eis both \"mouse\" and \"muscle,\" and its combining form gives the medical prefix \u003Ci\u003Emyo\u003C\/i\u003E-. Compare also Old Church Slavonic \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emysi\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"mouse,\" \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emysica\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"arm;\" German \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EMaus\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"mouse; muscle,\" Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E'\u003Ci\u003Eadalah\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"muscle,\" \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E'\u003Ci\u003Eadal\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"field mouse;\" Cornish \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Elogodenfer\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"calf of the leg,\" literally \"mouse of the leg.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESteiner then goes on to suggest that other Hebrew words for muscle might derive from the same root, including \u003Ci\u003Eekev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;עקב - \"heel\" and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A2%D6%B7%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%A7%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%91?lang=bi\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Earkuv \u003C\/i\u003Eערקוב\u003C\/a\u003E - \"knee joint, hock.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is another small rodent, which like the gerbil, is often kept as a pet - the hamster. The word hamster \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/hamster\"\u003Edoesn't have a Semitic etymology\u003C\/a\u003E, but the hamsters we're familiar with today do have a connection to Israel. In 1930 in Jerusalem, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/science-nature\/the-untold-story-of-the-hamster-aka-mr-saddlebags-1223774\/\"\u003Ethe zoologist Israel Aharoni successfully bred a pair of Syrian hamsters\u003C\/a\u003E, and the hamster pets found today worldwide are descendants of his efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8416586559026279274\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8416586559026279274","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8416586559026279274"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8416586559026279274"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/01\/gerbil.html","title":"gerbil"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6106337089940898919"},"published":{"$t":"2021-01-04T13:29:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-01-04T13:29:40.450+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"etzel, atzil and asli"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EAccording to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_אֵֽצֶל.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E, the Hebrew preposition \u003Ci\u003Eetzel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;אצל means \"by the side of, beside, near.\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.morfix.co.il\/%D7%90%D7%A6%D7%9C\"\u003EMilon Morfix\u003C\/a\u003E (a more recent resource) offers \"at; in the possession of; for; (literary) near, close to.\"\u0026nbsp; As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2019\/02\/05\/%d7%90%d6%b5%d6%ab%d7%a6%d6%b6%d7%9c-%d7%95%d7%9c%d7%90-%d7%90%d6%b5%d7%a6%d6%b6%d6%ab%d7%9c\/\"\u003Ethis article by the Hebrew Language Academy\u003C\/a\u003E points out, the word is found in Biblical sources, with additional meanings added in the Talmudic and Medieval periods. Today, according to the article, the main usage is to describe something in the area or possession of a person.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo if you were to say that a meeting was in Esther's house, you'd say it was \u003Ci\u003Ebabayit shel Ester\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;בבית של אסתר. But if you wanted to say the meeting was \"by Esther\", you'd say it was\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eetsel Ester \u003C\/i\u003Eאצל אסתר.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein says that \u003Ci\u003Eetzel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;actually means \"side,\" deriving from the root אצל meaning \"lay aside, set apart, reserve, emanate.\" That root is used today in the \u003Ci\u003Ehifil\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form \u003Ci\u003Ehe'etzil \u003C\/i\u003Eהאציל - \"to delegate\" as in the phrase \u003Ci\u003Eha'atzal samchuyot \u003C\/i\u003Eהאצלת סמכויות - \"delegation of authority.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein further connects the root to a Semitic root meaning \"root, origin, source.\" The Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Eatzil - \u003C\/i\u003Eאציל - \"nobleman, aristocrat\" derives from here, originally meaning \"firmly rooted.\" Another meaning of \u003Ci\u003Eatzil - \u003C\/i\u003Enot frequently used in Modern Hebrew - is \"joint (of the arm, elbow)\", also related to the sense of \"side.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArabic also has cognates, which include '\u003Ci\u003Easil - \u003C\/i\u003E\"of noble origin\", coming from \u003Ci\u003Easl - \u003C\/i\u003E\"root, origin.\" This gives us the word \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Asl%C4%B1\"\u003Easli\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003C\/i\u003Ewhich in Arabic means \"original.\" It has been borrowed into Israeli slang with the sense of genuine or authentic, and is often found describing food products.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6106337089940898919\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6106337089940898919","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6106337089940898919"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6106337089940898919"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2021\/01\/etzel-atzil-and-asli.html","title":"etzel, atzil and asli"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4609375804830668471"},"published":{"$t":"2020-12-27T14:28:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-12-29T09:47:40.647+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"pakad"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew root \u003Ci\u003Epakad \u003C\/i\u003Eפקד has many meanings. Some of them seem to be opposites. For example, a \u003Ci\u003Emifkad\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מפקד is a census, where those present are counted. But someone absent is \u003Ci\u003Enifkad \u003C\/i\u003Eנפקד (like an AWOL soldier.) What's the story with this root?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEdward Horowitz, in his book \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0881254878\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;camp=1789\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;creativeASIN=0881254878\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;linkId=8f28bdb58fa5ff781c63003c3bc8ba6d\"\u003EHow the Hebrew Language Grew\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, addresses this question (page 56):\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnyone who has studied the Bible in Hebrew or who has even only a fair familiarity with it will remember coming across the word \u003Ci\u003Epakad\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;very often. It actually occurs several hundreds of times and in many seemingly unrelated senses. It would be worthwhile to tie them all together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe root \u003Ci\u003Epakad \u003C\/i\u003Ehas the large general senses of \"to give one's attention to.\" From this large general meaning there have developed many specialized senses. These simply specify in detail various ways of giving one's attention.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThus \u003Ci\u003Epakad\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Col style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto attend to\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto observe\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto remember\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto seek, and sometimes to seek in vain, i.e. to need, to miss\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto visit, and sometimes to visit in an evil sense, i.e. to punish, usually divine punishment\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto number\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eto put someone in charge, to appoint\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe \u003Ci\u003Enifal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;[\u003Ci\u003Enifkad\u003C\/i\u003E] picks up three of these senses, and means: 1) was appointed, 2) was visited upon, 3) was sought vainly, i.e. missed. The \u003Ci\u003Ehifil \u003C\/i\u003E[\u003Ci\u003Ehifkid\u003C\/i\u003E] has the meaning to appoint, and to to entrust or deposit. The \u003Ci\u003Ehitpael\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;[\u003Ci\u003Ehitpaked\u003C\/i\u003E] means \"was numbered.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThere are a number of nouns that come from this formidable list:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epekuda \u003C\/i\u003Eפקודה - visitation, numbering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epakid \u003C\/i\u003Eפקיד - overseer, officer\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epikud\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eפיקוד - a precept, because it means something appointed to be done, a charge\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Epikadon \u003C\/i\u003Eפקדון - something entrusted, a deposit\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Emifkad \u003C\/i\u003Eמפקד - numbering or mustering, appointment\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Etafkid \u003C\/i\u003Eתפקיד - function\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA modern language cannot possibly use just one single word in these many important different senses and yet remain sharp, clear and exact. It just because of this very rich development that \u003Ci\u003Epakad \u003C\/i\u003E[in the \u003Ci\u003Ekal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form] is today a beggar word; hardly anyone uses it in ordinary conversation. This word reveals the truth of the rabbinic dictum \"If you grasp too much, you grasp nothing.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe \u003Ci\u003Ehifil \u003C\/i\u003Ethough, is frequently used in the sense of \"to entrust.\" \u003Ci\u003EPekuda - \u003C\/i\u003Ecommand, \u003Ci\u003Epakid\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- officer, and \u003Ci\u003Epikadon - \u003C\/i\u003Ea deposit - are also in active use.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EHorowitz's book was published in 1960, so some of the meanings of the words he mentioned have changed in more recent Hebrew. For example, \u003Ci\u003Epakid \u003C\/i\u003Enow usually means \"clerk,\" \u003Ci\u003Epikud \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"command\" in the military sense (like the Home Front Command - \u003Ci\u003EPikud HaOref\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eפיקוד העורף), and \u003Ci\u003Etafkid \u003C\/i\u003Eusually means \"role, position, task.\" Another military term is \u003Ci\u003Emifaked\u003C\/i\u003E מפקד - \"commander.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWhile providing many of the same meanings, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%A7%D7%93?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein suggests a different etymology\u003C\/a\u003E. He says the original meaning was probably \"to miss.\" In English the verb \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/miss\"\u003Eto miss\u003C\/a\u003E\" can mean both \"to fail to hit\" and \"to long for someone.\" The first sense is reflected in \u003Ci\u003Enifkad - \u003C\/i\u003E\"not present,\" but that same soldier is also being looked for, perhaps longed for, and that provides many of the other meanings, where \u003Ci\u003Epakad \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"to attend to, to visit, to observe.\" From there the other meanings of \"to appoint,\" \"to number,\" and \"to command\" developed.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4609375804830668471\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4609375804830668471","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4609375804830668471"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4609375804830668471"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/12\/pakad.html","title":"pakad"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4406085229089355474"},"published":{"$t":"2020-12-20T12:53:00.004+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-12-20T12:53:48.411+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"mesukan"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EA number of years ago, I discussed the root סכן and the relate words \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2010\/12\/misken-sakana-and-sochen.html\"\u003Emisken, sakana and sochen\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E. One of the words I mentioned was מסוכן \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EThe familiar word \u003Ci\u003Esakana \u003C\/i\u003Eסכנה - \"danger\" does not appear in the Tanach (it appears frequently in Rabbinic Hebrew). But it does appear as a \u003Ci\u003Enifal \u003C\/i\u003Everb once in Kohelet 10:9\u0026nbsp; יסכן - \"will be harmed\". In Rabbinic Hebrew we find the \u003Ci\u003Epiel \u003C\/i\u003Eform, meaning \"to expose to danger\". Derivatives include \u003Ci\u003Esikun \u003C\/i\u003Eסיכון - \"risk\" and \u003Ci\u003Emisukan \u003C\/i\u003Eמסוכן - which in the Talmud meant \"in danger\" but by Medieval Hebrew meant \"dangerous\".\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecently, I realized that I never actually explained why the meaning of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;would change from \"endangered\" to \"dangerous.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot knowing the answer, I looked in my books and my online sources, and couldn't find any real discussion of the topic. So I did something I haven't done for a while - I wrote to the Academy of the Hebrew Language. Anyone can submit a question \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA\/%D7%A4%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A8\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E (in Hebrew), and they're very generous with their time and provide comprehensive answers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA few days later, I got an answer, which I will summarize here.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe word \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears in the \"passive\" form in Talmudic literature. For example we find a בהמה מסוכנת \u003Ci\u003Ebehema mesukenet - \u003C\/i\u003Ea sick animal, in danger of dying, in the mishna (Beitza 3:3). In the Tosefta ( Toharot 6:7) there is mention of a sick person, referred to as \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E. In this\u0026nbsp; literature, only people or animals are called \u003Ci\u003Emesukan.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAround the beginning of the 12th century, the meaning of \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;expanded, and began to refer to things that can affect people, and as such took on the meaning of \"dangerous.\" Rashi (Avoda Zara 28a) describes an injury as being \u003Ci\u003Emesukan, \u003C\/i\u003Eand Ibn Ezra (on Devarim 21:8) talks about roads that are \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, this new meaning was not used to refer to people or animals. When applied to them, \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;still meant \"endangered.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the 18th century, the meaning of \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;expanded further. It began to be applied to animals, and then eventually to people as well. In modern usage, the sense of \"endangered\" has almost completely disappeared, and only \"dangerous\" remains.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis change in meaning can be seen in how it appears in dictionaries. In the Ben Yehuda dictionary (1928-1929), \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has both definitions, with \"endangered\" coming before \"dangerous.\" In later dictionaries, such as Even Shoshan (1951), the order is reversed, reflecting the change in usage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat was the reason for this \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Semantic_change\"\u003Esemantic shift\u003C\/a\u003E?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo suggestions were offered.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne is a natural, internal development in the language, where passive verbs take on an active meaning. Examples given were the word זכור in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Psalms.103.14?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETehilim 103:14\u003C\/a\u003E (he \"remembers\" in the active sense), נשוי in Bava Batra 79a (a tree actively bearing fruit), and also the phrase \u003Ci\u003Emekubal ani \u003C\/i\u003Eמקובל אני - \"I have accepted.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile these occurrences happened earlier, perhaps the change in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;followed the same process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second suggestion was influence from Arabic, where the similar word \u003Ci\u003Emakufun\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can mean both \"frightened\" and \"scary.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo perhaps one, or both, of those two pushed the word \u003Ci\u003Emesukan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;into the modern meaning of \"dangerous.\"\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4406085229089355474\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4406085229089355474","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4406085229089355474"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4406085229089355474"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/12\/mesukan.html","title":"mesukan"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5202010280302616274"},"published":{"$t":"2020-12-06T14:43:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-12-06T14:43:16.311+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gambit and ganav"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EHere's one I wouldn't have ever thought of.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"Gambit\" is a ploy or strategy, used to gain an advantage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/gambit\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E says the origin is in Latin:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"chess opening in which a pawn or piece is risked for advantage later,\" 1650s, \u003Ci\u003Egambett\u003C\/i\u003E, from Italian \u003Ci\u003Egambetto\u003C\/i\u003E, literally \"a tripping up\" (as a trick in wrestling), from \u003Ci\u003Egamba \u003C\/i\u003E\"leg,\" from Late Latin \u003Ci\u003Egamba \u003C\/i\u003E(see gambol (n.)). Applied to chess openings in Spanish in 1561 by Ruy Lopez, who traced it to the Italian word, but the form in Spanish generally was \u003Ci\u003Egambito\u003C\/i\u003E, which led to French \u003Ci\u003Egambit\u003C\/i\u003E, which has influenced the English spelling of the word. Broader sense of \"opening move meant to gain advantage\" in English is recorded from 1855.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=m5jDb646daMC\u0026amp;pg=PA50\u0026amp;lpg=PA50\u0026amp;dq=%22janb%22+etymology\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=PsgutwovJj\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U3vrFACIGORqVwGVcPmGP7szYcdnw\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiF_cD1m7ntAhVGUhUIHQ9oB7AQ6AEwCXoECAwQAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=gambit\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Eothers\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=UGaEDwAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA230\u0026amp;dq=gambit+%22janbi%22\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiMqr3rmrntAhWnyIUKHYdKD9wQ6AEwAHoECAIQAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Esuggest\u003C\/a\u003E a Semitic origin. For example, Klein writes:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EFrench, from Spanish \u003Ci\u003Egambito\u003C\/i\u003E, from Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ejanbi\u003C\/i\u003E, 'lateral', from \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%A8\"\u003Ejanb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, 'side' (whence \u003Ci\u003Ejanaba\u003C\/i\u003E, 'he put aside'), which is relate to Aramaic-Syriac \u003Ci\u003Egabh\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Egabba\u003C\/i\u003E, 'side', Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eganabh\u003C\/i\u003E, Aram.-Syr. \u003Ci\u003Egenabh\u003C\/i\u003E, 'he stole', literally 'he put aside', Heb. \u003Ci\u003Egannabh\u003C\/i\u003E, 'thief'.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile Klein doesn't mention it here, Kaddari does say that \u003Ci\u003Eganav\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;גנב can also mean \"to put aside, remove.\" In fact, he lists this meaning as the first entry in his dictionary, indicating that this is the original meaning, as found in this verse:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"he\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eיִהְיוּ כְּתֶבֶן לִפְנֵי־רוּחַ וּכְמֹץ גְּנָבַתּוּ סוּפָה׃ \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003ELet them become like straw in the wind, like chaff carried off [\u003Ci\u003Egenavto\u003C\/i\u003E] by a storm. (Iyov 21:18)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=7yGi6GppbCMC\u0026amp;pg=PA219\u0026amp;lpg=PA219\u0026amp;dq=%22janb%22+etymology\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=F1Us0DvqAC\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U3V5V52OAW_NRhXJj5wRqi7c9Oc9w\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiF_cD1m7ntAhVGUhUIHQ9oB7AQ6AEwCnoECA4QAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EThis book\u003C\/a\u003E goes one step further, and says that the Hebrew word for \"back\" - גב \u003Ci\u003Egav\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;also derives from the same root, because the back is \"still a half of the body.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%91.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003E Klein, however, says\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ci\u003Egav \u003C\/i\u003Ecomes from a different root - גבב, meaning \"something curved.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5202010280302616274\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5202010280302616274","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5202010280302616274"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5202010280302616274"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/12\/gambit-and-ganav.html","title":"gambit and ganav"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8556014327267522062"},"published":{"$t":"2020-11-30T14:32:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-11-30T14:32:34.939+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gala and chol"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe English word \"gala\" today means \"festival, celebration.\" But it originally meant \"festive dress.\" Klein suggests an Arabic origin, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/gala\"\u003Eas mentioned here\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EKlein suggests the French word is from Italian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egala\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (as in phrase \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Evestito di gala\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"robe of state\"), perhaps from Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekhil'a\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"fine garment given as a presentation.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis garment, \u003Ci\u003Ekhila,\u003C\/i\u003E was known as a \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robe_of_honour\"\u003Erobe of honor\u003C\/a\u003E,\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=mD_Nk3tVIfMC\u0026amp;pg=PA184\u0026amp;dq=robe+of+honor+khi%27la+%22genesis%22\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjA2dTInartAhV8UBUIHfQFAmYQ6AEwAHoECAEQAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Elike those given\u003C\/a\u003E to Yosef by Pharaoh (Bereshit 41:42) and to Mordechai by Achashverosh (Ester 6:10).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ekhi'la,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Ein turn, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=OLNE_li8C10C\u0026amp;pg=PA77\u0026amp;lpg=PA77\u0026amp;dq=arabic+khila+robe\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=JiERflwo4T\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U0HSDMejZCuNvJyXQoUq9ZFShfaXg\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjqmbfXjKrtAhXHUBUIHeWBAH84ChDoATAGegQICxAC#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ederives from\u003C\/a\u003E the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ekhala'a - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to divest [oneself of one's robe].\" (It also might mean to put on the robe, and so would be an example of a contronym, a word that also means its opposite, as \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/chitui.html\"\u003Ewe discussed here\u003C\/a\u003E.) Could this verb - \"to remove, to take off, to depose\" - have a cognate in Hebrew?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVery possibly. The connection may be found through a cognate:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ehalal \u003C\/i\u003E- \"permitted\" meat according to Islamic law. Just as in Hebrew, the word for permitted, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%AA%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003Emutar\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eמותר, literally means \"untied, loose,\" so too does the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ehalal\u003C\/i\u003E. (This is the opposite of \u003Ci\u003Eharam - \u003C\/i\u003E\"prohibited, sacred,\" as we showed when discussing the Hebrew cognate \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2009\/09\/cherem-and-harem.html\"\u003Echerem\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003EHalal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is allowed for use, and so could be defined as \"profane\" (i.e. not religiously forbidden.) In this way it is cognate with the Hebrew root חלל \u003Ci\u003Echalal\u003C\/i\u003E, and the noun \u003Ci\u003Echol \u003C\/i\u003Eחול - both meaning \"profane\" (and today \"secular.\")\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%97%D6%B7%D7%9C%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%9C?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein provides the following etymology\u003C\/a\u003E for that root:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EAram. חֲלַל, Syr. אַחֵל (= he profaned), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eḥalla\u003C\/i\u003E (= he united, undid), \u003Ci\u003Eḥall\u003C\/i\u003E (= the profane, allowed for use).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI think that there is a likely typo in Klein here, and \u003Ci\u003Ehalla\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;should be defined as \"he untied\", not \"he united.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStahl provides a similar development, saying both the Hebrew and Arabic roots mean \"released\" - which applies to robes of honor, meat from ritual prohibition, and all things from their sacred status.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8556014327267522062\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8556014327267522062","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8556014327267522062"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8556014327267522062"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/11\/gala-and-chol.html","title":"gala and chol"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3919757265286968024"},"published":{"$t":"2020-11-22T15:28:00.003+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-11-22T15:28:35.327+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"metal and metzolah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen I was a kid, I realized that while I clearly knew what \"metal\" was, it was difficult to define.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMetal is hard? Well, so is wood. Shiny? So is glass. Hard and shiny? Well, diamonds aren't metal. Can be bent? Well, I can't bend a penny, but I can bend plastic. Metals can have different colors (gold, silver, etc.), so that can't be it. But if you put two forks in front of me, one metal and one from another material, I could easily tell them apart.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI later learned that there are scientific definitions that identify what a metal is. Certain physical characteristics weren't evident to me at that age - like how well they conduct electricity or the high melting point. And at the most basic level, metals are certain elements in the periodic table, specifically those that lose electrons easily and can therefore form metallic bonds.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven reading about the meaning of metal in chemistry and physics today, I'm not sure how much I really understand. But my early exploration into the meaning of the word then has taught me a lesson that I certainly do carry with me now - the significance of semantics. While sometimes semantics is used to indicate pettiness, it's actually rather important. It's the branch of linguistics concerned with \"meaning.\" In some ways, it's as much associated with philosophy as the study of language. We tend to think that words equal their meaning. And this can actually lead to intense debates, when one person thinks a word means one thing, and someone else thinks it means another. (Consider the debate about \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/tldr\/2020\/4\/9\/21214870\/hot-dog-sandwich-debate-quiz-alignment-website\"\u003Ewhether a hot dog is a sandwich\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut not only are words generally not that precise, in many cases, they can't be. This is demonstrated by the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sorites_paradox\"\u003Eparadox of the heap\u003C\/a\u003E, in which it's not possible to define how many grains of sand are in a heap (does one less make it no longer a heap?)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo while many people find themselves arguing over the meaning or usage of a word, I don't find myself pulled into those debates - even though, as an amateur linguist, I'm frequently asked to adjudicate them. I certainly fall into the \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/stancarey.wordpress.com\/2010\/02\/16\/descriptivism-vs-prescriptivism-war-is-over-if-you-want-it\/\"\u003Edescriptivist\u003C\/a\u003E\" camp, as I'm sure many readers of this site can tell. Words constantly change meaning, and so I'd much rather view the way words interact like an observer of a National Geographic nature video than someone concerned about the way things are \"supposed to be.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd maybe that understanding started back when I thought about \"metal,\" and how our understanding of that material was based much more on our perceptions than any precise definition.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow while that might make a nice introduction into the psychology of my linguistic approach, it's not really a Balashon post. So I was rather surprised, when I took a more recent look into the meaning of \"metal\", that it may have a Hebrew origin!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/metal\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E provides the following entry:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ean undecomposable elementary substance having certain recognizable  qualities (opacity, conductivity, plasticity, high specific gravity,  etc.), mid-13c., from Old French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Emetal\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"metal; material, substance, stuff\" (12c.), from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emetallum\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"metal, mineral; mine, quarry,\" from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emetallon\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E \"metal, ore\" (senses found only in post-classical texts, via the notion  of \"what is got by mining\"); originally \"mine, quarry-pit,\" probably a  back-formation from \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Emetalleuein\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"to mine, to quarry,\" a word of unknown origin.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein (in his CEDEL) picks up the \"unknown origin\" and gives his explanation:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EIt [\u003Ci\u003Emetallon \u003C\/i\u003E(= mine, quarry)] is perhaps a loan word from Hebrew \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B0%D7%A6%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003Emetzolah\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eמצולה, \"depth\"... Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Emetzolah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is related to \u003Ci\u003Etzula \u003C\/i\u003Eצולה, \"ocean deep,\" and to Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Etzalal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;צלל, \"he sank.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe root \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A6%D7%9C%D7%9C_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5?lang=bi\"\u003Etzalal\u003C\/a\u003E - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to sink, plunge; to settle\" also took on the sense of \"to clear, clarify.\" (I assume from the sediment sinking to the bottom of the liquid.) That gives us the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Etzalul - \u003C\/i\u003E\"clear, lucid.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt's nice to think that I can associate the Hebrew word for clarity with the English word metal, considering its meaning was anything but clear to me when I was young...\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3919757265286968024\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3919757265286968024","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3919757265286968024"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3919757265286968024"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/11\/metal-and-metzolah.html","title":"metal and metzolah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3549367329961838627"},"published":{"$t":"2020-11-15T23:28:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-11-15T23:28:12.600+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"bareket and emerald"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EOn the breastplate of the High Priest, were affixed twelve gemstones (Shemot 28:17-20). There is almost no mention of most of them anywhere else in the Bible, aside from the parallel passage in Shemot 39:10-13. (A portion are mentioned in Yechezkel 28:13).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause of the infrequent occurrences in the Tanach, along with the gap between current scientific precision and biblical nomenclature, it is difficult to identify with certainty the gems that appear in these verses. That said, let's take a look at one of them, the third stone - the \u003Ci\u003Ebareket\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;ברקת (mentioned in Shemot 28:17).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI have found many different translations for this stone, including:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003Eagate, beryl, carbuncle, citrine, emerald, hyacinth, malachite, peridot, pyrite, rock-crystal, smaragd, topaz\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd then some take either the easy way out or the more precise method (depending on your point of view), and translate it as \"bareketh.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%91%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B6%D6%BD%D7%A7%D6%B6%D7%AA.1?lang=bi\"\u003Eetymology of \u003Ci\u003Ebareket\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;isn't much help. It likely derives from the word \u003Ci\u003Ebarak \u003C\/i\u003Eברק - \"lightning\", and so means \"flashing\" or \"sparkling\" stone.\u0026nbsp; Since gems are almost by definition shiny, all of the stones mentioned above could fit that description.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe attempts to identify the \u003Ci\u003Ebareket\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;with a gemstone that we know today is based on seeing its translation in ancient translations, as well as explanations offered by midrashim and later commentaries. I won't go into all of the analysis here (to see a good summary of traditional Jewish sources, see the Living Torah commentary on the verse \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/bible.ort.org\/books\/torahd5.asp?action=displayid\u0026amp;id=2306#C1680\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI'd like to take a look at how the word \u003Ci\u003Ebareket\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;ended up in European languages, and perhaps that will help us identify the stone.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, this is different from some words that entered European languages because they were borrowed as part of the Bible itself entering Europe (as I recently wrote about the words \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.929.org.il\/lang\/en\/author\/64450\/post\/83412\"\u003Emyrrh, aloe and cassia\u003C\/a\u003E on the 929 site.) Rather, the name of the stone itself migrated into other languages.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom Hebrew (or some other cognate Semitic language, like the Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Ebarraqtu\u003C\/i\u003E), \u003Ci\u003Ebareket \u003C\/i\u003Eentered into Greek as \u003Ci\u003Esmaragdos\u003C\/i\u003E, which Latin borrowed as \u003Ci\u003Esmaragdus\u003C\/i\u003E, eventually becoming \u003Ci\u003Eesmaraldus \u003C\/i\u003Ein Medieval Latin, \u003Ci\u003Eesmeraude\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in French, and then \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/emerald\"\u003Eemerald\u003C\/a\u003E\" in English.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis might seem like a strange journey, particularly from \u003Ci\u003Ebareket\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to \u003Ci\u003Esmaragdos\u003C\/i\u003E. But as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/articles\/5666\/a-long-linguistic-chase\/\"\u003Ethis Philologos column explains\u003C\/a\u003E (along with many other interesting linguistic details about the words we've discussed here and more) it's reasonable when you look at how certain letters are exchanged in phonetic shifts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhilologos actually promotes a different theory than what I've presented here. He says that the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Ebaraket \u003C\/i\u003Emay have its origin in a Sanskrit word - \u003Ci\u003Emarakata:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBareket \u003C\/em\u003Estrikes one at first glance as being an original Hebrew word that derives, quite appropriately for a gemstone, from the verb \u003Cem\u003Ebarak, \u003C\/em\u003Eto shine or sparkle. In Akkadian, the Semitic language of ancient Babylonia, we have the cognate noun \u003Cem\u003Ebarraktu, \u003C\/em\u003Ealso  meaning an emerald, and a similar verb. Perhaps indeed it was the  influence of this verb that helped change an initial “m” into a “b” (a  common shift in language, “m” being in essence a nasalized “b”), because  scholars have known for a long time that the Akkadian word was borrowed  from the Sanskrit \u003Cem\u003Emarakata, \u003C\/em\u003Ean “emerald” or gem of green corundum. To this day, the \u003Cem\u003Emarakata \u003C\/em\u003Eis  one of the seven sacred stones of Hinduism, associated with the planet  Mercury and the day Tuesday, on which it is traditionally worn.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMarakata \u003C\/em\u003Eis not only the ultimate source of Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Ebareket. \u003C\/em\u003EIt is also that of Greek \u003Cem\u003Esmaragdos, \u003C\/em\u003Ewith  which, except for the Greek’s initial “s,” it shares the same root  consonants. (“Like “m” and “b,” “k” and hard “g,” and “t” and “d,” are  similar sounds that frequently replace each other in speech.)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost of the sources I looked at, including Klein and the Online Etymology Dictionary say the Sanskrit word was borrowed from a Semitic source. (For further discussion see this \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/glikman.blogspot.com\/2015\/07\/bareqet-etymology-of-theword.html\"\u003Epage\u003C\/a\u003E). Whichever direction the word ultimately traveled (the Ben Yehuda dictionary mentions both theories, although sides with a Semitic origin), the b\/m, k\/g and t\/d replacements still work here. As far as the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Prothesis_(linguistics)\"\u003Eprosthetic\u003C\/a\u003E \"s\" at the beginning of \u003Ci\u003Esmaragdos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- I'm not sure. But since all explanations have Greek borrowing from a foreign language, for some reason the Greeks found a reason to add the \"s\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo we do seem to have a linguistic connection drawn between \u003Ci\u003Ebareket\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \"emerald.\" I don't think that's proof that the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Emerald\"\u003Eemerald\u003C\/a\u003E as we define it today was on the High Priest's breastplate, but it's certainly possible that the ancient Greek \u003Ci\u003Esmaragdos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was similar to the stone mentioned in the Torah.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3549367329961838627\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3549367329961838627","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3549367329961838627"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3549367329961838627"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/11\/bareket-and-emerald.html","title":"bareket and emerald"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5258996933416205266"},"published":{"$t":"2020-11-09T11:05:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-11-09T11:05:56.649+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kabarnit and cyber"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;A phrase often used in eulogies (too frequently heard these days) is taken from this passage Bava Batra 91a-b:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd Rav Ḥanan bar Rava says that Rav says: On that day when our forefather Abraham left the world, the leaders of the nations of the world stood in a line, in the manner of mourners, and said: \"Woe to the world that has lost its leader, and woe to the ship that has lost its captain.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eואמר רב חנן בר רבא אמר רב אותו היום שנפטר אברהם אבינו מן העולם עמדו כל גדולי אומות העולם בשורה ואמרו אוי לו לעולם שאבד\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Eמנהיגו ואוי לה לספינה שאבד קברינטא\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThe word translated here as \"captain\" is קברניט \u003Ci\u003Ekabarnit\u003C\/i\u003E. It's a post-biblical word, parallel to the biblical \u003Ci\u003Erav chovel\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;רב חובל - \"chief sailor\" (as found in Yonah 1:6). \u003Ci\u003EKabarnit\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B7%D7%91%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%A0%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%98.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eborrowed from the Greek\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ekybernetes \u003C\/i\u003E(steersman), which derives from the verb \u003Ci\u003Ekybernan \u003C\/i\u003E(to steer, guide, govern).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EFrom Greek, this same root entered Latin, where it eventually gave us the word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/govern\"\u003Egovern\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Elate 13c., \"to rule with authority,\" from Old French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Egoverner\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"steer, be at the helm of; govern, rule, command, direct\" (11c., Modern French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egouverner\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Egubernare\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"to direct, rule, guide, govern\" (source also of Spanish \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egobernar\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Italian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egovernare\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), originally \"to steer, to pilot,\" a nautical borrowing from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ekybernan\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"to steer or pilot a ship, direct as a pilot,\" figuratively \"to guide, govern\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EA much more recent use of the Greek root was by the Jewish American mathematician, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Norbert_Wiener\"\u003ENorbert Wiener\u003C\/a\u003E. He used it to coin the term \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cybernetics\"\u003Ecybernetics\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"theory or study of communication and control,\" coined 1948 by U.S. mathematician Norbert Wiener (1894-1964), with -ics + Latinized form of Greek \u003Ci\u003Ekybernetes \u003C\/i\u003E\"steersman\" (metaphorically \"guide, governor\"), from \u003Ci\u003Ekybernan \u003C\/i\u003E\"to steer or pilot a ship, direct as a pilot\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EIn the 1990s, when use of the internet began spreading rapidly, the first half of cybernetics was taken as a prefix: \"cyber.\" At the time, it was used it was used to describe anything internet related, and the internet as a whole was known as \"cyberspace.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThe broad use has declined since then, and today it is primarily used in the term \"cybersecurity\". In fact, in Israel, the use of just \"cyber\" סייבר alone refers to the field of internet and data security.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5258996933416205266\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5258996933416205266","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5258996933416205266"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5258996933416205266"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/11\/kabarnit-and-cyber.html","title":"kabarnit and cyber"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-293293978923089065"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-29T13:44:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-29T13:44:11.196+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"khnun and chanan"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat is the origin of the Hebrew word for \"nerd\" - חנון \u003Ci\u003Ekhnun\u003C\/i\u003E?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt first glance, it might seem that \u003Ci\u003Echnun\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is related to the Hebrew word for a gifted student - מחונן \u003Ci\u003Emechonan.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;That word derives from the root \u003Ci\u003Echanan\u003C\/i\u003E חנן. \u003Ci\u003EChanan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in turn, derives from \u003Ci\u003Echen\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;חן - \"grace.\" \u003Ci\u003EChanan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can mean to act graciously or mercifully, as in the verse:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp; וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת־אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת־אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם׃ \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"...I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.\" (Shemot 33:19)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat meaning gives us such words as \u003Ci\u003Echanun \u003C\/i\u003Eחנון - \"merciful, gracious\" (as in the above verse);\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Echanina \u003C\/i\u003Eחנינה - \"favor\" in Biblical Hebrew (Yirmiyahu 16:13) and \"amnesty\" in modern Hebrew; and the words\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Etechina \u003C\/i\u003Eתחינה and \u003Ci\u003Etachanun \u003C\/i\u003Eתחנון, both meaning \"supplication for favor.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy extension, \u003Ci\u003Echanan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can also mean \"to grant\" in general (in a gracious sense). This is how it used in Bereshit 33:5 -\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eהַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר־חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\"...they are the children who God kindly granted your servant\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is also found in the fourth blessing of the weekday Amidah prayer:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Eאַתָּה חוֹנֵן לְאָדָם דַּעַת\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\"You grant man knowledge\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom here we get the word \u003Ci\u003Echinam\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;חינם - \"gratuitously, for nothing, free\", since something \u003Ci\u003Echinam \u003C\/i\u003Ewas given for nothing. And it is also where the word \u003Ci\u003Emechonan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"gifted\" comes from, since someone \"gifted\" was \"granted\" or \"endowed\" with a talent or knowledge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut this is actually not the origin of \u003Ci\u003Ekhnun\u003C\/i\u003E. Rather, it derives from a slang term, borrowed from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=uQD2Qd-dhy0C\u0026amp;lpg=PA218\u0026amp;ots=3TKBxhzY2z\u0026amp;dq=moroccan%20arabic%20snot\u0026amp;pg=PA218#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EMoroccan Arabic\u003C\/a\u003E, sometimes spelled \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/wold.clld.org\/word\/92181432513592442-1\"\u003Exnuna\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(or \u003Ci\u003Ehnuna\u003C\/i\u003E), meaning \"nasal mucus\" (snot). A snot-nosed kid was considered,\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/idioms.thefreedictionary.com\/snot-nosed+kid\"\u003E as in English\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/culture\/136405\/a-geek-by-any-other-name-would-smell\/\"\u003Ea brat\u003C\/a\u003E, or \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/momentmag.com\/a-lesson-in-sexy-and-sexist-hebrew-slang\/\"\u003Eweak\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.makorrishon.co.il\/nrg\/online\/47\/ART2\/237\/790.html\"\u003Eteased for his condition\u003C\/a\u003E, and from there it came to mean \"nerd\" as well. Perhaps that later meaning was influenced from an association with \u003Ci\u003Emechonan\u003C\/i\u003E, but it wasn't the original derivation.\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/293293978923089065\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=293293978923089065","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/293293978923089065"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/293293978923089065"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/09\/khnun-and-chanan.html","title":"khnun and chanan"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3149858652260542691"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-22T17:45:00.007+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-24T13:14:20.438+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"malakh and angel"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe most common English translation for the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Emalach\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מלאך is \"angel.\" Is that a good translation?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWell, it depends. If you think the definition of angel is (only) a divine, celestial being, perhaps with wings and a robe, then no. But as we'll see, that's not really what a \u003Ci\u003Emalakh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or an angel originally meant.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Biblical Hebrew, \u003Ci\u003Emalakh \u003C\/i\u003Esimply means \"messenger.\" It can either refer to a divine messenger (in 124 cases) or a human messenger (88 times). To indicate that the \u003Ci\u003Emalakh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is sent by God, the word is conjugated with a name of God. If we look at Bereshit 32:2-4, we see examples of both kinds of messengers:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eוְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ־בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים׃\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eוַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם מַחֲנֵה אֱלֹהִים זֶה וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם־הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנָיִם׃\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eוַיִּשְׁלַח יַעֲקֹב מַלְאָכִים לְפָנָיו אֶל־עֵשָׂו אָחִיו אַרְצָה שֵׂעִיר שְׂדֵה אֱדוֹם׃\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"rtl\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJacob went on his way, and angels of God [\u003Ci\u003Emalakhei Elohim\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;encountered him. When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim. Jacob sent messengers [\u003Ci\u003Emalakhim\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile it is possible that Jacob sent the same angels to his brother that he encountered earlier (as Rashi writes), the plain sense of the verse is that these were human messengers (as Ibn Ezra and Radak comment.)\u0026nbsp; And there are many verses, such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/I_Kings.19.2?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EMelachim I 19:2\u003C\/a\u003E, where there is no question the \u003Ci\u003Emalakhim\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;are human.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMalakh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;derives from the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9C%D6%B0%D7%90%D6%B7%D7%9C%D6%B0%D7%AA%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003Eroot לאך\u003C\/a\u003E, which has cognates in other Semitic languages, and means \"to send.\" (It is not used as a verb in Hebrew, but it is used as one in Ugaritic and Arabic.) Some, like Stahl, say that לאך is related to the root הלך - \"to go, to walk.\" The root לאך is also the origin of the word \u003Ci\u003Emelacha \u003C\/i\u003Eמלאכה - \"work, labor, craft.\" There are different opinions as to the connection between \u003Ci\u003Emelacha\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and sending a messenger. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B0%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%90%D7%9B%D6%B8%D7%94.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ci\u003Emelacha \u003C\/i\u003Ecomes from the root meaning \"to send\", and therefore literally means \"mission\" (presumably of the person assigned to do the work.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOthers point to the phrase \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%97_%D7%99%D7%93\"\u003Emishlach yad\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;משלח יד, which literally means \"sending of the hand\", also means \"work\" (see for example Devarim 15:10,23:21). So perhaps if in that expression the laborers \"send their hands\" to do the work, in the parallel \u003Ci\u003Emelacha \u003C\/i\u003E(with the roots שלח and לאך being synonyms) maybe the hands are being sent as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn post-biblical Hebrew, the use of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emalakh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;began to change. It came to only mean the divine messengers, where as \u003Ci\u003Eshaliach \u003C\/i\u003Eשליח was the term used for earthly ones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the Bible was translated into Greek, a word was needed to render \u003Ci\u003Emalakh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;into Greek. The word chosen was \u003Ci\u003Eangelos\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003EAngelos \u003C\/i\u003Ewas used to refer to both human and divine messengers, as Greek didn't have a word specifically for messengers sent by God. Later the Bible was translated into Latin as well. Latin, like Greek, didn't have a word specifically for divine messengers. So those translators used the already existing Latin \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/nuntius\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Enuntius\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for human messengers (related to \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/nuncio\"\u003Enuncio\u003C\/a\u003E\" meaning envoy), and borrowed the Greek \u003Ci\u003Eangelos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;for divine ones. The word \u003Ci\u003Eangelos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;entered the European languages with this meaning as well. So this is how \u003Ci\u003Eangel\u003C\/i\u003E, in English, came to mean specifically a divine, celestial agent.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut where does the Greek word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eangelos \u003C\/i\u003Eoriginally come from? There are \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/angel\"\u003Ea number of theories\u003C\/a\u003E, but Klein's is particularly interesting. He says it has Semitic roots, and is cognate with familiar Hebrew words. He writes in his CEDEL:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E...of Persian, ultimately of Semitic origin. Compare Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Eagarru\u003C\/i\u003E, 'hireling, hired laborer,' from \u003Ci\u003Eagaru, \u003C\/i\u003E'to hire', which is related to Aramaic \u003Ci\u003Eagar, eggar, \u003C\/i\u003E'he hired', (whence Arabic \u003Ci\u003Eajara,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eof same meaning), Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eiggereth, \u003C\/i\u003EAramaic \u003Ci\u003Eiggera, iggarta, \u003C\/i\u003E'letter', properly 'message.' ... The sense development of Greek \u003Ci\u003Eangelos \u003C\/i\u003E[...] from a Semitic noun meaning 'hireling,' may be illustrated by the phrases 'hireling, hired messenger, messenger.'\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe've actually discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/10\/shukran.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eagar \u003C\/i\u003Eאגר as \"to hire\" before\u003C\/a\u003E. But I didn't know then that \u003Ci\u003Eigeret \u003C\/i\u003Eאגרת - \"letter\" was related to \u003Ci\u003Eagar\u003C\/i\u003E, and I certainly didn't know it could be related to \"angel.\" Klein doesn't discuss the Persian bridge word between Greek and the Semitic languages, but Ben Yehuda does. He says that perhaps \u003Ci\u003Eigeret\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;comes from the Persian \u003Ci\u003Eangar -\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning \"story, narrative.\" The \"n\" in \u003Ci\u003Eangar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;could explain the \"n\" in \"angel\" as well. From there it gets a little confusing. Perhaps the Persian was borrowed from Semitic, or maybe \u003Ci\u003Eigeret\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;came straight from the Semitic \u003Ci\u003Eagar.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn any case, \u003Ci\u003Eigeret\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;certainly has Persian associations, as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mg.alhatorah.org\/Concordance\/107\"\u003Eit appears\u003C\/a\u003E only in the books of Esther and Nechemiah (which take place in the Persian period) and in Divrei HaYamim (whose composition is also from that time.) And just like in English a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/messenger\"\u003Emessenger is one who sends a message\u003C\/a\u003E, so too in the Semitic-Persian-Greek development of the word, it's not hard to see how \u003Ci\u003Eigeret\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Eangelos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;are connected.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo to return to the original question - is \"angel\"\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Ea good translation for \u003Ci\u003Emalakh\u003C\/i\u003E? Well, considering both the fact that it was used specifically to translate \u003Ci\u003Emalakh, \u003C\/i\u003Eand may even have roots in Semitic languages like Hebrew - I'd venture to say it's the perfect word for it!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3149858652260542691\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3149858652260542691","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3149858652260542691"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3149858652260542691"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/09\/malakh-and-angel.html","title":"malakh and angel"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2936368986668954261"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-14T13:32:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-14T13:32:28.510+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"lashon hara, ayin hara, and yetzer hara"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;I don't discuss grammar much here, because I don't feel confident in explaining all the intricacies of the various rules of Hebrew grammar. And usually it doesn't reflect much on my focus here - the meaning and origin of Hebrew words and phrases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut there are times where issues of grammar affect our understanding of those phrases, and this is one of those occasions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI'd like to take a look at how the letter \u003Ci\u003Eheh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is used as a definite article. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%94%D6%BE\"\u003EThis Wikipedia page\u003C\/a\u003E gives a pretty good summary:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EIn traditional grammar, Hebrew common nouns have three “states”: \u003Ci\u003Eindefinite\u003C\/i\u003E (corresponding to English “a(n)\/some __”), \u003Ci\u003Edefinite\u003C\/i\u003E (corresponding to English “the __”), and \u003Ci\u003Econstruct\u003C\/i\u003E (corresponding to English “a(n)\/some\/the __ of”). Therefore, the definite article was traditionally considered to be an actual \u003Ci\u003Epart\u003C\/i\u003E of the definite noun. In modern colloquial use, the definite article is  often taken as a clitic, attaching to a noun but not actually part of  it. For example, the Hebrew term for \u003Ci\u003Eschool\u003C\/i\u003E is \u003Cspan class=\"Hebr mention\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eבֵּית־סֵפֶר\u003C\/span\u003E‎ \u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren\"\u003E(\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-tr tr Latn\" lang=\"he-Latn\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ebeit séfer\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-double-quote\"\u003E“\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss\"\u003Ehouse-of book\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-double-quote\"\u003E”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren\"\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E; so in traditional grammar, “the school” is \u003Cspan class=\"Hebr mention\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eבֵּית־הַסֵּפֶר\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren\"\u003E(\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-tr tr Latn\" lang=\"he-Latn\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ebeit-haséfer\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-double-quote\"\u003E“\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss\"\u003Ehouse-of-the-book\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-double-quote\"\u003E”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren\"\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E, but in modern colloquial speech, it is often \u003Cspan class=\"Hebr mention\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eהַבֵּית־סֵפֶר\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren\"\u003E(\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-tr tr Latn\" lang=\"he-Latn\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ehabeit-séfer\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-double-quote\"\u003E“\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss\"\u003Ethe-house-of-book\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-double-quote\"\u003E”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren\"\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(More details and examples can be found \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hebrew\/the-definite-article-prefix-hey-hayedia\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpeakers of a language generally absorb the rules of grammar, even if they can't explicitly explain them. So with an understanding of the rules above, Hebrew speakers usually can figure out what do with two words in one phrase.\u0026nbsp; If there are two nouns, like \u003Ci\u003Ebayit\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Esefer\u003C\/i\u003E, without the definite article, the phrase is \u003Ci\u003Ebeit sefer\u003C\/i\u003E, and with the definite article, the phrase is \u003Ci\u003Ebeit hasefer.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf there is a noun and an adjective, however, the \u003Ci\u003Eheh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears twice. So \"a big house\" is \u003Ci\u003Ebayit gadol\u003C\/i\u003E, but \"the big house\" is \u003Ci\u003Ehabayit hagadol.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;Again, these are intuitive rules to anyone accustomed to speaking Hebrew.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut sometimes our familiarity with these rules doesn't work to our favor, and can lead to a phenomenon called \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hypercorrection\"\u003Ehypercorrection\u003C\/a\u003E, where we apply rules where they don't belong, and actually use the language incorrectly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is the case with three familiar Hebrew phrases: \u003Ci\u003Elashon hara \u003C\/i\u003Eלשון הרע\u003Ci\u003E, ayin hara \u003C\/i\u003Eעין הרע\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eyetzer hara \u003C\/i\u003Eיצר הרע\u003Ci\u003E.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first source of confusion is the word \u003Ci\u003Era. \u003C\/i\u003EMeaning \"evil\" or \"bad\", it can be either a noun or an adjective. But as we saw above, the only time the \u003Ci\u003Eheh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears only before the second word in a phrase, is when they're both nouns. So I found frequent cases, where authors said that \u003Ci\u003Elashon hara\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"literally means the tongue of evil\" or \u003Ci\u003Eayin hara \u003C\/i\u003E\"literally means the eye of evil.\" This is supported further by the fact that \u003Ci\u003Eayin \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Elashon\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;are assumed to have the feminine gender, so if \u003Ci\u003Era \u003C\/i\u003Ewas an adjective, it would be \u003Ci\u003Ehara'ah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;הרעה.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile those phrases are still generally translated as \"the evil tongue\" and \"the evil eye\" (as well as \"the evil inclination\" for \u003Ci\u003Eyetzer hara\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003Ci\u003E - \u003C\/i\u003Ethere is a subtle difference between \u003Ci\u003Era\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;being a noun or an adjective in these phrases, especially since they are phrases loaded with religious meaning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn these cases, \u003Ci\u003Era \u003C\/i\u003Eactually is an adjective, not a noun. As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/LashonHaRa.pdf\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E by the Hebrew Language Academy points out, while it's not common, there are noun-adjective phrases with \u003Ci\u003Eheh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;only preceding the adjective. For example, in Bereshit 1:31, we find the phrase \u003Ci\u003Eyom hashishi\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;יום השישי - \"the sixth day\", and not \u003Ci\u003Ehayom hashishi. \u003C\/i\u003EIn post-biblical Hebrew, we find the phrase כנסת הגדולה \u003Ci\u003Eknesset hagedola - \u003C\/i\u003E\"the great assembly\", and not \u003Ci\u003Ehaknesset hagedola\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd while \u003Ci\u003Eayin \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Elashon\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;are generally feminine nouns, there are case where they are male, as in Eicha 4:4, Zecharia 4:14 and Tehilim 11:4. So there is no need to hypercorrect, and we can still translate the phrases as \"the evil eye\", \"the evil tongue\", and \"the evil inclination.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd while we're here, let's take a quick look at the origin of each of the phrases:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELashon hara\u003C\/b\u003E: \u003C\/i\u003EThis term refers to malicious speech or slander. In Biblical Hebrew, the word for someone speaking this way is \u003Ci\u003Erechil\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;רכיל, which provided the noun \u003Ci\u003Erechilut\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;רכילות. In Rabbinic Hebrew, the phrase \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lashon_hara\"\u003Elashon hara\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was introduced (based on a related phrase in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Psalms.34.14?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003ETehilim 34:14\u003C\/a\u003E), and distinctions were made in Jewish law between \u003Ci\u003Erechilut \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Elashon hara.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003EAyin hara: \u003C\/i\u003EThis phrase appears in the mishna, for example Avot 2:11\u0026nbsp;עַיִן הָרָע, וְיֵצֶר הָרָע, וְשִׂנְאַת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם - \"the evil eye, the evil inclination, and hatred for humankind put a person out of the world.\" According to Safrai (on Avot), this likely refers to jealousy. It has a parallel the phrase \u003Ci\u003Eayin ra'ah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in an earlier mishna (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Pirkei_Avot.2.9?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EAvot 2:9\u003C\/a\u003E), along with the opposite - \u003Ci\u003Eayin tova. \u003C\/i\u003EIn that case, the phrases are referring to a generous or stingy person (as explained in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Pirkei_Avot.5.13?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EAvot 5:13\u003C\/a\u003E, and based on related phrases in Devarim 15:9; 28:54,56). One who is stingy with his own possessions is likely to be jealous of the possessions of others. Only later, in the Amoraic period (for example Berachot 20a) did \u003Ci\u003Eayin hara\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;come to be associated with an external, even magic, curse - \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Evil_eye#In_Judaism\"\u003Ethe evil eye.\u003C\/a\u003E\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003EYetzer hara: \u003C\/i\u003EThis phrase, the \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yetzer_hara\"\u003Eevil inclination\u003C\/a\u003E\", originates in Bereshit 6:5 and 8:21 -\u0026nbsp;יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע‎, \u003Ci\u003Eyetzer lev-ha-adam ra\u003C\/i\u003E - \"the inclination of man's heart was evil.\"\u0026nbsp; In parallel, rabbinic texts also mention the \u003Ci\u003Eyetzer hatov - \u003C\/i\u003E\"the good inclination\", which motivates people to do good. This is certainly a more optimistic approach than the fatalistic conclusion that we are only inclined to evil. The mishna (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Berakhot.9?lang=bi\"\u003EBerachot 4:9\u003C\/a\u003E) rules that we must serve God with both of our inclinations - the good and the evil.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2936368986668954261\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2936368986668954261","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2936368986668954261"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2936368986668954261"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/09\/lashon-hara-ayin-hara-and-yetzer-hara.html","title":"lashon hara, ayin hara, and yetzer hara"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5801215655790924982"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-06T18:34:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-06T18:34:28.224+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"segula, segel and mesugal"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Way back \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/rekhesh.html\"\u003Ein 2006\u003C\/a\u003E, I mentioned briefly the etymology of \u003Ci\u003Esegulah\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E סגולה - \"property\" is related to the Akkadian word \u003Ci\u003Esugullu\u003C\/i\u003E - herd of cattle\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/08\/sagol.html\"\u003Efew months later\u003C\/a\u003E, I pointed out that \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is not related to \u003Ci\u003Esegol \u003C\/i\u003Eסגול - \"violet, purple\" (for a more in depth discussion see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/.premium-word-of-the-day-segalgal-1.5254038\"\u003EElon Gilad's article here\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;deserves much more attention. It's a word with a fascinating history, that has led to many different meanings. Let's take a look.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuch of what I'll be discussing here is based on an article (in Hebrew) by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org\/kaddari-menachem-zevi\"\u003EM.Z Kaddari\u003C\/a\u003E, in his book \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nli.org.il\/he\/books\/NNL_ALEPH001729829\/NLI\"\u003EThe Medieval Heritage of Modern Hebrew Usage\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(Dvir, 1970). Here's a section of the English abstract which summarizes his extensive discussion Hebrew about \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EAn instructive instance in the dialects of emotional connotation is the word \u003Ci\u003Esegula. \u003C\/i\u003EIn Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew, this word was an emotional one ('valued property', 'peculiar treasure'); however, it seems to occur as a pure concept word also ('treasure', 'fortune'). This emotional change happens similarly in the language of the Piyyutim (Liturgical Poetry) and in Medieval Hebrew. Later on in Middle Hebrew, influenced by Arabic, the word designated 'characteristic feature' too, without any emotional overtone (the former emotional overtone had disappeared). But it had been used in special environments (designating objects endowed with the power of recovery); consequently, an emotional secondary meaning had developed in it ('magic quality'), which has survived up to our days in some vernacular usages. However, due to the last generations's alienation from misbeliefs, sometimes this renewed emotional meaning of \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has been suppressed: hence the word is used simply as a term of 'character,' 'quality'. In Modern Hebrew, we find \u003Ci\u003Esegula \u003C\/i\u003Ein both meanings: the general and literary languages have its notional meaning ('quality'), while the substandard vernacular (influenced by the Musar and Hasidic literature, and by Yiddish) keeps carrying its emotional meaning ('magic quality').\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI can't transcribe all 14 pages here of his Hebrew essay, but I'll try to summarize the main developments of the word.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Col style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAs I mentioned in my original post, \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meant \"herd of cattle\" in Akkadian, and that probably was the original meaning in Hebrew as well.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFrom there, the word came to mean \"property\". As I pointed out in my \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/rekhesh.html\"\u003E2006 post\u003C\/a\u003E, the development from cattle to property can also be found in the Hebrew words \u003Ci\u003Erechesh \u003C\/i\u003Eרכש, \u003Ci\u003Ekinyan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קנין, and \u003Ci\u003Eneches\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;נכס. It is used with this meaning in Kohelet 2:8 and Divrei HaYamim I 29:3.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIn the Torah, Israel is described as God's \u003Ci\u003Esegula \u003C\/i\u003E(Shemot 19:5; Devarim 7:6, 14:2, 26:18). While it clearly indicates a close relationship between God and Israel, ultimately it indicates that the nation is His property -\u0026nbsp; a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Suzerainty\"\u003Esuzerainty\u003C\/a\u003E. In the biblical context, \u003Ci\u003Esegula \u003C\/i\u003Edoes not imply any inherent advantages or positive traits. (Shemot 19:5 is noteworthy in this regard, because the nation becoming God's \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is dependent on following the laws.)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIn Rabbinic Hebrew, \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;continues to mean \"property.\" This is where we first find the verb סיגל \u003Ci\u003Esigel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- meaning \"to acquire property\" and \u003Ci\u003Emesugal \u003C\/i\u003Eמסוגל - \"belonging to.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOnce the verb \u003Ci\u003Esigel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;became widely used, \u003Ci\u003Esegula \u003C\/i\u003Ewas understood to be its gerund, so it also took on the meaning \"what one acquires for oneself\" - i.e. treasure.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThis sense of \"treasure\" was expanded beyond the sense of property, and came to mean something \"dear\" to someone. So a person could also be a \u003Ci\u003Esegula \u003C\/i\u003Eto someone else.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIn the \u003Ci\u003Epiyuttim\u003C\/i\u003E, a number of these meanings were combined, and so Israel is described as a \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"dear treasured nation\" or \"dear possession.\" The piyyutim literally had \"poetic license,\" and they created new words and grammatical structures. So they created the new word \u003Ci\u003Esegel\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;סגל, synonymous with \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E. As Yaakov Etsion discusses \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.safa-ivrit.org\/writers\/etsion\/segel.php\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, one of the phrases found in a Rosh Hashana piyyut is \u003Ci\u003Esegel chavura\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eסֶגֶל חֲבוּרָה. The phrase literally means that Israel is an \"association of \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E, a treasured group\" The author flipped the \u003Ci\u003Esemichut\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(construct form), as Etsion describes. This phrase was used in other contexts as a fancy, poetic expression. But over time, it was assumed to have \"normal\" \u003Ci\u003Esemichut\u003C\/i\u003E, and eventually the \u003Ci\u003Echavura \u003C\/i\u003Ewas dropped. Today, as a result, \u003Ci\u003Esegel \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"corps, cadre, senior staff\" in Modern Hebrew.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIn Medieval Hebrew, \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;came to mean something of great importance, and particularly something \"select, chosen.\" This is how it is used in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etzion.org.il\/en\/shiur-29-chosenness\"\u003Ethe writings of Yehuda Halevi\u003C\/a\u003E, for example. (Much of these Medieval uses are borrowed from parallel phrases in Arabic, which I won't go into here.)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThis led to a distinction between the masses and special people, who became known as \u003Ci\u003Eyechidei segula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;יחידי סגולה.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFollowing its Arabic parallels, \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;also came to mean \"characteristic feature.\" This goes back to its early meaning of \"property.\" The same phenomenon can be found in words in English (deriving from Latin), like \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/peculiar\"\u003Epeculiar\u003C\/a\u003E\" which means \"belonging exclusively to one person; special, particular\", but derived from a word meaning \"private property\", and even further back - \"cattle.\" The English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/search?q=property\"\u003Eproperty\u003C\/a\u003E\" also means both \"possession, thing owned\" and \"nature, quality.\" We find this use of \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the translations of Rambam's Arabic writings into Hebrew.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOver time, \u003Ci\u003Esegula\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;didn't just mean \"characteristic\" but specifically a \"positive\" characteristic. (Think of how in English, we tell someone to \"behave\", but we mean \"behave well.\") It specifically became attributed to the positive attributes plants and other objects had in providing healing and health.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThis association with medicine and the natural world, eventually expanded to the supernatural and the magical. A \u003Ci\u003E\"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Segula_(Kabbalah)\"\u003Esegula\u003C\/a\u003E\", \u003C\/i\u003Ein this context, is a kind of charm or ritual, that would bring good fortune or protect from harm.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAs Kaddari mentioned above, as the Jewish world became more secularized, the belief in magical \u003Ci\u003Esegulot\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;faded, but the word remained. Just as a \u003Ci\u003Esegula \u003C\/i\u003Ehad magical abilities, once stripped of that belief, it just became an ability. And this was particularly found in the verbal. If a person is מסוגל\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emesugal, \u003C\/i\u003Ehe is able or capable (of performing an action). And in the \u003Ci\u003Ehitpael \u003C\/i\u003Eform, הסתגל, means \"to adapt oneself\" and \u003Ci\u003Ehistaglut \u003C\/i\u003Eהסתגלות is \"adaptation, acclimation.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor me, watching a word develop that way is simply beautiful. That simple root has followed the speakers of Hebrew since antiquity, always adapting to the where the nation was at the time. Truly an \u003Ci\u003Eam segula\u003C\/i\u003E!\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5801215655790924982\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5801215655790924982","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5801215655790924982"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5801215655790924982"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/09\/segula-segel-and-mesugal.html","title":"segula, segel and mesugal"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3778517568791227991"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-01T17:47:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-01T17:47:26.321+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"baal habayit and boss"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;The English word \"boss\" is so common, I would never had assumed it had a possible connection to Hebrew. It likely entered into English from Dutch, but its earlier etymology is unclear:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is the entry from the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/boss\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"overseer, one who employs or oversees workers,\" 1640s, American English, from Dutch \u003Ci\u003Ebaas \u003C\/i\u003E\"a master,\" Middle Dutch \u003Ci\u003Ebaes\u003C\/i\u003E, of obscure origin. If original sense was \"uncle,\" perhaps it is related to Old High German \u003Ci\u003Ebasa \u003C\/i\u003E\"aunt,\" but some sources discount this theory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/boss\"\u003EWiktionary entry\u003C\/a\u003E for \"boss\" suggests a connection to \u003Ci\u003Ebasa\u003C\/i\u003E, but as the source above mentions (as does Klein in his CEDEL), that theory is debatable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne possibility is that Dutch borrowed \"boss\" from the Yiddish \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/balebos\"\u003Ebalebos\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, which is derived from the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eba'al habayit \u003C\/i\u003Eבעל הבית. \u003Ci\u003EBaal habayit\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is found a few times in the Tanach (Shemot 22:7, Shoftim 19:22, and Melachim I 17:17), and then extensively in Rabbinic Hebrew. It has a number of meanings in that literature, including the literal \"master of the house\" or \"owner of the house\", and can also be understood as \"landowner\" or \"property owner.\" Ben Yehuda points out that it is often used in distinction to someone else - i.e. not a guest, a poor person, a worker, etc. (For an extensive discussion of the meaning in Tannaitic literature, see \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=4XvnDwAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA123\u0026amp;dq=%22ba%27al+habayit%22\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiAwKanisjrAhVD0uAKHXMODYgQ6AEwAHoECAQQAg#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EThe Independent Farmer (\u003Ci\u003EBa'al Habayit\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003C\/a\u003E\" in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003ESocial Stratification of the Jewish Population of Roman Palestine in the Period of the Mishnah, 70–250 CE\u003C\/i\u003E, Ben Zion Rosenfeld, Haim Perlmutter.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn later times, \u003Ci\u003Ebaal habayit\u003C\/i\u003E, and the adjective \u003Ci\u003Ebaalbati \u003C\/i\u003Eבעלבתי, came to mean \"bourgeois, provincial.\" That was one of the senses adopted into Yiddish - a \u003Ci\u003Ebalebos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is an \"important man\" (and the woman of the house is the \u003Ci\u003Ebalabuste.\u003C\/i\u003E) This could be the sense borrowed by the Dutch which later became \"boss.\" (On the other hand, a \u003Ci\u003Ebalebos\u003C\/i\u003E, as compared to a rabbi, is just a layman or congregant. It seems that it's always a relative term, understood best by what it's compared to.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI haven't seen conclusive proof to the Yiddish origin theory. It is mentioned in \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=a50qAQAAIAAJ\u0026amp;dq=editions%3AISBN0498074986\u0026amp;focus=searchwithinvolume\u0026amp;q=boss\"\u003EThe Taste of Yiddish\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E by Lillian Feinsilver, and discussed in the \"Mendele: Yiddish literature and language\" discussion group \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20060908201630\/http:\/\/shakti.trincoll.edu\/~mendele\/vol14\/vol14038.txt\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20060908202013\/http:\/\/shakti.trincoll.edu\/~mendele\/vol14\/vol14042.txt\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. (An \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.cet.ac.il\/pages\/item.asp?item=3694\"\u003Ealternate theory\u003C\/a\u003E, that \"boss\" entered from Yiddish directly into American English, isn't convincing, since as mentioned above, the word is found in English already in the 17th century.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut it certainly shouldn't be discounted too quickly. Plenty of Dutch words are borrowed from Yiddish, as discussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/culture\/140080\/doubling-dutch\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, and many examples are found \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Category:Dutch_terms_derived_from_Yiddish\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. Could \u003Ci\u003Ebaas\u003C\/i\u003E\/boss be one of them? I suppose you'll need to ask a professional linguist. I'm just a \u003Ci\u003Ebalebos...\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3778517568791227991\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3778517568791227991","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3778517568791227991"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3778517568791227991"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/09\/baal-habayit-and-boss.html","title":"baal habayit and boss"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7250513104388452645"},"published":{"$t":"2020-08-23T16:11:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-08-23T16:11:22.172+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ba'ar, bi'er and be'ir"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;A reader asked about the origin of the biblical word \u003Ci\u003Ebe'ir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;בעיר, meaning \"cattle\" or \"domesticated animals.\" Let's take a look.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt appears only six times in the Tanach: Bereshit 45:17; Shemot 22:4; Bamidbar 20:4,8,11, and Tehilim 78:48. In each case it refers to animals owned by humans. One verse in particular (Shemot 22:4) can perhaps shed light on where the word comes from:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"he\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eכִּי יַבְעֶר־אִישׁ שָׂדֶה אוֹ־כֶרֶם וְשִׁלַּח אֶת־בעירה [בְּעִירוֹ] וּבִעֵר בִּשְׂדֵה אַחֵר מֵיטַב שָׂדֵהוּ וּמֵיטַב כַּרְמוֹ יְשַׁלֵּם׃\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWhen a man lets his livestock loose to graze in another’s land, and so allows a field or a vineyard to be grazed bare, he must make restitution for the impairment\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E of that field or vineyard.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBe'ir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is translated here as \"livestock.\" But in addition to \u003Ci\u003Ebe'ir\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;we also have the verb בער \u003Ci\u003Ebi'er\u003C\/i\u003E, rendered here as \"graze.\" In and of itself, that's not so surprising - animals do graze, and verbs and nouns are often related. The question is did the noun \u003Ci\u003Ebe'ir \u003C\/i\u003Ecome from the verb בער, or did the verb provide us with the noun?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I haven't found a conclusive answer to that question. Some sources say that the noun is the source (like \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%91%D6%B0%D6%BC%D7%A2%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E), others say the verb is the source (like \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.tyndalearchive.com\/TABS\/Gesenius\/ppages\/GeseniusP33981.gif\"\u003EGesenius\u003C\/a\u003E), and a surprising number aren't really sure (BDB, Ben Yehuda, Kaddari.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne thing that is clear is that the verb בער has more than one meaning. In fact, another meaning is found in the very next verse!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"he\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"he\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eכִּי־תֵצֵא אֵשׁ וּמָצְאָה קֹצִים וְנֶאֱכַל גָּדִישׁ אוֹ הַקָּמָה אוֹ הַשָּׂדֶה שַׁלֵּם יְשַׁלֵּם הַמַּבְעִר אֶת־הַבְּעֵרָה׃\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWhen a fire is started and spreads to thorns, so that stacked, standing, or growing\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E grain is consumed, he who started the fire must make restitution. (Shemot 22:5)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIn this verse, בער means \"to start a fire,\" and we also find the noun \u003Ci\u003Eb'erah \u003C\/i\u003Eבערה - \"burning, fire.\" The verbs in each verse have very different meanings (aside from some \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=_q43AAAAIAAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA88\u0026amp;lpg=PA88\u0026amp;dq=%22%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9D+%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%93+%D7%92%D7%91%D7%A8%22\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=mEiIvyTACN\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U3K_UcQmvxYTtirZcqVYlX3AH-_aw\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjt3Pexi7HrAhWHDxQKHWN6AO8Q6AEwAXoECAEQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Eancient Aramaic translations\u003C\/a\u003E suggest that 22:4 is also \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/23593042?seq=1\"\u003Etalking about fire, not grazing\u003C\/a\u003E). And as Cassuto put it in his commentary on Shemot, \"there is clearly noticeable here a word-play in the use of the verb בער \u003Ci\u003Eba'ar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in two different senses ['graze' and 'burn'] and in its proximity to the substantive בעיר \u003Ci\u003Ebe'ir \u003C\/i\u003E['cattle', 'beast'].\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EWe've discussed the the possibility of biblical word play before, most famously in my post about \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2008\/10\/ish-and-isha.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eish \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2008\/10\/ish-and-isha.html\"\u003Eisha\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;But while that theory is subject to some controversy, these two verses make it very clear that the Torah is willing to use two words in proximity, with similar spellings but different meanings, even though it might lead to some confusion.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe verb בער has a number of meanings aside from \"burn\" (or \"kindle, light\") and \"graze.\" It can also mean \"to remove, eliminate, destroy.\" Which meaning is used in the phrase \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chametz#Removal_of_chametz\"\u003Ebi'ur chametz\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;ביעור חמץ? Is it the removal of chametz from the home before Pesach, or the burning of that chametz? At first glance it would seem that this is the source of the debate in the mishna:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אֵין בִּעוּר חָמֵץ אֶלָּא שְׂרֵפָה.  וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אַף מְפָרֵר וְזוֹרֶה לָרוּחַ אוֹ מַטִּיל לַיָּם:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; Rabbi Judah says: there is no removal of chametz except by  burning; But the sages say: he may also crumble it and throw it to the  wind or cast it into the sea. (Pesachim 2:1)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EHowever, the halacha is that the chametz can be removed by any method, and the commentaries say that the disagreement between Rabbi Judah and the Sages is only about the ideal method to destroy the chametz. And while the Torah doesn't mention \u003Ci\u003Ebi'ur\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in connection with chametz, it does mention removing the consecrated\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ema'aser\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;food by using the verb בער (Devarim 26:13-14). In that case, it clearly means \"removal\", not \"burning.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EAs I mentioned above, the linguists aren't certain about the origins and connections between the various meanings of בער. One possible line that runs between all of them is the sense of \"consume,\" which could apply to both the grazing of animals and the burning of fire, and then be extended metaphorically to all removal or destruction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EOne other meaning of בער is \"to be brutish or foolish.\" This is actually related to the words we just discussed. It comes from \u003Ci\u003Ebe'ir\u003C\/i\u003E, and so would literally mean \"to act like an animal.\" The adjective \u003Ci\u003Eba'ar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;בַּֽעַר means \"foolish, ignorant.\" As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/culture\/12172\/a-bur-in-the-talmudist-s-side-00897\/\"\u003EPhilologos points out here\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Eba'ar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is unrelated to both the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Ebur\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;בור - \"ignoramus\" (connected to \u003Ci\u003Ebar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;בר, which we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2011\/09\/bar.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E) and the English \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/boor\"\u003Eboor\u003C\/a\u003E\" (which also aren't related to each other.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7250513104388452645\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7250513104388452645","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7250513104388452645"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7250513104388452645"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/08\/baar-bier-and-beir.html","title":"ba'ar, bi'er and be'ir"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3767806090014040146"},"published":{"$t":"2020-08-17T15:31:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-08-17T15:31:49.599+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kash and kashish"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;A reader asked if there was a connection between the verb קשש - \"to gather\", and \u003Ci\u003Ekashish\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קשיש - \"elderly.\"\u0026nbsp; I didn't think it was likely, but according to Klein's etymologies, they are related.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B4%D7%A9%D6%BC%D7%81%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%A8?lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%81%D7%A9%D7%81_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5\u0026amp;lang2=bi\u0026amp;p3=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%81%D7%A9%D7%81_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5\u0026amp;lang3=bi\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E that the root קשש means \"to gather, assemble (especially straw or stubble.)\" We find this root in the story of the מקושש עצים \u003Ci\u003Emekoshesh etzim - \u003C\/i\u003E\"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etzion.org.il\/en\/stick-gatherer\"\u003Ethe stick gatherer\u003C\/a\u003E\" (Bamidbar 15:32-36), as well as the description of the Israelite slaves \"gathering stubble [\u003Ci\u003Ekash]\u003C\/i\u003E for straw [\u003Ci\u003Eteven\u003C\/i\u003E]\"\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;לְקֹשֵׁשׁ קַשׁ לַתֶּבֶן (Shemot 5:12).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein provides this etymology:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003ERelated to Syriac קַשׁ, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqashsha\u003C\/i\u003E (= he collected, gathered). The original meaning probably was ‘to become dry’. Compare. Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqashsha\u003C\/i\u003E in the sense ‘became dry, dried up, shriveled up, withered’.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe writes that this is the root of \u003Ci\u003Ekash \u003C\/i\u003Eקש - \"straw.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;In modern Hebrew, as in English, \u003Ci\u003Ekash\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;refers to both straw as \"dried stalks of grain\" and \"a thin, hollow tube for drinking.\" The latter (the drinking straw), however, is often called a \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2019\/11\/14\/%D7%A7%D7%A9-%D7%90%D7%95-%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%A4%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%93%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%AA-%D6%BE%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%AA\/\"\u003Ekashit\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קשית.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKlein then goes on to say that the root קשש can also mean \"to grow old\", and comes from the earlier sense \"to become dry, wither, fade.\" This gives us the word \u003Ci\u003Ekashish -\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"old, elderly.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBen-Yehuda, however, says that perhaps \u003Ci\u003Ekashish\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;comes from the root קשה \u003Ci\u003Ekasheh - \u003C\/i\u003E\"hard.\" So instead of an elderly person being like someone who has withered and faded, this \u003Ci\u003Ekashish \u003C\/i\u003Ehas been hardened, and strengthened, by the challenges of life. This is also the approach of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B7%D7%A9%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%81%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%81?lang=bi\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E, who brings support from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Shabbat.53a.13?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Commentary\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EShabbat 53a\u003C\/a\u003E, where it says that animals can go out into the public domain on Shabbat with \"splints\" \u003Ci\u003Ekeshishin. \u003C\/i\u003EThese splints were meant to straighten the fracture, to make it stiff (\u003Ci\u003Ekasheh\u003C\/i\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut \u003Ci\u003Ekashish \u003C\/i\u003Eitself doesn't actually mean \"elderly\" in its first appearances in Rabbinic Hebrew, just \"older.\" So an older brother is referred to as \u003Ci\u003Ekashish\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Targum to Melachim I 2:22) even though he wasn't older.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut in today's Hebrew it doesn't have that meaning, and \"older than\" is usually \u003Ci\u003Emevugar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מבוגר. And \u003Ci\u003Ekashish\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is specifically someone elderly. (This is similar to the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/senior\"\u003Esenior\u003C\/a\u003E,\" which first meant \"older\" and then \"elderly.\") But even though \u003Ci\u003Ekashish\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means elderly today, each of us, as we get older, can decide whether that will mean \"withering away\" or \"becoming strengthened.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3767806090014040146\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3767806090014040146","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3767806090014040146"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3767806090014040146"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/08\/kash-and-kashish.html","title":"kash and kashish"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5739363141464806663"},"published":{"$t":"2020-08-10T10:44:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-08-10T10:44:30.879+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"chasmal and amber"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Hebrew word for \"electricity\" is \u003Ci\u003Echashmal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;חשמל. That is originally a biblical word, only appearing three times (all in the book of Yechezkel). Certainly at that time it didn't mean electricity. So how did the modern meaning come about?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are the three verses:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eוָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ סְעָרָה בָּאָה מִן־הַצָּפוֹן עָנָן גָּדוֹל וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב וּמִתּוֹכָהּ כְּעֵין הַחַשְׁמַל מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ׃ \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EI looked, and lo, a stormy wind came sweeping out of the north—a huge cloud and flashing fire, surrounded by a radiance; and in the center of it, in the center of the fire, a gleam as of amber. (1:4)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eוָאֵרֶא  כְּעֵין חַשְׁמַל כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵשׁ בֵּית־לָהּ סָבִיב מִמַּרְאֵה מָתְנָיו וּלְמָעְלָה וּמִמַּרְאֵה מָתְנָיו וּלְמַטָּה רָאִיתִי כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵשׁ וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב׃ \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EFrom what appeared as his loins up, I saw a gleam as of amber—\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Ewhat looked like a fire encased in a frame; and from what appeared as his loins down, I saw what looked like fire. There was a radiance all about him. (1:27)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eוָאֶרְאֶה וְהִנֵּה דְמוּת כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵשׁ מִמַּרְאֵה מָתְנָיו וּלְמַטָּה אֵשׁ וּמִמָּתְנָיו וּלְמַעְלָה כְּמַרְאֵה־זֹהַר כְּעֵין הַחַשְׁמַלָה׃ \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EAs I looked, there was a figure that had the appearance of fire:\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E from what appeared as his loins down, [he was] fire; and from his loins up, his appearance was resplendent and had the color of amber. (8:2)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIn all three of these verses the word \u003Ci\u003Ehashmal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is translated as \"amber.\" This is based on the ancient Greek translation, the Septuagint, which used the Greek word \u003Ci\u003Eelektron\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"amber.\" This tradition is in contrast to one found in the Talmud (Hagiga 13a-b), which says that \u003Ci\u003Echashmal \u003C\/i\u003Eis a kind of angel. In any case, since the visions are described as being \"like\" \u003Ci\u003Echashmal \u003C\/i\u003Eor having the color of \u003Ci\u003Echashmal, \u003C\/i\u003Ewe can't conclusively say what it was from these verses, although it was likely something particularly radiant. The Akkadian cognate, \u003Ci\u003Eelmesu\u003C\/i\u003E, according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1602801142\/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;creativeASIN=1602801142\u0026amp;linkId=3ba09415ade616d4fedafda368adc11a\"\u003ETawil\u003C\/a\u003E, refers to a \"precious stone with the characteristic sparkle and brilliancy of fire.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EElektron\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Electrum\"\u003Eelectrum\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Ein Latin) referred to an alloy of gold and silver. The same word was also used to refer to amber (the tree resin), because of the similar color. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CWk0qCrdA00\"\u003ERubbing amber gives an electrical charge\u003C\/a\u003E, and so when the phenomenon of electricity was defined, the scientists turned to the Greek and Latin terms for amber to coin the word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/electric\"\u003Eelectric\u003C\/a\u003E.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe Hebrew poet \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Judah_Leib_Gordon\"\u003EJudah Leib Gordon\u003C\/a\u003E followed the same logic around 1880, when \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/onthemainline.blogspot.com\/2011\/02\/what-does-chashmal-mean.html\"\u003Ehe suggested to use \u003Ci\u003Echashmal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to refer to electricity\u003C\/a\u003E as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EDue to the rabbinic association of \u003Ci\u003Echashmal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;with angels, and the esoteric nature of Yechezkel's prophecy, there were many who opposed this secular use of \u003Ci\u003Echashmal\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp; (An alternate suggestion at the time was \u003Ci\u003Ebazak -\u003C\/i\u003Eבזק \"lightning.\")\u0026nbsp;But as we've discovered many times over the years, language has a power of its own, and \u003Ci\u003Echashmal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is universally used in Hebrew today to refer to electricity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EAnd if you're curious, modern Hebrew has a different word to refer to \"amber\" - ענבר \u003Ci\u003Einbar.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;This word is borrowed from the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Eanbar, \u003C\/i\u003Eas is the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/amber\"\u003Eamber\u003C\/a\u003E.\" (However, as discussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2020\/01\/23\/%d7%a2%d7%a0%d7%91%d7%9c-%d7%95%d7%a2%d7%a0%d7%91%d7%a8\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, it first entered Hebrew via European languages, and was spelled אמברא or אמבער, and only later began to be spelled ענבר to match the original Arabic.)\u0026nbsp; The etymology of \u003Ci\u003Eanbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forum.wordreference.com\/threads\/amber.3318610\/\"\u003Eunclear\u003C\/a\u003E. Some say that the Arabic word comes from Persian, and others say that the similar Persian word comes from Arabic. \u003Ci\u003EInbar \u003C\/i\u003Eis primarily heard today as a girl's name. It was in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ynet.co.il\/articles\/0,7340,L-4480477,00.html\"\u003Etop 50 girls names\u003C\/a\u003E in the late 1980s and early 1990s, so as of this writing, you're most likely to find it used by women around 30 years old.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5739363141464806663\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5739363141464806663","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5739363141464806663"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5739363141464806663"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/08\/chasmal-and-amber.html","title":"chasmal and amber"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8123193734830029500"},"published":{"$t":"2020-08-02T21:10:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-08-02T21:10:30.462+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"almanac and menucha"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"There are a lot of theories as to the origin of the word \"almanac.\" Here's what the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/almanac\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E has to say:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Elate 14c., \"book of permanent tables of astronomical data,\" attested in Anglo-Latin from mid-13c., via Old French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ealmanach\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eor directly from Medieval Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ealmanachus\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,  a word of uncertain origin and the subject of much speculation. The  Latin word is often said to be ultimately from Arabic somehow, but an  exact phonological and semantic fit is wanting: OED connects it to a  supposed Spanish-Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eal-manakh\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"calendar, almanac,\" which is possibly ultimately from Late Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ealmenichiakon\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"calendar,\" which itself is said to be of Coptic origin. But the author of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ia601709.us.archive.org\/18\/items\/EnglishWordsThatAreOfArabicEtymologicalAncestry\/English-words-that-are-of-Arabic-etymological-ancestry.htm#cite_note-165\" target=\"\" title=\"\u0026lt;span data-offset-key=\u0026quot;bfv0g-0-0\u0026quot; style=\u0026quot;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: initial;\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\u0026lt;span data-text=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; style=\u0026quot;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: initial;\u0026quot;\u0026gt;English words of Arabic Ancestry\u0026lt;\/span\u0026gt;\u0026lt;\/span\u0026gt;\"\u003EEnglish words of Arabic Ancestry\u003C\/a\u003E makes a detailed case \u0026nbsp;\"that the word almanac was pseudo-Arabic and was  generated within the circle of astronomers in Paris in the mid 13th  century.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThose are all interesting suggestions, but one not mentioned in that entry allows for a connection to a Hebrew word. Stahl mentions a theory that does in his \u003Ci\u003EBilingual Etymological Dictionary of Spoken Israeli Arabic and Hebrew\u003C\/i\u003E, and it also appears in other sources, such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=728Q-hLxaD0C\u0026amp;lpg=PT50\u0026amp;ots=YBghl70TZw\u0026amp;dq=almanac%20etymology%20where%20camels%20kneel\u0026amp;pg=PT50#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ethis\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/nativeenglishspain.blogspot.com\/2013\/02\/word-for-day-almanac.html\"\u003Ethis\u003C\/a\u003E. He points out that in Arabic \u003Ci\u003Emanakh \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"weather, climate\" and derives from a word meaning \"where the camels kneel and rest.\" That place was a camp, and for nomadic tribes, it took on the sense of a permanent settlement. This sense of permanence, became associated with other constant or expected things - in this case, the weather. And so an almanac was a book which included certain astronomical predictions (like the times of sunrise and sunset), dates for holidays, and meteorological forecasts.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis Arabic root - either via\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Enakha, \u003C\/i\u003E\"kneel\" or \u003Ci\u003Emanakh, \u003C\/i\u003E\"camp\" - is cognate with the Hebrew word root נוח meaning \"to rest.\" That root gives us the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emenucha \u003C\/i\u003Eמנוחה. In Modern Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Emenucha\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means the condition of \"rest, respite\" or \"calm, serenity.\" But in the Bible, it generally (perhaps always) means a resting \u003Cu\u003Eplace\u003C\/u\u003E. In many verses it is synonymous with \u003Ci\u003Enachala \u003C\/i\u003Eנחלה - \"inheritance\", as in Devarim 12:9 where both refer to the Land of Israel:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eכִּי לֹא־בָּאתֶם עַד־עָתָּה אֶל־הַמְּנוּחָה וְאֶל־הַנַּחֲלָה אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan id=\"TEXT\"\u003ENow you have not yet come to the resting place [\u003Ci\u003Emenukha\u003C\/i\u003E]\u0026nbsp;and hereditary land that God your Lord is giving you.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EAnother verse with the same meaning is Bereshit 49:15, which compares \u003Ci\u003Emenucha\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to \u003Ci\u003Earetz \u003C\/i\u003E(land):\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E...וַיַּרְא מְנֻחָה כִּי טוֹב וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EBut he sees that the resting place [\u003Ci\u003Emenucha\u003C\/i\u003E] is good, and that the land is pleasant...\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EIn this way, \u003Ci\u003Emenucha\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is similar to the word \u003Ci\u003Emeluna \u003C\/i\u003Eמלונה - \"lodge\" (and related to the word \u003Ci\u003Emalon\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מלון - \"inn\"), which derives from the root לון - \"to lodge, to pass the night.\" \u003Ci\u003EMeluna \u003C\/i\u003Eis clearly a place, and so too \u003Ci\u003Emenucha \u003C\/i\u003Emeans a resting place.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EOf course, it's easy to conflate a resting place and a state of rest, and so there are some verses where it's not clear which meaning is intended. In the end, just as the Arabian nomads appreciated the chance to let their camels kneel and rest, so to did the nomadic tribes of Israel appreciate the chance to stop wandering and settle in their homeland. The resting place \u003Cu\u003Ecaused\u003C\/u\u003E\u0026nbsp;a state of rest.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8123193734830029500\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8123193734830029500","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8123193734830029500"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8123193734830029500"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/08\/almanac-and-menucha.html","title":"almanac and menucha"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3457061951759660377"},"published":{"$t":"2020-07-26T19:49:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-07-26T19:49:09.756+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"beged and begidah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A number of readers have written to ask about a connection between \u003Ci\u003Ebeged\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;בגד - \"garment\" and \u003Ci\u003Ebegida \u003C\/i\u003Eבגידה - \"betrayal.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EBegida\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;derives from the root בגד - \"to betray,\" which is spelled the same as \u003Ci\u003Ebeged.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%91%D7%92%D7%93_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E provides a connection in his entry for the root בגד:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EProbably denominated from בֶּגֶד (= clothing, garment) and literally meaning ‘to cover with, or as with, a garment’, ‘to conceal’. For sense development compare מעל (= to act unfaithfully, to behave treacherously), which probably derives from מְעִיל (= upper garment, coat); compare also Arab. \u003Ci\u003Elabisa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he put on a dress, clothed, dressed), and \u003Ci\u003Elabasa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he disguised, he confused), \u003Ci\u003Elabbasa\u003C\/i\u003E (= tangle, confusion).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn addition to Klein's mention of \u003Ci\u003Emeil \u003C\/i\u003Eמעיל - \"coat\" and \u003Ci\u003Eme'ilah \u003C\/i\u003Eמעילה - \"treachery, embezzlement\", I would also add \u003Ci\u003Ebad \u003C\/i\u003Eבד- \"linen\" and \u003Ci\u003Ebadah \u003C\/i\u003Eבדה - \"to lie, concoct.\" In fact, English also has that same pairing in fabric and fabricate, and the two meanings of \"cloak\" (a kind of garment and \"to hide, conceal.\")\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnd previously, we've \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/12\/chalifa-and-california.html\"\u003Ediscussed one more\u003C\/a\u003E: the root חלף - \"to change\" gives us\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Echalifa\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;חליפה - \"change of clothes, suit of clothes\", and that verb is also associated with deception (see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Genesis.31.7?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EBereshit 31:7\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe common thread to all of these is that clothing covers us up, and that cover up can be a source of deception and falsehood. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.tora.co.il\/parasha\/meat\/vayigash_71.doc\"\u003EAnother theory\u003C\/a\u003E says that like the \"change\" of clothes, deceit is considered temporary and unreliable (certainly to the victim), whereas truth is permanent and faithful.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3457061951759660377\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3457061951759660377","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3457061951759660377"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3457061951759660377"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/07\/beged-and-begidah.html","title":"beged and begidah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7634418487883653911"},"published":{"$t":"2020-06-21T19:39:00.008+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-06-22T12:05:30.549+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"baba ghanoush"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EOver the past few months, I've been primarily using questions I received by   email as inspiration for my posts here. While the volume of mail I get   prevents me from responding to everyone, I do appreciate the messages you   send. They often send me on quests that I wouldn't have thought to   investigate on my own, so they are a benefit to all of us.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EToday I got to the earliest post in my inbox. I'm a little embarrassed to     say that it is actually from 2008. Here's the question, from the inimitable     \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/benjilovitt.com\/\"\u003EBenji Lovitt\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EBalashon,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EQuestion:\u0026nbsp; this one I'm dying to figure out.\u0026nbsp; Only a few         years ago did I realize that \"babaganush\" was not Hebrew or even an         Israeli name.\u0026nbsp; Americans think it's Israeli, Israelis have no idea         what we're talking about.\u0026nbsp; What in the hell is this word and where         did it come from?\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAny ideas?\u0026nbsp; : )\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThanks,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EBenji\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIt's important to note that none of the other questions in the queue were     anywhere near that old. I think I must have kept it there because I didn't     have an answer then that had a connection to Hebrew etymology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EWell, now I do.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ETo answer the first question, it's true that \u003Ci\u003Ebaba ghanoush\u003C\/i\u003E isn't a     Hebrew word (or technically a Hebrew phrase). It comes from Arabic, and it refers to     an eggplant salad that is similar, but not identical with the common     eggplant salad found in Israel. Here's how the     \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baba_ghanoush\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ebaba ghanoush\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;Wikipedia entry\u003C\/a\u003E    describes the two:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EBaba ghanoush\u003C\/i\u003E, also spelled \u003Ci\u003Ebaba ganoush\u003C\/i\u003E or       \u003Ci\u003Ebaba ghanouj\u003C\/i\u003E,is a Levantine appetizer of mashed cooked eggplant       mixed with tahini (made from sesame seeds), olive oil, possibly lemon       juice, and various seasonings. [...] The traditional preparation method is       for the eggplant to be baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling       [...] In Israel, it is also known as \u003Ci\u003Esalat ḥatzilim\u003C\/i\u003E. Unlike       \u003Ci\u003Ebaba ghanoush \u003C\/i\u003E[however], it is made with fried or grilled eggplants mixed       with mayonnaise, salt, lemon and chopped fried onions.\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ESo Americans - likely ones who've visited Israel - conflate the baba     ghanoush they find in their supermarkets with the \u003Ci\u003Esalat chatzilim \u003C\/i\u003Eסלט     חצילים they tasted here. That is the source of the confusion (and the fact     that the Israeli brand     \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.strauss-group.com\/brand\/sabra\/\"\u003ESabra\u003C\/a\u003E calls their     eggplant spread in English \"babaganoush\" doesn't help either.)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ENow what about the second question - where does the word come from?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThere are a number of theories out there. Most agree that the word     \u003Ci\u003Ebaba \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"father\" and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eghanoush \u003C\/i\u003Emeans something like     \"pampered\" or \"flirtatious.\" This leads to the following suggested     etymologies:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E      \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/dondarijc.wordpress.com\/2013\/09\/08\/babaganoush-the-celebration-of-the-eggplant\/\"\u003EThis site\u003C\/a\u003E        quotes the Oxford English Dictionary as saying that it was named         “perhaps with reference to its supposed invention by a member of a royal         harem\" - the sultan being the \"pampered daddy.\" Although since we're         talking about a harem, it could be referring to a \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thefreedictionary.com\/baba+ghanouj\"\u003Eflirtatious papa\u003C\/a\u003E\" or \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/baba_ganoush\"\u003Efather of coquetry\u003C\/a\u003E\" as these sites suggest.\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E      \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymologynerd.com\/blog\/pampered-father\"\u003EThe Etymology Nerd\u003C\/a\u003E        gives two possibilities:\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E        \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EOne is similar to the previous idea, saying that it was \"invented by a concubine in one of the historical sultans' harems for           her master.\"\u003C\/span\u003E      \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E        \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAnother idea references \"the old folk tale about a toothless father             who had to be fed premasticated food, something that no doubt looked             like eggplant puree.\"             \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/feastinthemiddleeast.wordpress.com\/2017\/11\/29\/baba-ghanoush-a-story-of-love\/\"\u003EThis site\u003C\/a\u003E            has a similar theory, saying the dish was from a loving daughter to             her pampered father (although she said the eggplants were mashed,             not \"premasticated.\")\u003C\/span\u003E      \u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E      \u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0470391308\/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;creativeASIN=0470391308\u0026amp;linkId=720e9caa854e38b740609728538abd37\"\u003EThe Encyclopedia of Jewish Food\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;says that perhaps the \"father\" wasn't a person, but the           eggplant itself, \"which is considered the most important (big daddy)           of vegetables.\"\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ESo now we've discussed the origin of the phrase, but as I mentioned         earlier, I waited 12 years until I found a connection to a Hebrew word.         The cognate word is \u003Ci\u003Eoneg \u003C\/i\u003Eעונג - \"exquisite delight, pleasure\" (as well as the practically         synonymous \u003Ci\u003Eta'anug \u003C\/i\u003Eתענוג).\u0026nbsp;Klein, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%92?lang=bi\"\u003Ediscussing the root of \u003Ci\u003Eoneg\u003C\/i\u003E, ענג\u003C\/a\u003E, writes that it is cognate with \"Arab. \u003Ci\u003E‘anija\u003C\/i\u003E        (= he was coquettish, was amorous).\"\u0026nbsp; The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=TyJBBDlqdfwC\u0026amp;pg=PA212\u0026amp;lpg=PA212\u0026amp;dq=oneg+etymology\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=VPun3JgwOM\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U3UiggDXcd5Ppy8iDp_ZvXQIIwASA\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZyfGctvfpAhUNYxoKHSFvAaMQ6AEwBXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=oneg%20etymology\u0026amp;f=false\" style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003ETheological Dictionary of the Old Testament\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003E        concurs,\u0026nbsp;writing that the cognate Arabic verb means \"adorn oneself,         flirt\" and occasionally also \"pamper, be ingratiating.\" So to be a         little closer to that Arabic origin, the spelling\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ebaba ghanouj\u003C\/i\u003E        is a little better (and it helps to remember that Arabic has a         hard\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/12\/ayin.html\"\u003Eayin\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;that sounds like a \"g\", giving us Gaza for עזה \u003Ci\u003EAza\u003C\/i\u003E. So an         \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%91%D7%90%D7%91%D7%90_%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A9\"\u003Eaccurate Hebrew spelling\u003C\/a\u003E        would be\u0026nbsp;באבא ע'נוג'.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe association of eggplants with culinary delight began in earnest         during the \"austerity\" period at the founding of the State of Israel.         Eggplants became a common meat substitute, and remained very popular         even when meat became available again.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EHowever, some prefer a vegetarian lifestyle for ideological, not         economic, reasons. One of those, was         \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shlomo_Goren\"\u003ERabbi Shlomo Goren\u003C\/a\u003E, who served as the chief rabbi of the IDF and later chief rabbi of         Israel. In the 1980s, he visited Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi, which is a major         processed meat manufacturer and also breeds fish. I spent time on Tirat         Tzvi in the early 1990s, and have the book \u003Ci\u003EDmut V'Koma\u003C\/i\u003E, by         resident Efraim Yair, who describes Rabbi Goren's visit:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"letter-spacing: 0.32px;\"\u003EThe truth is, that the Shabbat meal on Tirat Tzvi is quite full, with           meat and fish, and other delights [as mentioned in the shabbat song,           \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.zemirotdatabase.org\/view_song.php?id=9\"\u003EMah Yedidut\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E],           \u003Ci\u003El'hit'aneg b'ta'anugim, barburim u'slav v'dagim\u003C\/i\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003Eלְהִתְעַנֵּג בְּתַעֲנוּגִים בַּרְבּוּרִים וּשְׂלָו וְדָגִים \"to savor         the delights of fowl, quail and fish\" ... [But in the family of Rabbi         Goren] they instead sang         \u003Ci\u003El'hitaneg b'ta'anugim, chatzilim v'kishuim\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;להתענג בתענוגים         חצילים וקישואים \"to savor the delights of eggplant and         zucchini\"...\u003C\/span\u003E    \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ESo we can see that the connection between \u003Ci\u003Eta'anug\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and       \u003Ci\u003Ebaba ghanouj\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;runs deep.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EHope this answers your question, Benji!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7634418487883653911\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7634418487883653911","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7634418487883653911"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7634418487883653911"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/06\/baba-ghanoush.html","title":"baba ghanoush"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5606244083703028412"},"published":{"$t":"2020-06-15T18:06:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-12-28T11:58:11.741+02:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"directions"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"darom"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I've written about many of the words for directions in Hebrew, but I realized I never wrote about \u003Ci\u003Edarom \u003C\/i\u003Eדרום - \"south.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003EDarom\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears in the bible 17 times. That's less than its synonyms \u003Ci\u003Enegev \/ negba \u003C\/i\u003Eנגב \/ נגבה, which appear around 50 times and תימן \u003Ci\u003Eteiman \u003C\/i\u003E(24 times), but more than ימין \u003Ci\u003Eyamin\u003C\/i\u003E, which although appears 139 times, but only 8 of those mean \"south\" (the rest mean \"right\").\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWe discussed \u003Ci\u003Eyamin \/ teiman\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/12\/yamin.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, and the origin of \u003Ci\u003Enegev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is fairly straightforward. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%91?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E that it comes from the root נגב meaning \"to be dry\", so it literally means \"the dry land\" (which makes sense looking at the Negev desert in the south of Israel. But regarding \u003Ci\u003Edarom\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%93%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A8%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%9D.1?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein says\u003C\/a\u003E that it is \"of uncertain origin.\" Are there any theories we can discuss?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe one serious suggestion I found for the origin of \u003Ci\u003Edarom\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is by Gesenius. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.tyndalearchive.com\/TABS\/Gesenius\/ppages\/GeseniusP53770.gif\"\u003EHe suggests\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that it comes from a root, דרר, \"unused as a verb.\" This root, as explained in the BDB, means \"to stream, flow abundantly.\" This meaning is found also in the Arabic cognate \u003Ci\u003Edarra - \u003C\/i\u003E\"it ran swiftly.\" This gives us the word \u003Ci\u003Edror\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;דרור, which has three meanings: \"sparrow\" (since the bird flies quickly), flowing (found in the phrase מר-דרור - \"fine flowing myrrh\"), and \"freedom, liberty\" (which the BDB says is like \"free run.\")\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnother related word is דהר \u003Ci\u003Edahar - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to gallop\". It originally referred specifically to horses, but is also now used metaphorically to describe anyone hurrying or going fast.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnd as I mentioned, it also is suggested as the origin of \u003Ci\u003Edarom\u003C\/i\u003E. From \"flow\" it also is said to have the meaning \"to give light, shine\", presumably from the way light flows. \u003Ci\u003EDar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;דר\u0026nbsp; (Esther 1:6) means \"pearl\" - a shiny stone.\u0026nbsp;So too\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Edarom, \u003C\/i\u003Eaccording to Gesenius, means \"the bright region\", which makes sense, since in the Northern Hemisphere the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Southern_exposure_(terminology)\"\u003Esouthern exposure\u003C\/a\u003E gets more sunlight,\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/home.howstuffworks.com\/real-estate\/buying-home\/southern-exposure.htm\"\u003E due to the tilt of the earth's axis\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis also fits our explanation of \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/07\/tzafon.html\"\u003Etzafon\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eצפון - \"north\" as the \"hidden or dark region.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe English word \"south\" has a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/south\"\u003Esimilar etymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EOld English \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Esuð\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"southward, to the south, southern, in the south,\" from Proto-Germanic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Esunthaz\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, perhaps literally \"sun-side\" (source also of Old Saxon, Old Frisian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Esuth\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"southward, in the south,\" Middle Dutch \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Esuut\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Dutch \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ezuid\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, German \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESüden\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), and related to base of \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Esunnon\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"sun\" (from PIE root *\u003Ci\u003Esawel\u003C\/i\u003E- \"the sun\").\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI would not be surprised if this was the case in other languages as well, but probably only those in the Northern Hemisphere.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5606244083703028412\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5606244083703028412","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5606244083703028412"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5606244083703028412"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/06\/darom.html","title":"darom"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8228178883698322498"},"published":{"$t":"2020-06-10T13:54:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-06-10T13:54:40.498+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"shechinah and scene"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shekhinah\"\u003EHebrew word for the Divine Presence\u003C\/a\u003E is \u003Ci\u003Eshechinah \u003C\/i\u003Eשכינה.\u0026nbsp; It derives from the root שכן, meaning \"to dwell, settle down,\" so the \u003Ci\u003Eshekinah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is literally \"the dwelling place (of God).\" That same root gives us the words \u003Ci\u003Eshachen\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;שכן - \"neighbor\", \u003Ci\u003Eshechuna \u003C\/i\u003Eשכונה - \"neighborhood\",\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emishkan \u003C\/i\u003Eמשכן - \"tabernacle, sanctuary\", and \u003Ci\u003Emaskhanta \u003C\/i\u003Eמשכנתא - \"mortgage\" (from \u003Ci\u003Emishkon \u003C\/i\u003Eמשכון - \"pledge\", since a pledge or deposit was \"set down.\")\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D7%81%D7%9B%D7%9F?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E that the root is the \u003Ci\u003EShaph'el \u003C\/i\u003Eform of the root כון - \"to be, set up, be established.\" In \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2008\/04\/ken.html\"\u003Ethis post\u003C\/a\u003E we discussed that earlier root, and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2010\/12\/misken-sakana-and-sochen.html\"\u003Ewe also discussed here\u003C\/a\u003E a possible connection between שכן and the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Esochen \u003C\/i\u003Eסוכן - \"steward, agent.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EBut I realized that there was one additional connection that I did not discuss. Nicholas Oster, in his book\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca data-amzn-asin=\"0060935723\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Empires-Word-Language-History-World\/dp\/0060935723?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;link_code=btl\u0026amp;camp=213689\u0026amp;creative=392969\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EEmpires of the Word - A Language History of the World\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(which I've recommended \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/12\/agape.html\"\u003Ebefore\u003C\/a\u003E) quotes the scholar C. F. D. Moule, who writes \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=ajX85SJjrkUC\u0026amp;lpg=PP1\u0026amp;pg=PA186#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E that the Greek \u003Ci\u003Eskēnḗ\u003C\/i\u003E - \"tent\" may have been influenced by the Hebrew root שכן meaning \"dwelling.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ENow that doesn't mean that this is a direct etymology. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/scene\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E provides a different derivation:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003Erelated to \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eskia\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"shadow, shade,\" via notion of \"something that gives shade\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EBut that doesn't contradict Moule's theory. He writes of \"Greek words whose use, or at least frequency, may have been suggested by a certain (perhaps fortuitous) similarity of sound or spelling to certain Semitic words.\" That certainly could be the case here, and we've discussed many times how this has worked in the other direction - some modern Hebrew words were adopted because of the similarity of sound to foreign words (even if they have ancient Hebrew roots - take \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/07\/kesem.html\"\u003Emaksim\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מקסים meaning \"great\" and influenced by \"maximum\" as just one example.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAs the same OED entry quoted above mentions, the Greek \u003Ci\u003Eskene\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;gave us the English word \"scene\":\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\"subdivision of an act of a play,\" also \"stage-setting,\" from Middle French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Escène\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(14c.), from Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Escaena\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Escena\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"scene, stage of a theater,\" from Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Eskene\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"wooden stage for actors,\" also \"that which is represented on stage,\" originally \"tent or booth\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EScene has expanded its meaning beyond just the acts of play, and can now mean \"a place or representation of an incident\" or \"a specified area of activity or interest.\" Those meanings aren't actually so far away from our understanding of \u003Ci\u003Eshechina...\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8228178883698322498\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8228178883698322498","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8228178883698322498"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8228178883698322498"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/06\/shechinah-and-scene.html","title":"shechinah and scene"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3234525194274772122"},"published":{"$t":"2020-05-24T20:20:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-05-24T20:20:06.929+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"shevet and matteh"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"There are two Hebrew words that are very similar: \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;שבט and \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp; מטה.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThey both have the same two non-synonymous meanings: stick (or staff) and tribe. And they both appear in parallel in Biblical Hebrew. How is that so?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ELet's first take a look at the etymologies. The origins of \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;are actually very different, which contributes to the mystery.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003EShevet \u003C\/i\u003Ecomes from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D7%81%D7%91%D7%98?lang=bi\"\u003Ea root meaning \"to strike.\"\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp; It has cognates in other Semitic languages, including the Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Eshabatu \u003C\/i\u003E(= to beat, kill, destroy). That, according to Klein, is the root of the Hebrew month of Shevat - literally the \"month of destroying rain.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMatteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;comes from the root נטה meaning \"to stretch out\" or \"to bend down.\" That root also gives us such words as \u003Ci\u003Emita \u003C\/i\u003Eמיטה - \"bed\" and \u003Ci\u003Emata \u003C\/i\u003Eמטה - \"down\" (as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/01\/mat.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.) Perhaps this is either how a stick or branch stretches out (or comes down) from a tree, or because a stick or a staff is brought down on the ground when walking or pointing.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAs I mentioned, both appear in Biblical Hebrew. While they each appear more frequently in some books than others, they do appear in the same books, and sometimes even in the same verse, such as this one:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eוְגַם אֶת־אַחֶיךָ מַטֵּה לֵוִי שֵׁבֶט אָבִיךָ הַקְרֵב אִתָּךְ וְיִלָּווּ עָלֶיךָ וִישָׁרְתוּךָ וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ לִפְנֵי אֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת׃ \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EYou [Aharon] shall also associate with yourself your kinsmen the tribe [\u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E] of Levi, your ancestral [literally father's] tribe [\u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E], to be attached to you and to minister to you, while you and your sons under your charge are before the Tent of the Pact. (Bamidbar 18:2)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn his JPS commentary here, Milgrom writes that \"synonyms are used to avoid monotonous repetition.\" But he adds, referring to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/1454048?read-now=1\u0026amp;refreqid=excelsior:6db5c031a6fffe8201d09366cd0462fd\u0026amp;seq=12#page_scan_tab_contents\"\u003Ethis more detailed article of his\u003C\/a\u003E, that \u003Ci\u003Ematteh \u003C\/i\u003Eis more precise (referring specifically to one of the 12 tribes), whereas \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can be also a smaller group (like in this verse, Aharon's father's family) or to the entire nation of Israel (like in Tehilim 74:2).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EHow did these two words with distinct origins come to mean both stick and tribe? And why did \"stick\" develop into \"tribe\" (twice)?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThere are a number of theories:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESome say that between \"stick\" and \"tribe\" the term meant \"scepter.\" (The Hebrew word for scepter - \u003Ci\u003Esharvit\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;שרביט - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D6%B7%D7%81%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%91%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%98?lang=bi\"\u003Emay have derived\u003C\/a\u003E from \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as well.)\u0026nbsp;That symbol of leadership became associated with the leader of the tribe itself, and then to the tribe he led. This intermediate stage is found in Bereshit 49:10, for example. Based on how he presents the order of the definitions of \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E, I think this is Kaddari's approach. Since he presents that development for \u003Ci\u003Eshevet, \u003C\/i\u003Eand not for \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E, perhaps he holds that \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was influenced by \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in that regard. (For more detail about how the meanings of the words developed, see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/24354804?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents\"\u003Ethis Hebrew article\u003C\/a\u003E by\u0026nbsp;Athalya Brenner. She finds the \"missing link\" of \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;referring to the actual leader, but that link is not found with \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E.)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStahl has a similar approach, and points out that the the \u003Ci\u003Eshevet \u003C\/i\u003Eas a scepter signified the leader's power to beat and punish, which connects back to the etymology of the root.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBen Yehuda says that \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(as stick) became \"tribe\" in the way a branch splits off from the main part of a tree. In the same way multiple tribes would be divisions of a single nation.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ERadak takes a different approach. He says that the \"original\" word was \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E. He writes that one leans (relies) on a \u003Ci\u003Ematteh \u003C\/i\u003E(as implied by the root of the word), and both \u003Ci\u003Eshevet \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as \"tribe\" refer to something you can rely upon. Perhaps he means that in tribal group everyone helps one another.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGesenius combines some of the above approaches, saying that \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;came to be tribe from the authority of the scepter, and \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;represents the branching out (as Ben Yehuda wrote about \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E). I suppose he viewed the developments of \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;as parallel, but independent.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EBefore researching this, I thought that there was a parallel development in English, with the word \"staff\" meaning both \"stick\" and \"group (of people employed by an organization.) But that was a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/staff\"\u003Every late entry into English\u003C\/a\u003E, first appearing only in 1702. It originally had a specifically military sense, as it came \"from the notion of the 'baton' that is a badge of office or authority.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe early Zionist leader and Hebrew linguist\u0026nbsp;Nahum Sokolow adopted this meaning of staff as a group of military officers, and adopted the word \u003Ci\u003Ematteh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;for that purpose. So today, the commander in chief of the Israeli army is the \u003Ci\u003Erosh hamatteh haklali \u003C\/i\u003Eראש המטה הכללי - \"the Chief of the General Staff\" (frequently abbreviated to רמטכ\"ל Ramatkal.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd while in Modern Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Ematteh \u003C\/i\u003Ehas a primarily military connotation, \u003Ci\u003Eshevet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has much more of a civilian tone, used either for groups in youth movements, or to represent an ethnic or large family group (sometimes in a derogatorily way, similar to the English \"tribal.\")\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs I've said before, Hebrew just can't handle synonyms...\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3234525194274772122\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3234525194274772122","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3234525194274772122"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3234525194274772122"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/05\/shevet-and-matteh.html","title":"shevet and matteh"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3318181713306109729"},"published":{"$t":"2020-05-17T13:55:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-05-17T13:56:22.117+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"yom huledet"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew phrase for \"birthday\" is יום הולדת \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet. \u003C\/i\u003EWhile it's certainly a familiar phrase, it's actually kind of a strange construct. \u003Ci\u003EHuledet \u003C\/i\u003Eis the \u003Ci\u003Ehufal \u003C\/i\u003E(passive and causative) form. Why not use the simpler יום הלידה \u003Ci\u003Eyom haleida - \u003C\/i\u003E\"day of birth\"?\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe phrase \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears three times in the Bible. The first is in Bereshit 40:20 after Yosef deciphered the dreams of his servants (the other two are in Yechezkel 16:4,5). Here is how the phrase appears in Bereshit:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eוַיְהִי  בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹה וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה לְכָל־עֲבָדָיו וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת־רֹאשׁ  שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים וְאֶת־רֹאשׁ שַׂר הָאֹפִים בְּתוֹךְ עֲבָדָיו׃ \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EOn the third day—his birthday [\u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet\u003C\/i\u003E]—Pharaoh made a banquet for all his officials, and he singled out\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E his chief cupbearer and his chief baker from among his officials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOn this verse, Rashi asks our question above, and mentions the other occurrences of\u0026nbsp; \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003Eיום הלדת את פרעה.\u003C\/b\u003E יוֹם לֵידָתוֹ, וְקוֹרִין לוֹ יוֹם גֵּינוּסְיָא. וּלְשׁוֹן הֻלֶּדֶת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין הַוָּלָד נוֹצָר אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁהַחַיָּה מְיַלֶּדֶת אֶת הָאִשָּׁה, וְעַל כֵּן הַחַיָּה נִקְרֵאת מְיַלֶּדֶת, וְכֵן וּמוֹלְדוֹתַיִךְ בְּיוֹם הוּלֶּדֶת אוֹתָךְ (\u003Ca class=\"refLink\" href=\"\/Ezekiel.16\"\u003Eיחזקאל ט\"ז\u003C\/a\u003E) וְכֵן אַחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס אֶת הַנֶּגַע (\u003Ca class=\"refLink\" href=\"\/Leviticus.13\"\u003Eויקרא י\"ג\u003C\/a\u003E), שֶׁכִּבּוּסוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים: \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003Eיום הלדת את פרעה HIS (PHARAOH’S) BIRTHDAY. It is called (\u003Ca class=\"refLink\" href=\"\/Avodah_Zarah.10a\"\u003EAvodah Zarah 10a\u003C\/a\u003E) “The birthday festival”. The causative passive form (הלדת) is used because the infant is born only by the assistance of others, for the midwife delivers the woman. On this account a midwife is called מילדת a Piel form “one who brings to birth”. This passive form occurs similarly (\u003Ca class=\"refLink\" href=\"\/Ezekiel.16.4\"\u003EEzekiel 16:4\u003C\/a\u003E) “And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born (הולדת אתך)”. A similar passive form is used in (\u003Ca class=\"refLink\" href=\"\/Leviticus.13.55\"\u003ELeviticus 13:55\u003C\/a\u003E) “after the plague (הכבס) is washed away”, because the washing is done by others).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn other words, a better translation for \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;would be \"the day [he] was delivered\" instead of \"birthday,\" even though both phrases refer to the same date. (An alternate suggestion, by Radak and Rabbeinu Bachye, is that this was the day a son was born to Pharaoh.) This can also help us understand why the phrase is \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet et paro\u003C\/i\u003E, where Pharaoh is the object of the phrase, instead of \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet paro\u003C\/i\u003E, which is how we would say it today. Pharaoh was the object - he was delivered on that day. According to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.biu.ac.il\/JH\/Parasha\/eng\/vayeshev\/ros.html\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E, the verse describes the historical record of\u0026nbsp; \"a ceremony at which the Pharaoh was \u003Cu\u003Eborn again\u003C\/u\u003E as far as Egyptian protocol was concerned.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESo this usage could explain why \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet \u003C\/i\u003Eis the phrase we use for \"birthday.\" However, there are other phrases used to describe birthdays in the Bible:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp; כְּיוֹם הִוָּלְדָהּ \u003Ci\u003Ek'yom hivalda - \u003C\/i\u003E\"as on the day she was born\" (Hoshea 2:5)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;מִיּוֹם הִוָּלְדוֹ - \u003Ci\u003Em'yom hivaldo - \u003C\/i\u003E\"than the day of his birth\" (Kohelet 7:1)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnd in the mishna (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Mishnah_Avodah_Zarah.1?lang=bi\"\u003EAvoda Zara 1:3\u003C\/a\u003E), we find \u003Ci\u003Eyom haleida \u003C\/i\u003Eיום הלידה.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESo why didn't any of the above become the standard term for \"birthday\"?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI couldn't find an proven answer to this question. However, it seems that \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/3322-birthday\"\u003Ebirthdays weren't a big deal in Judaism until recently\u003C\/a\u003E. And so there wasn't need for a standard Hebrew phrase for the concept. I didn't find \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;mentioned in Rabbinic sources that weren't discussing the verses in Bereshit or Yechezkel until relatively recently.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWe can see the trends even better, by looking at this chart of appearances of the phrase \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet \u003C\/i\u003E(with both spellings) in Hebrew books over the last few centuries:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Ciframe frameborder=\"0\" height=\"500\" hspace=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" name=\"ngram_chart\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/ngrams\/interactive_chart?content=%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9D+%D7%94%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%AA%2C%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9D+%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%AA\u0026amp;case_insensitive=on\u0026amp;year_start=1500\u0026amp;year_end=2008\u0026amp;corpus=24\u0026amp;smoothing=3\u0026amp;share=\u0026amp;direct_url=t1%3B%2C%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9D%20%D7%94%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%AA%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2C%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9D%20%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%AA%3B%2Cc0\" vspace=\"0\" width=\"700\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E \u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe usage (of the full spelling) really starts spiking around the 1960s. I assume that most of the earlier occurrences were discussing the biblical examples.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut as we saw, there were other choices - \u003Ci\u003Eyom hivaldo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or \u003Ci\u003Eyom haleida\u003C\/i\u003E. Why not them? My guess is that people were very familiar with the \u003Ci\u003Eyom huledet \u003C\/i\u003Eof Pharaoh, due to the weekly Torah reading. And although Rashi gives it a slightly different explanation than \"day of birth,\" that wasn't enough to prevent it from becoming the popular phrase.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3318181713306109729\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3318181713306109729","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3318181713306109729"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3318181713306109729"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/05\/yom-huledet.html","title":"yom huledet"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3824513399326383662"},"published":{"$t":"2020-05-11T20:25:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-05-11T20:25:58.468+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"po and kan"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u0026nbsp;Is there any difference between the two Hebrew words for \"here\" - \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;פה and \u003Ci\u003Ekan \u003C\/i\u003Eכאן?\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThey originate in different strata of Hebrew. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B9%D6%BC%D7%94.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EPo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is of biblical origin\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ci\u003Ekan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;starts appearing in Rabbinic Hebrew. (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9B%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%90%D7%9F?lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9B%D6%B9%D6%BC%D7%94.1\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003EIt derives\u003C\/a\u003E from a Biblical word, \u003Ci\u003Eko\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;כה, which means \"so, thus\" and can also mean \"here.\")\u0026nbsp; They each are part of words meaning \"where\" - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2019\/12\/03\/%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%94-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%9F-%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%9F-%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9F\/\"\u003Ethe biblical \u003Ci\u003Eeifo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;איפה and the rabbinic \u003Ci\u003Eheikhan \u003C\/i\u003Eהיכן\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWhat about the meanings? They both mean \"here\" and are often viewed as complete synonyms, even being the most popular example of two Hebrew words with the same meaning, and define each other in dictionaries. While in English having two synonymous words might not be remarkable, as we \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/04\/tzedek-and-tzedaka.html\"\u003Epointed out recently\u003C\/a\u003E, \"Hebrew has a hard time hanging on to synonyms.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnd yet, a closer look does show differences in uses, even though the translation to the English \"here\" remains in place. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=sdZBAAAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA298\u0026amp;lpg=PA298\u0026amp;dq=here+po+kan+hebrew\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=OEqAmaVY18\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U1Oup6U6zuMTBIHXhbsm7kYxbeD5Q\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjfqrfth6zpAhUuy4UKHaGUB5MQ6AEwBXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EThis book\u003C\/a\u003E does a good job of capturing those differences:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EThere is, however, a very basic semantic distinction between \u003Ci\u003Epo \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Ekan \u003C\/i\u003Ewhich — in my experience — most people take for granted but immediately recognize when it is pointed out to them. The word \u003Ci\u003Epo \u003C\/i\u003Eis limited to the realm of space on the spatio-temporal-existential cline. It always refers to a specific and concrete place in the immediate or proximate vicinity. The word \u003Ci\u003Ekan\u003C\/i\u003E, on the other hand, has gone beyond the realm of space in the universal spatio-temporal-existential cline and may also be used for temporal and existential messages as well. The word \u003Ci\u003Ekan \u003C\/i\u003Emay refer to specific places and immediate or proximate vicinities (like \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E), to the present time (the here-and-now), and to general relevant issues and situations (\u003Ci\u003Eleadken \u003C\/i\u003E- 'to bring up to date') (lit. 'to-until-here-now').\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn other words, \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is almost always talking about a physical place. \u003Ci\u003EKan\u003C\/i\u003E, on the other hand, can be about place - but can also be about time (like how far along you are in process), or even purely abstractly (like your understanding of an issue). \"Here\" captures all of those in English, but the difference in nuance in the Hebrew words are real. If you would say (without context), \u003Ci\u003Ekan chashavti lehitpater \u003C\/i\u003Eכאן חשבתי להתטפר - \"here I thought of resigning\", it could mean \"in this place\" or \"at this point in my life.\" But if you used \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;instead of \u003Ci\u003Ekan\u003C\/i\u003E, it would likely mean \"in this physical place.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAll that said, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/24331468?read-now=1\u0026amp;refreqid=excelsior%3A7b302baa29f8ad0f19308eb56a898c1f\u0026amp;seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E seems to show a trend in the opposite direction. Collecting examples of spoken Hebrew in the 1980s and 1990s, it found that \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;was used in the vast majority of cases. And while it recognizes the trend we mentioned above in \"classical\" Hebrew, it says that in the usages they studied, \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;actually was used in more varied circumstances than \u003Ci\u003Ekan\u003C\/i\u003E. This is how the English abstract describes the study:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EThe paper traces the fine distinction between two adverbs of location —  \u003Cbdo dir=\"auto\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eפה \u003Cspan dir=\"ltr\"\u003Eand\u003C\/span\u003E  כאן\u003C\/bdo\u003E  — frequently regarded as an example of exact synonyms. Data based on a  recorded corpus of native speakers are analyzed quantitatively and  qualitatively, namely, using semantic and functional methods of  sign-oriented linguistics. The findings show  \u003Cbdo dir=\"auto\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eפה\u003C\/bdo\u003E  to be the dominant, unmarked term of the pair, found in 97 percent of the cases. Unlike in their classical use,  \u003Cbdo dir=\"auto\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eפה\u003C\/bdo\u003E  may designate not only location but also temporal concepts, whereas  \u003Cbdo dir=\"auto\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eכאן\u003C\/bdo\u003E  is restricted to locational concepts. Although their denotation is the  same, the marginal field of their meaning differs. In certain lexical  phrases,  \u003Cbdo dir=\"auto\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eכאן\u003C\/bdo\u003E  carries a submeaning of 'border' or 'end', whereas  \u003Cbdo dir=\"auto\" lang=\"he\"\u003Eפה\u003C\/bdo\u003E  has a submeaning of 'now', and functions as a half-empty prosodic or emotive filler, mainly in the existence  \u003Cbdo dir=\"auto\" lang=\"he\"\u003E(יש)\u003C\/bdo\u003E  sentence pattern.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWhile I don't challenge the scholarship of the study, the results have not been my experience. When it comes to a word describing the \"physical\" here, I haven't noticed a preference for \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or \u003Ci\u003Ekan\u003C\/i\u003E. And I haven't seen \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;being used to designate \"temporal concepts.\" It could be that my ear isn't that sensitive, or I'm not in the same social groups as the study, or that things have changed in the past 30 years. I'm happy to hear your experiences as well.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOne word I didn't mention was \u003Ci\u003Ehinei\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;הנה which can also mean \"here,\" but isn't interchangeable with \u003Ci\u003Ekan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E. As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=WJVpaiGvoCQC\u0026amp;pg=PA74\u0026amp;dq=here+po+kan+hebrew\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwjd2IC0iKzpAhVJTxUIHYNOBrYQ6AEIMTAB#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ethis book\u003C\/a\u003E puts it:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EIt might be translated as \"here,\" but unlike the Hebrew synonyms for \"here,\" \"\u003Ci\u003Ekan\u003C\/i\u003E\" and \"\u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E,\" it cannot occur in a mere descriptive proposition. \"\u003Ci\u003EHine\u003C\/i\u003E\" is used only presentationally; that is, I can say \"\u003Ci\u003Ehine hameil\u003C\/i\u003E,\" here is the coat, when I point to the coat (hence the translation: \"Behold the coat!\"), but I cannot say, \"\u003Ci\u003EEtmol hameil haya hine\u003C\/i\u003E\" (Yesterday the coat was \u003Ci\u003Ehine\u003C\/i\u003E) to mean \"Yesterday the coat was here\"; I have to say \"\u003Ci\u003EEtmol hameil haya po\u003C\/i\u003E\" or \"\u003Ci\u003EEtmol hameil haya kan\u003C\/i\u003E.\" Thus \u003Ci\u003Ehine \u003C\/i\u003Eperforms the speech-act of calling attention to, or presenting, not describing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESo now I can state: \u003Ci\u003Ehinei\u003C\/i\u003E, the post about the Hebrew words for \"here\" is \u003Ci\u003Ekan. \u003C\/i\u003E(Or should I say \u003Ci\u003Epo\u003C\/i\u003E?)\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3824513399326383662\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3824513399326383662","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3824513399326383662"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3824513399326383662"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/05\/po-and-kan.html","title":"po and kan"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8095635371155295981"},"published":{"$t":"2020-05-03T12:14:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-05-03T14:54:08.364+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"charata"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I've discussed a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/cheresh.html\"\u003Efew\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2011\/01\/khartoum-and-hartumim.html\"\u003Etimes \u003C\/a\u003Ein \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/08\/katom.html\"\u003Ethe past\u003C\/a\u003E that the root חרט means \"to engrave\", as in the word \u003Ci\u003Echarita \u003C\/i\u003Eחריטה - \"engraving, chiseling.\" But I didn't answer the question: is that root related to the words \u003Ci\u003Echarata \u003C\/i\u003Eחרטה - \"regret, remorse\" and \u003Ci\u003Ehitcharet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;התחרט - \"to regret\"?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis meaning isn't found in the Bible, but first appears in Rabbinic Hebrew.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%97%D6%B8%D7%A8%D6%B7%D7%98.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E makes the fanciful suggestion that \"to regret, feel sorry\" is to \"scratch one's self.\"\u0026nbsp; Ben Yehuda says that the etymology of \u003Ci\u003Echarata\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(and the related verb) is unknown and no cognates are found in Semitic languages.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, Klein does provide an etymology. He has two distinct entries for חרט. After the entry for חרט - \"to chisel, engrave\", he has חרט as \"to repent\", \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%98_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eand says\u003C\/a\u003E that it comes from\u0026nbsp; the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Einḫaraṭa\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp; - \"he did ignorantly.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis would make it cognate with a common word in Israeli slang - \u003Ci\u003Ekharta \u003C\/i\u003Eחרטה. It means \"nonsense, rubbish\", and I actually thought it was a rude word with scatological origins. But no, it just comes from the same Arabic root meaning \"lies, nonsense.\" Related slang words are \u003Ci\u003Ekharta barta \u003C\/i\u003Eחרטה ברטה - \"nonsense, make-believe, baloney\" and the verb \u003Ci\u003Ekhirtet \u003C\/i\u003Eחרטט - \"to make up nonsense.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGoing back to the original question, I expected some linguistic proof that the two forms of חרט are unrelated. This happens not infrequently with words including the Hebrew letter \u003Ci\u003Echet. \u003C\/i\u003EWhile Hebrew has only one \u003Ci\u003Echet\u003C\/i\u003E, the cognates in Arabic have two different letters - like a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E1%B8%AA%C4%81%CA%BE\"\u003Ehard \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%E1%B8%AA%C4%81%CA%BE\"\u003Echet\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eand a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Heth#Arabic_%E1%B8%A5%C4%81%CA%BE\"\u003Esoft \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Heth#Arabic_%E1%B8%A5%C4%81%CA%BE\"\u003Echet\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/i\u003ESo sometimes two words in Hebrew will seem to be homonyms, but when compared with Arabic, they will be shown to be unrelated. This was the case, for example, with the words for fat and milk - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/06\/chalav-and-chelev.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Echalav \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Echelev\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. They are spelled the same in Hebrew - חלב - but are unrelated.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut both meanings of חרט have Arabic cognates, and both are spelled with the hard \u003Ci\u003Echet. \u003C\/i\u003ESo that can't prove they aren't related.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd in fact, while I don't have direct proof, I think that perhaps they are connected. Let's look another Hebrew root with similar meanings - פסל.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EOne meaning\u003C\/a\u003E is \"to hew, hew out, carve.\" From here we get such words as \u003Ci\u003Epesel\u003C\/i\u003E פסל - \"carved image, idol\" and \u003Ci\u003Epesolet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;פסולת - \"chips, stone dust.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe other meaning is \"to disqualify, declare unfit.\" This meaning gives us \u003Ci\u003Epasul \u003C\/i\u003Eפסול - \"disqualified, defective, unfit.\" For this sense, Klein provides \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ethis etymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAram. \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, פסל ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eפְּסַל\u003C\/a\u003E (= he disqualified, declared unfit), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Efasala\u003C\/i\u003E (= was ignoble, was valueless). According to several scholars \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, פסל ᴵᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C%20%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eפסל ᴵᴵ\u003C\/a\u003E represents a special sense development of \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, פסל ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eפסל ᴵ\u003C\/a\u003E (as if \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, פסל ᴵᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C%20%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eפסל ᴵᴵ\u003C\/a\u003E would have meant orig. ‘was cut away’, whence arose the meaning ‘was considered useless’). They refer to the sense development of \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, פְּסֹֽלֶת 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A4%D6%B0%D6%BC%D7%A1%D6%B9%D6%BD%D7%9C%D6%B6%D7%AA.1\"\u003Eפּֽסֹלֶת\u003C\/a\u003E (= chips, stone dust), whence ‘worthless matter’. However, according to others \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, פסל ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eפסל ᴵ\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, פסל ᴵᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%9C%20%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eפסל ᴵᴵ\u003C\/a\u003E are two different bases.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo according to the first explanation, which seems reasonable, there was a development from \"carving\" to \"worthless matter.\" Could the same have happened from \u003Ci\u003Echarita - \u003C\/i\u003E\"engraving\" to \u003Ci\u003Ekharta - \u003C\/i\u003E\"nonsense\" to \u003Ci\u003Echarata - \u003C\/i\u003E\"regret\"?\u0026nbsp; Doesn't look like \u003Ci\u003Ekharta barta\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to me..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8095635371155295981\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8095635371155295981","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8095635371155295981"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8095635371155295981"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/05\/charata.html","title":"charata"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3408225244126716764"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-25T23:49:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-04-25T23:49:28.530+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"midbar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I recently wrote an essay for the journal Tradition entitled \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/traditiononline.org\/words-of-ailing-words-of-healing\/\"\u003EWords of Ailing, Words of Healing\u003C\/a\u003E\" where I discussed the origins of Hebrew words relating to illness and health, in the light of the current pandemic.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne of the words I mentioned was\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Edever\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;דבר - \"plague.\" After discussing the word for pandemic,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emagefa\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eמגפה, I continued:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EA more common Biblical word for plague is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Edever\u003C\/i\u003E. This word does not appear to be related to the very common word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Edevar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Emeaning “word, speech.” More surprisingly, it is not cognate with the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ehadbara\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E– “extermination.” That word comes from a third Hebrew root, which meant “to follow behind” or “to push forward.” This meaning led to the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E– “desert,” which was a place where cattle were pushed forward to graze. In the more intense\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ehifil\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eform of the verb,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Ehidbir\u003C\/i\u003E, “pushing forward” became “subdue, overwhelm,” and from there came the meaning “to eliminate, exterminate.” (“\u003Ci\u003EYadber sonenu\u003C\/i\u003E,” we recite in the Prayer for the I.D.F., asking God to “subdue our enemies.”)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI wrote that\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eמדבר in English is \"desert\". But another common translation is \"wilderness.\" Which is correct?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWell, in some ways, this is more a question about English semantics than Hebrew. Let's look at what the two English words mean.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EToday most people would say that desert is a barren land, likely arid, and probably hot and full of sand. A wilderness, on the other hand, is full of wild vegetation, but not settled by humans.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, these were not the original meanings of the words.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Desert#Etymology\"\u003E\"Desert\" was an abandoned place\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(think of the verb \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/desert\"\u003Eto desert\"\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;= \"to abandon\".)\u0026nbsp; Only in the 20th century did desert become associated with aridity. Before that there are many examples of desert being used in places that were clearly not arid (think of \"desert island\", which was the original phrase, not \"deserted island\",\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/ngrams\/graph?content=desert+island%2Cdeserted+island\u0026amp;year_start=1800\u0026amp;year_end=2008\u0026amp;corpus=15\u0026amp;smoothing=3\u0026amp;share=\u0026amp;direct_url=t1%3B%2Cdesert%20island%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cdeserted%20island%3B%2Cc0\"\u003Edespite the increase in use of the latter recently\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWilderness also meant something similar - an uninhabited or uncultivated place. So while there may have been differences in nuance between desert and wilderness,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=ctYRAAAAIAAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA126\u0026amp;dq=wilderness+desert+synonym\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwjH9ZfesYTpAhVSQhoKHetnCAIQ6AEIWTAG#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=wilderness%20desert%20synonym\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Euntil relatively recently\u003C\/a\u003E, they were pretty much synonyms.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo if both words are used to translate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E, that shouldn't concern us too much. But that said, what was the nature of the biblical word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe answer is found in what I wrote above, that\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;originally meant \"a place where cattle were pushed forward to graze.\" This meaning is evident in Shemot 3:1 -\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eוּמֹשֶׁה הָיָה רֹעֶה אֶת־צֹאן יִתְרוֹ חֹתְנוֹ כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן וַיִּנְהַג אֶת־הַצֹּאן אַחַר הַמִּדְבָּר וַיָּבֹא אֶל־הַר הָאֱלֹהִים חֹרֵבָה׃\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow Moses, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, drove the flock into the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIf Moses drove his flocks there, the land was not entirely barren (but not settled). As Sarna in the JPS commentary writes,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \"a region of uninhabited and unirrigated pastureland.\" Cassuto, following Onkelos (who interprets it as \"choice pasture\") , goes so far as to translate the word as \"grassland.\" This may seem strange, but verses like this one show that a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;did not have to be arid at all:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EFear not, O beasts of the field, for the pastures in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;are clothed with grass. The trees have borne their fruit; fig tree and vine have yielded their strength. (Yoel 2:22)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe Sinai\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;that sustained the Israelites for 40 years also fits the definition - it was uninhabited, but could support the nomadic tribes (with some help from above.) The focus on \"uninhabited\" is captured in the midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 1:7) which writes:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAnyone who does not make themselves ownerless like the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;cannot acquire the wisdom and the Torah. Therefore it says, \"the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eof Sinai.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThere are however, other words to describe a particularly barren land in biblical Hebrew -\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/05\/erev.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Earava\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eערבה and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eyeshimon\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eישימון.\u0026nbsp; Those words are offered as synonyms for a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;that is particularly desolate, in Devarim 32:10 and Yirmiyahu 50:12.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003ESo a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can be a desert - even according to the contemporary meaning. It can also be a wilderness - although a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emidbar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Ein the Middle East is not likely to look like a wilderness in other parts of the world. As often happens, there is not a perfect translation. Just one more reason to try to read the Bible (or any book) when possible in the original language...\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3408225244126716764\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3408225244126716764","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3408225244126716764"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3408225244126716764"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/04\/midbar.html","title":"midbar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-611106848073094886"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-19T00:42:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-04-19T00:43:44.984+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"stam"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"One of the most popular words in Israel slang is \u003Ci\u003Estam \u003C\/i\u003Eסתם. It means \"just kidding.\" How did it come to mean that?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Biblical Hebrew, the verb \u003Ci\u003Esatam\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;סתם means two things: a) to literally stop up or close up (wells) and b) to hide, conceal (to close up in a metaphorical sense).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EToday the first meaning still exists. A blocked pipe is \u003Ci\u003Esatum\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;סתום, and a rude way of telling someone to shut up is \u003Ci\u003Estom et hapeh \u003C\/i\u003Eסתום את הפה - literally, \"close your mouth.\" A valve is a \u003Ci\u003Eshastom\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;שסתום. It is a blend of the similarly words with opposite meanings - \u003Ci\u003Esatam \u003C\/i\u003E(to close) and \u003Ci\u003Eshatam \u003C\/i\u003Eשתם (to open).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe metaphorical sense developed further. Under Aramaic influence, the word \u003Ci\u003Estam \u003C\/i\u003Ecame to mean \"a vague or indefinite expression\", \"an anonymous opinion\" or \"in general.\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A1%D7%AA%D7%9D.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E that these senses developed from \"something stopped up\", \"something closed\", \"something unknown.\" In Medieval Hebrew the adjective\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Estami\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;סתמי came to mean \"vague, indefinite, uncertain.\" In Modern Hebrew, \u003Ci\u003Estami \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"neutral\", and has been used in attempts to replace the Yiddish \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/pareve.html\"\u003Epareve\u003C\/a\u003E, but without much success.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Aramaic form of \u003Ci\u003Estam\u003C\/i\u003E, סתמא \u003Ci\u003Estama, \u003C\/i\u003Ealso meant \"anonymous opinion,\" but also meant the related \"without qualification.\" A form of that word in Talmudic literature is \u003Ci\u003Emistama\u003C\/i\u003E מסתמא - \"of a general nature.\" In Yiddish this became \u003Ci\u003Emistome\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and in Modern Hebrew - \u003Ci\u003Emin hastam\u003C\/i\u003E מן הסתם. The more recent sense is \"likely, probably, predictably\" - since as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=Tqdff1z0d0UC\u0026amp;lpg=PA144\u0026amp;dq=stam%20yiddish\u0026amp;pg=PA119#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ethis book\u003C\/a\u003E puts it, \"what is generally applicable is most probably applicable in a more specific case.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe meaning \"without qualification\" brings us closest to the current meaning in modern Hebrew slang. Another way to say \"without qualification\" is \"just is, merely.\" It had that sense in Yiddish, and entered Israeli slang with the same connotation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo \u003Ci\u003Estam \u003C\/i\u003Ecould mean \"nothing fancy.\" How was the meal? \"\u003Ci\u003EStam, \u003C\/i\u003Enothing special.\" Or, \"that was no \u003Ci\u003Estam \u003C\/i\u003Evacation, it was amazing.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut it can also mean \"for no particular reason.\" Why aren't you coming to the party? \"\u003Ci\u003EStam\u003C\/i\u003E, I don't feel like it.\" Or, \"I just \u003Ci\u003Estam \u003C\/i\u003Ecalled to say hi.\"\u0026nbsp;And while that sense of \u003Ci\u003Estam\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;sounds rather apathetic, the just kidding version has a very different tone. As Shoshana Kordova wrote \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/.premium-word-of-the-day-stam-1.5198176\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ELet’s say your Israeli colleague wants to pull your leg. When you get into the office your coworker, ever a kidder, announces that the computer system is down and no one will be able to do any work until the tech people fix it. He watches as you get excited (“Yes! I get to play hooky without having to take a sick day!”) or upset (“Now I’ll have to stay longer to finish the project I need to get done today!”), and then breaks in to let you know it was all a joke. The word he reaches for could well be “\u003Ci\u003Estam\u003C\/i\u003E,” but in this context the “a” sound is usually drawn out, sounding something like “\u003Ci\u003EStaaaaaaaaaahm\u003C\/i\u003E!”\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOr a different example \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/learninghebrew.net\/hebrew-slang-stam\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E-That dress looks terrible on you.\u003Cbr \/\u003E-Really?!?\u003Cbr \/\u003E-\u003Ci\u003EStam\u003C\/i\u003E! It looks great on you.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven more samples of its use can be found \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.elephant.org.il\/translate\/translatable-but-debatable-stam\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI think this is an interesting example of a word that meant \"closed up\" and \"concealed\" and ended up meaning \"probably\" and \"for no reason at all.\" And the most fascinating bit of trivia? The English word stem - as in \"to stem the tide\" - actually derives directly from the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Esatam\u003C\/i\u003E!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/stem\"\u003EStaaaaaaaaaahm...\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/611106848073094886\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=611106848073094886","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/611106848073094886"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/611106848073094886"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/04\/stam.html","title":"stam"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7409279954934640095"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-12T22:44:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-04-13T11:27:13.431+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"tzedek and tzedaka"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In modern Hebrew, \u003Ci\u003Etzedek\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;צדק and \u003Ci\u003Etzedakah \u003C\/i\u003Eצדקה have very different meanings. \u003Ci\u003ETzedek\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \"justice, which is obligatory and compels all. \u003Ci\u003ETzedaka \u003C\/i\u003Eis \"charity\", which is praiseworthy, but voluntary. (In Jewish law, giving charity in general is obligatory, but the amount given and the intended recipient is left to the donor's discretion.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBoth words are found in biblical Hebrew. \u003Ci\u003ETzedek\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is found 119 times in the Bible, and \u003Ci\u003Etzedaka\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears 157 times. In the Bible, they are essentially synonyms. They both refer to righteousness and justness. Nissan Netzer, in his book on Bereshit (p. 47), points out that there are synonym pairs in Biblical Hebrew where one word ends with the letter \u003Ci\u003Eheh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the other doesn't. He brings the examples of \u003Ci\u003Eotzem \u003C\/i\u003Eעוצם and \u003Ci\u003Eotzma \u003C\/i\u003Eעצמה - which both mean \"force, might\", and \u003Ci\u003Eshir \u003C\/i\u003Eשיר and \u003Ci\u003Eshira \u003C\/i\u003Eשירה - which both mean \"song.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2011\/09\/12\/%D7%A6%D7%93%D7%A7-%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%93%D7%A7%D7%94\/\"\u003EThis article\u003C\/a\u003E by the Academy of the Hebrew Language points out that there is a slight difference between the two words in biblical Hebrew. \u003Ci\u003ETzedek \u003C\/i\u003Emore often refers to the concept or value of justice, whereas \u003Ci\u003Etzedaka \u003C\/i\u003Eis more frequently found referring to the act (or acts) of performing justice. Evidence to this difference can be found by the fact that \u003Ci\u003Etzedek \u003C\/i\u003Eis only found in the singular, but \u003Ci\u003Etzedaka \u003C\/i\u003Ecan have a plural (\u003Ci\u003Etzedakot \u003C\/i\u003Eצדקות).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHebrew seems to have a hard time hanging on to synonyms. These differences in nuance, through a process known as \"semantic shift\", led the two words to diverge fully. Starting in Rabbinic Hebrew, they ended up as \"justice\" and \"charity to the poor\" (as an expression of justice). (The same phenomenon can be found with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eshir \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eshira. \u003C\/i\u003EToday \u003Ci\u003Eshir \u003C\/i\u003Estill means song, but \u003Ci\u003Eshira \u003C\/i\u003Erefers to poetry.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom the same root we get other Hebrew words. A \u003Ci\u003Etzadik\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;צדיק is a righteous person. And it also provides the verbs\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Etzodek \u003C\/i\u003Eצודק -\u0026nbsp; \"to be correct\" and \u003Ci\u003Ematzdik \u003C\/i\u003Eמצדיק - \"to justify.\" These words seems to have echoes in other Semitic languages, as seen in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A6%D7%93%D7%A7.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eetymology Klein provides\u003C\/a\u003E for the root:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAram. \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, צֶֽדֶק ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A6%D6%B6%D6%BD%D7%93%D6%B6%D7%A7%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eצְדֵק\u003C\/a\u003E (= he was righteous), Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eזָדֵק\u003C\/span\u003E (= it is right; for the change of \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, צ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A6.1\"\u003Eצ\u003C\/a\u003E to \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, ז 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%96.1\"\u003Eז\u003C\/a\u003E see the introductory article to letter \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, ז 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%96.1\"\u003Eז\u003C\/a\u003E), Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Eṣdq\u003C\/i\u003E (= reliability, virtue), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eṣadaqa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he spoke the truth), Ethiop. \u003Ci\u003Eṣadaqa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he was just, was righteous)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe connection between \"correct\" and \"justice\" can be found in English as well, in the related words \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/righteous\"\u003Eright\u003C\/a\u003E\" (correct) and \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/righteous\"\u003Erighteous\u003C\/a\u003E.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7409279954934640095\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7409279954934640095","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7409279954934640095"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7409279954934640095"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/04\/tzedek-and-tzedaka.html","title":"tzedek and tzedaka"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1126073747859658817"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-06T17:58:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-04-06T18:01:10.479+03:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"pesach"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"nirtzah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/04\/haggadah-and-aggadah.html\"\u003EHaggadah\u003C\/a\u003E opens up with a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-language.com\/songs-kadesh-urchatz\/\"\u003Esong\u003C\/a\u003E, to help the participants remember, via rhyme, the various actions they need to perform throughout the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/03\/seder.html\"\u003Eseder\u003C\/a\u003E. The last section, however, is not an instruction per se - but more of a description of this final stage. This is the \u003Ci\u003ENirtza \u003C\/i\u003Eנרצה section, which is followed by various songs after the seder is completed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat does \u003Ci\u003Enirtza \u003C\/i\u003Emean? I've seen it translated as \"(all is) accepted\" or \"acceptance.\" The source appears to be this verse in Kohelet, which in a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=I4pDAAAAcAAJ\u0026amp;lpg=PP15\u0026amp;ots=l5P-Zvco29\u0026amp;dq=%22%D7%9B%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%99%20%D7%9B%D6%B0%D7%91%D6%B8%D7%A8%20%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%A6%D6%B8%D7%94%20%D7%94%D6%B8%D7%90%D6%B1%D7%9C%D6%B9%D7%94%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9D%20%D7%90%D6%B6%D7%AA%20%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%A2%D6%B2%D7%A9%D6%B6%D7%82%D7%99%D7%9A%D6%B8%22%20%20%22%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%94%22\u0026amp;pg=PP15#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Enumber of\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=qNlRAAAAcAAJ\u0026amp;lpg=PP75\u0026amp;ots=tLVoWj_Vh7\u0026amp;dq=%22%D7%9B%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%99%20%D7%9B%D6%B0%D7%91%D6%B8%D7%A8%20%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%A6%D6%B8%D7%94%20%D7%94%D6%B8%D7%90%D6%B1%D7%9C%D6%B9%D7%94%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9D%20%D7%90%D6%B6%D7%AA%20%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%A2%D6%B2%D7%A9%D6%B6%D7%82%D7%99%D7%9A%D6%B8%22%20%20%22%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%94%22\u0026amp;pg=PP76#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Eolder\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=s9lRAAAAcAAJ\u0026amp;lpg=PP93\u0026amp;ots=PD_pAAOl5V\u0026amp;dq=%22%D7%9B%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%99%20%D7%9B%D6%B0%D7%91%D6%B8%D7%A8%20%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%A6%D6%B8%D7%94%20%D7%94%D6%B8%D7%90%D6%B1%D7%9C%D6%B9%D7%94%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9D%20%D7%90%D6%B6%D7%AA%20%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%A2%D6%B2%D7%A9%D6%B6%D7%82%D7%99%D7%9A%D6%B8%22%20%20%22%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%94%22\u0026amp;pg=PP94#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ehaggadot\u003C\/a\u003E opens the \u003Ci\u003ENirtza\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;section:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Eכִּי כְבָר רָצָה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־מַעֲשֶׂיךָ׃...\u003Cbr \/\u003E...\u0026nbsp; for your action was long ago approved by God. (Kohelet 9:7)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EAnd so \u003Ci\u003ENirtza\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is a time where after all of the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/04\/pesach.html\"\u003EPesach\u003C\/a\u003E service is completed, we can enjoy the fact that God approved our actions.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThis understanding reflects the fact that in Biblical Hebrew, the verb \u003Ci\u003Eratzah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;רצה meant \"to be pleased with, to be favorable to.\"\u0026nbsp; That is the most common meaning. There are also verses where it means \"to like\" or \"to appease.\" Similarly, the derivative noun \u003Ci\u003Eratzon\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;רצון means \"goodwill, favor.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EHowever, Fox, in his JPS Commentary on Kohelet writes that this is not the best translation for that verse. He says the phrase should be instead translated as \"for your action was long ago \u003Cu\u003Edesired\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eby God.\" This sense of \u003Ci\u003Eratzah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the one commonly used today - \"to want.\" This sense is very common in Rabbinic Hebrew, but is rarely found in Biblical Hebrew. If Fox is correct, this is probably due to Kohelet frequently using Hebrew that reflects later usage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EDespite \u003Ci\u003Eratzah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning \"to want\" being one of the first words learned in Hebrew (either by young children or new speakers), strangely neither Ben Yehuda nor Klein mention it in their dictionaries, rather providing only the biblical meanings.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ERatzon \u003C\/i\u003Ealso changed meanings. While as we said, in Biblical Hebrew it meant \"favor\", in later Rabbinic writings it came to mean \"will\" (this is also likely the meaning in later books of the Bible, such as Esther 9:5)\u0026nbsp; In the Medieval period, much ink was spilled by rabbis who debated the nature of God's will. The rationalists, like Maimonides, much preferred to speak of God's will than His favor.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EInspired by \u003Ci\u003Eratzon \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"will\" (as in persistence), Eliezer Ben Yehuda took the Arabic word \u003Ci\u003Erazin \u003C\/i\u003E(\"grave, serious\") and coined the word \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/.premium-word-of-the-day-retzinut-1.5249821?=\u0026amp;ts=_1586184536256\"\u003Eretzini\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- רציני - \"serious.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThe sense of \u003Ci\u003Eratzah \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"to be pleased\" still has footing in Modern Hebrew. The related word \u003Ci\u003Emerutzeh \u003C\/i\u003Eמרוצה means \"satisfied.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EThe Hebrew words for \"lecture\" - הרצאה \u003Ci\u003Ehartza'ah \u003C\/i\u003Eand \"lecturer\" - מרצה \u003Ci\u003Emartzeh\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;also share the root רצה, and are related to the words we discussed above. Klein says that secondary meaning of the root meant originally \"to count, enumerate, pay off\" and later \"to recount, narrate, deliver a lecture.\" He provides \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%94_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ethis etymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EFor the sense development of \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, רצה ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%94%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eהִרְצָה\u003C\/a\u003E cp. \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, ספר ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eסָפַר\u003C\/a\u003E (= he counted), \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, ספר ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eסִפֵּר\u003C\/a\u003E (= he recounted, told, narrated); Arab. \u003Ci\u003Emanā, manā(y)\u003C\/i\u003E (= he counted), \u003Ci\u003Emānā(y)\u003C\/i\u003E (= he paid); Gk. \u003Ci\u003Earithmein\u003C\/i\u003E (= to count; to pay); Eng. to \u003Ci\u003Etell\u003C\/i\u003E, which means both ‘to count’ and ‘to recount’, Eng. \u003Ci\u003Ere-count\u003C\/i\u003E and \u003Ci\u003Erecount\u003C\/i\u003E; Fren. \u003Ci\u003Ecompter\u003C\/i\u003E (= to count), and \u003Ci\u003Econter\u003C\/i\u003E (= to tell, recount, narrate), which both derive from L. \u003Ci\u003Ecomputāre\u003C\/i\u003E (= to count), and It. \u003Ci\u003Econtare\u003C\/i\u003E, Sp. \u003Ci\u003Econtar\u003C\/i\u003E, which are of the same origin, and mean both ‘to count’, and ‘to tell, relate’. JAram. \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, אַרְצִי 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%90%D6%B7%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%A6%D6%B4%D7%99.1\"\u003Eאַרֽצִי\u003C\/a\u003E (= he counted, enumerated). According to several lexicographers \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, רצה ᴵᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%94%20%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eרצה ᴵᴵ\u003C\/a\u003E properly represents a special sense development of \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, רצה ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%94%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eרצה ᴵ\u003C\/a\u003E and orig. meant ‘to satisfy the creditor’.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;So now perhaps this can give us another feeling when we arrive at \u003Ci\u003ENirtza.\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;We've counted (so many plagues!) and recounted the story of the Exodus. The \"creditor\" is indeed satisfied!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1126073747859658817\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1126073747859658817","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1126073747859658817"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1126073747859658817"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/04\/nirtzah.html","title":"nirtzah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8826175462928254652"},"published":{"$t":"2020-03-29T16:11:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-03-29T16:11:27.875+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"karov, korban and kerev"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Ekarov \u003C\/i\u003Eקרוב means \"near.\" All the verbs that derive from the root of that word - קרב - mean \"to come near, approach\". In Biblical Hebrew, we find that meaning in the \u003Ci\u003Ekal \u003C\/i\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Ekarav\u003C\/i\u003E), \u003Ci\u003Epiel \u003C\/i\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Ekirev\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003Ci\u003E, \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Ehifil \u003C\/i\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Ehikriv\u003C\/i\u003E)\u0026nbsp;forms. The \u003Ci\u003Ehitpael \u003C\/i\u003Eform - \u003Ci\u003Ehitkarev \u003C\/i\u003Eהתקרב - only appears in Hebrew literature after the biblical period.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;The form \u003Ci\u003Ehikriv\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has an additional meaning. Rabbi Amnon Bazak, in his book \u003Ci\u003ENekudat Peticha \u003C\/i\u003E(p. 219) points out that for the first two books of the Torah, \u003Ci\u003Ehikriv \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"to approach\" (e.g. Bereshit 12:11, Shemot 14:10). However, in the beginning of the book of Vayikra, we find a new meaning:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Eדַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם אָדָם כִּי־יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַיהוָה מִן־הַבְּהֵמָה מִן־הַבָּקָר וּמִן־הַצֹּאן תַּקְרִיבוּ אֶת־קָרְבַּנְכֶם׃\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ESpeak to the Israelite people, and say to them:  When any of you presents an offering of cattle to the LORD, \u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Ehe shall choose his offering from the herd or from the flock. (Vayikra 1:2)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EHere \u003Ci\u003Ehikriv \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"bring an offering\" and we also find the first mention of the nouns \u003Ci\u003Ekorban \u003C\/i\u003Eקרבן - \"offering, sacrifice.\" Bazak points out that there were many sacrifices earlier in the Torah, but they always use other words like \u003Ci\u003Emincha \u003C\/i\u003Eמנחה (Bereshit 4:3), \u003Ci\u003Eolah \u003C\/i\u003Eעולה (Bereshit 8:20) and \u003Ci\u003Ezevach\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;זבח (Bereshit 46:1). So why did the Torah start using the word \u003Ci\u003Ekorban\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;only now?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EHe says that this is due to the meaning of the verb \u003Ci\u003Ehikriv\u003C\/i\u003E. Since previously it meant \"to draw close to\", he claims that only in Vayikra, when God established a permanent location in the Sanctuary, could these sacrifices be considered a way to become near to God. Previously, there might have been a spiritual closeness in sacrifices. Now, when one could actually approach the sanctuary, there was a physical dimension that expressed itself in this new word - \u003Ci\u003Ekorban.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EIn his book \u003Ci\u003EMidabrim Besefat Hatanach, \u003C\/i\u003ERubik Rosenthal notes (p. 140-141), that in Modern Hebrew, the words \u003Ci\u003Ehikriv\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Ekorban\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;have left that earlier meaning regarding ritual sacrifices, and split into two different meanings. The verb \u003Ci\u003Ehikriv\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means sacrifice in the secular sense: to give up something important for a higher purpose (and the noun form of this verb is \u003Ci\u003Ehakrava \u003C\/i\u003Eהקרבה - \"self-sacrifice.\"). \u003Ci\u003EKorban\u003C\/i\u003E, however, refers to someone harmed or killed by someone else's action - i.e. a victim. So for example, victims of terrorism are \u003Ci\u003Ekorbanot hateror\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קרבנות הטרור. There were those that opposed such usage, because the religious sense of \u003Ci\u003Ekorban\u003C\/i\u003E would seem to instill a higher purpose to those who perpetrated the crimes. But as we've seen many times before, language has a path of its own, and that usage stuck.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EA word that derives from this root is \u003Ci\u003Ekrav \u003C\/i\u003Eקרב - \"battle.\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B0%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%91.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein \u003C\/a\u003Esays it probably originally meant \"hostile approach.\" In Israel, a combat soldier is called \u003Ci\u003Ekravi\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;קרבי - \"ready for battle.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EA different word that at first glance looks like it should be from the same root, but perhaps isn't is \u003Ci\u003Ekerev \u003C\/i\u003Eקרב - \"midst, interior.\" The Ben-Yehuda dictionary provides three possibilities:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003Ea) That \u003Ci\u003Ekerev \u003C\/i\u003Ederives from \u003Ci\u003Ekarav. \u003C\/i\u003EIf this is the case, \u003Ci\u003Ekerev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;originally meant something like \"drawn close, closeness.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003Eb) They could be from entirely different roots. This what \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B6%D6%BD%D7%A8%D6%B6%D7%91.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E suggests:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E midst, interior. \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E inward part, bowels, intestines. [Related to Moabite בקרב (= in the midst of), Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Eqrb \u003C\/i\u003E(of same meaning), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eqirbu \u003C\/i\u003E(= inward part, interior), \u003Ci\u003Eqirib \u003C\/i\u003E(= in). These related words show that the orig. meaning of קֶרֶב was ‘midst, interior’, and that the meaning, ‘inward part, bowel, intestines’ is secondary. However, according to several scholars, Heb. קֶרֶב is related to Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqalb \u003C\/i\u003E(= heart); see קבל ᴵ.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003EHis reference to קבל (to be opposite, which \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2015\/02\/kimu-vkiblu.html\"\u003Ewe've discussed before\u003C\/a\u003E) brings us \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D7%91%D7%9C_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\"\u003Ethis entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EBAram. לָקֳבֵל, JAram. קְבֵל, לִקְבֵל (= in front, before), Syr. מֶן קֽבוֹל (= opposite); whence Aram.–Syr., also BAram. קַבֵּל, Heb. קִבֵּל, ‘he received, accepted’), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqabila \u003C\/i\u003E(= he received, accepted), OSArab. קבל (= to receive, accept), Ethiop. \u003Ci\u003Eqabala \u003C\/i\u003E(= he went to meet, encountered), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eqablu \u003C\/i\u003E(= battle; middle of the body, middle). However, according to some scholars Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eqablu \u003C\/i\u003Ein the meaning ‘middle’ is related to קֽרָב (= battle). According to other scholars Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eqablu \u003C\/i\u003Ein the meaning ‘middle’ is related to Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eqalb \u003C\/i\u003E(= heart; see קֶרֶב)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo according to Klein's approach, the Arabic word \u003Ci\u003Eqalb - \u003C\/i\u003E\"heart\" - developed into two different meanings. One developed into the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Ekibel - \u003C\/i\u003E\"to receive, accept\" and the other \u003Ci\u003Ekerev - \u003C\/i\u003E\"interior, inner part.\" Neither are related to \u003Ci\u003Ekarov\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"near.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Ec) The third possibility mentioned in Ben Yehuda is that one root split into two meanings. This seems to be the approach of Gesenius, whose entry for \u003Ci\u003Ekerev\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;mentions the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Eqalb\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;but says that here the \"r\" softened into an \"l\" - i.e. the Arabic meaning came later. This understanding would allow that even \u003Ci\u003Eqalb\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is related to \u003Ci\u003Ekarov\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8826175462928254652\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8826175462928254652","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8826175462928254652"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8826175462928254652"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/03\/karov-korban-and-kerev.html","title":"karov, korban and kerev"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8288272929180511163"},"published":{"$t":"2020-02-29T22:34:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-02-29T22:34:56.106+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"alachson"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader asked about the origin of the Hebrew word for diagonal - אלכסון \u003Ci\u003Ealakhson. \u003C\/i\u003EIt first appears in Rabbinic Hebrew (also as \u003Ci\u003Elokhsan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;לוכסן).\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003EKlein provides the following etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EPBH diagonal (line). [Borrowed from Greek. \u003Ci\u003ELixon\u003C\/i\u003E, neuter \u003Ci\u003Eloxos \u003C\/i\u003E(= standing crosswise, oblique)]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn his CEDEL, in the entry for \"lekane\" (a large dish or bowl), Klein says it derives from the Greek \u003Ci\u003Elekose \u003C\/i\u003E(a dish, pot, pan), and that word is probably cognate with the \u003Ci\u003Eloxos\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;mentioned above, due to the way the sides of a dish or bowl bend inwards.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA Latin cognate of \u003Ci\u003Elekose\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is \u003Ci\u003Elanx,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and that provides us with two English words that I would not have thought were related.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne is \"balance.\" This is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/balance#etymonline_v_212\"\u003Ethe entry in the Online Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eearly 13c., \"scales, apparatus for weighing by comparison of mass,\" from Old French \u003Ci\u003Ebalance \u003C\/i\u003E\"balance, scales for weighing\" (12c.), also in figurative sense; from Medieval Latin \u003Ci\u003Ebilancia\u003C\/i\u003E, from Late Latin \u003Ci\u003Ebilanx\u003C\/i\u003E, from Latin (\u003Ci\u003Elibra\u003C\/i\u003E) \u003Ci\u003Ebilanx\u003C\/i\u003E \"(scale) having two pans\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe other is even stranger - it was originally part of the phrase that became the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/satire#etymonline_v_22765\"\u003Esatire\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Elate 14c., \"work intended to ridicule vice or folly,\" from Middle French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003Esatire\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(14c.) and directly from Latin \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003Esatira\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"satire, poetic medley,\" earlier \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Esatura\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, in \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Elanx satura\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"mixed dish, dish filled with various kinds of fruit,\" literally \"full dish\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInteresting, no?"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8288272929180511163\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8288272929180511163","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8288272929180511163"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8288272929180511163"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/02\/alachson.html","title":"alachson"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2205624136557205836"},"published":{"$t":"2020-01-26T19:47:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-01-26T19:47:08.817+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"erusin and eres"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I was recently asked if there was any connection between the root of the Hebrew word for engagement (i.e. betrothal) - ארוסין \u003Ci\u003Eerusin \u003C\/i\u003E(the root being ארס) and \u003Ci\u003Eeres \u003C\/i\u003Eארס - \"venom, poison.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven before I could look at a dictionary, I told him that it wasn't likely, since I remembered that while \u003Ci\u003Eerusin\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;with the letter \u003Ci\u003Esamech\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the form in Rabbinic Hebrew (and followed in Modern Hebrew as well), in Biblical Hebrew it is spelled with the letter \u003Ci\u003Esin - \u003C\/i\u003Eארש.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut when I looked at Klein's entries for the two of them, I discovered some information I did not know previously.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%82?lang=bi\"\u003Ewhat he writes for ארש\u003C\/a\u003E (having noted in the entry for ארס that these are variant spellings), with the meaning \"to betroth\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAmong the many attempts to find the origin of this word the most probable is the one which connects it with Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eērishu\u003C\/i\u003E (= bridegroom), \u003Ci\u003Eirshitu\u003C\/i\u003E (= betrothal), which, according to Haupt, derive from Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eerēshu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to desire) ...\u0026nbsp; cp. also Arab. \u003Ci\u003E‘arus\u003C\/i\u003E (= bridegroom).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe then connects this root to the word \u003Ci\u003Eareshet\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;ארשת. I knew the word \u003Ci\u003Eareshet \u003C\/i\u003Ewell from the prayers on Rosh Hashana, sung after the shofar is blown. But I'm a little embarrassed to say I didn't actually know what it meant. Here's what Klein writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eexpression (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Psalms. 21:3 in the phrase אֲרֶשֶׁת שְׂפָתָיו, which is usually rendered by ‘the request of his lips’. Most Jewish commentators, however, render \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eאֲרֶשֶׁת שְׂפָתָיו\u003C\/span\u003E by ‘expression of his lips’.  [Prob. related to Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eerēshu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to desire), \u003Ci\u003Eerishtu\u003C\/i\u003E (= desire, request).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003EWhile \u003Ci\u003Eerishtu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning \"desire\" is similar to the Greek \u003Ci\u003Eerasthai \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"to love, desire\", and is the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/eros\"\u003Eorigin of the word \"Eros\"\u003C\/a\u003E, I have not found any sources that connect the Greek and Akkadian words. I also have not found any sources that connect the root to the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ears, \u003C\/i\u003Ewhich meant \"pimp\", and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ars_(slang)\"\u003Eentered Hebrew slang\u003C\/a\u003E as a derogatory term meaning someone low-class and sleazy.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStahl, in his Arabic etymological dictionary, in the entry for \u003Ci\u003Earus \u003C\/i\u003E(bridegroom) says that this root might be related to \u003Ci\u003Earisut \u003C\/i\u003Eאריסות - \"tenant farming, sharecropping\" and \u003Ci\u003Earis \u003C\/i\u003Eאריס - \"land tenant\", since the transactional nature of leasing land was similar to the dowry involved in marriage. However, Klein provides \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D6%B8%D7%A8%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%A1.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Ea different etymology\u003C\/a\u003E, connecting it to the Akkadian\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eerēshu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to till the soil). That makes it cognate with the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/cheresh.html\"\u003Ekharash\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Eחרש -\u0026nbsp; meaning \"to plow.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd what about \u003Ci\u003Eeres \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning venom or poison? Here is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D6%B6%D6%BD%D7%A8%D6%B6%D7%A1.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein's interesting entry\u003C\/a\u003E. He says it was a post-biblical word:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EFrom earlier \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eאִירָס\u003C\/span\u003E. Of uncertain origin. Perhaps, together with Syr. \u003Ci\u003E‘irsā\u003C\/i\u003E (of s.m.), a blend of Gk. \u003Ci\u003Eios\u003C\/i\u003E (= poison) and L. \u003Ci\u003Evīrus\u003C\/i\u003E (= poison).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EEres \u003C\/i\u003Eand \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/virus\"\u003Evirus\u003C\/a\u003E\" are so similar, I'm surprised I never thought of a connection before.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2205624136557205836\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2205624136557205836","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2205624136557205836"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2205624136557205836"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/01\/erusin-and-eres.html","title":"erusin and eres"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1847087351038375076"},"published":{"$t":"2020-01-19T09:43:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-01-20T15:41:58.535+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"teiva"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Today I was thinking about the word \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;תבה. In the entire Bible, it only appears twice: as the word for Noah's ark and for the baby Moshe's basket.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%AA%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%91%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein's entry for \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%AA%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%91%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003Eteivah\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E1\u003C\/b\u003E ark, box.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ENH  \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E Holy Ark (in the synagogue).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EPBH  \u003Cb\u003E3\u003C\/b\u003E word.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E[Prob. a loan word from Egypt. \u003Ci\u003Etbt\u003C\/i\u003E (= chest; coffin). Arab. \u003Ci\u003Etābūt\u003C\/i\u003E (= box, case, chest, coffer), is a Heb. loan word.]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI can easily understand how the word progressed from meaning 1 (\"box\") to meaning 2 (\"Holy Ark in the synagogue\" - although the word for the Ark that carried the Tablets of the Law in the desert is \u003Ci\u003Earon \u003C\/i\u003Eארון.)\u0026nbsp; But how did \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;come to mean \"word\"?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis was surprisingly difficult to research. First of all, the dictionaries that I thought would help me - Ben Yehuda, Jastrow, Klein, Even-Shoshan - all mentioned the various meanings, including \"word\", but didn't explain the shift in meaning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESecondly, since the meaning is \"word\", searching online is really challenging. If I'm looking for a web page or article, I often search for the the term and include the various meanings. That will usually pull up something helpful. But since the meaning is \"word\" - well, that appears on probably every page. Not really beneficial.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo I had to try a little harder. I did find some discussion of it in the dictionary \u003Ci\u003EAruch Hashalem \u003C\/i\u003Eby \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alexander_Kohut\"\u003EAlexander Kohut\u003C\/a\u003E. He says that some claim that \u003Ci\u003Eteiva \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"word\" comes from a different source - an Arabic root meaning \"to cut.\" And therefore, \u003Ci\u003Eteiva \u003C\/i\u003Emeans a word \"cut and separate\" from other letters in the text.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe then compares \u003Ci\u003Eteiva \u003C\/i\u003Eto a common word for \"word\" - \u003Ci\u003Emila\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;מילה.\u0026nbsp; This word is familiar from the phrase \u003Ci\u003Ebrit milah \u003C\/i\u003Eברית מילה - \"circumcision.\" So according to this theory, both \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Emila\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;come from the sense \"to cut.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, this theory is problematic. From their uses in Rabbinic Hebrew (where \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;first means \"word\"), \u003Ci\u003Emila \u003C\/i\u003Erefers to spoken words, and \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to written words. This also fits the etymology of \u003Ci\u003Emila.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;Klein points out that \u003Ci\u003Emila \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning circumcision comes from the root מול - \"to circumcise\", whereas \u003Ci\u003Emila\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning \"word\" comes from מלל - a root meaning \"to speak, to say.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo while \"cut\" could be still be an origin of \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E, the parallel to \u003Ci\u003Emila\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;doesn't hold up.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKohut then provides a second theory, saying that in a \u003Ci\u003Eteiva, \u003C\/i\u003Ethe letters are connected as if they were in a box. This seems like a more reasonable theory - it keeps the various meanings of \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;with the same origin, as all of the dictionaries I checked claimed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA further expansion on this idea is found in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%94\"\u003EHebrew Wiktionary entry\u003C\/a\u003E for \u003Ci\u003Eteiva. \u003C\/i\u003EThe entry provides five meanings found in Biblical and Rabbinic sources:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eboat (Bereshit 7:13, Shemot 2:3)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ebox (Mishna Tahorot 8:2)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eark (closet) that holds the Torah scrolls (Mishna Taanit 2:1)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ea rectangle or square; the rectangle that one word is written in (Talmud Yerushalmi Eruvin 5:1, Talmud Bavli Menachot 30a)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ea word with a space before and after it (Talmud Bavli 30a)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThere is a note there saying that meaning 5 derived from meaning 4. This works well with Kohut's second theory. The only issue is that neither example provided in 4 are particularly convincing. The source from the Jerusalem Talmud says, \"How did did the Israelites march in the desert? Like a \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E.\" This means they formed a square (in contrast with the other opinion, which says they marched in a column, like a beam.) That doesn't really mean that \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meant \"rectangle\", but only that a rectangle is like a \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E, because of the shape.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe second example, from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Menachot.30a.16?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Steinsaltz\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003EMenachot 30a\u003C\/a\u003E says that when writing a Torah scroll, the space between one \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and another \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;must be the size of one small letter. While I suppose it's possible that \u003Ci\u003Eteiva\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;there could mean the rectangle that contained a word, the simpler meaning is that it just meant the space between one word and the following word. And the Wiktionary entry itself provides a quote from the same page in Menachot where \u003Ci\u003Eteiva \u003C\/i\u003Eclearly means \"word\"!\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ENow, if I could find some evidence that all words were enclosed in rectangles, there would be more support for this theory. I'm not a scribe, so I can't speak from personal experience, and I couldn't find any mention of that in the sources I checked. And the nature of Wiki editing prevents me from contacting the person who wrote this theory. But if any of you out there have any proof, or even suggestions, one way or another - please let me know!\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1847087351038375076\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1847087351038375076","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1847087351038375076"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1847087351038375076"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/01\/teiva.html","title":"teiva"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3854713099450392070"},"published":{"$t":"2020-01-12T22:18:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-01-12T22:24:58.274+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"chafifa"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ci\u003EChafifa \u003C\/i\u003Eחפיפה can mean both \"shampooing\" and \"overlapping\" (often used when two people are overlapping at a job, and one needs to train another). Is there a connection between these two Hebrew homonyms?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom every reliable source I've seen, they come from two homographic, but distinct, roots: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%A3_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5?lang=bi\"\u003Eחפף\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELet's look first at the root that gives us \"overlapping.\" In this case, חפף means \"to surround, cover.\" By extension, it can also mean \"to protect\" or \"to be congruent\" (this is the sense that leads to \"overlap.\") A related root is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003Eחפה\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom this root we get a number of familiar words:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Echupah \u003C\/i\u003Eחופה - the wedding canopy (which covers the bride and groom)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Echof \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A3?lang=bi\"\u003Eחוף\u003C\/a\u003E - \"coast\" (which surrounds the land)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Echipui\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003Eחיפוי - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/covering_fire\"\u003Ecovering\u003C\/a\u003E (or \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Suppressive_fire\"\u003Esuppressive\u003C\/a\u003E) fire, used in a military context to prevent an enemy from attacking\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe other meaning of חפף is \"to rub.\" From there developed the sense of \"to cleanse the head by rubbing\", i.e. shampooing.\u0026nbsp; This type of cleanliness is extended to a general sense of being clean, pure - and so it also gives us the word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%97%D6%B7%D7%A3.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eחף\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ci\u003Echaf \u003C\/i\u003E- \"innocent\", often used in the phrase \u003Ci\u003Echaf m'pesha \u003C\/i\u003Eחף מפשע - \"innocent of crime.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAccording to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=6mGAIhWqJxMC\u0026amp;pg=PR346\u0026amp;lpg=PR346\u0026amp;dq=%22an+unused+root,+to+be+barefoot%22\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=KFQt7kcfsP\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U256soYM11vXlG2xSHkrLY2Mfxsrg\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjT2NS66v7mAhU7DGMBHWChDAkQ6AEwAHoECAMQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=%22an%20unused%20root%2C%20to%20be%20barefoot%22\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Esome sources\u003C\/a\u003E, the word \u003Ci\u003Eyachef \u003C\/i\u003Eיחף - \"barefoot\" also derives from a cognate of this root. The idea is that removing shoes is like rubbing or peeling them off.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAll of the roots above have Arabic cognates as well. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ruvik.co.il\/%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%9C-%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A7\/%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%9C%D7%90-%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A8.aspx?page=10\"\u003ERuvik Rosenthal points out\u003C\/a\u003E that there are two more Arabic roots, which have similar spellings, but aren't cognate with the ones we've discussed before. They gave us two Hebrew slang words (and I haven't been able to find any earlier Hebrew cognates).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOne is the word \u003Ci\u003Echafif\u003C\/i\u003E חפיף. In Arabic it means \"light\", \"nimble\" or \"agile.\" When it entered Hebrew it came to mean \"lightweight\", \"wishy-washy\" or \"sloppy\", and a \u003Ci\u003Echafifnik \u003C\/i\u003Eis a \"slacker.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe other word is a verb - התחפף \u003Ci\u003Ehitchafef. \u003C\/i\u003EWhen talking in the past tense it means \"took off\", and in the imperative, it means \"scram\" or \"get lost.\" While Rosenthal says it is a fourth, distinct root, this \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%A3\"\u003EWiktionary entry\u003C\/a\u003E says it comes from the same root as \u003Ci\u003Echafif - \u003C\/i\u003Esomething light as air can easily \"disappear\", \"go away.\"\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3854713099450392070\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3854713099450392070","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3854713099450392070"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3854713099450392070"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/01\/chafifa.html","title":"chafifa"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-944937626051119696"},"published":{"$t":"2020-01-06T20:43:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-01-06T20:43:35.648+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"pelishtim and palash"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2015\/02\/spiel.html\"\u003EI've discussed previously\u003C\/a\u003E how I like to listen to language podcasts, particularly those with a focus on etymology. One that I somehow forgot to mention is \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wordsforgranted.com\/\"\u003EWords for Granted\u003C\/a\u003E by Ray Belli. The podcast usually deals with the history of a particular English word, telling its story.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERecently, he dealt with \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wordsforgranted.com\/podcast-1\/2019\/12\/15\/episode-79-philistine\"\u003Ethe history of the word \"Philistine.\"\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Here's his abstract of the episode:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EIn common usage, a \"philistine\" is a derogatory term for an anti-intellectual materialist. The word derives from the ancient Middle Eastern Philistines, a people best known as an early geopolitical enemy of the Israelites in the Hebrew Bible. The historical Philistines were far from \"philistines\" (note the lowercase P). The circumstance by which the latter derives from the former can be traced back to a murder in the 17th century German city of Jena. (Yes, actually.)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI recommend giving it a listen. In it, he describes how the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Philistines\"\u003EPhilistines\u003C\/a\u003E went from being a people living on the southern Mediterranean coast of Canaan, with uncertain, but probably Aegean origin, to the enemy of the Israelites, and eventually disappearing after the Babylonian conquest. The Greek historian Herodotus called the region previously under Philistine control Palaistinē, and then after they conquered the entire area, the Romans called it Palestine. He does his best to avoid the political discussion of the name \"Palestine\", and then moves on to the interesting story of why \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Philistinism\"\u003Ephilistine\u003C\/a\u003E\" became a term to describe a person who doesn't appreciate arts and culture.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe one point that I would like to add on to was his brief discussion of the origin of the name Philistine itself. He claimed that derived from whatever name the Philistines called themselves. Since the Philistines likely were of Greek origin (as we discussed here when talking about the origin of the Hebrew words \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/07\/seren.html\"\u003Eseren\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/lishkah.html\"\u003Elishka\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E), that name would not have Semitic roots.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, I always assumed that the name actually came from Hebrew. In Hebrew the people are called \u003Ci\u003EPelishtim\u003C\/i\u003E פלשתים and the land is known as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EPeleshet\u003C\/i\u003E פלשת. These words would appear to come from the root פלש \u003Ci\u003Epalash - \u003C\/i\u003Ewhich in Modern Hebrew means \"to invade.\" As the Philistines were considered to be invading sea-peoples (in both Biblical tradition as well as according to recent scholarship), I thought that this was one of those frequent cases where the name of a people was given to them by others (an \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Exonym_and_endonym\"\u003Eexonym\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWell, first of all, my understanding of \u003Ci\u003Epalash\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;wasn't entirely accurate. It did take on the meaning of \"invade\" in post-Biblical Hebrew. But in the Bible, it meant \"to roll (in dust)\". That said, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%A9%D7%81_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5?lang=he\"\u003EKlein \u003C\/a\u003Econnects the two meanings. He says the original meaning of the Biblical usage was \"to burrow into\", and so is ultimately identical with the other meaning - \"to open through, penetrate, invade.\" And he brings a number of cognates from other Semitic languages where it has that meaning, including Ethiopian, which gave the word \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/falasha\"\u003Efalasha\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;for the Ethiopian Jews. (But since that term - whether it meant \"wanderer\" or \"invader\" is considered derogatory, the term \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beta_Israel\"\u003EBeta Israel\u003C\/a\u003E is preferred.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd yet, Klein doesn't claim Peleshet comes from \u003Ci\u003Epalash\u003C\/i\u003E. I did find some \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/momentmag.com\/jewish-word-philistine\/\"\u003Esources that do make that claim\u003C\/a\u003E, but from what I can see the question remains unanswered (probably due to the lack of written material from the Philistines). Maybe the people called themselves something like Pelishtim or maybe it was an exonym.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, I do think that an association between the two terms was likely understood even back in the times of the Israelites - even as a folk etymology. And this could help explain something Belli mentioned in the podcast.\u0026nbsp; He pointed out that in the Septuagint (the first Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), some occurrences of the word Pelishtim was translated not as \"Philistines\" but as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eallophuloi - \u003C\/i\u003E\"foreigners.\" This translation may very well be from an ancient understanding that \u003Ci\u003EPelishtim \u003C\/i\u003Ederived from \u003Ci\u003Epalash\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/944937626051119696\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=944937626051119696","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/944937626051119696"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/944937626051119696"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2020\/01\/pelishtim-and-palash.html","title":"pelishtim and palash"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3372223445072138026"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-29T19:00:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-12-29T19:00:15.917+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"zechut and zechuchit"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Let's take a look at root that has some unexpected derivatives (at least I didn't expect them).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis interesting root is זכה and the secondary form זכך. They both mean \"to be clear, clean, pure.\" One fairly obvious related word is \u003Ci\u003Ezakh\u003C\/i\u003E זך - \"pure, clean\" as in \u003Ci\u003Eshemen zayit zakh \u003C\/i\u003Eשמן זית זך - \"pure olive oil.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA noun that I didn't realize was related is \u003Ci\u003Ezekhukhit \u003C\/i\u003Eזכוכית - \"glass\". It only appears once in the Tanach (Iyov 28:17) - and while the glass back then wasn't transparent like it generally is today, it was certainly more clear than other solids.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom the literal \"pure\" and \"clear\" in Biblical Hebrew, the root took on more of a metaphorical sense in Rabbinic Hebrew. Just like we say in English that an innocent person has been \"cleared\" of charges and has a \"clean\" record, the verb זכה means \"to make someone innocent\", and that innocent person is \u003Ci\u003Ezakai\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;זכאי - \"innocent.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAn innocent, pure person is considered \"worthy\" and even \"deserving\" (of goodness). And so another meaning of the verb זכה is \"to deserve, to attain.\" This leads us to the noun \u003Ci\u003Ezekhut \u003C\/i\u003Eזכות - which according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%96%D6%B0%D7%9B%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%AA?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E has 5 different meanings:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eprivilege, benefit\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Elegal right, title\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Efavor, advantage\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Emerit, virtue\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ecredit side of an account, asset\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn English there is a clear distinction between\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.encyclopedia.com\/politics\/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps\/right-privilege-distinction\"\u003Erights and privileges\u003C\/a\u003E. In Hebrew there is discussion of the difference between \u003Ci\u003Ezekhut\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Echova \u003C\/i\u003Eחובה - \"obligation\", but I'm not sure how you could contrast rights and privileges without using a foreign word for privilege like פריבילגיה.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EFrom \u003Ci\u003Ezekhut \u003C\/i\u003Ecomes the word \u003Ci\u003Ezakaut \u003C\/i\u003Eזכאות - \"entitlement.\" But since \u003Ci\u003Ezekhut\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can have different connotations, it doesn't necessarily carry the negative associations that \"entitlement\" can have in English today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThere are two other Hebrew roots that are likely related to זכה\/זכך. One is זגג - it is the Aramaic equivalent of זכך, and is found in Hebrew as well.\u0026nbsp; The \u003Ci\u003Ezag\u003C\/i\u003E זג is the skin of the grape (Bamidbar 6:4), and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%96%D6%B7%D7%92.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E says it is probably \"allusion to the transparency of the skin of the grape.\" In Rabbinic Hebrew, a glassmaker is a \u003Ci\u003Ezagag\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;זגג, and today if you need to get the windows on your car replaced you go to a \u003Ci\u003Ezagagut \u003C\/i\u003Eזגגות - \"glazier(y).\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe other related root, according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%96%D7%A7%D7%A7_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E, is זקק. This verb means \"to purify, to refine.\" Distilled water is \u003Ci\u003Emayim mezukakim \u003C\/i\u003Eמים מזוקקים, and \u003Ci\u003Ebatei zikuk \u003C\/i\u003Eבתי זיקוק are \"refineries.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe other meaning of זקק - \"to bind, force, compel\" (as in זקוק \u003Ci\u003Ezakuk - \u003C\/i\u003E\"in need of\")\u0026nbsp;is not related to this one, and neither is the root זיק meaning to \"to spark, to sparkle\" (as in \u003Ci\u003Ezikukim \u003C\/i\u003Eזקוקים - \"fireworks\"). But I think we found plenty of words that are related, we are not \u003Ci\u003Ezakukim \u003C\/i\u003Efor more..\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3372223445072138026\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3372223445072138026","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3372223445072138026"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3372223445072138026"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/12\/zechut-and-zechuchit.html","title":"zechut and zechuchit"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1852513304651761820"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-23T21:18:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-12-23T21:18:24.836+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gizbar and geniza"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Let's take a look at two Hebrew words: \u003Ci\u003Egizbar \u003C\/i\u003Eגזבר and \u003Ci\u003Egeniza \u003C\/i\u003Eגניזה. They're actually related, and have a similar story.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EGeniza\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is familiar to many of us a place to dispose of sacred books and papers, so they won't be simply tossed in the trash. The most famous was the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cairo_Geniza\"\u003ECairo Geniza\u003C\/a\u003E, where hundreds of thousands of Jewish documents were found, some over 1000 years old. But before \u003Ci\u003Egeniza\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;had that specific meaning, it meant \"storage\" or \"hiding.\" It derives from the root גנז, which appears a few times in the later books of the Bible (Esther, Yechezkel and Divrei Hayamim), with the meaning \"to hide, conceal, store away.\"\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%96?lang=he\u0026amp;p2=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D6%B6%D6%BC%D6%BD%D7%A0%D6%B6%D7%96\u0026amp;lang2=he\"\u003EKlein says\u003C\/a\u003E it ultimately comes from the Persian words \u003Ci\u003Eganz(a)\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Eganj\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"treasure.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EGizbar \u003C\/i\u003Emeans \"treasurer\", and comes from the same root. It also appears in a late Biblical book - Ezra.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%96%D6%B0%D7%91%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E provides this etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ETogether with JAram. גִּזְבָּרָא, Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eגֵּזַבְרָא\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eגִּיזַבֽרָא\u003C\/span\u003E (= treasurer), Mand. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eגאנזיברא\u003C\/span\u003E (= high priest), borrowed from Pers. \u003Ci\u003Eganzabara\u003C\/i\u003E (= treasurer), from \u003Ci\u003Eganj̄\u003C\/i\u003E (= treasure)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ci\u003Ebara\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;of \u003Ci\u003Eganzbara\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is cognate with the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/bear\"\u003Ebear\u003C\/a\u003E\" meaning \"to carry\", so the \u003Ci\u003Egizbar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is one who carries (= is responsible for) the treasure (or treasury).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Persian \u003Ci\u003Eganz \u003C\/i\u003Emay have made its way into a couple of English words as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere are many theories as to the etymology of the word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/gazette\"\u003Egazette\u003C\/a\u003E\", meaning a newspaper. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/wordhistories.net\/2016\/10\/21\/gazette\/\"\u003EOne theory\u003C\/a\u003E says that it comes from the Latin word \u003Ci\u003Egaza\u003C\/i\u003E, which meant \"treasury\", so that a gazette is a little treasury of news. The Latin \u003Ci\u003Egaza \u003C\/i\u003Ederived from the Greek \u003Ci\u003Egaza\u003C\/i\u003E, which in turn came from the Persian root \u003Ci\u003Eganza\u003C\/i\u003E, all meaning \"treasure.\" \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/gazzetta\"\u003EA different theory\u003C\/a\u003E says that the cost of the newspaper was a \"\u003Ci\u003Egazeta\u003C\/i\u003E\" - a half penny, and the coin was a diminutive of the Latin \u003Ci\u003Egaza\u003C\/i\u003E, so it meant \"of small value\" (literally \"a little treasure\"). And as we saw, \u003Ci\u003Egaza\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;can be traced back to the Persian \u003Ci\u003Eganza.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe cold Spanish soup \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/whatholtandbarbarahadfordinner.blogspot.com\/2007\/08\/gaz.html\"\u003Egazpacho\u003C\/a\u003E\" might also have the same origin. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/gazpacho\"\u003EOne suggested etymology\u003C\/a\u003E is:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EFrom Spanish\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Egazpacho\u003C\/i\u003E, perhaps via Mozarabic *\u003Ci\u003Egazpelağo\u003C\/i\u003E from Latin \u003Ci\u003Egazophylacium\u003C\/i\u003E (“treasure-chest in a church”), alluding to the diversity of its contents.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat's quite a treasure of etymologies!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1852513304651761820\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1852513304651761820","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1852513304651761820"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1852513304651761820"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/12\/gizbar-and-geniza.html","title":"gizbar and geniza"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8862982266948109895"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-15T21:11:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-12-15T21:11:56.492+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"BOOK REVIEW: Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-UpsOqnoJJOo\/XfZ-M61XSsI\/AAAAAAAAAeY\/S-2gSGdLbdorUPPJAu9GyAsTCfloRpjGwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/benstein.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"499\" data-original-width=\"335\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-UpsOqnoJJOo\/XfZ-M61XSsI\/AAAAAAAAAeY\/S-2gSGdLbdorUPPJAu9GyAsTCfloRpjGwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/benstein.jpg\" width=\"214\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003EAs you might imagine, I have quite a few books about Hebrew.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDozens of dictionaries, books that discuss the history of Hebrew, books about etymology and linguistics, and more. I've often thought - if I wanted to make a book based on Balashon, what would it look like?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWell, thankfully, I don't have to ponder that question any more. I recently received the book\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0874419875\/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;creativeASIN=0874419875\u0026amp;linkId=5aeed9e6d463573102a07cfd2fc1c183\"\u003EHebrew Roots, Jewish Routes\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E by Dr. Jeremy Benstein. This book does the two things that any book on Hebrew that I'd want to write would need to do: discuss the significance of Hebrew (both throughout history and in today's society), and present many stories of Hebrew roots and words.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDr. Benstein, like me, is a immigrant from the United States, who was (according to the acknowledgements in the book), like me, influenced by Edward Horowitz's \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/08\/horowitz-how-hebrew-language-grew.html\"\u003EHow the Hebrew Language Grew\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/i\u003EUnlike me, he has BA in linguistics from Harvard, as well as advanced degrees in Judaic studies and cultural anthropology. (He's also the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.929.org.il\/lang\/en\/author\/34011\"\u003Emanaging editor of 929 English\u003C\/a\u003E, a very important project where a chapter of the Bible is studied daily, and I'm thrilled to have \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.929.org.il\/lang\/en\/author\/64450\"\u003Erecently begun contributing\u003C\/a\u003E). His expertise in these fields really shows, as he seamlessly navigates between Biblical texts, Jewish life throughout the millennia, and the heart and soul of Modern Israeli culture (amongst all the various populations and sub-cultures.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe has chapters that talk about such topics as \"Hebrew and Other Languages\", \"Ben Yehuda's Crusade for Spoken Hebrew\", \"God: Name, Names and 'The Name'\", and \"Hebrew Time: Sacred and Otherwise.\" Throughout these chapters, are interspersed what he calls \"Wordshops\" - a deep dive into a Hebrew root, from the beginning of its usage until today, with examples of the various verbs, nouns and other words that derive from that root. He explains how the development and meanings of those roots and words reflect the concepts and trends that have followed Hebrew and the Jews over the ages.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe book was a real pleasure to read. It somehow managed to enthrall a Hebrew word-nerd like me, and yet I could recommend it to anyone, even those with little or no background in Hebrew. And it was often laugh-out-loud funny, which is not what I usually get from my books about the history of Hebrew.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo if you like Balashon, get this book - you'll really enjoy it. And to Jeremy - thanks for all the hard work that must have gone into a project like this, and I sincerely thank you for writing it. Now I don't need to wonder and worry what my book on Hebrew will be. It really is a relief! (However, my books on Kohelet, and why Avraham was chosen, still need my attention...)"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8862982266948109895\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8862982266948109895","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8862982266948109895"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8862982266948109895"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/12\/book-review-hebrew-roots-jewish-routes.html","title":"BOOK REVIEW: Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-UpsOqnoJJOo\/XfZ-M61XSsI\/AAAAAAAAAeY\/S-2gSGdLbdorUPPJAu9GyAsTCfloRpjGwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/benstein.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6310440913559280107"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-08T19:51:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-12-10T07:10:49.111+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gir"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Let's take a look at \u003Ci\u003Egir \u003C\/i\u003Eגיר - the Hebrew word for \"chalk.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile today that is the primary meaning, it had other meanings in the past. It appears only once in the Bible, in Yeshaya 27:9:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Eכְּאַבְנֵי־גִר מְנֻפָּצוֹת\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe New JPS translates it as \"like shattered blocks of chalk,\" but other translations have \"lime\" or \"limestone.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Aramaic equivalent, \u003Ci\u003Egira \u003C\/i\u003Eגירא, appears in Daniel 5:5, where it is translated as \"plaster.\" And the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/dictionary\/chalkstone\/\"\u003EArabic cognate, \u003Ci\u003Ejir\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, means \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/12\/geves-and-gypsum_11.html\"\u003Egypsum\u003C\/a\u003E\" or \"quicklime\". All of these words - chalk, lime, gypsum - are calcium based minerals (and plaster is made from them), and so it is understandable how one word (in different languages) could come to refer to all of them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is the direction Klein follows in his \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%99%D7%A8.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Eetymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ERelated to BAram. גִּירָא (= plaster), JAram. גִּירָא (= lime), Syr. גִּירָא (= birdlime), OSArab. גירא (= lime), Tigre \u003Ci\u003Egerger\u003C\/i\u003E (= chalkstone). All these words are ultimately borrowed from Akka.\u003Ci\u003E kīru\u003C\/i\u003E (= chalkstone), which itself is a loan word from Sumerian \u003Ci\u003Egir\u003C\/i\u003E (of s.m.). Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ejayyār, jīr\u003C\/i\u003E (= lime), are Aram. loan words.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%F0%92%8C%8B%F0%92%80%9C#Akkadian\"\u003EAkkadian\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%F0%92%8C%8B%F0%92%80%9C#Sumerian\"\u003ESumerian\u003C\/a\u003E words also refer to the kilns and ovens used to make lime. From Akkadian the word entered Hebrew again, this time in the form of \u003Ci\u003Ekor \u003C\/i\u003Eכור - \"furnace.\" For that word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein write\u003C\/a\u003Es:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eכּוּר m.n. melting pot, furnace (for melting metals). [Related to Aram.-Syr. כּוּרָא, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ekūr\u003C\/i\u003E, Ethiop. \u003Ci\u003Ekawer\u003C\/i\u003E, Akka. \u003Ci\u003Ekūru\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Ekīru \u003C\/i\u003E(= furnace), and to כִּירַיִם.]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMost people don't use a furnace in their daily lives, but \u003Ci\u003Ekirayim \u003C\/i\u003Eכיריים - \"stove, stove-top\" is found in every home.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd one more kitchen feature might have also have the same origin. While Klein provides a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9B%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%99%D6%BC%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003Edifferent etymology\u003C\/a\u003E, Elon Gilad in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/pre.haaretz.co.il\/magazine\/the-edge\/mehasafa\/.premium-1.6071801\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E says that \u003Ci\u003Ekiyor\u003C\/i\u003E כיור - \"sink,\" might have originated as the basin that collected the hot metal from the furnace."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6310440913559280107\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6310440913559280107","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6310440913559280107"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6310440913559280107"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/12\/gir.html","title":"gir"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-569566140535529701"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-01T19:27:00.004+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-12-01T19:27:35.828+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"nebech and navoch"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader asked if there was any connection between the Yiddish word \u003Ci\u003Enebech\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"an unfortunate person\" (also used as an \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/culture\/169362\/a-nebbish-is-born\/\"\u003Einterjection expressing pity\u003C\/a\u003E - \"\u003Ci\u003Eoy, nebech\u003C\/i\u003E\") and the similar sounding Hebrew word נבוך\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Enavoch\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"confused, bewildered, perplexed.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBottom line - no. But let's look at the etymology of each.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Yiddish \u003Ci\u003Enebech \u003C\/i\u003E(which later morphed into the English \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/nebbish\"\u003Enebbish\u003C\/a\u003E\"), derives from the Czech word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/neboh%C3%BD\"\u003Enebohý\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"unhappy.\" That word can be broken down into two parts. The first part, \u003Ci\u003Ene\u003C\/i\u003E, is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/*ne-\"\u003Eultimately cognate\u003C\/a\u003E with the English words \"no\" and \"not.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe second part comes from an earlier Slavic root \u003Ci\u003E*\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic\/bog%D1%8A\"\u003Ebogu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"fortunate.\" It is said to go back to an Indo-European root, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/*bhag-#etymonline_v_52748\"\u003E*bhag\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"to share out, apportion.\" The development seems to be that someone who \"received a share\" is fortunate and happy (but not the \u003Ci\u003Enebech\u003C\/i\u003E). It has some interesting cognates in English, like the words \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/baksheesh\"\u003Ebaksheesh\u003C\/a\u003E (a bribe, also used in Hebrew) and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/pagoda\"\u003Epagoda\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo while some Yiddish words have Hebrew origins, this isn't one of them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow let's discuss \u003Ci\u003Enavoch\u003C\/i\u003E. It is a biblical word (for example Pharaoh said the Israelites were confused - \u003Ci\u003Enevuchim \u003C\/i\u003Eנבוכים - at the sea in Shemot 14:3). And the Hebrew title of Maimonides' \u003Ci\u003EGuide for the Perplexed \u003C\/i\u003Eis \u003Ci\u003EMoreh Nevuchim\u003C\/i\u003E מורה נבוכים.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003ENavoch's\u003C\/i\u003E initial letter of \u003Ci\u003Enun\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;isn't radical, and so Klein says it derives from the root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%91%D6%BC%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%9B%D6%B0%D7%99%D6%B8%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003Eבוך\u003C\/a\u003E - meaning to be confused or perplexed. The \u003Ci\u003Ehifil\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form of that root is מביך, and so a \u003Ci\u003Ematzav mevich\u003C\/i\u003E מצב מביך is an embarrassing situation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein adds that roots that may be related to בוך are \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D7%91%D7%9A?lang=bi\"\u003Eאבך\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(to rise or roll up, like with smoke or dust) and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%9A.1?lang=bi\"\u003Eהפך\u003C\/a\u003E - \"to turn, turn over.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo as we've seen these are two unrelated roots. If you look online, you'll see that some people do insist that \u003Ci\u003Enebech \u003C\/i\u003Edoes derive from \u003Ci\u003Enavoch. \u003C\/i\u003EI think one reason for that confusion is how \u003Ci\u003Enebech \u003C\/i\u003Eis spelled in Modern Hebrew. In Yiddish it was spelled נעבעך which doesn't look too similar to \u003Ci\u003Enavoch. \u003C\/i\u003EBut when the word entered Hebrew slang, it was streamlined to נבך which does look a lot like \u003Ci\u003Enavoch.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003EI can see how such an unfortunate word can lead to confusion...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/569566140535529701\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=569566140535529701","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/569566140535529701"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/569566140535529701"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/12\/nebech-and-navoch.html","title":"nebech and navoch"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-925946196848932634"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-24T14:40:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-11-24T14:40:07.069+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"nagar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader asked about two words: \u003Ci\u003Enagar \u003C\/i\u003Eנגר and \u003Ci\u003Erahit \u003C\/i\u003Eרהיט. He points out an interesting similarity between the two. Both appear to derive from roots which have some some association with carpentry and with flowing. Is there some common justification for this, or is it just a coincidence?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWe've already discussed \u003Ci\u003Erahit\u003C\/i\u003E \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/04\/rahut-and-rahit.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;- and the investigation was inconclusive. But what about \u003Ci\u003Enagar\u003C\/i\u003E?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAccording to Klein, \u003Ci\u003Enagar \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"carpenter\" derives from the Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Enaggaru, \u003C\/i\u003Eand Sokoloff goes even further back to the Sumerian \u003Ci\u003Enagar - \u003C\/i\u003Eall of the same meaning. It first appears in Rabbinic Hebrew.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, the verb נגר - \"to pour, flow, run\" has a different origin. It appears in the Bible, and according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D6%B7%D7%92%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A8?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E, it is related to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\"\u003Eroot גרר\u003C\/a\u003E - \"to drag, tow, draw.\" Unlike \u003Ci\u003Enagar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;the carpenter, in this root the letter \u003Ci\u003Enun\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;isn't radical. In Hebrew it was added on, and in other Semitic languages, it doesn't appear, like in Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Egararu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ejarra \u003C\/i\u003E(which would make it possibly related to the word Madrid, as we \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/11\/sepharad-revisited.html\"\u003Ediscussed recently\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne related word is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emegerah\u003C\/i\u003E מגרה - \"drawer\", which is \"drawn out.\" A homonym of \u003Ci\u003Emegerah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning \"drawer\" is the older, biblical, \u003Ci\u003Emegerah - \u003C\/i\u003Ewhich means \"saw\", the tool used for cutting, dragging the blade across the wood.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe fact that this tool was likely used by a carpenter must have caused some people to assume a connection between the two roots. As I said above, the Akkadian and Sumerian derivation of \u003Ci\u003Enagar - \u003C\/i\u003Ecarpenter is very well established. And yet a theory connecting \u003Ci\u003Emegerah\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Enagar\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;pops up in a surprising number of recent sources, including the Even-Shoshan dictionary (in the entry for\u0026nbsp;נַגָּר), \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%A8#%D7%A0%D6%B7%D7%92%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A8\"\u003EWikimilon\u003C\/a\u003E, and even \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B7%D7%92%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein himself\u003C\/a\u003E, despite having provided the Akkadian etymology. I guess sometimes it's hard to root out outdated etymologies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/925946196848932634\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=925946196848932634","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/925946196848932634"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/925946196848932634"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/11\/nagar.html","title":"nagar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3676684033525275180"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-17T19:33:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-11-17T19:33:58.492+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Britain"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/11\/sepharad-revisited.html\"\u003Erecent post\u003C\/a\u003E, I discussed Semitic connections to places in Spain. Let's take a look now at another European country - Britain.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFirst of all, I'd like to dismiss any idea that Britain could come from \"Brit-Ish.\" A great job of debunking this theory was done by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/articles\/2383\/is-british-ish-brit\/\"\u003EPhilologos in 2005\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ERabbi Samuel Silver of Boca Raton, Fla., has a short question: “Is ‘British’ related to \u003Ci\u003Ebrit\u003C\/i\u003E?”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EI take it that this question is tongue in cheek. The claim that “British” comes from the Hebrew words \u003Ci\u003Ebrit\u003C\/i\u003E (or “covenant,” familiar to many of you in its Ashkenazic form of \u003Ci\u003Ebris\u003C\/i\u003E, a circumcision) and \u003Ci\u003Eish\u003C\/i\u003E (“man”) so that it means “man of the covenant” has been around for a long time — 200 years, in fact. It goes back to the beginnings of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/British_Israelism\"\u003EBritish Israelites\u003C\/a\u003E, a movement founded in England in the early 19th century to promulgate the idea that the British people hailed from the 10 (actually nine) Lost Tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel that disappeared from history after being carried off into exile by the Assyrians in the eighth century C.E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe British Israel movement was founded by an Englishman named Richard Brothers, who in 1800 published a book titled “Correct Account of the Invasion of England by the Saxons, Showing the English Nation To Be Descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes.”At its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the movement had tens of thousands of followers. Among the many “proofs” offered by it, such as the claim that the Stone of Scone in Westminster Abbey was the very stone that served Jacob as a pillow on the night he dreamed his ladder of angels while fleeing from his brother, Esau, were a large number of supposed linguistic resemblances between English and biblical Hebrew. The British\/\u003Ci\u003Ebrit ish\u003C\/i\u003E equation was one of the foremost of these.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EOf course, any beginning Hebrew student could tell you that “man of the covenant” in Hebrew is \u003Ci\u003Eish brit\u003C\/i\u003E and not \u003Ci\u003Ebrit ish\u003C\/i\u003E, but the British Israelites were never a group to be deterred by even the simplest facts...\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFeel free to read the rest of his column for more explanation of why people insist on seeing patterns where the aren't any. This something I've discussed many times in Balashon, and perhaps even more in person. People frequently come up to me, knowing my interest in Hebrew etymology, and ask me if this Hebrew word is related to that English word. I certainly understand their curiosity, and even their emotional interest in finding such a bond, but in the end, we need to deal with evidence.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith all that in mind, I found a different theory about the etymology of Britain and a possible Semitic connection. I'll say from the outset that I'm skeptical of this one, but I'm not quite as ready to dismiss it out of hand.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EApparently it's been around for quite a while. Here's a summary from a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/all-geo.org\/metageologist\/2013\/03\/cornwall-tin-pasties-and-the-world\/\"\u003Egeology website\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe Phoenicians, a now vanished pre-Roman civilisation in North Africa, traded directly with Cornwall. The name “Britain” comes from the Phoenician name “\u003Ci\u003EBaratanac\u003C\/i\u003E”, meaning “Land of Tin”. The Greek historian Herodotus, who is the source for much of the little we know about the ancient world, describes how tin comes from the Cassiterides, ‘lands of tin’ that sat beyond Gaul (France).\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThe fact that \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tin_mining_in_Britain\"\u003Etin mining took place in Britain\u003C\/a\u003E in ancient times is not under dispute. And it's not preposterous to claim that the Phoenicians sailed to Britain. The only question is whether that particular etymology is reasonable and has any evidence.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;Let's look at the etymology itself. It took me some time, but I believe I have managed to dissect \u003Ci\u003Ebaratanac \u003C\/i\u003Einto two Semitic words that could give us Land of Tin.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFirst is \u003Ci\u003Ebarat\u003C\/i\u003E. I think that this theory likely connects it to a cognate of the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Ebar \u003C\/i\u003Eבר, which I've discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2011\/09\/bar.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. Klein provides \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%91%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%A8_%E1%B4%B5%E2%B1%BD.1?lang=bi\"\u003Ethis entry\u003C\/a\u003E, which makes it a reasonable candidate:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eopen field (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Job 39:4). [cp. BAram. בָּרָא, JAram. בָּרָא, בַּר (= open field), Syr. בָּרָא (= open field), Aram.–Syr. בּוּר (= to lie uncultivated), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ebarr \u003C\/i\u003E(= open country, inland, continent), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Ebarru\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Ebāru \u003C\/i\u003E(= open country).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd what about \u003Ci\u003Eanac\u003C\/i\u003E? This has a cognate in the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eanakh\u003C\/i\u003E אנך, found in Amos 7:7-8. While many translate it there as \"lead\" (or the synonymous \"plumb\"), there's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bible.org\/netbible\/brian_webster\/%E2%80%99anak_%E2%80%99anak._who%E2%80%99s_there_did_god_put_%E2%80%9Ctin%E2%80%9D_a_%E2%80%9Cplumb_line%E2%80%9D_or_something_else_in_israel\"\u003Egood evidence\u003C\/a\u003E that \"tin\" is a better translation. For example, there already is a Hebrew word for lead - \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/05\/africa.html\"\u003Eoferet\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E עופרת. And in the Akkadian cognate \u003Ci\u003Eannaku\u003C\/i\u003E, it \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=dCdeeYC3obkC\u0026amp;pg=PA455\u0026amp;lpg=PA455\u0026amp;dq=anak+akkadian+tin\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=3ucfeUd81w\u0026amp;sig=FnZpZDIIDp4Ep6N5XSsUGpznWaU\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwj-3vOXjoLbAhVBJ1AKHYuDCw4Q6AEIMDAC#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=anak%20akkadian%20tin\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Eclearly means\u003C\/a\u003E \"tin.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo it looks nice. Does it hold water? Most people say no (including\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/all-geo.org\/metageologist\/2013\/03\/cornwall-tin-pasties-and-the-world\/#comment-250400\"\u003E a comment accepted by that geology website above\u003C\/a\u003E). The most common etymology says it comes from a word meaning \"tattooed people.\" Here's the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/Briton\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for Briton:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ec. 1200, \"a Celtic native of the British Isles,\" from Anglo-French \u003Ci\u003EBretun\u003C\/i\u003E, from Latin \u003Ci\u003EBrittonem \u003C\/i\u003E(nominative \u003Ci\u003EBritto\u003C\/i\u003E, misspelled \u003Ci\u003EBrito\u003C\/i\u003E in MSS) \"a member of the tribe of the Britons,\" from *\u003Ci\u003EBritt-os\u003C\/i\u003E, the Celtic name of the Celtic inhabitants of Britain and southern Scotland before the 5c. Anglo-Saxon invasion drove them into Wales, Cornwall, and a few other corners. In 4c. B.C.E. Greek they are recorded as \u003Ci\u003EPrittanoi\u003C\/i\u003E, which is said to mean \"tattooed people.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003EIn response, those who claim a Phoenician connection point out that tattoos weren't unique to Britain at that time. And they provide other sources of evidence against other counter-claims. Read \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.caitlingreen.org\/2016\/12\/punic-names-britain.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/gaelg-hasht.000webhostapp.com\/astoo\/gb\/THE%20NAMES%20FOR%20BRITAIN%20AND%20IRELAND%20REVISITED.pdf\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for more extensive discussion.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhere am I at the end of all of this? Unconvinced. Maybe that's a sign of my lack of knowledge - I admit that I haven't researched this as extensively as a confident conclusion would demand. But I think it's also due to a feeling that many on both sides have an interest in a particular outcome. There are those that wanted to prove a connection between Britain and the biblical lands for religious reasons. Others rejected any possibility of such a connection (even if the etymology itself didn't hold up) for their own reasons, not all of which are purely academic.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut actually, being unconvinced is fine. It means that people will continue to study this question (and others), and through that effort come up with unforeseen discoveries. As a lover of language, I couldn't ask for anything more."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3676684033525275180\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3676684033525275180","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3676684033525275180"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3676684033525275180"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/11\/britain.html","title":"Britain"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-32776367747082537"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-10T16:43:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-11-18T09:38:01.860+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"tzion"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I'd like to discuss the etymology of \u003Ci\u003ETziyon\u003C\/i\u003E ציון (Zion in English). But before I get to that, I have to answer a more basic question. What is \u003Ci\u003ETzion\u003C\/i\u003E?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the Bible, the name first refers to the fortress of Jerusalem, conquered by King David, as in this verse:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eוַיִּלְכֹּד דָּוִד אֵת מְצֻדַת צִיּוֹן הִיא עִיר דָּוִד׃\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut David captured the stronghold of Tzion; it is now the City of David. (Shmuel II 5:7)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt has that limited sense in three other verses. However, in the other 150 occurrences in the Bible, it refers to either all of Jerusalem or the entire Land of Israel.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIts meaning was always more poetic or symbolic than a specific place name. I think, perhaps, it could be considered more of a concept than a location.\u0026nbsp; I particularly identify with Ruvik Rosenthal's description in his (Hebrew) book, \u003Ci\u003EOld Language, New Language: The Biblical Foundations of Modern Hebrew\u003C\/i\u003E, where he writes (page 283) that Tzion\u0026nbsp;\"is a dream that desires to become reality.\" This is the sense found in the famous verses in Tehilim that describe the songs of Tzion (137:3) and the future return to Tzion (126:1).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe longing for this idealized Tzion was captured beautifully in Hebrew poetry of the Middle Ages, particularly by Ibn Gabriol and Yehuda HaLevi, in their poems known as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zionides\"\u003EZionides\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(\u003Ci\u003Etzionim \u003C\/i\u003Eציונים).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETheir desire for Tzion likely inspired the groups in 19th century Europe, such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hovevei_Zion\"\u003EHovevei Tzion\u003C\/a\u003E (lovers of Tzion) who promoted immigration to the Land of Israel. Later they coalesced into a political movement, known as Zionism (\u003Ci\u003Etzionut \u003C\/i\u003Eציונות). That term was coined by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nathan_Birnbaum\"\u003ENathan Birnbaum\u003C\/a\u003E in 1890. And of course, the Zionist movement eventually led to the founding of the State of Israel.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EConsidering the centrality of Tzion in Jewish thought and prayer, it is surprising that the etymology is so unclear. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A6%D6%B4%D7%99%D6%BC%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%9F?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E offers the following:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EOf uncertain etymology. Some scholars derive it from צוה in the sense ‘to erect’ (cp. צִיּוּן). Others connect it with base צין, appearing in Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eṣāna\u003C\/i\u003E (= he protected), so that צִיּוֹן would lit. mean ‘fortress, citadel’. Scholars, with reference to Syr. צֶהְיוּן (= Heb. צִיּוֹן), derive these words from base צהה or ציה; according to them the orig. meaning of צִיוֹן would be ‘bare hill’. Other scholars regard Syr. צֶהְיוּן as the older form.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EHis first theory connects \u003Ci\u003Etzion\u003C\/i\u003E with the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Etziyun\u003C\/i\u003E ציון - \"monument, landmark.\" \u003Ci\u003ETziyun\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has a verb form - צין - \"to make a note, make a mark\", from which we get the word \u003Ci\u003Emetzuyan\u003C\/i\u003E מצוין - \"distinguished, excellent\" (the positive connotation here apparently inherited from Yiddish and German.) Klein's connection of this root to צוה - \"to command, to order\", would make Tzion cognate with \u003Ci\u003Emitzva \u003C\/i\u003Eמצוה - \"commandment.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'm not aware of any other Hebrew cognates to the Arabic\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eṣāna\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E**\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, but his third theory, that \u003Ci\u003Etzion\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;ultimately derives from the roots ציה or צהה meaning \"dry, drought,\" has two possible outcomes. One is that, as he said, that the original meaning was \"bare hill\" - and Jerusalem is on the border of the Judean desert, so that name could be fitting. Another possibility (mentioned \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2015\/05\/11\/%d7%a9%d7%9e%d7%95%d7%aa%d7%99%d7%94-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%95%d7%a9%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%91%d7%9e%d7%a7%d7%a8%d7%90\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E) is that \u003Ci\u003Etzion\u003C\/i\u003E was named for the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2015\/02\/chatul.html\"\u003Ewild cats\u003C\/a\u003E that were present there - the \u003Ci\u003Etziyim \u003C\/i\u003Eציים, whose name \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A6%D6%B4%D7%99_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein writes elsewhere\u003C\/a\u003E also derives from ציה meaning \"desert, dry.\" While we don't find wild, desert cats in Jerusalem today, it certainly has \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.israelnationalnews.com\/News\/News.aspx\/262856\"\u003Eplenty of stray cats\u003C\/a\u003E - so that origin is perhaps still relevant.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt does seem somewhat mundane to end a discussion of such a lofty concept as Tzion by describing wild cats. But this has always been the reality of Jerusalem and Tzion - trying to find a connection between the corporeal and the spiritual...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E**\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;Thanks so much to reader \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/moadimblog.wordpress.com\/\"\u003EYair Ron\u003C\/a\u003E, for writing on the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/balashon\/posts\/10157600749187487?comment_id=10157623306257487\u0026amp;notif_id=1574060712824429\u0026amp;notif_t=feed_comment\u0026amp;ref=notif\"\u003EFacebook page\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cspan dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"_3l3x\"\u003E\"I'm not aware of any other  Hebrew cognates to the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Eṣāna\u003C\/i\u003E\" - of course there is: צנה is a large  shield, a body armor or a defensive wall, and Klein thinks it may be  related to the same Arabic root.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EHere's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A6%D6%B9%D7%A0%D6%B6%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein's entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ea large shield (covering the whole body).     \u003Cb\u003E2\u003C\/b\u003E a protective wall.   NH  \u003Cb\u003E3\u003C\/b\u003E barrel shield of a revolver.  [Derived from base \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, צנן ᴵ 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%A6%D7%A0%D7%9F%20%E1%B4%B5.1\"\u003Eצנן\u003C\/a\u003E, which prob. means ‘to preserve, keep’, and possibly related to Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eṣāna\u003C\/i\u003E (= he preserved, kept).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo that's one more possible origin.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/32776367747082537\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=32776367747082537","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/32776367747082537"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/32776367747082537"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/11\/tzion.html","title":"tzion"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7915871895933706216"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-03T20:55:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-11-03T20:55:43.458+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"sepharad revisited"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2015\/02\/spiel.html\"\u003EI've discussed\u003C\/a\u003E a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/02\/kasher-and-kosher.html\"\u003Enumber of times\u003C\/a\u003E that I listen to a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2018\/10\/elephant.html\"\u003Ebunch of podcasts\u003C\/a\u003E that deal with language, linguistics and etymology. But I don't believe that I've mentioned that there are also YouTube channels that focus on those same topics.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPerhaps my favorite one is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCy_QZ1EEY4S5YT6cmBTwMwg\"\u003EName Explain\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;by Patrick Foote. His charming British accent, subtle sense of humor and genuine curiosity about the etymology of words makes each video a pleasure to watch.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERecently, I watched his video on \"The Names of Iberia Explained\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\"320\" height=\"266\" class=\"YOUTUBE-iframe-video\" data-thumbnail-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/ogrim3yKdmo\/0.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ogrim3yKdmo?feature=player_embedded\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven though I've written about some of the words he discussed before, he caused me to think about them from a new perspective, and suggested some new ones that I had not heard previously.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI wrote about \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/sefarad.html\"\u003ESefarad ספרד\u003C\/a\u003E - the Hebrew name for Spain - back in 2006, when I just started Balashon. It's an interesting place to write about in regards to Hebrew etymology, because it was settled at one point by the Phoenicians, and then centuries later by the Arabs, both of whom spoke languages cognate to Hebrew, and those cognates are reflected in many place names.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn that post, I wrote:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAccording to a theory in the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.newadvent.org\/cathen\/14169b.htm\"\u003ECatholic Encyclopedia\u003C\/a\u003E, the Phoenicians gave the name to Gibraltar's neighbor Spain (Hispania) as well. One theory claims that the name derives from \u003Ci\u003Etsepan\u003C\/i\u003E - rabbit or hyrax (in Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eshafan\u003C\/i\u003E \u003Cspan lang=\"he\"\u003Eשפן\u003C\/span\u003E) and so another name could be \"The Land of Rabbits\".\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI should have been more careful, and pointed out, as Rabbi Natan Slifkin famously does \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.zootorah.com\/RationalistJudaism\/ResponseToDialogueShafan.pdf\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, that in ancient Hebrew the \u003Ci\u003Eshafan\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is only a hyrax, not a rabbit. (In fact, according to Slifkin in his book, \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/9652295752\/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;creativeASIN=9652295752\u0026amp;linkId=30e74ac2f72a959c7c7b90a105ea63ed\"\u003EThe Camel, the Hare and the Hyrax\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Ethere were no rabbits in biblical Israel. The word commonly used today for rabbit - \u003Ci\u003Earnav\u003C\/i\u003E ארנב, which in the Bible only appears in the female, \u003Ci\u003Earnevet \u003C\/i\u003Eארנבת - refers to a hare, which is distinct from a rabbit.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EName Explain was aware of this distinction, and therefore said of the origin of Hispania:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ethis name apparently comes from the Phoenicians who, when they came to the land noticed the rabbits that were living there. The rabbits reminded the Phoenicians of the hyraxes they have in their homeland and also the Phoenicians would have to sail there, so without knowing any better they thought the rabbit filled land was an island. So they went with the name Hispania, which means Isle of Hyraxes despite the fact it wasn't an island and it wasn't full of hyraxes.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd so in addition to properly explaining how a land of rabbits was named for hyraxes, he also implied that the \"Hi\" in Hispania is cognate with the Hebrew\u0026nbsp; אי - \"island.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn my original post, I discussed the etymology of Gibraltar:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ethe name comes from the Arabic Jebel el Tarik \"the Mountain of Tarik.\"  Jebel derives from the Semitic root גבל - the same as the Hebrew word  גבול \u003Cem\u003Egvul\u003C\/em\u003E - meaning border.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/bible.html\"\u003Elater post\u003C\/a\u003E, I expanded on the word \u003Ci\u003Egvul\u003C\/i\u003E, and showed how it was likely the origin of the name of the town Byblos, which eventually gave us the word \"bible.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn his video, Name Explain presented a theory that I hadn't heard before, that the word gibberish derives from Gibraltar. He quotes from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.wonderopolis.org\/wonder\/what-is-gibberish\"\u003Ethis site\u003C\/a\u003E in the show notes, which writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EOthers believe it comes from the island of Gibraltar, where residents speak an interesting mix of English, Spanish, Hebrew, Hindi and Arabic. Nonresidents often believe the natives are simply speaking… well… gibberish!\u003C\/blockquote\u003EAt first glance, that seemed a bit far-fetched, and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/search?q=gibberish\"\u003Ealternate explanation\u003C\/a\u003E, that it came from the word \"jabber\", seemed more likely. But \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/gibfilm.blogspot.com\/2009\/02\/did-gibberish-originally-describe.html\"\u003Ethis detailed study\u003C\/a\u003E indicates that the Gibraltar explanation might very well be valid.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne word I did not address in my post was the town of Ibiza. Name Explain quoted\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balearic-properties.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/places-to-visit-in-ibiza\/\"\u003E a source\u003C\/a\u003E that said it comes from the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Eyabisa\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning \"dry land\", which is cognate with the Hebrew\u003Ci\u003E yabasha\u003C\/i\u003E יבשה of the same meaning, which in turn comes from the root \u003Ci\u003Eyavesh \u003C\/i\u003Eיבש - \"dry.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe also discusses the origin of the capital, Madrid. Its etymology is unclear, but he does provide \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/theculturetrip.com\/europe\/spain\/articles\/the-story-of-how-madrid-got-its-name\/\"\u003Eone theory\u003C\/a\u003E which gives it an Arabic origin:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EOthers say the Moors named the city in the 8th century. Apparently, the River Manzanares was called ‘\u003Ci\u003Eal-Magri\u003C\/i\u003Et’, which means water source in Arabic. The surrounding area was then called Mayrit, which comes from the Arabic term \u003Ci\u003EMayra\u003C\/i\u003E (meaning water or giver of life), which later changed to \u003Ci\u003EMagerit\u003C\/i\u003E, which means ‘place of water’ in Arabic. The name then evolved to Matrit and then eventually, Madrid. This may be the most likely theory, as the name Matrit is still found as a Spanish gentilic.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat theory is further discussed in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/forum.wordreference.com\/threads\/madrid.2454228\/\"\u003Ethis forum\u003C\/a\u003E, where one poster says that it may derive from an Arabic word meaning \"water, stream\", which comes from the root \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%89\"\u003Ejara\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"to flow\" (as well as \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%89#Arabic\"\u003Eto run.\u003C\/a\u003E\")\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%A8.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein writes\u003C\/a\u003E that the Hebrew word \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/06\/gur.html\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eger \u003C\/i\u003Eגר\u003C\/a\u003E - \"foreigner, stranger\" has the Arabic cognate \u003Ci\u003Ejara - \u003C\/i\u003E\"he went astray from.\" Seems to me that could be the same \u003Ci\u003Ejara\u003C\/i\u003E as \"to run\" or \"to flow\". So if all that is true, then the name Madrid has a Hebrew cognate as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo from one lover of etymology to another, thanks Patrick!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7915871895933706216\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7915871895933706216","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7915871895933706216"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7915871895933706216"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/11\/sepharad-revisited.html","title":"sepharad revisited"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/ogrim3yKdmo\/default.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3122838995122323256"},"published":{"$t":"2019-10-28T15:30:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-28T15:30:47.816+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"egel and igul"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Is there any connection between the Hebrew words\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eegel \u003C\/i\u003Eעגל - \"calf (a young cow or other large mammal)\" and \u003Ci\u003Eigul \u003C\/i\u003Eעיגול - \"circle\"?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAccording to \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.hofesh.org.il\/articles\/philology\/origin_of_languages\/1.html\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E, by linguist \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Uzzi_Ornan\"\u003EUzzi Ornan\u003C\/a\u003E, the connection can be found via cognates in other Semitic languages. In Arabic, the word \u003Ci\u003Eajila\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"he hurried, hastened\" (no connection to the English word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/agile\"\u003Eagile\u003C\/a\u003E) and Aramaic has \u003Ci\u003Eagala\u003C\/i\u003E עגלא - \"speed\", found in the adjective \u003Ci\u003Eba'agala \u003C\/i\u003Eבעגלא - \"quickly, speedily\" which appears in the Kaddish prayer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOrnan claims that this original meaning gave us the word \u003Ci\u003Eegel\u003C\/i\u003E - since calves are speedy animals (from my experience working in the dairy farm of the kibbutz I once lived on, I have to agree).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Hebrew an\u003Ci\u003E agala\u003C\/i\u003E עגלה is a \"carriage, wagon\", which travels quickly, and it does so because it has round wheels. The word for round in Hebrew is \u003Ci\u003Eagol\u003C\/i\u003E עגול, and is related to two words in Hebrew that until my research for this post, I frequently confused - \u003Ci\u003Ema'agal \u003C\/i\u003Eמעגל and \u003Ci\u003Eigul \u003C\/i\u003Eעגול. They both refer to \"circle\", but \u003Ci\u003Ema'agal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the circumference of the circle, and \u003Ci\u003Eigul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the area of the entire circle. I suppose a way for me to remember this in the future is that \u003Ci\u003Ema'agal \u003C\/i\u003Ealso means \"circuit\", which is a circular route (like the circumference of the circle), while \u003Ci\u003Eigul\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;has a similar form to \u003Ci\u003Eribua\u003C\/i\u003E ריבוע - an (entire) square. Another related word is \u003Ci\u003Eagil \u003C\/i\u003Eעגיל - \"earring.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Aramaic, the root עגל expanded to the related root ערגל meaning \"to roll.\" Despite my best efforts, I was not able to determine if this root is the ultimate origin of my once favorite Israeli cookie - the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.osem.co.il\/product\/chocolate-argaliot\/\"\u003EArgaliot\u003C\/a\u003E ערגליות (I never figured out whether the singular was \u003Ci\u003Eargalit \u003C\/i\u003Eערגלית or \u003Ci\u003Eargalia \u003C\/i\u003Eערגליה - but in any case, I never could eat just one.) I did discover that Osem, who manufactures them now, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.osem.co.il\/en\/history\/osem-purchases-argal-bakery-shop-ltd-production-elongated-filled-cookies-argaliot-taking-industrial-activities-brand-name\/\"\u003Ebought the Argal ערגל bakery in 1982\u003C\/a\u003E, who originally made them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bP-kH30n-qQ\/XbbtOAzoS1I\/AAAAAAAAAdw\/wtdpTSJydQAHSO7WPo9_Gwd4F8PagDELACLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/argaliot.PNG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"607\" data-original-width=\"739\" height=\"262\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bP-kH30n-qQ\/XbbtOAzoS1I\/AAAAAAAAAdw\/wtdpTSJydQAHSO7WPo9_Gwd4F8PagDELACLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/argaliot.PNG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut where did that bakery get their name from? Was it from baking \"rolls\"? From \"rolling\" the dough? That question still needs an answer."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3122838995122323256\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3122838995122323256","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3122838995122323256"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3122838995122323256"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/10\/egel-and-igul.html","title":"egel and igul"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bP-kH30n-qQ\/XbbtOAzoS1I\/AAAAAAAAAdw\/wtdpTSJydQAHSO7WPo9_Gwd4F8PagDELACLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/argaliot.PNG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7792270013856988848"},"published":{"$t":"2019-10-22T16:48:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-23T13:55:58.750+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"geshem "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"What's the connection between the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Egeshem\u003C\/i\u003E - גשם - \"rain\" and \u003Ci\u003Egashmi \u003C\/i\u003Eגשמי - \"physical\"?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom my initial research there is none. \u003Ci\u003EGeshem\u003C\/i\u003E is a biblical word for rain, and appears about as frequently in the Bible as its synonym \u003Ci\u003Ematar\u003C\/i\u003E מטר. In Talmudic Hebrew, however, \u003Ci\u003Egeshem \u003C\/i\u003Ebecame the nearly exclusive word for rain, and so it is also today.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003EGashmi\u003C\/i\u003E was borrowed into Medieval Hebrew from Arabic, which in turn is cognate with the Aramaic \u003Ci\u003Egeshem\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(or \u003Ci\u003Egishma \u003C\/i\u003Eגשמא) meaning \"body.\" That word is also biblical, appearing a few times in the Aramaic section of the book of Daniel. From \"body\" it came to mean \"substance, matter\", and this also led to the verbs \u003Ci\u003Ehigshim \u003C\/i\u003Eהגשים - \"was carried out\" or \"embodied\" and \u003Ci\u003Ehitgashem\u003C\/i\u003E התגשם - \"was realized, fulfilled.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOnce these verb forms entered Hebrew, it became must less common to use the root גשם to refer to the act of raining (even though there are verbs like that in Biblical Hebrew), but rather the verb form of \u003Ci\u003Ematar\u003C\/i\u003E: \u003Ci\u003Ehimtir\u003C\/i\u003E המטיר -\u0026nbsp; \"to make it rain.\" From this root we also have the words \u003Ci\u003Emitria\u003C\/i\u003E מטריה - \"umbrella\" and \u003Ci\u003Emamtera\u003C\/i\u003E ממטרה - \"sprinkler.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMany sources I found, including \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2011\/01\/23\/%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%A9%D7%9D-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%97\/\"\u003Ethis one\u003C\/a\u003E from the Academy of the Hebrew Language, said there was no connection between the two homonyms. However, there \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.blueletterbible.org\/lang\/lexicon\/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1653\u0026amp;t=WLC\"\u003Eare those\u003C\/a\u003E that claim that \u003Ci\u003Ematar\u003C\/i\u003E referred to any kind of rain, whereas \u003Ci\u003Egeshem \u003C\/i\u003Ewas a particularly heavy rain. According to this school of thought, \u003Ci\u003Egeshem \u003C\/i\u003Ecould be related to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/4847281\/Arabic_Etymological_Dictionary\"\u003EArabic \u003Ci\u003Ejasuma\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \"to be bulky, thick\", which would lead to a connection with the Aramaic \u003Ci\u003Egeshem\u003C\/i\u003E - \"body\" as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7792270013856988848\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7792270013856988848","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7792270013856988848"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7792270013856988848"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/10\/geshem.html","title":"geshem "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4623063654331472198"},"published":{"$t":"2019-10-07T14:45:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-07T14:45:09.163+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"nusach and nesiya"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"What is the origin of the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Enusach\u003C\/i\u003E נוסח?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBefore we delve into the etymology, let's discuss the meaning. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.morfix.co.il\/%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%97\"\u003EMorfix\u003C\/a\u003E offers \"wording, version, style.\" This is true in the general sense, as in the wording of a particular document. More specifically, when discussing Jewish prayer, as the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nusach\"\u003EWikipedia entry\u003C\/a\u003E notes, \u003Ci\u003Enusach\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;refers to \"the style of a prayer service,\" signifying \"the entire liturgical tradition of the community, including the musical rendition.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe related word, \u003Ci\u003Enuscha\u003C\/i\u003E נוסחה means \"formula, equation\" and is used primarily in mathematical and scientific contexts.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow to the origin. The original word, from Aramaic, was actually \u003Ci\u003Enuscha. \u003C\/i\u003EIt doesn't appear in Talmudic Aramaic, but rather first appears in the writings of the Geonim.\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003EKlein has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D6%BB%D7%A1%D6%B0%D7%97%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003Ethe following entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eנֻסְחָה f.n. MH 1 copy. 2 text, version. 3 formula. [From Aram. נֻסְחָא (= copy), which is prob. a loan word from Akka. \u003Ci\u003Enisḫu\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003Enusḫu\u003C\/i\u003E (= excerpt, copy), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Enusḫa\u003C\/i\u003E (= copy), is prob. an Aram. loan word.]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;For \u003Ci\u003Enusach\u003C\/i\u003E, he writes that it is a back formation from \u003Ci\u003Enuscha.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe authoritative dictionary of Akkadian, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chicago_Assyrian_Dictionary\"\u003EChicago Assyrian Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E, mentions the root \u003Ci\u003Enishu\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in a number of locations. (In \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.aina.org\/cad\/cad_n2.pdf\"\u003Ethis PDF\u003C\/a\u003E, look at pages\u0026nbsp;23, 31, 289, 291.) \u003Ci\u003ENishu \u003C\/i\u003Ederives from an earlier word, \u003Ci\u003Enasahu\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"to remove.\" The CAD provides many different contexts and usages for that sense of \"remove.\" For \u003Ci\u003Enuscha \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"excerpt\", they also offer the meaning \"extract\", which, as in English, has a sense of \"remove\". Copy, excerpt and extract find their modern day senses in the word processing terms of \"cut\/copy\/paste.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile \u003Ci\u003Enuscha\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;only appears in post-Talmudic literature, a related root can be found in the Bible. This is the root נסח, which while appearing in that form in Devarim 28:63, is more commonly found in spoken Hebrew today in the \u003Ci\u003Ehifil\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;form, where the initial letter nun is dropped. The verb הסיח means \"to remove, to put aside, to deflect\" and appears in as a noun in the phrase \u003Ci\u003Ehesech daat\u003C\/i\u003E היסח דעת - \"distraction\" (literally, \"removal of the mind.\")\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDr. Hayim ben Yosef Tawil, in his book \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1602801207\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;camp=1789\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;creativeASIN=1602801207\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;linkId=89142e3feb7be140ac1949a8db2c087a\"\u003EAn Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(page 241), makes an interesting connection between the root נסח and another, much more common root נסע\u0026nbsp; - \"to travel\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe Biblical Hebrew verb נסע, a variant of נסח, is attested at least 9 times in reference to pulling, uprooting an object. ... e.g., הסיע גפן\/עץ \"uproot a vine tree\" (Ps 80:9; Job 19:10) ... Accordingly, the semantic development of נסע = נסח is: \"pull off the pegs of the tent \u0026gt; break camp \u0026gt; move off \u0026gt; travel.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom the root נסע, we get the words \u003Ci\u003Emasa\u003C\/i\u003E מסע - \"journey\" and \u003Ci\u003Enesiya\u003C\/i\u003E נסיעה - \"trip.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo we've gone from \u003Ci\u003Enusach \u003C\/i\u003Eto \u003Ci\u003Enesiya. \u003C\/i\u003EWhat a trip it's been!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4623063654331472198\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4623063654331472198","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4623063654331472198"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4623063654331472198"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/10\/nusach-and-nesiya.html","title":"nusach and nesiya"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5641046540904709145"},"published":{"$t":"2019-09-15T23:07:00.002+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-09-15T23:07:38.597+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"shalal"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Let's take a look at the word \u003Ci\u003Eshalal\u003C\/i\u003E שָׁלָל. It means \"spoils, booty, plunder\" and according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D6%B8%D7%81%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%9C.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E, derives from the root שלל meaning \"to spoil, to plunder, to deprive\" and has the following origin:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAkka. \u003Ci\u003Eshalālu\u003C\/i\u003E, OSArab. תלל (= to plunder), and Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ethalla\u003C\/i\u003E (= flock of sheep or goats). cp. the related base נשׁל.]\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThe root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%81%D7%9C.1?lang=he\"\u003Eנשל\u003C\/a\u003E, in turn, means \"to slip or drop off; to draw off.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein writes that this original root of שלל developed into two more meanings. One is found only once in the Bible:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eשׁלל ᴵᴵ to draw out (sheaves).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; — Qal - שָׁלַל he drew out sheaves (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Ruth 2:16 in the phrase שֹׁל־תָּשֹׁלוּ, ‘you shall draw out (from the bundles)’. [Arab. \u003Ci\u003Esalla\u003C\/i\u003E (= he pulled out, withdrew). A special sense development of שׁלל ᴵ. cp. the related base שׁלה ᴵᴵ.]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;The root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A9%D7%81%D7%9C%D7%94_%E1%B4%B5%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=he\"\u003Eשלה\u003C\/a\u003E - \"to draw out\" - gives us a number of familiar words:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eshilya \u003C\/i\u003Eשליה - \"placenta\" (drawn out of the womb)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eshilhey\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;שלהי - \"the latter part of, the end of\" (literally going away, leaving)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Eshaldag\u003C\/i\u003E שלדג - \"kingfisher\". Klein presents this etymology: \"Coined by H.N. Bialik (1873–1934) as the abbreviation of שׁוֹלֶה דָּגִים, ‘(the bird) that draws out fishes’, from שׁוֹלֶה, part. of שָׁלָה (= he drew out), and דָּג (= fish).\" It is also the name of an \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shaldag_Unit\"\u003Eelite unit\u003C\/a\u003E in the Israeli army.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA third meaning of שלל is the one most frequently found in Modern Hebrew. Klein suggests these meanings: \"to remove; to refuse, to negate, to deny.\" When an army took the spoils, they \"removed\" them from those they defeated. So today when we use the verb \u003Ci\u003Eshalal\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;it generally means someone \"rejected, denounced, ruled out\" or \"negated, refuted, disproved.\" From here we get the related words \u003Ci\u003Eshelila \u003C\/i\u003Eשלילה - \"rejection, invalidation, elimination\" and \u003Ci\u003Eshelili \u003C\/i\u003Eשלילי - \"negative.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnother form of that verb is \u003Ci\u003Ehishtolel \u003C\/i\u003Eהשתולל. Today it means \"to misbehave, to act unruly\", but it originally meant \"to be deranged\", and Ben Yehuda indicates it therefore meant \"to be lacking sanity.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOne word that does not seem to fit this pattern is \u003Ci\u003Eshelal \u003C\/i\u003Eשלל - \"abundance\". Klein says that this post-Biblical word (he defines as \"bunch\") actually comes from an unrelated homonym of שלל. This root means \"to stitch loosely, join together loosely, to chain, fetter.\" He provides two possible etymologies:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EProb. denominated from שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת (= chain). However, it is also possible that שׁלל in this sense is a Shaph‘el verb formed from לוּלָאָה (= loop), so that שׁלל ᴵⱽ would properly mean ‘to tie with loops’.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EBased on this meaning of the root, he writes that \u003Ci\u003Eshelal \u003C\/i\u003Ewas originally from the phrase \u003Ci\u003Eshelal shel beitzim\u003C\/i\u003E שלל של ביצים - \"embryonic eggs joined together.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EHowever, Even Shoshan says that \u003Ci\u003Eshelal\u003C\/i\u003E too originates in the meaning of \"spoils\". A victor reviewing his spoils would find a bounty before him, as in the metaphor found in Tehilim 119:162:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Eשָׂשׂ אָנֹכִי עַל־אִמְרָתֶךָ כְּמוֹצֵא שָׁלָל רָב׃\u003Cbr \/\u003E I rejoice over Your word as one who finds great spoil.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAn example of this sense development is found in the Song of Devorah (Shoftim 5:30):\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Eהֲלֹא יִמְצְאוּ יְחַלְּקוּ שָׁלָל רַחַם רַחֲמָתַיִם לְרֹאשׁ גֶּבֶר שְׁלַל צְבָעִים לְסִיסְרָא שְׁלַל צְבָעִים רִקְמָה צֶבַע רִקְמָתַיִם לְצַוְּארֵי שָׁלָל׃\u003Cbr \/\u003E“They must be dividing the spoil they have found: A damsel or two for each man, Spoil of dyed cloths for Sisera, Spoil of embroidered cloths, A couple of embroidered cloths Round every neck as spoil.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Ci\u003EShelal tzevaim\u003C\/i\u003E - \"a spoil of color(ed cloths)\" took on the sense of \"an abundance (or variety) of colors.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo now we can see how one root developed into both very negative and very positive connotations.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5641046540904709145\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5641046540904709145","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5641046540904709145"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5641046540904709145"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/09\/shalal.html","title":"shalal"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2942472483965324134"},"published":{"$t":"2019-09-02T22:12:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-09-03T07:33:41.969+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ichpat"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew verb \u003Ci\u003Eichpat\u003C\/i\u003E איכפת is strange. (It is sometimes pronounced in Modern Hebrew as \u003Ci\u003Eechpat, \u003C\/i\u003Eperhaps because it is more commonly written as אכפת - without a \u003Ci\u003Eyod -\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and therefore looks like another similarly structured word אפשר, pronounced \u003Ci\u003Eefshar\u003C\/i\u003E. To hear the word in Hebrew, along with many examples of current usage, listen to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/tlv1-radio-2\/streetwise-hebrew\/e\/53581458\"\u003Ethis episode\u003C\/a\u003E of the great podcast Streetwise Hebrew.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile commonly translated as \"to care\", I think a better translation would be \"to matter\" or \"to concern\", since it is always followed by the preposition \"to\" as in \u003Ci\u003Elo ichpat li\u003C\/i\u003E or \u003Ci\u003Ema ichpat lecha\u003C\/i\u003E, which mean \"[it] doesn't matter to me\" and \"what [does it] concern you\". It is the root of the word \u003Ci\u003Eichpatiut\u003C\/i\u003E - איכפתיות - \"empathy\" (discussed at length\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.elephant.org.il\/translate\/translatable-but-debatable-ichpatiut\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat is the etymology of the word?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt first appears in post-biblical Hebrew, and Even-Shoshan notes that it was borrowed from Aramaic (for example in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Targum_of_I_Chronicles.21.13?lang=bi\"\u003ETargum to Divrei Yamim I 21:13\u003C\/a\u003E), where it is a form of the (related) Hebrew roots אכף or \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/10\/kaf.html\"\u003Eכפה\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning \"force, compel\".\u0026nbsp; This is also a theory presented by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%90%D6%B4%D7%9B%D6%B0%D7%A4%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%AA?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eאִכְפַּת intr. v. PBH to pressure, to care, concern. [Of uncertain etymology. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Joseph_Perles\"\u003EPerles\u003C\/a\u003E connects it with Syr. אֱכַף (= he had regard to, was solicitous, took care of). See אכף ᴵ.]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003EHis entry for אכף is as follows:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eאכף ᴵ to press force.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; — Qal - אָכַף he pressed, urged (in the Bible, a hapax legomenon occurring Pr. 16:26). [JAram. אֲכַף, Syr. אֱכַף (= he pressed, pressed hard, urged), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eukkupu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to urge).]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Modern Hebrew אכף means \"to enforce\",\u0026nbsp; and \u003Ci\u003Eakifa\u003C\/i\u003E אכיפה means \"enforcement.\" Klein suggests that \u003Ci\u003Eukaf\u003C\/i\u003E אוכף - \"saddle\", also may derive from this root. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%90%D6%B4%D7%9B%D6%B0%D7%A4%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%AA?lang=bi\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E makes the same connection, and offers a common meaning - \"burden\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA different theory connecting \u003Ci\u003Eichpat\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ci\u003Eukaf\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is presented by Horowitz (p. 90). He writes that\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ethe basic thought here is \"resting upon.\" The saddle rests upon the horse. \u003Ci\u003EMa ichpat li\u003C\/i\u003E מה איכפת לי really means how does this rest upon me, and figuratively, of course, how does this concern me.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is similar to the position of the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/beta.hebrewbooks.org\/reader\/reader.aspx?sfid=48229#p=323\u0026amp;fitMode=fitwidth\u0026amp;hlts=\u0026amp;ocr=%u05D0%u05DB%u05E4%u05EA\"\u003EArukh\u003C\/a\u003E, who says the root means \"to bind\" (so possibly deriving from the root \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9B%D7%A4%D7%AA?lang=bi\"\u003Eכפת\u003C\/a\u003E - \"to bind\"), and in the same way a saddle is bound to a horse, this \"thing\" is now connected to me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the footnotes of the Ben Yehuda dictionary, all of these suggestions are discussed, and in the end, none appear convincing. But \u003Ci\u003Ema ichpat li\u003C\/i\u003E? It was fun looking into them!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2942472483965324134\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2942472483965324134","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2942472483965324134"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2942472483965324134"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/09\/ichpat.html","title":"ichpat"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6750502396966899467"},"published":{"$t":"2019-08-25T15:27:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-08-26T09:54:56.126+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"sababa and machloket"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EI found a couple of interesting etymologies related to words that we've discussed before, so I thought I'd share them with you now.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/08\/tzvi.html\"\u003EBack in 2006\u003C\/a\u003E, we talked about the word \u003Ci\u003Etzvi\u003C\/i\u003E צבי. I wrote that Klein:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Econnects it to the root צבה - meaning \"to wish, desire\". This verb is  found in Aramaic Daniel 6:18, in the Aramaic translations to Biblical  Hebrew words such as חשק, חפץ and רצון (all meaning will or desire), and  in the Talmud as well (Yoma 86b, 87a). Therefore a translation of \u003Ci\u003EEretz HaTzvi\u003C\/i\u003E could be \"a desirable land\", which would pair up well with the phrase ארץ חמדה - \u003Ci\u003EEretz Hemda\u003C\/i\u003E, which means the same thing.\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom this root we also get the Hebrew word צביון \u003Ci\u003Etzivyon\u003C\/i\u003E, which originally meant \"will or desire\", later became \"beauty\", and in Modern Hebrew means \"character, nature\".\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWell, this apparently is also the root of the Hebrew slang word \u003Ci\u003Esababa \u003C\/i\u003Eסבבה - meaning \"cool\".\u0026nbsp; As \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/word-of-the-day-sababa-1.5259870\"\u003EShoshana Kordova writes\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESababa \u003C\/i\u003Eis one of several Hebrew slang words meaning “great” or “cool” and can express enthusiasm, satisfaction or assent (“sure,” “no problem”).\u003Cbr \/\u003E“How was your presentation? Did everything go as planned?” one colleague might ask another. “Oh yeah,” the response might be. “It all went \u003Ci\u003Esababa\u003C\/i\u003E, no hitches.”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003ESababa \u003C\/i\u003Ecomes from the Arabic word \u003Ci\u003Etzababa\u003C\/i\u003E, which means “great” or “excellent” in spoken Arabic, though it is also a more formal Arabic word meaning “yearning” or “strong love.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo this meaning of \"yearning, strong love\" in Arabic for \u003Ci\u003Etzababa \u003C\/i\u003Eis cognate with the Hebrew צבה, also meaning \"desire.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E**\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/02\/chelek-and-chaklaut.html\"\u003EIn 2017\u003C\/a\u003E, I discussed the root חלק, meaning to divide. It is the root of the word \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Eמחלוקת, meaning \"division, dispute, disagreement.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis word appears in a well-known mishna (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Pirkei_Avot.5.17?lang=bi\"\u003EAvot 5:17\u003C\/a\u003E) -\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Eכָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם,  סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֵין סוֹפָהּ  לְהִתְקַיֵּם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ  מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת  קֹרַח וְכָל עֲדָתוֹ:\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EEvery \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Ethat is for the sake of  Heaven, will in the end endure; But one that is not for the sake of  Heaven, will not endure. Which is the \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Ethat is for the sake  of Heaven? Such was the \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Eof Hillel and Shammai. And which is  the \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Ethat is not for the sake of Heaven? Such was the  \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Eof Korah and all his congregation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThe word \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Ein this English translation originally appeared as \"dispute\" and \"controversy.\" However, Safrai, in \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/herzogpress.herzog.ac.il\/book_page.asp?id=186\"\u003Ehis commentary\u003C\/a\u003E, says that this understanding is difficult. Disputes \"for the sake of heaven\" should be easy to resolve by good arguments, whereas disputes not for the sake of heaven, where personal and external factors are involved, will not be settled by claims of logic.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo Safrai, quoting \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ezra_Zion_Melamed\"\u003EMelamed\u003C\/a\u003E, writes that the word \u003Ci\u003Emachloket \u003C\/i\u003Ehere does not mean \"dispute\", but rather \"division\", i.e. the different groups (on either side of the debate). This was the meaning in Biblical Hebrew (it appears frequently in Divrei Hayamim), and is parallel to the word \u003Ci\u003Emiflaga \u003C\/i\u003Eמפלגה - also meaning division (the root פלג means divide as well), and is the word for \"political party\" in Modern Hebrew. Therefore, Safrai concludes, that groups that are organized for a positive purpose (\"for the sake of heaven\") will endure.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6750502396966899467\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6750502396966899467","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6750502396966899467"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6750502396966899467"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/08\/sababa-and-machloket.html","title":"sababa and machloket"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1732560096884574034"},"published":{"$t":"2019-08-18T19:53:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-08-18T19:53:51.535+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"tzofeh and tzipui"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew root צפה has two different meanings.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne means \"to look, observe, keep watch, expect\", and gives us such words as:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Etzafui\u003C\/i\u003E צפוי - \"foreseen\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Etzofeh\u003C\/i\u003E צופה - \"scout\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Emitzpeh\u003C\/i\u003E מצפה - \"lookout, observatory\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe other meaning of צפה is \"to coat, to cover, to overlay.\" \u003Ci\u003ETzipui \u003C\/i\u003Eציפוי means \"covering, coating, glaze.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIs there any connection between the two meanings?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A6%D6%B4%D7%A4%D6%B8%D6%BC%D7%94?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E doesn't indicate any. He provides two distinct etymologies. For the meaning \"to look\", he writes:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EJAram. צְפֵי, אִצְטֽפֵי (= he looked out), Ethiop. \u003Ci\u003Etasafawa\u003C\/i\u003E (= he hoped), New Punic צפא (= seer). cp. also Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eṣubbu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to look at).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAnd for the meaning \"to cover\", he simply notes:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EJAram. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eצִפָּא\u003C\/span\u003E (= laying over, covering).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ENot too much to go on there, but certainly no connection is offered. To find some possible theories, we're going to need to go to older dictionaries. Since linguistics was not as developed when they were written, these suggestions are much more speculative. But since there is nothing even in Klein's theory that precludes a connection (like the two roots having clearly distinct origins), it is interesting to read their theories.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESteinberg, in his Milon HaTanach, seems to indicate that the original meaning of the root was \"to cover\", and the secondary meaning, \"to observe\", came from the sense \"to put one's eye on\". If this is the case, perhaps it follows a similar development as the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cover\"\u003Ecover\u003C\/a\u003E\", which earlier meant \"to put something over something else\" and later, in the field of journalism, came to mean \"to investigate.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.tyndalearchive.com\/TABS\/Gesenius\/\"\u003EGesenius\u003C\/a\u003E says the root means \"to shine, to be bright\", based on an Arabic cognate. From this, he writes, the meaning \"to look out, to view\" properly means \"to enlighten with the eyes.\" And he claims that the original meaning of \"to cover\" was \"to overlay with gold or silver\", i.e. to make splendid. (Notably, the BDB, which is built on Gesenius, does not mention this theory.)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A6%D6%B4%D7%A4%D6%B0%D7%93%D6%BC%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%A0%D6%B8%D7%90?lang=bi\u0026amp;p2=Jastrow%2C_%D7%A6%D7%A4%D7%99.1\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003EJastrow\u003C\/a\u003E has a similar theory. He also says the original meaning was \"to shine.\" While he doesn't explain the connection between \"to shine\" and \"to look\" (I assume it has something to do with light), like Gesenius, he says that \"to cover\" originally meant \"to cover with shining plate.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EFinally, Tur Sinai, in a note on Ben Yehuda's entry for the meaning of \"to overlay\" writes that perhaps this root doesn't mean \"to cover\" at all, but rather to purify and to improve - \"to ennoble\" in his words. He then says that this would make the root cognate with an Arabic root צפי meaning \"to purify\", which is related to another Arabic root צפא, meaning \"was pure and clear.\" If this is the case, Tur Sinai notes, it could be connected to the other Hebrew root, meaning \"to see\" - which would properly mean \"to see clearly.\" In any case, he summarizes, \u003Ci\u003Etzipui \u003C\/i\u003Ein Biblical Hebrew never means to simply cover, but to cover with some better material.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESo did I cover everything?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1732560096884574034\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1732560096884574034","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1732560096884574034"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1732560096884574034"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/08\/tzofeh-and-tzipui.html","title":"tzofeh and tzipui"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3375953969474666428"},"published":{"$t":"2019-08-12T19:46:00.004+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-08-12T19:48:05.785+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"badeken"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EJust before the main part of the Jewish wedding ceremony under the \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chuppah\"\u003Echuppah\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E, the groom approaches the bride, and covers her face with a veil. This ceremony is known as the \"\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Badeken\"\u003Ebadeken\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E.\"\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the past, when I thought about the etymology of the word, I assumed it derived from the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/10\/bidur.html\"\u003Ebadak\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E בדק - \"to examine.\" My assumption was based on an association with the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Genesis.29?lang=bi\u0026amp;aliyot=0\"\u003Estory of the wedding of the patriarch Yaakov\u003C\/a\u003E. He thought he was marrying Rachel, but was deceived, and ended up marrying her sister Leah. Since the \u003Ci\u003Ebadeken \u003C\/i\u003Eceremony is the last chance for the groom to \"inspect\" the bride before the \u003Ci\u003Echuppah \u003C\/i\u003E(and in many arranged weddings in earlier times, perhaps the first time he met her at all), I figured this was his opportunity for a \u003Ci\u003Ebedika \u003C\/i\u003Eבדיקה - \"inspection\", hence \u003Ci\u003Ebadeken.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003EBut no. This \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%91%D7%90%D6%B7%D7%93%D7%A2%D7%A7%D7%A0%D7%A1\"\u003EYiddish word\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;באַדעקן,\u0026nbsp; actually derives from the German \u003Ci\u003Ebedecken\u003C\/i\u003E, meaning \"to cover\" (in this case with a veil). It has an \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/bedecken\"\u003EIndo-European etymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EFrom Old High German *\u003Ci\u003Ebidecchen\u003C\/i\u003E, from Proto-Germanic *\u003Ci\u003Ebiþakjaną\u003C\/i\u003E, equivalent to \u003Ci\u003Ebe\u003C\/i\u003E- +‎ \u003Ci\u003Edecken\u003C\/i\u003E. Cognate with Dutch \u003Ci\u003Ebedekken\u003C\/i\u003E, English bethatch, Swedish \u003Ci\u003Ebetäcka\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EI had never heard of the English example \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/bethatch\"\u003Ebethatch\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(and neither has my spell checker), but of course it is related to \"thatch\", which is the covering (i.e. roof) of a house. The Online Etymology Dictionary provides the following entries for thatch:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ethatch (v.)\u003Cbr \/\u003Elate 14c., \u003Ci\u003Ethecchen\u003C\/i\u003E, from Old English \u003Ci\u003Eþeccan \u003C\/i\u003E\"to cover, cover over, conceal,\" in late Old English specifically \"cover the roof of a house,\" related to \u003Ci\u003Eþæc \u003C\/i\u003E\"roof, thatching material,\" from Proto-Germanic *\u003Ci\u003Ethakjan \u003C\/i\u003E(source also of Old Saxon \u003Ci\u003Ethekkian\u003C\/i\u003E, Old Norse \u003Ci\u003Eþekja\u003C\/i\u003E, Old Frisian \u003Ci\u003Ethekka\u003C\/i\u003E, Middle Dutch \u003Ci\u003Edecken\u003C\/i\u003E, Dutch\u003Ci\u003E dekken\u003C\/i\u003E, Old High German \u003Ci\u003Edecchen\u003C\/i\u003E, German \u003Ci\u003Edecken \u003C\/i\u003E\"to cover\"), from PIE root *\u003Ci\u003E(s)teg\u003C\/i\u003E- \"to cover.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Ethatch (n.)\u003Cbr \/\u003EOld English \u003Ci\u003Eþæc \u003C\/i\u003E\"roof, thatch, cover of a building,\" from Proto-Germanic *\u003Ci\u003Ethakam \u003C\/i\u003E(source also of Old Norse \u003Ci\u003Eþak\u003C\/i\u003E, Old Frisian \u003Ci\u003Ethek\u003C\/i\u003E, Swedish \u003Ci\u003Etak\u003C\/i\u003E, Danish \u003Ci\u003Etag\u003C\/i\u003E, Middle Dutch, Dutch \u003Ci\u003Edak \u003C\/i\u003E\"roof,\" Old High German \u003Ci\u003Edah \u003C\/i\u003E\"covering, cover,\" German \u003Ci\u003EDach \u003C\/i\u003E\"roof\"), from PIE root *\u003Ci\u003E(s)teg\u003C\/i\u003E- \"to cover.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003EWe've seen *\u003Ci\u003E(s)teg\u003C\/i\u003E before - it's ultimately the root of the Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2011\/11\/tag.html\"\u003Etag\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eתג - \"crown\".\u0026nbsp; And one more English cognate is the word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/deck\"\u003Edeck\u003C\/a\u003E\". The noun refers to the covering of a boat, and the verb means to \"adorn, array or clothe with something ornamental (as in deck the halls).\" Which is pretty much what the \u003Ci\u003Ebadeken \u003C\/i\u003Eceremony is - and an easy way to remember the proper etymology."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3375953969474666428\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3375953969474666428","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3375953969474666428"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3375953969474666428"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/08\/badeken.html","title":"badeken"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5310449990606829434"},"published":{"$t":"2019-08-04T19:51:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-08-04T19:51:31.263+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kesef and kisufim"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew word \u003Ci\u003Ekesef \u003C\/i\u003Eכסף - \"silver\" or \"money\" and \u003Ci\u003Ekisufim \u003C\/i\u003Eכיסופים - \"longing\", share the same root. What is the connection between the the two?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAccording to most scholars, both words derive from an earlier root meaning \"white\" or \"pale\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor example, Klein, in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9B%D7%A1%D7%A3_%E1%B4%B5.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003Ehis entry\u003C\/a\u003E for the verb כסף - \"to long for\", writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAram. כְּסַף (was pale, was white; whence ‘was white for shame’, ‘was ashamed’), Arab. \u003Ci\u003Ekasapha \u003C\/i\u003E(= was colorless, was obscured, was eclipsed — said of the sun or the moon).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs Stahl writes, both shame and yearning cause a person to become pale.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd Klein continues in his entry for \u003Ci\u003Ekesef\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003E- \"silver\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ERelated to Phoen. כסף, BAram. and Aram. כְּסַף, כַּסֽפָּא, Syr. כֻּסְפָּא, Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Eksp\u003C\/i\u003E, Akka. \u003Ci\u003Ekaspu\u003C\/i\u003E. These words prob. derive from כסף and lit. mean ‘the pale metal’.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EIn his concordance, Even Shoshan lists three meanings for \u003Ci\u003Ekesef\u003C\/i\u003E, seemingly in the order the senses developed:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E1) the metal silver, which is the most frequent use of \u003Ci\u003Ekesef\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the Bible\u003Cbr \/\u003E2) an abbreviation of \u003Ci\u003Eshekel kesef\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/i\u003Eשקל כסף - \"a weight of silver\", which represents a particular value of silver, based on a standard weight\u003Cbr \/\u003E3) price, which only appears three times in the Bible. This sense is not connected to silver at all and developed into the common meaning today, \"money.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne other word that may derive from this early meaning \"white\" is Caspian, as in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Caspian_Sea\"\u003ECaspian Sea\u003C\/a\u003E. The Online Etymology Dictionary has \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/caspian\"\u003Ethis entry\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ECaspian (adj.)\u0026nbsp; of or pertaining to the great inland sea of central Asia, 1580s, from Latin \u003Ci\u003ECaspius\u003C\/i\u003E, from Greek \u003Ci\u003EKaspios\u003C\/i\u003E, named for native people who lived on its shores (but who were said to be originally from the Caucasus), Latin \u003Ci\u003ECaspii\u003C\/i\u003E, from a native self-designation, perhaps literally \"white.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/caspianrepublic.blogspot.com\/2015\/05\/ancient-caspian-cross-and-caspians.html?m=1\"\u003EThis site\u003C\/a\u003E theorizes that the Semitic word may have come from the Sumerians, and from Mesopotamia, the word spread to the Caucasus."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5310449990606829434\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5310449990606829434","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5310449990606829434"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5310449990606829434"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/08\/kesef-and-kisufim.html","title":"kesef and kisufim"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7820556569584977609"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-28T17:40:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-28T17:40:54.930+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Buttigieg"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Continuing our tour of the Mediterranean, this time we'll look at the name\u0026nbsp;Buttigieg - most famous today as the surname of the mayor of South Bend, Indiana,\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pete_Buttigieg\"\u003E Pete Buttigieg\u003C\/a\u003E, who is currently running for President of the United States.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EButtigieg is certainly an unusual last name - difficult to spell and to intuit the pronunciation (\u003Ci\u003Eboot-edge-edge\u003C\/i\u003E). Pete's father, Joseph, was born in Malta, and their surname is Maltese.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Maltese_language\"\u003EMaltese\u003C\/a\u003E is a Semitic language (descending from a variety of Arabic), and we've \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/11\/malta.html\"\u003Enoted before\u003C\/a\u003E that the name Malta itself is likely of Phoenician origin, and cognate to the Hebrew root מלט \u003Ci\u003Emalat \u003C\/i\u003E- \"to escape.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo I thought it would be interesting to see if \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buttigieg\"\u003EButtigieg\u003C\/a\u003E has any cognates familiar to Hebrew speakers. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/183114\/Vestiges_of_Arabic_Nomencalture_in_Maltese_Surnames\"\u003EThe name derives\u003C\/a\u003E from the Arabic\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003EAbū d-dajāj. \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAbu \u003C\/i\u003Eliterally means father, and \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D8%AF%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%A9\"\u003Edajaj\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/i\u003Emeans chickens (or poultry).\u0026nbsp; Together, the name referred to a dealer in poultry.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EDajaj \u003C\/i\u003Eappears also in the full name of the star \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Deneb\"\u003EDeneb\u003C\/a\u003E - which was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Deneb\"\u003Eoriginally known\u003C\/a\u003E as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eḏanab ad-dajāja\u003C\/i\u003E, “the hen's tail”. Deneb is used frequently \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Deneb_in_fiction\"\u003Ein fiction\u003C\/a\u003E, including Star Trek. (Mayor Pete is a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.indianapolismonthly.com\/longform\/pete-buttigieg-feature\"\u003Efan of Star Trek\u003C\/a\u003E, and is quite a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.com\/politics\/a27004186\/pete-buttigieg-languages\/\"\u003Elinguaphile\u003C\/a\u003E. I wonder if he's aware of the connection to his name.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EReturning to Buttigieg\/\u003Ci\u003EAbū d-dajāj,\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Eabu \u003C\/i\u003Eis certainly cognate with the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Eav \u003C\/i\u003Eאב - \"father.\" But what about \u003Ci\u003Edajaj\u003C\/i\u003E? Any Hebrew relatives?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'll start out by saying that I was not able to find any clear connection between \u003Ci\u003Edajaj \u003C\/i\u003Eand any Hebrew (or Aramaic) word that I know (outside of an Aramaic cognate in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=Rr87DwAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA259\u0026amp;lpg=PA259\u0026amp;dq=arabic+dagag+chicken+etymology\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=-jhh_kdudl\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U0TRnNqovJrfvKk6DaW39UzU_Mdqg\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiBzcqDqN_hAhWKZ1AKHT-IADwQ6AEwB3oECAgQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=arabic%20dagag%20chicken%20etymology\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ethis book\u003C\/a\u003E, but I could not find any other source that mentions such a word). If any of you readers can help, I welcome your input.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;While I could not find any Hebrew cognates, there are cognates in other Semitic languages, including \u003Ci\u003Edagag \u003C\/i\u003Ein Ge'ez, also meaning \"domestic fowls\". In \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=WqkbGRnoSncC\u0026amp;pg=PA126\u0026amp;lpg=PA126\u0026amp;dq=dgdg+semitic\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=UcuY8q0g-H\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U1dkwLa5oAV0MPAicfwutPly_TtZg\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjfzsPqpN_hAhWHJVAKHW1YB14Q6AEwBHoECAYQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=dgdg%20semitic\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ethis dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E of Ge'ez, they write that\u0026nbsp;the word derives \"from an onomatopoetic \u003Ci\u003Edgdg\u003C\/i\u003E\" and compares to to a word in Sahri (another Semitic language), \u003Ci\u003Eedegdeg \u003C\/i\u003E- \"make a tapping noise.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf \u003Ci\u003Edajaj\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is of onomatopoetic etymology - the pecking of the chickens - then the search for its origin ends there. But I'm not yet convinced.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=aPu3BfGZFZwC\u0026amp;pg=RA1-PA162\u0026amp;lpg=RA1-PA162\u0026amp;dq=%22d-g-d-g%22+(arabic+OR+hebrew+OR+aramaic+OR+akkadian+OR+semitic)\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=ngmzVPykD8\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U3nKiEivMmvzWoAJ79_5aaZUb0aww\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiVrevRitDjAhV0s3EKHUD9CcYQ6AEwA3oECAYQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=%22d-g-d-g%22%20(arabic%20OR%20hebrew%20OR%20aramaic%20OR%20akkadian%20OR%20semitic)\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EThis dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E of Iraqi Arabic says that \u003Ci\u003Edagdag\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"to bang, to pound\", and \u003Ci\u003Edagg\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;means \"to grind, to crush\". And \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/starling.rinet.ru\/cgi-bin\/response.cgi?single=1\u0026amp;basename=%2fdata%2fsemham%2fsemet\u0026amp;text_number=+304\u0026amp;root=config\"\u003Ethis database of Semitic roots\u003C\/a\u003E says that many related languages have similar roots meaning \"trample down\", \"press, squeeze\", or\u0026nbsp; \"tap\". Perhaps ultimately all of those derive from an onomatopoetic ancestor, but I think that might leave room for some connection to Hebrew. If we consider the theory that some of the most ancient three consonant Semitic roots are based in earlier roots of two consonants (as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/10\/pargit.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E), then perhaps there was a two letter root \u003Ci\u003E*dg\u003C\/i\u003E that meant \"to beat, to pound.\" This would fit an onomatopoetic origin as well, since the sound of \u003Ci\u003E*dg\u003C\/i\u003E is similar to tapping or knocking.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd if that's the case - and I admit I'm speculating here - there are some Hebrew words with related meanings that begin with \u003Ci\u003Edg\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Edagesh \u003C\/i\u003Eדגש\u0026nbsp; - as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2015\/02\/dagesh.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, originally meant \"to pierce\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Edigdeg \u003C\/i\u003Eדגדג - \"to tickle\", which \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/benyehuda.org\/by\/hazaot_xidushey_milim.html\"\u003EBen Yehuda\u003C\/a\u003E coined\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/fayllar.org\/arabic-dictionary.html?page=5\"\u003Efrom the Arabic\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Edaghdagha \u003C\/i\u003E(a distinct spelling from \u003Ci\u003Edajaj\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd if we note the similarity between \"g\" and \"k\", we find these as well:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Edakak \u003C\/i\u003Eדקק - \"to crush, pulverize\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci\u003Edakar \u003C\/i\u003Eדקר - \"to pierce, stab\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI'm not sure what I think of these options. Ultimately, they're just stabs in the dark...\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7820556569584977609\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7820556569584977609","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7820556569584977609"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7820556569584977609"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/buttigieg.html","title":"Buttigieg"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-863818238693058130"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-22T09:38:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-22T14:13:00.216+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"mayonnaise"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"After discussing \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/copper-cyprus-cypress-and-gopher.html\"\u003ECyprus\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/rhodes.html\"\u003ERhodes\u003C\/a\u003E, this time we'll look at another Mediterranean island in our discussion of \"mayonnaise.\" (And no, I'm not looking into the origin of Thousand Island dressing.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Online Etymology Dictionary provides this possible\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/mayonnaise\"\u003Eetymology\u003C\/a\u003E for mayonnaise:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E1815, from French sauce mayonnaise (1806), said by French sources to be corrupted from \u003Ci\u003Emahonnaise \u003C\/i\u003Eand to have been named in recognition of \u003Ci\u003EMahon\u003C\/i\u003E, seaport capital of island of Minorca, captured by France in 1756 after the defeat of the British defending fleet in the Seven Years' War\u003C\/blockquote\u003E(For a more detailed discussion about this and other theories about the origin, see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/test-kitchen\/ingredients\/article\/on-the-etymology-of-the-word-mayonnaise\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut of course, we need to go a little deeper. Where did the city of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mah%C3%B3n\"\u003EMahón\u003C\/a\u003E get its name?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis goes all the way back to the brother of the famous general of Carthage, Hannibal. According to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=pup44wMCoeoC\u0026amp;pg=PA254\u0026amp;lpg=PA254\u0026amp;dq=mahon+mago\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=pAaz_oPiEv\u0026amp;sig=ACfU3U2RpuOwNNQ37CtfYa-RHpVQbNz2mA\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwj62bTt1MfjAhUNa8AKHQBGD3oQ6AEwCnoECAcQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=mahon%20mago\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ethis book\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EHis youngest brother \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mago_Barca\"\u003EMago \u003C\/a\u003E... possessed himself of the island now called Minorca, where Port Mahon (Mago's Harbour) still preserves the memory of his visit.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf you're still asking why is all of this being discussed here, we need to remember (as \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/sefarad.html\"\u003Ewe've discussed before\u003C\/a\u003E) that Carthage was originally a Phoenician colony, and so they also spoke a Semitic language.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo could this Mago have a Hebrew cognate? \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.livius.org\/articles\/person\/mago-barca\/\"\u003EThis article\u003C\/a\u003E about Mago Barca says that Mago is from Phoenician \u003Ci\u003Emgn, \u003C\/i\u003Emeaning \"godsent\". This root already seems similar to the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/02\/genie.html\"\u003Emagen \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Eמגן - but in Hebrew it means \"shield\". Could \"godsent\" somehow be related to \"shield\" or \"protect\"?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=j364D6HM_scC\u0026amp;pg=PA339\u0026amp;lpg=PA339\u0026amp;dq=mgn+phoenician\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=Dh42LZTZuN\u0026amp;sig=lw6BJsJFdvRrRn5sjBbVjskCBgo\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwi2obzUl7bfAhWIUlAKHSv3DBo4ChDoATAHegQIAhAB#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=mgn%20phoenician\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EMany\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=cKy9CwAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA6\u0026amp;lpg=PA6\u0026amp;dq=magon+magan+benefactor\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=SAtkUFL4OC\u0026amp;sig=6TBaMngD9SN-gj4B-6PaAalyOi0\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiPu4a6mLbfAhVIbFAKHTSCC44Q6AEwBnoECAIQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=magon%20magan%20benefactor\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Esources \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=1Jg3AAAAIAAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA122\u0026amp;lpg=PA122\u0026amp;dq=magon+magan+benefactor+dahood\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=KGiVbN2FTx\u0026amp;sig=wKNidgcK_zwoLgQPpVdR9mGQEBE\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjXy7vamLbfAhVBUlAKHdOGBckQ6AEwB3oECAIQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=magon%20magan%20benefactor%20dahood\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Eclaim\u003C\/a\u003E that a better translation for \"godsent\" would be \"benefactor\" - one who gives or helps others. Perhaps surprisingly,\u0026nbsp;there are two different roots (having the same spelling) for מגן. One\u0026nbsp; means \"to shield, protect\" and, as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B8%D7%92%D6%B5%D7%9F?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;writes, derives from the noun \u003Ci\u003Emagen\u003C\/i\u003E, which in turn comes from the root גנן - \"to cover, protect.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERegarding the other מגן, he says it means \"to deliver up, deliver\" and provides this etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EPhoen. מגן (= he gave), Aram.-Syr. מַגָּן, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Emajānan \u003C\/i\u003E(= as a gift, gratis), Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Emgn \u003C\/i\u003E(= to beseech).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Genesis.14.20?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=Ibn%20Ezra\u0026amp;lang2=bi\"\u003EIbn Ezra, on Bereshit 14:20\u003C\/a\u003E, points out that in this root the letter \u003Ci\u003Emem \u003C\/i\u003Eis radical (part of the root), which is not the case of \u003Ci\u003Emagen \u003C\/i\u003Eas shield, where the root is גנן and the \u003Ci\u003Emem\u003C\/i\u003E serves as a prefix. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Biblical Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Emagen \u003C\/i\u003Eas shield is far more common, but there are three verses where the root מגן means \"to give\" or \"to deliver\" - Bereshit 14:20, Hoshea 11:8 and Mishlei 4:9. (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Psalms-1-50-Anchor-Bible-Commentaries\/dp\/030013956X#reader_030013956X\"\u003ESome say\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ci\u003Emagen \u003C\/i\u003Ein Bereshit 15:1 has the meaning of suzerain or benefactor as well, and not shield as commonly translated.) The root with that meaning appears much more frequently in Talmudic literature.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/863818238693058130\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=863818238693058130","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/863818238693058130"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/863818238693058130"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/mayonnaise.html","title":"mayonnaise"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2297384483418104351"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-15T22:13:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-16T10:21:59.557+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Rhodes"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Last time we talked about the Mediterranean island of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/copper-cyprus-cypress-and-gopher.html\"\u003ECyprus\u003C\/a\u003E. This time, we'll discuss a neighboring island: \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rhodes\"\u003ERhodes\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERhodes is likely the source of the biblical sea people, sons of Yavan (Greece) known as the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dodanim\"\u003ERodanim \u003C\/a\u003Eרודנים, as mentioned in Divrei Hayamim I 1:7. (The parallel text in Bereshit 10:4 lists them as the Dodanim דודנים, but various ancient translates translate that verse with Rodanim.)\u0026nbsp; And what is the origin of the name Rhodes?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere are a few proposed etymologies, all of which may have some connection to Hebrew.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/rhodes\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E presents three theories. The first two claim that it derives from:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EGreek \u003Ci\u003ERhodos\u003C\/i\u003E, perhaps from \u003Ci\u003Erhodon \u003C\/i\u003E\"rose,\" or \u003Ci\u003Erhoia \u003C\/i\u003E\"pomegranate\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003ERhodon \u003C\/i\u003Eas rose is cognate with the Hebrew \u003Ci\u003Evered\u003C\/i\u003E ורד as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2009\/03\/shoshana.html\"\u003Eearlier\u003C\/a\u003E, quoting Klein:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAramaic ורדא, borrowed from Iranian *\u003Ci\u003Ewrda\u003C\/i\u003E, whence Greek \u003Ci\u003Erodon\u003C\/i\u003E, whence Latin \u003Ci\u003Erosa \u003C\/i\u003E(=rose)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/148339?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents\"\u003EThis article\u003C\/a\u003E mentions a suggestion that \u003Ci\u003Erhoia \u003C\/i\u003Ederives from the Hebrew word for pomegranate, \u003Ci\u003Erimmon \u003C\/i\u003Eרימון.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo both of these have a Hebrew connection. In the first one, the Hebrew and Greek have a common ancestor, and in the second the Greek may derive from the Hebrew.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever the Online Etymology Dictionary goes on to make an additional suggestion:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ebut \"more likely\" [Room, Adrian, \u003Ci\u003EPlace Names of the World\u003C\/i\u003E] from a pre-Greek name, from Phoenician \u003Ci\u003Eerod \u003C\/i\u003E\"snake,\" for the serpents which were said to have anciently infested the island.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EPhoenician is a Semitic language, very close to Hebrew, however I could not find a Hebrew (or Aramaic) cognate to \u003Ci\u003Eerod \u003C\/i\u003Eas snake. (Other spellings include \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%E1%BF%AC%CF%8C%CE%B4%CE%BF%CF%82#Etymology\"\u003Ehrʿd\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=prDLCQAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PT130\u0026amp;dq=rhodes+etymology++snake\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwiSpZH3y_HeAhWSDOwKHaMWDAsQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Erhad\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=prDLCQAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PT130\u0026amp;dq=rhodes+etymology++snake\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwiSpZH3y_HeAhWSDOwKHaMWDAsQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/starling.rinet.ru\/cgi-bin\/response.cgi?single=1\u0026amp;basename=%2fdata%2fsemham%2fsemet\u0026amp;text_number=2671\u0026amp;root=config\"\u003E*ʔar(a)w-\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E ).\u0026nbsp; Perhaps one of you can?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E*** Update ***\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: red;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003ETwo helpful readers found what might very well be a Hebrew cognate for the Phoenician \u003Ci\u003Eerod\u003C\/i\u003E. This is the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%93_(%D7%97%D7%96%22%D7%9C)\"\u003Epost-biblical ערוד\u003C\/a\u003E (alternatively vocalized as \u003Ci\u003Earod\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;or \u003Ci\u003Earvad\/arwad\u003C\/i\u003E). It appears in Talmudic literature as a snake (or another reptile) as in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Berakhot.33a?lang=bi\"\u003EBerachot 33a\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Chullin.127a?lang=bi\"\u003EChullin 127a\u003C\/a\u003E). This \u003Ci\u003Earod\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;should not be confused with the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.toraland.org.il\/%D7%94%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%97-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%97%D7%99-%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%9D\/%D7%96%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%99-%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%99-%D7%94%D7%97%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D\/%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%93.aspx\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Earod \u003C\/i\u003Eof biblical Hebrew\u003C\/a\u003E (Iyov 39:5), which is an African wild donkey. I haven't found any significant research about the etymology of \u003Ci\u003Earvad\/arod\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;meaning snake, but it's certainly possible that it is related to the Semitic cognates I mentioned earlier. Great job!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2297384483418104351\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2297384483418104351","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2297384483418104351"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2297384483418104351"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/rhodes.html","title":"Rhodes"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5299312167049830594"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-07T19:51:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-07T19:51:16.971+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"copper, Cyprus, cypress and gopher"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Sometimes it feels like tracking the etymologies of words is like a centuries long game of telephone. Let me show you what I mean.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere's the Online Etymology Dictionary for the word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/copper\"\u003Ecopper\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Elate Old English \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecoper\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Proto-Germanic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E*\u003Ci\u003Ekupar\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(source also of Middle Dutch \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekoper\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Old Norse \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekoparr\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Old High German \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekupfar\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), from Late Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecuprum\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, contraction of Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ECyprium \u003C\/i\u003E(\u003Ci\u003Eaes\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E \"Cyprian (metal),\" after Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EKyprios\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"Cyprus\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo copper comes from Cyprus (both linguistically and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mining_industry_of_Cyprus\"\u003Ephysically\u003C\/a\u003E). Where does the name \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cyprus\"\u003ECyprus\u003C\/a\u003E come from?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Elarge eastern Mediterranean island, late 14c., \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003ECipre\u003C\/i\u003E, \u003Ci\u003ECipres\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Latinized form of Greek \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EKypros\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E\"land of cypress trees\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECyprus\/cypress. Fair enough. So what is the etymology of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/cypress?ref=etymonline_crossreference\"\u003Ecypress\u003C\/a\u003E? Here we get to a Hebrew connection:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Efrom Old French \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003Ecipres\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/i\u003E(12c., Modern French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecyprès\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), from Late Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecypressus\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ecupressus\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Ekyparissos\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, probably from an unknown pre-Greek Mediterranean language. Perhaps it is related to Hebrew \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003Egopher\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, name of the tree whose wood was used to make the ark (Genesis vi.14).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere we probably have arrived at almost the end of the line. Klein doesn't have much to offer as to the origin of \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%92%D6%B9%D6%BC%D6%BD%D7%A4%D6%B6%D7%A8.1?lang=bi\u0026amp;with=all\u0026amp;lang2=en\"\u003Egofer \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Eגפר:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Em.n.    ‘gopher’ (a kind of wood of which Noah’s ark was made).  [Of unknown origin. Perhaps related to Akka. \u003Ci\u003Egiparu.\u003C\/i\u003E]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESarna, in his JPS commentary on the one appearance of \u003Ci\u003Egofer \u003C\/i\u003E(Bereshit 6:14), writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EMany modern scholars prefer the cypress both because of a similarity in sound to the Hebrew and because it was widely used in shipbuilding in ancient times, due to its resistance to rot.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/6808-gopher-wood\"\u003EGiparu \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Emeant a kind of reed in Akkadian. It's unclear to me how a word for a reed became the word for a tree - unless both were used to build boats (compare the ark of Noah to the ark of baby Moses.) But I guess that's the nature of telephone - the further you go along, the harder it is to figure out what the original message was..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5299312167049830594\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5299312167049830594","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5299312167049830594"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5299312167049830594"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/copper-cyprus-cypress-and-gopher.html","title":"copper, Cyprus, cypress and gopher"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-981923797076314252"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-01T21:16:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-01T21:16:03.367+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"mekhir and mechira"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Last time we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/06\/chalav-and-chelev.html\"\u003Etwo homographs\u003C\/a\u003E - words written the same, with different pronunciations. Now I'd like to talk about two roots that are homophones - same pronunciation, but different spelling: \u003Ci\u003Emekhir \u003C\/i\u003Eמחיר and \u003Ci\u003Emechira \u003C\/i\u003Eמכירה.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EActually, they only appear to have the same pronunciation to those speaking Hebrew influenced by the Ashkenazic tradition, where the letters \u003Ci\u003Ekhet \u003C\/i\u003E(ח) and \u003Ci\u003Echaf \u003C\/i\u003E(כ) sound the same. In the Sefardic and Yemenite pronunciations, the two letters have distinct sounds. However, since the words have similar meanings - \u003Ci\u003Emekhir \u003C\/i\u003Eis \"price\" and \u003Ci\u003Emechira \u003C\/i\u003Eis \"sale\" - to many Hebrew speakers a common etymology might seem possible. However, as in our previous discussion, the two roots aren't connected.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary?lang=bi\"\u003EKlein\u003C\/a\u003E (and others) note that both have cognates in Akkadian.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is what he writes about מכר - \"to sell\" (the root of the word \u003Ci\u003Emechira\u003C\/i\u003E)\u003Ci\u003E:\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAram.-Syr. מֽכַר (= he married; properly: bought as a wife), Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Emkr\u003C\/i\u003E (= tradesman), Akka. \u003Ci\u003Emakkūru, namkūru\u003C\/i\u003E (= possession), \u003Ci\u003Etamkaru\u003C\/i\u003E (= tradesman)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe adds that the\u0026nbsp; Akkadian \u003Ci\u003Etamkaru\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the source of \u003Ci\u003Etagar \u003C\/i\u003Eתגר - a post-biblical word for merchant or trader:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ETogether with Aram. תַּגָּר, תַּגָּרָא, Syr. תַּגָּרָא, תַּאגָּרָא, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Etājir\u003C\/i\u003E (of s.m.), borrowed from Akka. \u003Ci\u003Etamgāru, tamkāru\u003C\/i\u003E (of s.m.), which itself is traceable to מכר (= to sell)\u003C\/blockquote\u003EAnd here is his entry for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emekhir\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cstrong dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eמְחִיר\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;m.n. price, hire. [Prob. a loan word from Akka.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emaḫīru\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(= purchase price), which derives from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emaḥām\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;(= to receive, get, buy).]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe writes that it is related to the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Ci\u003Emohar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eמוהר - \"dowry.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStahl (in his Arabic Etymological Dictionary) suggests that this Akkadian root is also the source of the Hebrew root מור - \"to change\", which gives us the words \u003Ci\u003Ehamara\u003C\/i\u003E המרה - \"exchange\" and \u003Ci\u003Etemura \u003C\/i\u003Eתמורה - \"substitution\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/981923797076314252\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=981923797076314252","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/981923797076314252"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/981923797076314252"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/07\/mekhir-and-mechira.html","title":"mekhir and mechira"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1209540734289435756"},"published":{"$t":"2019-06-23T17:39:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-06-29T21:33:12.748+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"chalav and chelev"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I was recently asked if there was any connection between the homographs \u003Ci\u003Echalav\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003Eחָלָב - \"milk\" and \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chelev\"\u003Echelev\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Eחֵלֶב - \"fat\" (particularly suet, the fat forbidden to eat according to Jewish law).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy first instinct was to answer that of course they are related. Both words are of biblical origin, and\u0026nbsp; milk has a high fat content (particularly as was consumed in ancient times). And, I thought, a parallel could be made with \u003Ci\u003Eshuman \u003C\/i\u003Eשומן - \"fat\" (the kind permitted to eat) and \u003Ci\u003Eshamenet \u003C\/i\u003Eשמנת - \"cream\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut if there's one thing years of writing on Balashon has taught me, is that my first instinct is often wrong. And it certainly was this time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESometime when I look at etymologies of Hebrew words, I'm comfortable looking at pre-modern sources. The problem with doing that in cases like this, is that the temptation to connect such similar words is great, and without the assistance of modern linguistics, it was nearly impossible for earlier scholars to get to the real origins of the words.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo in this case, I went straight to Klein (made much easier by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary?lang=bi\"\u003ESefaria's digitized edition of his book\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere is his entry for \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein_Dictionary?lang=bi\"\u003Echalav\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cb dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eחָלָב\u003C\/b\u003E m.n.    milk.  [Related to Aram. \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, חָלָב 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%97%D6%B8%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%91.1\"\u003Eחֲלַב\u003C\/a\u003E, Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eחַלְבָּא\u003C\/span\u003E, Ugar. \u003Ci\u003Eḥlb\u003C\/i\u003E, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eḥalab, ḥalib\u003C\/i\u003E, Ethiop. \u003Ci\u003Eḥalīb\u003C\/i\u003E (= milk). Akka. \u003Ci\u003Eḥalābu\u003C\/i\u003E (= to milk).]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd here is his entry for \u003Ci\u003Echelev\u003C\/i\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"he\" lang=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cb dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eחֵֽלֶב\u003C\/b\u003E m.n.    fat, grease.  [Related to Phoen. \u003Ca class=\"refLink\" data-ref=\"Klein Dictionary, חלב 1\" dir=\"rtl\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Klein%20Dictionary,_%D7%97%D7%9C%D7%91.1\"\u003Eחלב\u003C\/a\u003E, Syr. \u003Cspan dir=\"rtl\"\u003Eחֶלְבָּא\u003C\/span\u003E, Arab. \u003Ci\u003Eḥilb\u003C\/i\u003E (= midriff). The orig. meaning of these words was perhaps ‘fat of the midriff’.) ]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EThe two aren't related, and I couldn't find any modern source that did connect the two.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\" lang=\"en\"\u003EBut it turns out I wasn't only wrong about that. I thought that \u003Ci\u003Eshuman \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eshamenet \u003C\/i\u003Ewere also biblical words. Nope. \u003Ci\u003EShuman\u003C\/i\u003E was introduced during the Talmudic period (and is related to the biblical word for oil, \u003Ci\u003Eshemen \u003C\/i\u003Eשמן). \u003Ci\u003EShamenet \u003C\/i\u003Eis actually very modern word, only being coined in 1933. It replaced Ben Yehuda's word for cream - \u003Ci\u003Ezivda \u003C\/i\u003Eזבדה (based on the Arabic \u003Ci\u003Ezubda \u003C\/i\u003E- \"butter, cream\".) Ben Yehuda writes that he chose that word, because the biblical word for cream - \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/05\/chemah.html\"\u003Echemah\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E חמאה - had become in his time used for the product of churning cream - i.e. butter - a new word was needed for cream.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd while \u003Ci\u003Eshamenet \u003C\/i\u003Eis certainly based on the root שמן (connecting it to \u003Ci\u003Eshemen \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003Eshuman\u003C\/i\u003E), that wasn't why it was chosen. Rather, there was already a common Yiddish word - \u003Ci\u003Eshmant \u003C\/i\u003E- meaning \"cream\". And \u003Ci\u003Eshmant \u003C\/i\u003Edoesn't have any Hebrew cognates at all. It's directly related to the German \u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Schmand\"\u003Eschmand\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E (and therefore likely a distant cousin of the English word \"smooth\".)"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1209540734289435756\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1209540734289435756","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1209540734289435756"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1209540734289435756"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2019\/06\/chalav-and-chelev.html","title":"chalav and chelev"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6818257579596435673"},"published":{"$t":"2018-11-08T15:44:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-11-08T15:45:59.314+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Bavel"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In Bereshit 11, the Torah provides an etymology for the name of the city of\u0026nbsp;בבל Bavel (Babylon in English, the capital of Babylonia). It is found at the conclusion of the famous \"Tower of Babel\" (\u003Cem\u003EMigdal Bavel\u003C\/em\u003E) story. The people on earth all spoke the same language and began to build a city and a tower to prevent their being scattered. To prevent this scheme from succeeding, God causes them to speak different languages so they could not communicate with each other:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Genesis 11:7\" class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Genesis 11:7\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"he\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eהָבָה נֵרְדָה וְנָבְלָה שָׁם שְׂפָתָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ אִישׁ שְׂפַת רֵעֵהוּ׃ \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\"\u003E\"Let us, then, go down and confound their speech there, so that they shall not understand one another’s speech.” \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clearFix\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv aria-controls=\"panel-1\" aria-label=\"Click to see links to Genesis 11:8\" class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Genesis 11:8\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"he\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eוַיָּפֶץ\u0026nbsp;ה' אֹתָם מִשָּׁם עַל־פְּנֵי כָל־הָאָרֶץ וַיַּחְדְּלוּ לִבְנֹת הָעִיר׃ \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\"\u003EThus the LORD scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. \u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"he\" style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eעַל־כֵּן  קָרָא שְׁמָהּ בָּבֶל כִּי־שָׁם בָּלַל\u0026nbsp;ה' שְׂפַת כָּל־הָאָרֶץ  וּמִשָּׁם הֱפִיצָם\u0026nbsp;ה' עַל־פְּנֵי כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"en\"\u003EThat is why it was called Babel,\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E because there the LORD confounded\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E the speech of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth. \u003C\/div\u003E(Bereshit 11:7-9, JPS translation)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EIt is generally accepted that this story, and particularly the etymology, is a polemic against Babylon. The Babylonians viewed their city, and their ziggurat temples (which the story of the Tower reflects) as the gateway to the gods, and that is reflected in \u003Cem\u003Etheir\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;etymology for their city's name. As the Online Etymology Dictionary entry for Babel \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/Babel#etymonline_v_163\"\u003Ewrites\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Efrom Hebrew \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBabhel\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (Genesis xi), from Akkadian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebab-ilu\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"Gate of God\" (from \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebab\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"gate\" + \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eilu\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"god\"). The name is a translation of Sumerian \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKa-dingir\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Ebab\u003C\/em\u003E is cognate with the Aramaic \u003Cem\u003Ebava\u003C\/em\u003E בבא (which we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2015\/02\/bubbe.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E) and the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ebab\u003C\/em\u003E, both meaning gate or gateway.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, despite the theory above that \u003Cem\u003Ebab-ilu\u003C\/em\u003E is a translation from the Sumerian, others believe that this is also a folk etymology. Sarna writes in \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0805202536\/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;creativeASIN=0805202536\u0026amp;linkId=c8c93bf55f4144401e64390d5f0a386d\"\u003EUnderstanding Genesis\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E (p. 69):\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EBabylon, Hebrew \u003Cem\u003EBabel\u003C\/em\u003E, was pronounced \u003Cem\u003EBabilim\u003C\/em\u003E by the Mesopotamians. The name is apparently non-Semitic in origin and may even be pre-Sumerian. But the Semitic inhabitants, by popular etymology, explained it as two separate Akkadian words, \u003Cem\u003Ebab-ilim\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"the gate of the god.\" This interpretation refers to the role of the city as the great religious center. It also has mystical overtones connected with the concept of \"the navel of the earth,\" the point at which heaven and earth meet. The Hebrew author, by his uncomplimentary word-play substituting \u003Cem\u003Ebalal\u003C\/em\u003E for Babel has replaced the \"gate of the god\" by \"a confusion of speech,\" and satirized thereby the pagan religious beliefs.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo we therefore have two folk-etymologies: one positive and one negative. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut there is one problem with the Biblical one. The root\u003Cem\u003E balal\u003C\/em\u003E בלל, as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2010\/04\/tavlin.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, means \"to mix\" - that is to mix different things together in one new mixture, as in the Biblical \u003Cem\u003Ebelil\u003C\/em\u003E בליל or the Post-Biblical \u003Cem\u003Ebelila\u003C\/em\u003E בלילה, meaning \"mixture\" or more specifically today, \"batter.\"\u0026nbsp;Yet, as Prof. Yonatan Grossman points out in his article, \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Jonathan_Grossman2\/publication\/319418735_The_Double_Etymology_of_Babel_in_Genesis_11\/links\/5b7e62b0299bf1d5a71e55b8\/The-Double-Etymology-of-Babel-in-Genesis-11.pdf?origin=publication_detail\"\u003EThe Double Etymology of Babel in Genesis 11\u003C\/a\u003E\" this is a difficult use of \u003Cem\u003Ebalal\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;After providing more examples of biblical words where \u003Cem\u003Ebalal\u003C\/em\u003E means mixing distinct entities, he writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EIf this is the case, it is strange to find this verb used to characterize a city in the sense of »scatter«: rather than blended or mixed, the people of the city are geographically scattered in every direction, and culturally-linguistically separated by language. Here, the verb לבלול\u0026nbsp; [\u003Cem\u003Ebalal\u003C\/em\u003E]\u0026nbsp;seems to function in an antithetical sense to its usual meaning, a sense which is also antithetical to the objective of the story: at the beginning, its people were fully integrated together, but by its end, the uniform mixture has been scattered and separated.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe adds that this problem is \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eis evident in biblical dictionaries that use two separate entries for the definition of the verb בל\"ל : one referring to the sense of mixture, which appears throughout the Bible, and the second, which refers only to the Tower of Babel narrative: »there is a divine call for the mixing (›confuse‹ and ›confused‹) of the languages.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo why then does the Torah provide an etymology that doesn't seem to fit the story?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAccording to Grossman, this requires additional knowledge of Babylonian history. He notes that \"according to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/En%C3%BBma_Eli%C5%A1\"\u003EEnûma Eliš\u003C\/a\u003E, Babylon was founded to serve as a gathering place for the gods\" and that \"Babylon and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Esagila\"\u003EEsagila\u003C\/a\u003E are presented as the place where all the gods assemble, reside, and receive offerings.\" And so the root \u003Cem\u003Ebalal\u003C\/em\u003E serves as a second polemic:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EWhile the Babylonians hold that their city and temple represent the place where the gods gather – where the 300 gods of the heavenly pantheon convene with the 600 gods of the underworld – the biblical narrator counters that Babylon was not a place of divine assembly but a place of human dispersion. The name is not based on a stirring motion that brings things together, but a frantic, chaotic stirring motion that drives them apart.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe essay goes into much more detail about these issues - I highly recommend reading the entire thing to fully understand the meaning behind this short but significant biblical story.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat was surprising to me was that until I read Grossman's theory, I had never heard anyone mention the problem with \u003Cem\u003Ebalal\u003C\/em\u003E in this context before. I assume that is because the Hebrew root בלבל \u003Cem\u003Ebilbel\u003C\/em\u003E, which Klein says is related to \u003Cem\u003Ebalal\u003C\/em\u003E, does mean to confuse. For example, in this Mishnaic passage:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eוְכִי עַמּוֹנִים וּמוֹאָבִים בִּמְקוֹמָן הֵן. כְּבָר עָלָה סַנְחֵרִיב מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וּבִלְבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת \u003C\/div\u003E\"And are the Ammonites or Moavites still [dwelling] in their own place? Sancheriv, king of Assyria, already arose and confused [the lineage of] all the nations.\" (Yadayim 4:4)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis refers to the Assyrian king, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sennacherib\"\u003ESancheriv\u003C\/a\u003E, who after conquering a nation would resettle its inhabitants in other regions of his empire. And although Assyria was a Mesopotamian kingdom like Babylonia, his story is the opposite of the story of the Tower. In the Tower story, God took people speaking the same language and caused them to speak many different languages so they wouldn't be able to cooperate, Sancheriv took people of different linguistic backgrounds and mixed them together to assimilate under one unified identity.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOh, and one last thing, since if I don't write about, I'm sure to be asked. Is there any connection between the English word \"babble\" and the Hebrew words that we've discussed so far?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Online Etymology Dictionary says that \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/babble\"\u003Ebabble\u003C\/a\u003E does not have Semitic roots:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Emid-13c., \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebabeln\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"to prattle,  utter words indistinctly, talk like a baby,\" akin to other Western  European words for stammering and prattling (Swedish \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebabbla\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, Old French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebabillier\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,  etc.) attested from the same era (some of which probably were borrowed  from others), all probably ultimately imitative of baby-talk (compare  Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebabulus\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"babbler,\" Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebarbaros\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"non-Greek-speaking\"). \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, the same entry does go on to quote the OED as saying that \"No direct connection with \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003EBabel\u003C\/span\u003E can be traced; though association with that may have affected the senses.\" So origin, no - but influence, possibly."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6818257579596435673\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6818257579596435673","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6818257579596435673"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6818257579596435673"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2018\/11\/bavel.html","title":"Bavel"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5781320629458460352"},"published":{"$t":"2018-10-28T20:36:00.003+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-10-28T20:36:58.748+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"behemoth and behema"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"There is no question that the English word \"behemoth\",\u0026nbsp;referring to a huge creature,\u0026nbsp;comes from the Hebrew word \u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E בהמות.\u0026nbsp;But where does the word \u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E come from?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt only appears once in the Bible, in Iyov 40:15\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eהִנֵּה־נָא בְהֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי עִמָּךְ חָצִיר כַּבָּקָר יֹאכֵל׃\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ETake now behemoth, whom I made as I did you; He eats grass, like the cattle.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is the opening verse of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org.il\/Job.40.15?lang=bi\"\u003Ea section\u003C\/a\u003E describing this mighty beast (continuing until 40:24). At first glance, it might seem that \u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E is the plural of \u003Cem\u003Ebehema\u003C\/em\u003E בהמה - \"animal, beast.\" And in fact, \u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E as the plural of \u003Cem\u003Ebehema\u003C\/em\u003E appears in 14 other biblical verses.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe problem is that in this case, in Iyov, the word refers to a single animal, very likely the hippopotamus, not a collective of animals.\u0026nbsp;So what's happening here?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere are two theories. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne is that \u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E does derive from \u003Cem\u003Ebehema\u003C\/em\u003E, in what Klein calls \"plural extensivus\" . This is a phenomenon in many languages, including Hebrew, where to indicate an extension or increase in size or scope, a plural is used when referring to a singular object. We discussed a similar phenomenon \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2011\/04\/baal-and-adon.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E (referring to the names of God), and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/09\/kapara.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E explaining why Yom Kippurim is in the plural. According to Fox (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bsw.org\/biblica\/vol-93-2012\/behemoth-and-leviathan\/497\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E),\u0026nbsp; a good translation would be something like \"super-beast.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;This is also the position of Kaddari, who doubts that the \u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E refers to a hippopotamus due to the mention of a\u0026nbsp;large tail (like a cedar)\u0026nbsp;in Iyov 40:17.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe other theory is that despite the obvious similarities between the words, \u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Ebehema\u003C\/em\u003E are not cognate. This is mentioned in the Online Etymology Dictionary entry for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/behemoth\"\u003Ebehemoth\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Elate 14c., huge biblical beast (Job xl.15), from Latin \u003Cem\u003Ebehemoth\u003C\/em\u003E, from Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Eb'hemoth\u003C\/em\u003E, usually taken as plural of intensity of \u003Cem\u003Eb'hemah\u003C\/em\u003E \"beast.\" But the Hebrew word is perhaps a folk etymology of Egyptian \u003Cem\u003Epehemau\u003C\/em\u003E, literally \"water-ox,\" the name for the hippopotamus.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is also the position of Steinberg in his \"Milon HaTanach\",\u0026nbsp;BDB,\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;Tur-Sinai in Ben Yehuda's dictionary, who finds support in the commentaries of Ibn Ezra and Ralbag.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut Klein writes that \"the assumed connection of Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Ebehemoth\u003C\/em\u003E with Egyptian \u003Cem\u003Ep-ehe-mau\u003C\/em\u003E, 'ox of the water', was justly rejected by W. Max Muller.\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd yet, Slifkin, in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=_1fdxxS26RYC\u0026amp;pg=PA181\u0026amp;lpg=PA181\u0026amp;dq=slifkin+behemoth\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=it6fpVJve_\u0026amp;sig=KTE40hLhjiMXFPLnFw46oz2_MeI\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwiPrdjwip3eAhUYM8AKHbRvAjMQ6AEwBnoECAMQAQ#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=slifkin%20behemoth\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003ESacred Monsters\u003C\/a\u003E, writes that \"it seems overwhelmingly likely that the account of the behemoth in the book of Job refers to the hippopotamus\" (p. 185)\u0026nbsp;and in response to those like Kaddari who have a problem with the mention of the tail, writes that \"that it stiffens its tail, which is only likened to a cedar in terms of its stiffness, but not in its overall dimensions. The hippo's tail is less than a foot long, but it is broad and stiff\" (p. 187).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo who's right? I know it's cliché, and I sound like the rabbi in that old joke, but I think they're likely both right on some level. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.studylight.org\/lexicons\/hebrew\/929.html\"\u003EGesenius wrote\u003C\/a\u003E that \"it is probable that the form בְּהֵמוֹת [\u003Cem\u003Ebehemot\u003C\/em\u003E] really conceals an Egyptian word, signifying the hippopotamus, but so inflected as to appear Phœnicio-Shemitic.\" In other words, when the speakers of Hebrew first encountered a huge animal called \u003Cem\u003Epehamau\u003C\/em\u003E, and thought\u0026nbsp;it sounded very similar to their existing word \u003Cem\u003Ebehema\u003C\/em\u003E - they connected the two. This happens all the time when languages meet. (We saw a similar case in our discussion of \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/11\/hodu.html\"\u003Ehodu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E.)\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo while perhaps if we had a time machine we could find a more precise explanation of the development of the word, but until one is invented, I think both explanations are legitimate.\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5781320629458460352\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5781320629458460352","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5781320629458460352"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5781320629458460352"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2018\/10\/behemoth-and-behema.html","title":"behemoth and behema"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6131470612714790084"},"published":{"$t":"2018-10-21T22:59:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-10-21T22:59:10.777+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"elephant"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A podcast I enjoy, The History of English Podcast, had an episode a while back called \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/historyofenglishpodcast.com\/2017\/03\/29\/episode-92-the-lion-kings\/\"\u003EThe Lion Kings\u003C\/a\u003E\" where the host discussed the etymologies of animals that were exotic to medieval England. One of them was the elephant, which is discussed in minutes 31-36 of that episode.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe host presented a theory that I had always kind of assumed, but never saw written down anywhere. That theory says that the word ultimately derives from the Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Eelef\u003C\/em\u003E אלף - \"ox\" (which I discussed in \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/alef.html\"\u003Emy post on the letter \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/alef.html\"\u003Ealef\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E) - or from some Semitic cognate. They are both big mammals, so I assumed that it would be easy for the word to transfer from one to another. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut again, I never saw it anywhere before listening to the podcast. The theories that I had always seen were closer to the one proposed by Klein, in both his Hebrew and English etymological dictionaries, which I'll share with you now.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFirst of all, it's generally agreed that the English word \"elephant\" derives from the Greek, as described \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/elephant\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ec. 1300, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eolyfaunt\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Old French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eolifant\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (12c., Modern French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eéléphant\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E), from Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eelephantus\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eelephas\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (genitive \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eelephantos\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E) \"elephant; ivory\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein breaks down \u003Cem\u003Eelephas\u003C\/em\u003E into two parts. Regarding the first part, \"\u003Cem\u003Eel\u003C\/em\u003E\" he writes that it:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eappears also in Hamitic \u003Cem\u003Eelu\u003C\/em\u003E, 'elephant', whence probably Persian \u003Cem\u003Ep-il\u003C\/em\u003E, Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eph-il\u003C\/em\u003E, Mishnaic Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Ep-il\u003C\/em\u003E of same meaning.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn his entry for the Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Epil\u003C\/em\u003E פיל, he adds the Akkadian cognates \u003Cem\u003Epiru\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Epilu\u003C\/em\u003E, and says that \u003Cem\u003Eelu \u003C\/em\u003Ebecame \u003Cem\u003Epilu \u003C\/em\u003Edue to the Egyptian article \"p-\" (which according to \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/google.cat\/books?id=1IqlyuBX0scC\u0026amp;pg=PA407\u0026amp;dq=editions:HARVARDHN6AXL\u0026amp;lr=\u0026amp;output=html_text\u0026amp;source=gbs_toc_r\u0026amp;cad=4\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E means \"the\".)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein writes that the second component, \u003Cem\u003Eephas\u003C\/em\u003E, is an Egyptian loan word. He adds that it is related to the Middle Egyptian word \u003Cem\u003Eyb\u003C\/em\u003E, \"elephant\", from where the name \u003Cem\u003EYebu\u003C\/em\u003E (the original name of the Egyptian island \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Elephantine\"\u003EElephantine\u003C\/a\u003E) derives. This name appears in the Hebrew word for ivory, \u003Cem\u003Eshenhav\u003C\/em\u003E שנהב, a Biblical word that appears only twice in the Bible (Melachim I 10:22 and Divrei Hayamim II 9:21), both times in the plural as \u003Cem\u003Eshenhavim\u003C\/em\u003E שנהבים. \u003Cem\u003EShenhav\u003C\/em\u003E, Klein writes, is:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Ecompounded of \u003Cem\u003Eshen\u003C\/em\u003E שן (=tooth) and \u003Cem\u003Ehav\u003C\/em\u003E הב, also \u003Cem\u003Eyev\u003C\/em\u003E יב (=elephant)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe then adds that\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EFrom Egyptian \u003Cem\u003Eab\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eabu\u003C\/em\u003E derives also Latin \u003Cem\u003Eebur\u003C\/em\u003E (=ivory), probably through the medium of the Phoenicians. From Latin \u003Cem\u003Eebur\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eeboris\u003C\/em\u003E comes the adjective \u003Cem\u003Eeboreus\u003C\/em\u003E (=of ivory) whence French \u003Cem\u003Eivurie\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eivorie\u003C\/em\u003E, whence English \u003Cem\u003Eivorie\u003C\/em\u003E, ivory.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAll this seems pretty convincing to me, but the part I don't get is that both components, the \"\u003Cem\u003Eel\u003C\/em\u003E\" and the \"\u003Cem\u003Eephas\u003C\/em\u003E\", mean \"elephant.\" Why would the word have two parts with the same meaning? I know there are no rules about how words must develop, and you can find that phenomenon in the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/likely#Etymology_1\"\u003Elikely\u003C\/a\u003E\" (which literally means \"like-like\") and the Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Eafilu\u003C\/em\u003E אפילו -\"even if\"\u0026nbsp;(which can actually be broken down to something like \"if-if-if\".) But still it feels strange to me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven stranger is a related etymology that Klein provides. He writes that the word \"element\" ultimately is cognate with \"elephant\". In his entry for \"element\" he writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EOf the many etymologies suggested, the most probable is that which derives the word \u003Cem\u003Eelementum\u003C\/em\u003E from *\u003Cem\u003Eelepantum\u003C\/em\u003E, 'ivory letter', an ancient Latin loan word from Greek \u003Cspan class=\"foreign notranslate\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eelephantos, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eelephas \u003C\/em\u003E('elephant;ivory'.) The change of *\u003Cem\u003Eelepantum\u003C\/em\u003E to \u003Cem\u003Eelementum\u003C\/em\u003E is probably due to Etruscan influence.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \"ivory letters\" that Klein mentions, according to\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=VWGN6e5Rzf8C\u0026amp;lpg=PA73\u0026amp;ots=OfXYKKujSt\u0026amp;dq=elementum%20elepantum\u0026amp;pg=PA73#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=elementum%20elepantum\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003E this book\u003C\/a\u003E, refers to the letters of the alphabet inscribed in ivory. That's an etymological connection I didn't see coming!\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6131470612714790084\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6131470612714790084","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6131470612714790084"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6131470612714790084"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2018\/10\/elephant.html","title":"elephant"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-173597051028032953"},"published":{"$t":"2018-10-13T21:18:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-10-13T21:18:52.228+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"skeleton and sheled"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I just read something interesting in Klein's entry for the Hebrew word \u003Cem\u003Esheled\u003C\/em\u003E שלד:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPBH [Post-Biblical Hebrew] skeleton.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ESyriac שלדא (=skeleton), from Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Eshalamtu\u003C\/em\u003E (properly meaning 'the whole' corpse), from \u003Cem\u003Eshalamu\u003C\/em\u003E (=to be complete), which is related to Hebrew שלם (=was complete). Greek \u003Cem\u003Eskeleton\u003C\/em\u003E (=skeleton) is a Syriac loan word. The explanation of Greek \u003Cem\u003Eskeleton\u003C\/em\u003E as used elliptically for \u003Cem\u003Eskeleton soma\u003C\/em\u003E (=dried up body) as if skeleton were the neutral verbal adjective of \u003Cem\u003Eskellein\u003C\/em\u003E (=to dry up) is folk etymology.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn his CEDEL entry for \"skeleton\", Klein mentions another Akkadian cognate - \u003Cem\u003Eshalamdu\u003C\/em\u003E, and says his source is W. Muss-Arnolt in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/ia601700.us.archive.org\/14\/items\/jstor-2935792\/2935792.pdf\"\u003ETransactions of the American Philological Association, Vol. XXIII, p. 148\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile the theory connecting skeleton to the\u0026nbsp;Greek word meaning dried up \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/word\/skeleton\"\u003Eis still popular\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;if Klein's theory is accurate, then it would be possible to connect \"skeleton\" with both \u003Cem\u003Esheled \u003C\/em\u003Eand the\u0026nbsp;words deriving from the root שלם, like \u003Cem\u003Eshalom\u003C\/em\u003E שלום - \"peace\" and \u003Cem\u003Eshalem\u003C\/em\u003E שלם - \"complete.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHorowitz (p. 261)\u0026nbsp;explains how the transformation between those two Hebrew roots:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EStrangely, this word [\u003Cem\u003Esheled\u003C\/em\u003E] comes from the root שלם, whole, complete. The word in Assyrian is שלמתו [\u003Cem\u003Eshalamtu\u003C\/em\u003E], meaning \"the whole body.\" In passing through Aramaic the מ [\u003Cem\u003Emem\u003C\/em\u003E] dropped out and ת [\u003Cem\u003Etav\u003C\/em\u003E] hardened to a ד [\u003Cem\u003Edalet\u003C\/em\u003E].\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E**\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs my previous post mentioned, I'm still occupied with the projects I've been working on, but I'm going to try to put up smaller posts like this one (which require less research). I hope you still find them interesting!\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/173597051028032953\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=173597051028032953","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/173597051028032953"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/173597051028032953"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2018\/10\/skeleton-and-sheled.html","title":"skeleton and sheled"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7569483582965836085"},"published":{"$t":"2018-06-03T12:45:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-06-03T12:45:54.031+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Balashon is on hiatus"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"As you may have noticed, I haven't written any posts in Balashon in over a year. While I have not abandoned Balashon, I have put my activity on hold for now, as\u0026nbsp;I am working on a different project. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI hope to finish the project in the next few months, and when it's completed I will let Balashon readers know about it, and hopefully start writing (and responding to Balashon emails) again.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThanks for checking in!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7569483582965836085\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7569483582965836085","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7569483582965836085"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7569483582965836085"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2018\/06\/balashon-is-on-hiatus.html","title":"Balashon is on hiatus"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4969166952427469485"},"published":{"$t":"2017-04-13T10:36:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-04-13T10:36:45.608+03:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"pesach"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"charoset"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I've planned on writing a post about \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Charoset\"\u003Echaroset\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E חרוסת since 2006. But every time I started, the etymology offered by Klein seemed so obvious and convincing that I didn't think I had anything to write about:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Eחרסת -\u0026nbsp;'\u003Cem\u003Eharoseth\u003C\/em\u003E' - a condiment made of fruits and\u0026nbsp;spices with wine and sugar, used to sweeten the bitter herbs eaten on Passover night. [Probably formed from חרס \u003Cem\u003Echeres\u003C\/em\u003E (=clay), in allusion to its claylike color.]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E(As I pointed out \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/cheresh.html\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, in Biblical Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Echeres\u003C\/em\u003E was spelt with a \u003Cem\u003Esin\u003C\/em\u003E חרש, not with the \u003Cem\u003Esamech\u003C\/em\u003E found in later Hebrew).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut this year, I thought I would try again. I took at look at the Ben Yehuda dictionary, and the footnote comments that the \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E is a word found only in Hebrew and the\u0026nbsp;etymology is unclear. It goes on to mention,\u0026nbsp;like Klein, that it is similar in appearance to\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echeres\u003C\/em\u003E, and quotes the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nathan_ben_Jehiel\"\u003EArukh\u003C\/a\u003E, who brings the passage from the Talmud (Pesachim 116a) where the Rabbi Yochanan says that the \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E should be like the mortar (made of mud) that the Israelites used to make the bricks in Egypt. The Ben Yehuda footnote says, however, that this is \"only a \u003Cem\u003Edrash\u003C\/em\u003E\". (The drash seems to be first found in the medieval works \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ketershemtob.com\/harosetetymology.html\"\u003ERokeach and Mordechai who quote a version of the\u0026nbsp;Jerusalem Talmud\u0026nbsp;that is not in our printed editions\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis got me thinking - just a drash? Then what is the real story behind \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA 19th century commentary on the Aruch, the Aruch Hashalem by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alexander_Kohut\"\u003EAlexander Kohut\u003C\/a\u003E, gives the first clue. Kohut writes that it appears that the Aruch\u0026nbsp;is making a connection between \u003Cem\u003Echeres\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E (which is not explicitly made in the earlier dictionary), but he thinks it is more likely related to\u0026nbsp;\"a mix of chopped meat with flour and the like\" which was borrowed by the rabbis to \"a sauce that has wine or vinegar, mixed with flour\", and only on Pesach was flour not added. This has support from a different passage in Pesachim (the Mishna 2:3, or 40b in the Talmud), which forbids adding flour to \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E because the vinegar in the \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E would cause the flour to become leaven. (This \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E was not used to dilute the effects of the \u003Cem\u003Emaror\u003C\/em\u003E as on Seder night, but rather as a rather sour sauce for meat during the whole year. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D7%93%D7%95%D7%93_%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%A7%D7%94\"\u003EProf. David Henschke\u003C\/a\u003E has \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/ravtzair.blogspot.co.il\/2017\/04\/blog-post.html\"\u003Ea new book with an interesting theory\u003C\/a\u003E - that the \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E was originally used for the meat of the Pesach sacrifice in Temple times, but after the destruction of the Temple was transferred to be used with the \u003Cem\u003Emaror\u003C\/em\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis law has significance to our quest as well, since if \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E was not only used on Pesach,\u0026nbsp;then the etymology would\u0026nbsp;not be associated specifically with something related to Pesach, or slavery in Egypt, and would likely have a more general origin.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAn even later commentary on the Aruch, the Tosefot HeAruch, by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Samuel_Krauss\"\u003ESamuel Kraus\u003C\/a\u003E, continues Kohut's approach, and quotes the 13th century work, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Isaac_ben_Moses_of_Vienna\"\u003EOr Zarua\u003C\/a\u003E, who in turn quotes an earlier French rabbi, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Samuel_ben_Solomon_of_Falaise\"\u003ESamuel of Falaise\u003C\/a\u003E, who defined \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E as meaning \"things that are mixed and squashed\", and added that the Aramaic translation of \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dung_Gate\"\u003EShaar HaAshpot\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E (literally the \"Garbage Gate\") in Nechemia 2:13 is תרעא דחרסית -\u003Cem\u003E tara'a d'charsit\u003C\/em\u003E - \"gate of potsherds, broken pieces of pottery.\" (This translation is likely influenced by Yirmiyahu 19:2, which mentions \u003Cem\u003EShaar HaCharsit\u003C\/em\u003E שער החרסית, and which Rashi and others identify with \u003Cem\u003EShaar\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Cem\u003EHaAshpot\u003C\/em\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKrauss also mentions Rashi's definition of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echarsit\u003C\/em\u003E found in Chullin 88a, as \"pulverized pottery\"\u0026nbsp;and \"crushed tiles\"\u0026nbsp;in Bava Kama 69a. The common thread in all of these is a sense of \"crushing, grinding, squashing\" - and that applies to both \u003Cem\u003Echarsit\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERonnie Haffner, of the site \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.safa-ivrit.org\/\"\u003ESafa Ivrit\u003C\/a\u003E, suggested to me that perhaps the suffix \u003Cem\u003E-et\u003C\/em\u003E ת- at the end of some Hebrew words means \"leftovers after production\", so \u003Cem\u003Epesolet\u003C\/em\u003E פסולת - \"chips, stone dust\" is what is leftover after carving פסל, and \u003Cem\u003Enesoret\u003C\/em\u003E נסורת - \"sawdust\" is what remains after sawing נסר.\u0026nbsp;So if this pattern holds, \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E could be the potsherds, which\u0026nbsp;are left after breaking pottery.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA parallel approach is mentioned by Jastrow, who in his entry for \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E suggests we also look at his definition of the Aramaic הרסנא \u003Cem\u003Eharsana\u003C\/em\u003E - \"fish hash.\" He quotes \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/9889-levy-jacob\"\u003EJacob Levy\u003C\/a\u003E, who in his dictionary, like Kohut,\u0026nbsp;says that \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/stream\/neuhebrischesu02levyuoft#page\/112\/mode\/2up\"\u003Echaroset\u003C\/a\u003E is of Arabic origin. \u003Cem\u003EHarsana\u003C\/em\u003E, according to this theory, derives from the Arabic root \u003Cem\u003Eharasa\u003C\/em\u003E - which Klein says is cognate with the Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Eharas\u003C\/em\u003E הרס (\"throw down, tear down\") and means \"he crushed, squashed, pounded.\" This Arabic root is the source of the spice paste \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Harissa\"\u003Eharissa\u003C\/a\u003E\", due to the crushing of the peppers in a mortar. This is an interesting theory, for if \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E is cognate with \u003Cem\u003Eharas\u003C\/em\u003E, then it has no connection with clay at all (since we saw that the Biblical Hebrew form of\u003Cem\u003E cheres\u003C\/em\u003E is חרש, which is\u0026nbsp;not connected to הרס.) Kohut's theory, on the other\u0026nbsp;hand, still maintains a connection between broken pottery and \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Ben-Yehuda footnote we saw above rejects both Kohut's and Levy's Arabic etymologies, as \"they have no similarity to the thing called \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E.\" While today's sweet \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E is not like fish-hash or harissa,\u0026nbsp;I don't see why \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E couldn't mean a general type of sauce or condiment, and as we saw above, \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E had uses beyond those on Pesach.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESupport for these ideas can be found\u0026nbsp;in a much more recent work, the essay, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/12348816\/How_do_you_say_haroset_in_Greek\"\u003E\"How do you say \u003Cem\u003Eharoset\u003C\/em\u003E in Greek?\"\u003C\/a\u003E by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.hum.huji.ac.il\/templates\/staff_details.php?cat=1308\u0026amp;incat=\u0026amp;id=4586\u0026amp;act=view\u0026amp;tui=1306\"\u003EDr. Susan Weingarten\u003C\/a\u003E. I recommend reading the entire piece, but here are some key points. She quotes an ancient\u0026nbsp;glossary found in the Cairo Genizah, which\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003Eincludes the information that \u003Cem\u003Eharoset\u003C\/em\u003E in Greek is \u003Cem\u003Etribou enbamous\u003C\/em\u003E, written טריבו אנבמוס...\u003Cem\u003Etribou\u003C\/em\u003E would seem to come from the verb \u003Cem\u003Etribo\u003C\/em\u003E to pound or grind, whence the Greek term for a sauce, \u003Cem\u003Etrimma\u003C\/em\u003E. Archestratus of Gela, a fourth-century BCE food writer whose work is preserved by Athenaeus, writes of a dipping sauce made by pounding (\u003Cem\u003Etripsas\u003C\/em\u003E). \u003Cem\u003EEnbamous\u003C\/em\u003E would appear to refer to the Greek word \u003Cem\u003Eembamma\u003C\/em\u003E, which is used to mean a sauce used as a dip, deriving from the verb \u003Cem\u003Eembapto\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eembaptomai\u003C\/em\u003E to dip. Later in the same passage of Archestratus, the verb \u003Cem\u003Eembapto\u003C\/em\u003E is used for dipping into a pounded sauce. In their commentary on this passage, the editors Olson and Sens describe the verb \u003Cem\u003Eembapto\u003C\/em\u003E as ‘the \u003Cem\u003Evox propria\u003C\/em\u003E for dipping food in a side-dish sauce or the like.’ Thus Archestratus uses both terms found in the glossary as an explanation of \u003Cem\u003Eharoset\u003C\/em\u003E in his instructions to dip (\u003Cem\u003Eembapte\u003C\/em\u003E) food into a sauce made of pounded (\u003Cem\u003Etripsas\u003C\/em\u003E) ingredients.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EWeingarten also quotes the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jerusalem_Talmud#Text_editions\"\u003ELeiden manuscript of the Jerusalem Talmud\u003C\/a\u003E (10:3)\u0026nbsp;which refers to \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E as \u003Cem\u003Edukkeh\u003C\/em\u003E דוכה (for an extensive discussion of that passage, read \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/bloggershuni.blogspot.co.il\/2016\/04\/haroset.html\"\u003Ethis Hebrew article\u003C\/a\u003E.) The Talmud says that the reason for that name \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eis because it is pounded [\u003Cem\u003Edukhah\u003C\/em\u003E]. The Hebrew name \u003Cem\u003Edukkeh\u003C\/em\u003E for \u003Cem\u003Eharoset\u003C\/em\u003E has survived to the present day. Jews from the Yemen, cut off for many centuries from the mainstream Jewish community, relied on the Jerusalem Talmud as their religious authority, unlike other Jews, for the Babylonian Talmud did not reach them for many hundreds of years. The Yemenite Jews have preserved the tradition of the Jerusalem Talmud, and to this day the Yemenite Jewish community in Israel still calls \u003Cem\u003Eharoset\u003C\/em\u003E ‘dukkeh.’ We may also note here the use of the name \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Duqqa\"\u003Edukkeh\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E among Palestinian Arabs for a condiment made of pounded hyssop (\u003Cem\u003Eza’atar\u003C\/em\u003E) and sesame seeds.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo like \u003Cem\u003Edukkeh\u003C\/em\u003E,\u0026nbsp;while the word \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E is of Hebrew origin, it appears to be a calque, borrowing the Greek concept of a sauce of pounded ingredients.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETherefore the association with Pesach should not be surprising, as the \u003Cem\u003Eseder\u003C\/em\u003E includes many elements (but with significant differences) of the Greek \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Symposium\"\u003Esymposium\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, as we saw in our discussion of \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/04\/afikoman.html\"\u003Eafikoman\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E. And like with the \u003Cem\u003Eafikoman\u003C\/em\u003E, later scholars who did not live in the Greek and Roman world were not as familiar with the original concept reinterpreted the word and gave it new meaning. So while the connection between \u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E and\u0026nbsp;the \u003Cem\u003Echeres\u003C\/em\u003E used to build the bricks in Egypt\u0026nbsp;is a drash, it is not \"merely\" a drash.\u0026nbsp;For what is more associated with Pesach than reinterpreting and giving new meaning to ancient foods and concepts?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4969166952427469485\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4969166952427469485","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4969166952427469485"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4969166952427469485"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/04\/charoset.html","title":"charoset"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3468724733366459256"},"published":{"$t":"2017-04-02T08:22:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-07-06T20:00:53.394+03:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"pesach"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"haggadah and aggadah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Pesach is coming up and we will be reading from the \u003Cem\u003Ehaggada\u003C\/em\u003E הגדה. What is the connection between \u003Cem\u003Ehaggada\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Eaggada\u003C\/em\u003E אגדה - the stories found in rabbinic literature?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThey both derive from the root הגיד - \"he told, narrated\", and so, according to Klein, can mean \"telling, saying\"\u0026nbsp; or \"tale, narrative.\" Both \u003Cem\u003Eaggada\u003C\/em\u003E in general, and the \u003Cem\u003Ehaggada\u003C\/em\u003E in particular are narratives that expound upon Biblical verses (although \u003Cem\u003Eaggada\u003C\/em\u003E has come to mean any\u0026nbsp;non-halachic content\u0026nbsp;in the Talmud and midrashim, regardless of whether or not they are based on a verse.) The \u003Cem\u003Ehaggada\u003C\/em\u003E of Pesach has a particular connection to the verb, as it appears in the verse commanding the telling of the story of the Exodus -\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא \"And you shall tell\u0026nbsp;your son on that day...\" (Shemot 13:8)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut essentially, there was no real difference between \u003Cem\u003Ehagada\u003C\/em\u003E and agada\u003Cem\u003E,\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;and you can find them used interchangeably. They both meant the same thing, and we find a number of words in Hebrew which are synonymous, but one starts with an \u003Cem\u003Ealef\u003C\/em\u003E and one with a \u003Cem\u003Eheh\u003C\/em\u003E: \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003Eהפליה אפליה - both meaning \"discrimination\"\u003Cbr \/\u003Eהחזקה אחזקה - \"maintenance\"\u003Cbr \/\u003Eהזהרה אזהרה - \"warning\"\u003Cbr \/\u003Eהונאה אונאה - \"oppression, deception\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile both words are Hebrew, the words beginning with \u003Cem\u003Ealef\u003C\/em\u003E have more of an Aramaic influence. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs often happened in Hebrew, when we have two synonymous words, their meanings tend to diverge. So \u003Cem\u003Ehaggada\u003C\/em\u003E came to be associated almost exclusively with Pesach. In Modern Hebrew, \u003Cem\u003Eagada\u003C\/em\u003E has also come to mean \"folktale\" or \"fable\", famously in the quote from Herzl (originally in\u0026nbsp;German)\u0026nbsp;- אם תרצו אין זו אגדה - \"If you will it, it is no fable [\u003Cem\u003Eaggada\u003C\/em\u003E].\" And \u003Cem\u003Eaggadot\u003C\/em\u003E are used to refer to stories for children. This was cause for opposition by some Haredi writers, who found this secular use showed disrespect for the \u003Cem\u003Eaggadot\u003C\/em\u003E of the Rabbis.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe verb הגיד \u003Cem\u003Ehigid\u003C\/em\u003E comes from the root נגד. Klein writes that the ultimate meaning of this root is \"to rise, be high, be conspicuous.\" So the verb \u003Cem\u003Ehigid\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"he made known, announced, declared, told\", originally meant \"he placed a matter high or made it conspicuous before somebody.\" This same root gives us the word \u003Cem\u003Eneged\u003C\/em\u003E נגד - \"opposite\", which again originally meant \"that which is high or conspicuous.\" And the term \u003Cem\u003Enagid\u003C\/em\u003E נגיד - \"chief, leader, ruler\", cognate with the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Enajid\u003C\/em\u003E, can also be understood in this light - \"noble\". Klein points out that the word \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/12\/nasi.html\"\u003Enasi\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E נשיא had a similar development\u0026nbsp; - literally \"one lifted up\" from נשא - \"to lift.\"\u0026nbsp; Klein mentions an alternate theory by Barth that \u003Cem\u003Enagid\u003C\/em\u003E originally meant \"speaker, spokesman\", and perhaps \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E also might have mean \"speaker.\" In Modern Hebrew the title \u003Cem\u003Enagid\u003C\/em\u003E is primarily used to for the governor of the Bank of Israel."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3468724733366459256\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3468724733366459256","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3468724733366459256"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3468724733366459256"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/04\/haggadah-and-aggadah.html","title":"haggadah and aggadah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5098668631881522777"},"published":{"$t":"2017-03-27T23:00:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-03-27T23:00:35.361+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"malon"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In the post about \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/12\/achsania.html\"\u003Eachsania\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, I mentioned the word for hotel - \u003Cem\u003Emalon\u003C\/em\u003E מלון. I didn't discuss the etymology there, so let's take a look now.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMalon\u003C\/em\u003E is a biblical word, originally meaning \"lodging place\" or more specifically \"inn.\" It derives from the root לון, meaning \"to lodge, pass the night.\" Klein points out that the formation of \u003Cem\u003Emalon\u003C\/em\u003E is similar to \u003Cem\u003Emakom\u003C\/em\u003E מקום - \"place\", which derives from the root קום - \"to stand\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein also mentions that the ultimate origin of לון is\u0026nbsp;probably denominated from\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Elayl\u003C\/em\u003E ליל - \"night\". (The more common form today, \u003Cem\u003Elayla -\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/em\u003Eלילה is an extended form of \u003Cem\u003Elayl\u003C\/em\u003E.) \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere is also an unrelated homonymic root, לון -\u0026nbsp;\"to murmur.\"\u0026nbsp;This is the root of the noun \u003Cem\u003Eteluna\u003C\/em\u003E תלונה - \"complaint\" and the verb התלונן - \"he grumbled, complained.\" Klein writes that it might be cognate with the Arabic\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E - \"he blamed.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne interesting misunderstanding involving the root לון is related to the upcoming Pesach holiday. There is a requirement, as discussed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/oukosher.org\/passover\/articles\/getting-to-know-your-matzah\/\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, that:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EWater to be used in matzah baking must be left to stand overnight (to ensure that it is allowed to cool). This water is then referred to as \u003Cem\u003Emayim shelanu\u003C\/em\u003E (water which has “slept”).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECool water in matza making is important so as not to hasten the leavening process. The\u0026nbsp;Talmud\u0026nbsp;(\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sefaria.org\/Pesachim.42a.1-14?lang=bi\"\u003EPesachim 42a\u003C\/a\u003E)\u0026nbsp;after discussing this law, tells the following story:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ERav Mattana taught this halakha in Paphunya. On the next day, the eve of Passover, everyone brought their jugs to him and said to him: Give us water. They misunderstood his expression \u003Cem\u003Emayim shelanu\u003C\/em\u003E, water that rested, as the near homonym \u003Cem\u003Emayim shelanu\u003C\/em\u003E, our water, i.e., water that belongs to the Sage, and they therefore came to take water from his house. He said to them: I say and meant: Water that rested [\u003Cem\u003Edevitu\u003C\/em\u003E] in the house overnight. \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile the gemara presents this as a curious, and perhaps humorous, anecdote, there are still groups today (as far as I know Hassidic, but\u0026nbsp;maybe there are others) who make sure to use water that they collected themselves for their matza baking. A strange custom perhaps, but it seems that this is the holiday of interesting customs. In fact I know many people whose primary custom is to go to a \u003Cem\u003Emalon\u003C\/em\u003E..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5098668631881522777\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5098668631881522777","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5098668631881522777"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5098668631881522777"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/03\/malon.html","title":"malon"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3497966282237161071"},"published":{"$t":"2017-03-19T22:40:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-03-19T22:40:12.912+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"daysa"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader asked about the\u0026nbsp;origin of the word \u003Cem\u003Edaysa\u003C\/em\u003E דייסה - \"porridge, gruel.\" He said that \"the word looks and sounds not much Hebrew and seems to hide its roots.\" Indeed, Klein says that the etymology is unknown, and other sources weren't particularly helpful either. But I think I found a convincing back story. Let's take a look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFirst of all, in Sokoloff's \u003Cem\u003EA Dictionary of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic\u003C\/em\u003E, he defines the original Aramaic form, דייסא, as \"coarsely pounded wheat or barley eaten or mixed with honey.\" Jastrow similarly has \"a dish of pounded grain (wheat or barley), grit\". The common element here is the \"pounding\", and in that light, the Ben Yehuda dictionary (under the entry \u003Cem\u003Edayis\u003C\/em\u003E דיס, which I suppose was a new Hebrew form by Ben Yehuda that never caught\u0026nbsp;on) suggest that the root would be an Aramaic root דוס, cognate with\u0026nbsp;the Hebrew דוש, \"to tread, thresh\". (I must point out that I have not found the root דוס in any Aramaic sources that I checked, but that doesn't mean it's not out there somewhere.) So the pounding, threshing action on the grain, led to the name \u003Cem\u003Edaysa\u003C\/em\u003E - which can be viewed as a gerund.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe root דוש, or the Hebrew noun \u003Cem\u003Edisha\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;דישה have a few other familiar related words. The passive form \u003Cem\u003Enadush\u003C\/em\u003E נדוש, which\u0026nbsp;literally means \"threshed\", has come to mean \"trite, banal\" - in the sense of \"overused.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlso related is the\u0026nbsp;modern Hebrew word for pedal - \u003Cem\u003Edavsha\u003C\/em\u003E דושא, although the original Aramaic (as in Shabbat 81b) just meant \"treading.\" This is a good example of modern Hebrew taking somewhat archaic Aramaic words and giving them new life in the revived language.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile the verb \u003Cem\u003Edash\u003C\/em\u003E דש means \"he tread\", the abbreviation\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eda\"sh\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp; ד\"ש is unrelated - it is an acronym for דרישת שלום - (sending) regards. However, just like porridge, it is best served\u0026nbsp;warm - so you will frequently\u0026nbsp;hear the request, \"please send \u003Cem\u003Edash cham\u003C\/em\u003E ד\"ש חם!\""},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3497966282237161071\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3497966282237161071","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3497966282237161071"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3497966282237161071"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/03\/daysa.html","title":"daysa"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6251286042920131057"},"published":{"$t":"2017-03-02T21:18:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-03-02T21:18:24.897+02:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"pesach"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"purim"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"krach"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"We are approaching the holiday of Purim, where the megillah is read in most cities on the 14th of Adar, but in walled cities it is read on the 15th. One of the terms for a walled city is\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ekrach\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;כרך.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EUntil very recently, I would have\u0026nbsp;told you that the\u0026nbsp;origin of that word was fairly obvious. The root כרך means\u0026nbsp; to \"bind, wrap, surround.\" The binding of a book is \u003Cem\u003Ekricha\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;כריכה, and so an\u0026nbsp;individual volume in a series of books\u0026nbsp;is \u003Cem\u003Ekerech\u003C\/em\u003E כרך.\u0026nbsp;In the Pesach seder we read about how Hillel would wrap his matza (clearly not the hard\u0026nbsp;matza eaten by\u0026nbsp;most\u0026nbsp;Ashkenazi Jews today), maror and the sacrificial meat. That wrapping - which today we duplicate by eating matza and maror together - is called \u003Cem\u003Ekorech\u003C\/em\u003E כורך. From here\u0026nbsp;we get the official word for sandwich in modern Hebrew - \u003Cem\u003Ekarich\u003C\/em\u003E כריך.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo I assumed (as Klein writes) that a \u003Cem\u003Ekrach\u003C\/em\u003E is so called because the walls surround it. However, I recently started studying\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;Talmudic tractate\u0026nbsp;Megilah, and on the first page, Steinsaltz notes that a \u003Cem\u003Ekrakh\u003C\/em\u003E is a large, generally walled city. He mentions the theory that it derives from the root כרך as we mentioned before, but only as the second possibility. The first possibility I had never heard before.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis theory (also brought first by Even Shoshan) says that \u003Cem\u003Ekrach\u003C\/em\u003E derives from the Greek \u003Cem\u003Echarax\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning a fortification - a location\u0026nbsp;defended by reinforcing walls. There were many places known as Charax in the Greek world, some of which can be found \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Charax\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. The word \u003Cem\u003Echara\u003C\/em\u003Ex originally meant the\u0026nbsp;pointed stake used to make the walls,\u0026nbsp;and later came to mean the fortification itself. In this way it is very similar to the word \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Palisade\"\u003Epalisade\u003C\/a\u003E, which means a \"a fence of wooden stakes forming an enclosure\" but \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=palisade\"\u003Eoriginally meant\u003C\/a\u003E the stake itself. In fact, many translate \u003Cem\u003Echarax\u003C\/em\u003E, and even \u003Cem\u003Ekrach\u003C\/em\u003E, as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=8togAAAAQBAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA67\u0026amp;lpg=PA67\u0026amp;dq=charax+etymology\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=3GRvSKvgOK\u0026amp;sig=hT9FSAP0XQJuYk85aJvxj8f-kpI\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwic_NW-xtvRAhXFhywKHZXkCD4Q6AEIQjAI#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Epalisade\u003C\/a\u003E. (A synonym of palisade is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rampart_(fortification)\"\u003Erampart\u003C\/a\u003E, and after looking that up I now know what that line meant in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Star-Spangled_Banner\"\u003EStar Spangled Banner\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA couple of familiar English words are\u0026nbsp;cognate with \u003Cem\u003Echarax\u003C\/em\u003E. One that sounds similar, but with an unusual etymology is \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=character\"\u003Echaracter\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Emid-14c., \u003Cem\u003Ecarecter\u003C\/em\u003E, \"symbol marked or branded on the body;\" mid-15c., \"symbol or drawing used in sorcery,\" from Old French \u003Cem\u003Ecaratere\u003C\/em\u003E \"feature, character\" (13c., Modern French \u003Cem\u003Ecaractère\u003C\/em\u003E), from Latin \u003Cem\u003Echaracter\u003C\/em\u003E, from Greek \u003Cem\u003Ekharakter\u003C\/em\u003E \"engraved mark,\" also \"symbol or imprint on the soul,\" also \"instrument for marking,\" from \u003Cem\u003Ekharassein\u003C\/em\u003E \"to engrave,\" from \u003Cem\u003Ekharax\u003C\/em\u003E \"pointed stake,\" from PIE root *\u003Cem\u003Egher\u003C\/em\u003E- (4) \"to scrape, scratch.\" Meaning extended in ancient times by metaphor to \"a defining quality.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA less obvious cognate is \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=gash\"\u003Egash\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E1540s, alteration of Middle English \u003Cem\u003Egarce\u003C\/em\u003E \"a gash, cut, wound, incision\" (early 13c.), from Old North French \u003Cem\u003Egarser\u003C\/em\u003E \"to scarify, cut, slash\" (Old French *\u003Cem\u003Egarse\u003C\/em\u003E), apparently from Vulgar Latin *\u003Cem\u003Echarassare\u003C\/em\u003E, from Greek \u003Cem\u003Ekharassein\u003C\/em\u003E \"engrave, sharpen, carve, cut,\" from PIE *\u003Cem\u003Egher\u003C\/em\u003E- (4) \"to scrape, scratch\" \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn this case, the foreign etymology of \u003Cem\u003Ekrach\u003C\/em\u003E seems more convincing to me, although I'm sure most Hebrew speakers would find it difficult to believe. Perhaps to educate them, we can start calling the stake-like toothpick or skewer\u0026nbsp;(used to hold a \u003Cem\u003Ekarich\u003C\/em\u003E together) a \u003Cem\u003Ekarach\u003C\/em\u003E?\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6251286042920131057\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6251286042920131057","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6251286042920131057"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6251286042920131057"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/03\/krach.html","title":"krach"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1067067153852755636"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-20T08:06:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-20T09:38:27.586+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"chofesh and chovesh"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A while back we talked about \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/03\/herut-and-uhura.html\"\u003Eherut\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E חרות - \"freedom\". But what about the similar word \u003Cem\u003Echofshi\u003C\/em\u003E חפשי - \"free\" and the related \u003Cem\u003Echofesh\u003C\/em\u003E חופש and \u003Cem\u003Echufsha\u003C\/em\u003E חופשה - which originally meant \"freedom\" and today have the sense of \"vacation, holiday\" (the former being more general, and the latter referring to a specific break from school or work)?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe etymology of the root חפש is not clear. Klein mentions an Ugaritic cognate \u003Cem\u003Ehps\u003C\/em\u003E - \"freeman, soldier\", and Kaddari brings the Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Ehupsu\u003C\/em\u003E. However, one of the more interesting theories connects it to the root חבש, meaning \"to bind\" (or in more particular usages - to saddle\u0026nbsp;an animal, to dress a wound or to imprison someone.) From this root we get the word \u003Cem\u003Echovesh\u003C\/em\u003E חובש - \"medic\" (one who bandages wounds) and \u003Cem\u003Emachbosh\u003C\/em\u003E מחבוש - \"(military) incarceration.\" Klein says that perhaps even the Hebrew word for quince,\u003Cem\u003E chabush\u003C\/em\u003E חבוש, has the same origin, due to its \"constipating effect.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003EI found\u0026nbsp;the connection between חפש and\u0026nbsp;חבש\u0026nbsp;first mentioned in the writings of the 19th century writer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Isaac_Baer_Levinsohn\"\u003EIsaac Baer Levinsohn\u003C\/a\u003E, who \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=f249AQAAMAAJ\u0026amp;pg=PA57\u0026amp;lpg=PA57\u0026amp;dq=%22%D7%97%D7%91%D7%A9%22+%22%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%A9%22\u0026amp;source=bl\u0026amp;ots=ZWTcao0Ve7\u0026amp;sig=S4pOJ0yS0ABHlmsVfQ6t91itnlg\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwiqi7-k5JzSAhWItxoKHamrADMQ6AEIRDAG#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=%22%D7%97%D7%91%D7%A9%22%20%22%D7%97%D7%A4%D7%A9%22\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E suggests that the two related roots are an example of one common root\u0026nbsp;developing opposite meanings. (We've seen examples of such \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/chitui.html\"\u003Econtronyms in Hebrew\u003C\/a\u003E before.) While certainly most uses of \u003Cem\u003Echofesh\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Echofshi\u003C\/em\u003E in Biblical Hebrew refer to freedom, there are a couple of examples that Levinsohn brings which would seem to point to the opposite connotation.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003EHe quotes Tehilim 88:6 -\u0026nbsp; בַּמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי כְּמוֹ חֲלָלִים שֹׁכְבֵי קֶבֶר, which the JPS translates as \"\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Psalms 88:6\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003Eabandoned\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E [\u003Cem\u003Echofshi\u003C\/em\u003E] among the dead,  like bodies lying in the grave\". This translation uses \"abandoned\" which is a sense of \"free\" - free of all obligations or\u0026nbsp;connections\u0026nbsp;in this world. However, Levinsohn says \u003Cem\u003Echofshi\u003C\/em\u003E here is like \u003Cem\u003Echavush\u003C\/em\u003E - \"imprisoned.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Psalms 88:6\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Psalms 88:6\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EAnother example is from Melachim II 15:5, where it describes how the king was plagued with leprosy and lived בְּבֵית הַחָפְשִׁית - \u003Cem\u003Eb'veit hachofshit\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp; The JPS translates this as \"\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"II Kings 15:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003Eisolated quarters\", similar to the translation \"abandoned\" above. However, the context here is discussing some type of imprisonment, and this is\u0026nbsp;how Levinsohn, and later the Daat Mikra explain the verse - as if it was בית החבשית \u003Cem\u003Ebeit hachavshit\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;- \"prison\".\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Psalms 88:6\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"II Kings 15:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe says both senses can be understood via \"the idlers who are free [from work, society] but are sealed in their homes.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Psalms 88:6\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"II Kings 15:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EIn light of this, Aveneri (Yad Halashon, pp 197-198) says that overall, \u003Cem\u003Echofesh\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Echofshi\u003C\/em\u003E have a somewhat negative connotation. It describes a slave being released, but not a state of true freedom. And as we've seen it can describe a leper being sent away or the state of the dead in the grave (whether or not we accept the connection between \u003Cem\u003Echofesh\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Echovesh\u003C\/em\u003E). This caused some critics to oppose the phrase עם חופשי \u003Cem\u003Eam chofshi\u003C\/em\u003E in Israel's anthem, \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hatikvah\"\u003EHatikva\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, since \u003Cem\u003Echofshi\u003C\/em\u003E here seems to only freedom from obligations, not a particular mission. Judaism generally focuses on commandments and obligations, so they preferred an adjective like \u003Cem\u003Ekadosh\u003C\/em\u003E קדוש - \"holy\" - which implies a higher level of obligation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI don't think that the negative connotation of \u003Cem\u003Echofesh\u003C\/em\u003E remains in Hebrew today. However, the tension between \"freedom from\" and \"freedom to\" certainly exists, as any parent can tell you during the חופש הגדול \u003Cem\u003Echofesh hagadol\u003C\/em\u003E - \"summer vacation\"...\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1067067153852755636\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1067067153852755636","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1067067153852755636"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1067067153852755636"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/02\/chofesh-and-chovesh.html","title":"chofesh and chovesh"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4107977936835657872"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-12T22:25:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-14T21:58:12.363+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"chelek and chaklaut"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A friend recently asked me a question about metathesis - the rearranging of letters in a word. Let's take a quick look at an example in Hebrew.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe word \u003Cem\u003Ehelek\u003C\/em\u003E חלק - \"part, portion\" derives from the verb\u0026nbsp;חלק - \"to divide, share\" (according to Klein). He does not connect this root to \u003Cem\u003Echalak\u003C\/em\u003E חלק - \"smooth\", which he says is related to the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ehalaqa\u003C\/em\u003E \"he made smooth\" which is related to \u003Cem\u003Ehalaqa\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"he created.\" Klein also mentions \u003Cem\u003Ehalaqa\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E- \"he measured, measured off\"\u0026nbsp;as a cognate of חלק meaning \"to divide\", but again, he doesn't connect the roots. Stahl, however, does connect them, saying that \"he created\" and \"he measured\" are related. And if I understand the footnote in Ben Yehuda correctly, he says that the meaning \"smooth\" could have evolved from a sense \"to shave\", which would have originally been \"to cut, to divide.\" This sense - of shaving, making smooth - is the source of the \u003Cem\u003Ehalaka\u003C\/em\u003E חלאקה - the Mizrahi version of the Ashkenazi \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Upsherin\"\u003Eupsherin\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E,\u0026nbsp; the ceremony of the first haircut\u0026nbsp;for three year old boys.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EChaklaut\u003C\/em\u003E חקלאות - \"agriculture\" and \u003Cem\u003Echaklai\u003C\/em\u003E חקלאי - \"agricultural\"\/ \"farmer\" are modern Hebrew words coined by David Yellin,\u0026nbsp;formed from the Aramaic words \u003Cem\u003Echakal\u003C\/em\u003E חקל and \u003Cem\u003Echakla\u003C\/em\u003E חקלא, both meaning \"field.\" This Aramaic word is a metathesis of \u003Cem\u003Echelek\u003C\/em\u003E - literally \"a portion of land.\" We find \u003Cem\u003Echelek\u003C\/em\u003E being used for a field in many places, such as Bereshit 33:19 - חלקת השדה \u003Cem\u003Echelkat hasadeh\u003C\/em\u003E - \"a portion of the field\"."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4107977936835657872\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4107977936835657872","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4107977936835657872"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4107977936835657872"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/02\/chelek-and-chaklaut.html","title":"chelek and chaklaut"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-729577730942054957"},"published":{"$t":"2017-02-06T13:33:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-02-06T14:44:30.774+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"hasta and ad"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Arnold Schwarzenegger has been in the news recently, so I thought\u0026nbsp;I'd take\u0026nbsp;a look at the first word of his catchphrase, \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hasta_la_vista,_baby\"\u003EHasta la vista, baby\u003C\/a\u003E\". While\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ehasta la vista\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;is used to mean \"see you later\", the literal meaning in Spanish is \"Until the (next) sighting.\" The word \u003Cem\u003Ehasta\u003C\/em\u003E, \"until\", has its \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arabic_language_influence_on_the_Spanish_language#H.2C_I\"\u003Eorigins in Arabic\u003C\/a\u003E, coming from the Arabic word \u003Cem\u003Eḥattá\u003C\/em\u003E (or \u003Cem\u003Ehata\u003C\/em\u003E) - also meaning \"until.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI looked around for a Hebrew cognate to\u003Cem\u003E hatta\u003C\/em\u003E, and if I understand these (\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=vm2SugMy8C0C\u0026amp;pg=PA13\u0026amp;dq=(%22hatta%22+OR+%22hata%22+OR+%22hhata%22)+arabic+(aramaic+OR+hebrew+OR+akkadian)+until\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;sa=X\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwj1-IiFgPvRAhXpBcAKHSE5CUA4ChDoAQgkMAI#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=(%22hatta%22%20OR%20%22hata%22%20OR%20%22hhata%22)%20arabic%20(aramaic%20OR%20hebrew%20OR%20akkadian)%20until\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003E1\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=taPNDQAAQBAJ\u0026amp;lpg=PA71\u0026amp;ots=i858f0CMIp\u0026amp;dq=(%22hatta%22%20OR%20%22hata%22%20OR%20%22hhata%22)%20arabic%20(aramaic%20OR%20hebrew%20OR%20akkadian)%20until\u0026amp;pg=PA71#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003E2\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=5UC0t1EpMUwC\u0026amp;lpg=PA270\u0026amp;ots=gYaQmvNgz1\u0026amp;dq=(%22hatta%22%20OR%20%22hata%22%20OR%20%22hhata%22)%20arabic%20aramaic\u0026amp;pg=PA270#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003E3\u003C\/a\u003E)\u0026nbsp;books correctly, there is an unsurprising one - \u003Cem\u003Ead\u003C\/em\u003E עד - \"until\" in Hebrew.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein says that \u003Cem\u003Ead\u003C\/em\u003E, and its older form \u003Cem\u003Eadei\u003C\/em\u003E עדי, come from the root עדה, meaning \"to pass by\" (found in Iyov 28:8 and Mishlei 25:20). This is also the root of \u003Cem\u003Ead\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"eternity\", which Klein says literally means \"progress in time\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAd\u003C\/em\u003E as \"until\" is found in a few other words:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBiladei\u003C\/em\u003E בלעדי - \"without, apart from\". Klein says it is compounded of \u003Cem\u003Ebal\u003C\/em\u003E בל (=not) and \u003Cem\u003Eadei\u003C\/em\u003E עדי (= as far as, up to). That preposition is the source of the adjective \u003Cem\u003Ebiladi\u003C\/em\u003E בלעדי - \"exclusive\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAchshav\u003C\/em\u003E עכשיו - \"now\". Klein says it is probably a contraction of \"\u003Cem\u003Ead kshe'hu\u003C\/em\u003E\" עד כשהוא - literally, \"until as it is\".\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIdkun\u003C\/em\u003E עדכון - \"update\". This is from the root עדכן, which is a contraction of \u003Cem\u003Ead kan\u003C\/em\u003E עד כאן - \"until here, so far.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd lastly we have the word for a Purim carnival, עדלידע (or עדלאידע) \u003Cem\u003Eadloyada\u003C\/em\u003E. This is a contraction of the Aramaic phrase found in Megila 7b עד דלא ידע - \"until he could not discern (between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai).\" \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/hebrew-academy.huji.ac.il\/sifriyya\/ReadingHall\/Documents\/adloyada.pdf\"\u003EThis article\u003C\/a\u003E describing the word's history says it may have been influenced by the Greek \u003Cem\u003EOlympiada\u003C\/em\u003E - their word for the Olympic games, another kind of celebration.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow to finish, Arnold has been in the news for contrasting himself to a leader who has been widely criticized. However, since this blog is not political, any parallels to the Purim story are entirely coincidental..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/729577730942054957\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=729577730942054957","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/729577730942054957"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/729577730942054957"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/02\/hasta-and-ad.html","title":"hasta and ad"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-2273964539057880836"},"published":{"$t":"2017-01-28T23:33:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-01-28T23:33:35.336+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kerach and kereach"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"It was frosty here\u0026nbsp;this weekend, so I got to thinking - is there any connection\u0026nbsp;between the homographs קרח \u003Cem\u003Ekerach\u003C\/em\u003E - \"ice\" and \u003Cem\u003Ekereach\u003C\/em\u003E - \"bald\"?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven Shoshan discusses the verb root קרח (as found in Vayikra 21:5), and says\u0026nbsp;that the meaning is \"to pull out hair\", and notes that in Arabic the cognate is\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eqara'a\u003C\/em\u003E -\u0026nbsp;or קרע in Hebrew.\u0026nbsp;In Hebrew this root means \"to tear, rend.\" (Meshullam Klarberg writes \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.shemayisrael.com\/parsha\/klarberg\/archives\/tetzave63.htm\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E that only\u0026nbsp;in modern Hebrew does \u003Cem\u003Ekore'a\u003C\/em\u003E mean to tear by hand, while in Biblical and Talmudic Hebrew it could also mean cutting with an implement.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs far as \u003Cem\u003Ekerach \u003C\/em\u003E(\"ice\"), a footnote in the Ben Yehuda dictionary points out that the Syriac cognate primarily means \"storm\", and speculates that this might be a connection between the two meanings: a storm can tear the leaves off of trees (making them bald), and a storm can bring with it cold and snow.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnother theory is proposed by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=4RUVAAAAYAAJ\u0026amp;lpg=PA910\u0026amp;ots=1KzDB1zPzw\u0026amp;dq=hebrew%20bald%20ice\u0026amp;pg=PA910#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\"\u003EGesenius\u003C\/a\u003E, that the common root means \"to make smooth\", which applies both to ice and to\u0026nbsp;a\u0026nbsp;bald head. That might be a simpler suggestion, but his book was written in 1836, with far less exposure to research into related Semitic languages. So perhaps the evidence here leads to a more complicated conclusion.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat about the name Korach קורח, found first among the sons and leaders of Esav (Bereshit 36:5, 36:16) and most famously the Levite who led the rebellion against Moshe. \\Daat Mikra (Bereshit 36:5) says that it probably means a bald man (which stands in contrast to the \"hairy\" name of Seir - also found in Esav's family).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis made me think: while certainly a bald man might get a nickname referring to his baldness, why would anyone name a baby that? Then of course, I remembered that my kids all entered life rather bald..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/2273964539057880836\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=2273964539057880836","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2273964539057880836"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/2273964539057880836"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/01\/kerach-and-kereach.html","title":"kerach and kereach"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5991365147329283731"},"published":{"$t":"2017-01-23T22:36:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-01-24T07:29:17.609+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ketoret and nectar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The biblical word \u003Cem\u003Eketoret\u003C\/em\u003E קטרת means \"smoke, odor of sacrifice, incense.\" According to Klein, all of the forms of the verb קטר (meaning \"to smoke, burn incense, etc.) derive from that noun, and literally mean \"to produce \u003Cem\u003Eketoret\u003C\/em\u003E.\"\u0026nbsp;Most of the words with that root are\u0026nbsp;directly connected to that meaning, such as \u003Cem\u003Emikteret\u003C\/em\u003E מקטרת - \"pipe\", but other's aren't so clear. Let's take a look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe only Biblical Hebrew word that may have a different meaning is \u003Cem\u003Eketurot\u003C\/em\u003E קטרות, found in Yechezkel 46:22. This word is an adjective describing courtyards. The Mishna (Midot 2:5) says it means \"unroofed\", and are connected to our root because without a roof, the smoke could escape. However, Radak and others say it means \"connected\", and this is based on the Aramaic meaning of קטר - \"to bind\". This meaning is found a few times in the Aramaic section of the Book of Daniel, and is cognate with the Hebrew\u0026nbsp; קשר - \"to bind\", as found in the word \u003Cem\u003Ekesher\u003C\/em\u003E - \"connection\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA word related to \u003Cem\u003Eketoret\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Ekitor\u003C\/em\u003E קיטור - originally meant \"thick smoke, vapor\", and in modern Hebrew was adopted for the word \"steam.\" The Hebrew word for locomotive, \u003Cem\u003Ekatar\u003C\/em\u003E קטר, is connected to the idea of a steam engine, but actually has a more interesting story. Stahl, in his Arabic dictionary, describes how the founders of modern Hebrew were trying to come up with a word for \"train.\" Ben\u0026nbsp;Yehuda suggested \u003Cem\u003Ekitor\u003C\/em\u003E, and David Yellin offered \u003Cem\u003Ekatar\u003C\/em\u003E. Katar had the advantage of both hinting to the steam of \u003Cem\u003Ekitor\u003C\/em\u003E, but more significantly was parallel to the Arabic word for\u0026nbsp;train - \u003Cem\u003Eqitar\u003C\/em\u003E. This Arabic word originally meant a caravan of camels, and is related to the Aramaic sense of קטר we saw earlier - \"to bind.\" In the end, however, the suggestion of Yechiel Michel Pines was accepted - \u003Cem\u003Erakevet\u003C\/em\u003E רכבת, and \u003Cem\u003Ekatar\u003C\/em\u003E came to mean just locomotive (not the entire train).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnother word that is possibly related to the sense of \"bound\" is \u003Cem\u003Ekoter\u003C\/em\u003E קוטר - \"diameter\". \u003Cem\u003EKoter\u003C\/em\u003E entered Hebrew\u0026nbsp;in the Middle Ages and was borrowed from the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Equtr\u003C\/em\u003E of the same meaning. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/4847281\/Arabic_Etymological_Dictionary\"\u003EArabic Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E has the following entry:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cem\u003Equttr\u003C\/em\u003E : area; diameter [Sem \u003Cem\u003Eq-tt-r\u003C\/em\u003E (tie), Heb \u003Cem\u003Eqotter\u003C\/em\u003E, Syr \u003Cem\u003Eqttar\u003C\/em\u003E (fasten, tie), JNA \u003Cem\u003Eqttr\u003C\/em\u003E]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eqattara\u003C\/em\u003E - \"drip\" is apparently related to the meaning of \"smoke, incense\"\u0026nbsp; (perhaps in the way the incense was prepared), and in light of this, the scholar Lothar Kopf (as quoted in Stahl) connects the two meanings \"incense\" and \"to bind\" as deriving from a common meaning \"things that follow one another.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rohama.org\/en\/content\/65\"\u003EOne theory\u003C\/a\u003E says that the name of the country Qatar is also related:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe name \"Qatar\" may derive from the same Arabic root as \u003Cem\u003Eqatura\u003C\/em\u003E, which means \"to exude.\" The word \u003Cem\u003EQatura\u003C\/em\u003E traces to the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eqatran\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"tar\" or \"resin\", which relates to the country's rich resources in petroleum and natural gas. \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELastly, and most surprising to me, is the English word \"nectar\". The \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=nectar\"\u003EOnline Etymology Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E provides an unrelated etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Efrom Latin \u003Cem\u003Enectar\u003C\/em\u003E, from Greek \u003Cem\u003Enektar\u003C\/em\u003E, name of the drink of the gods, which is said to be a compound of \u003Cem\u003Enek\u003C\/em\u003E- \"death\" (see necro-) + -\u003Cem\u003Etar\u003C\/em\u003E \"overcoming\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, Klein thinks that the word ultimately has a Semitic origin:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Enectar, n., the drink of the gods (Greek mythol.) -- L., fr. Gk. \u003Cem\u003Enektar\u003C\/em\u003E, 'drink of the gods', esp. 'wine', which prob. derives fr. Heb. (\u003Cem\u003Eyayin\u003C\/em\u003E) \u003Cem\u003Eniqtar\u003C\/em\u003E, 'smoked (wine), perfumed (wine)', \u003Cem\u003ENiph'al\u003C\/em\u003E ( = passive form) of the Sem. base \u003Cem\u003Eq-t-r\u003C\/em\u003E, 'to make sacrifices, smoke'; \u003Cem\u003Eqitter\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Ehiqtir\u003C\/em\u003E, 'he made sacrifices, smoked', are \u003Cem\u003EPi'el\u003C\/em\u003E ( = intensive form), resp. \u003Cem\u003EHiph'il\u003C\/em\u003E ( = causative form) of the same base, whence also \u003Cem\u003Eqetoreth\u003C\/em\u003E, 'sweet smoke of sacrifice, incense', Talmudic and Targumic Aram. \u003Cem\u003Eqitra\u003C\/em\u003E, '(thick) smoke', Ethiop. \u003Cem\u003Eqetare\u003C\/em\u003E, 'incense'. From \u003Cem\u003Eq-t-r\u003C\/em\u003E, a collateral form of this base, derive Aram. \u003Cem\u003Eqatara\u003C\/em\u003E, 'it exhaled odor', (said esp. of roast meat), 'it smoked' (said of fire), \u003Cem\u003Eqatar\u003C\/em\u003E, 'vapor, smoke, aroma', Akkad. \u003Cem\u003Equtru\u003C\/em\u003E, 'smoke', \u003Cem\u003Equtrinnu\u003C\/em\u003E, 'incense offering'\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWe've seen the concept of perfumed and spiced wine before, when we discussed why ancient wine was always \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2009\/03\/mozeg.html\"\u003Emixed with water\u003C\/a\u003E. While nectar has a much more mild meaning today - \"a sugary fluid secreted by plants\" - for the Greeks it might have been much more powerful!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5991365147329283731\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5991365147329283731","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5991365147329283731"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5991365147329283731"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/01\/ketoret-and-nectar.html","title":"ketoret and nectar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7912616000715988194"},"published":{"$t":"2017-01-17T23:25:00.004+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-01-18T06:57:40.684+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"seret and sirton"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In Hebrew, the word \u003Cem\u003Eseret\u003C\/em\u003E סרט\u0026nbsp;means \"ribbon\". Let's take a look at the\u0026nbsp;history of the word, and some possible relatives.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs Elon Gilad writes \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/jewish\/features\/1.610510\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, the word first appears in the Mishna and meant \"strip (of fabric)\". In 1892, Ben Yehuda revived \u003Cem\u003Eseret\u003C\/em\u003E to mean \"ribbon\", and in the 1920s, it came to mean\u0026nbsp;\"film\" and \"movie\", due to the ribbon-like appearance of the film strip. Klein says that \u003Cem\u003Esirton\u003C\/em\u003E סרטון actually means \"film strip\", but today\u003Cem\u003E sirton\u003C\/em\u003E is used for a short\u0026nbsp;film, particularly a video clip (like the ones shared on social media).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGilad says that \u003Cem\u003Eseret\u003C\/em\u003E may \"derive from the Greek word \u003Cem\u003Esirtis\u003C\/em\u003E, which means “bolt” (as in locking the door).\"\u0026nbsp;This is similar to the suggestion in Ben Yehuda's dictionary that it derives from the Greek \u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Esyrtēs\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"rope\", however the dictionary ultimately rejects this idea as unlikely. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003EKlein does not give an etymology for \u003Cem\u003Eseret\u003C\/em\u003E (other than saying that\u0026nbsp;it is cognate with the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Esharit\u003C\/em\u003E). However, he does tell us that there is another similar looking Hebrew word that derives from the Greek \u003Cem\u003Esyrtis\u003C\/em\u003E: \u003Cem\u003Esirton\u003C\/em\u003E שרטון\u0026nbsp;(this time with the letter \u003Cem\u003Esin\u003C\/em\u003E, not \u003Cem\u003Esamech\u003C\/em\u003E). Here is his entry for this \u003Cem\u003Esirton\u003C\/em\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EPost-Biblical Hebrew - \"sandbank\". [Borrowed from Greek \u003Cem\u003Esytris\u003C\/em\u003E (=quicksand), from \u003Cem\u003Esyrein\u003C\/em\u003E (=to trail, drag, sweep away), which is related to \u003Cem\u003Esairein\u003C\/em\u003E (=to sweep, clean)]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003ENote\u0026nbsp;that both \"bolt\" and \"rope\" are things that are pulled or dragged.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003EIn modern Hebrew you'll often hear the expression \"\u003Cem\u003Eala\u0026nbsp;al sirton\u003C\/em\u003E\" עלה על\u0026nbsp;שרטון - \u0026nbsp;meaning metaphorically \"to get stuck, run aground\", like a boat on a sandbank. (Interesting that the Greek word referred to something you could get stuck in by sinking, whereas the Hebrew was the opposite - you got stuck higher up than you wanted to be.) \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Syrtis\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESyrtis\u003C\/a\u003E today refers to two sandy gulfs in North Africa, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/biblehub.com\/greek\/4950.htm\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecalled so\u003C\/a\u003E either due to sandbanks or quicksand. Klein, in his CEDEL, writes that the English word \"swerve\" is cognate (both originating from the same Indo-European root, \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E*\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=swerve\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eswerbh\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E, also having a similar sense to \"trail, drag, sweep away.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003EHowever, there are other theories regarding the origin of \u003Cem\u003Eseret\u003C\/em\u003E. Stahl connects it to the root סרט, or in the Biblical form שרט, both meaning \"scratch, scrape.\" The Arabic cognate also means \"to tear\", or \"to rend one's garments in mourning.\" He writes that the Arabs would tear leaves and fibers from palm and other trees to make ropes and strips - and this is the origin of the word \u003Cem\u003Eseret\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003EFrom this root we get the verb שרטט, \"draw, rule, mark lines, sketch\" and \u003Cem\u003Esirtut\u003C\/em\u003E שרטוט is \"drafting\". Another related word is \u003Cem\u003Esartan\u003C\/em\u003E סרטן. It originally meant crab (a scratching animal), which in the zodiac is the sign \"Cancer\", and as in English later came to mean the disease cancer as well. The connection between the crab and the disease isn't clear - \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyId=130754101\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eperhaps\u003C\/a\u003E the hard tumor is similar to a crab shell, or \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/cancer#Etymology\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emaybe\u003C\/a\u003E the enlarged veins of a cancerous tumor resembled the legs of a crab.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan data-ft=\"{\u0026quot;tn\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;K\u0026quot;}\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"UFICommentBody\"\u003ETo go back to our original word, in modern Hebrew slang, \u003Cem\u003Eseret\u003C\/em\u003E means an exceptional experience, often a negative one. \u003Cem\u003EEizeh seret\u003C\/em\u003E איזה סרט - \"I can't believe what just happened to me.\" On the other hand, \u003Cem\u003Emehaseratim\u003C\/em\u003E מהסרטים (\"out of the movies\")\u0026nbsp;indicates something unusually\u0026nbsp;excellent. I hope this post falls into the later category...\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7912616000715988194\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7912616000715988194","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7912616000715988194"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7912616000715988194"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/01\/seret-and-sirton.html","title":"seret and sirton"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-3514870933148165252"},"published":{"$t":"2017-01-01T16:20:00.004+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-01-01T16:20:47.826+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"partzuf and frum"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"There is a connection between the Hebrew word for face - פרצוף \u003Cem\u003Epartzuf\u003C\/em\u003E and the Yiddish word \u003Cem\u003Efrum\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"religiously observant, pious.\" Let's take a look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPartzuf\u003C\/em\u003E is a Talmudic word borrowed from the Greek \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Prosopon\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eprosopon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning either \"face\" or a mask that covers the face (in Greek it eventually came to mean \"person\" as well). Hebrew already had the biblical word for face, \u003Cem\u003Epanim\u003C\/em\u003E פנים, and so \u003Cem\u003Epartzuf\u003C\/em\u003E went through a number of transformations. In Talmudic literature the two words were more or less synonymous, but later in Hebrew it began to take on a negative one. (\u003Cem\u003EPanim\u003C\/em\u003E can be used for the face of any physical object, whereas \u003Cem\u003Epartzuf\u003C\/em\u003E is only for a human face). So today \u003Cem\u003Epartzuf\u003C\/em\u003E generally has less a positive connotation, and so you might tell a child not to make a face - לעשות פרצופים \u003Cem\u003Ele'asot partzufim\u003C\/em\u003E or\u003Cem\u003E partzuf atzuv\u003C\/em\u003E פרצוף עצוב - \"sad face\". \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn any case today\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;sense of \"face\" is\u0026nbsp;almost always\u0026nbsp; associated\u0026nbsp;with some description, and as such has also come to mean \"characterization, personification\", and\u0026nbsp;through a process called\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Metonymy\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E metonymy\u003C\/a\u003E, where an attribute is substituted for the thing meant, we have in Israeli slang the use of \u003Cem\u003Epartzuf\u003C\/em\u003E without any description to refer to an ugly or negative person. \u003Cem\u003EEizeh partzuf\u003C\/em\u003E איזה פרצוף - \"what a (bad\/ugly) guy!\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe etymology of \u003Cem\u003Eprosopon\u003C\/em\u003E goes back further than Greek. Klein writes that it literally means \"that which is toward the eyes\", from \u003Cem\u003Epros\u003C\/em\u003E (= toward, to, against) and \u003Cem\u003Eops\u003C\/em\u003E (=eye, face). \u003Cem\u003EPros\u003C\/em\u003E is related to the prefix \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=pro-\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Epro\u003C\/a\u003E, also meaning \"before, in front of, sooner,\" and is the root of dozens of English words. One of them is \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=from\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Efrom\u003C\/a\u003E\", which originally meant \"a preposition denoting departure or movement away in time or space\" and also the word \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=frame\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eframe\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EOld English \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eframian\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"to profit, be helpful, avail, benefit,\" from \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Efram\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (adj., adv.) \"active, vigorous, bold,\" originally \"going forward,\" from \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Efram\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (prep.) \"forward; from\". Influenced by related Old English \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Efremman\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"help forward, promote; do, perform, make, accomplish,\" and Old Norse \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Efremja\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"to further, execute.\" Compare German \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Efrommen\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"avail, profit, benefit, be of use.\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESense focused in Middle English from \"make ready\" (mid-13c.) to \"prepare  timber for building\" (late 14c.). Meaning \"compose, devise\" is first  attested 1540s. \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe German cognate mentioned in that entry, \u003Cem\u003Efrommen\u003C\/em\u003E, has a related word in German - \u003Cem\u003Efromm\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"pious, devout\" (via the\u0026nbsp;senses of \"good, righteous\".)\u0026nbsp;And from here we get the Yiddish word \"\u003Cem\u003Efrum\u003C\/em\u003E\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EQuite a journey, no? Things aren't always what they seem - a \u003Cem\u003Epartzuf\u003C\/em\u003E might be a face, or it might be a mask, and don't get me started on knowing whether or not someone is actually \u003Cem\u003Efrum\u003C\/em\u003E..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/3514870933148165252\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=3514870933148165252","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3514870933148165252"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/3514870933148165252"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2017\/01\/partzuf-and-frum.html","title":"partzuf and frum"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7061027194830217954"},"published":{"$t":"2016-12-26T07:40:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-12-26T07:40:42.236+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"achsania"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I found an old note of mine that said I should write about the word \u003Cem\u003Eachsania\u003C\/em\u003E - the Hebrew\u0026nbsp;word for \"hostel.\" Since the note was\u0026nbsp;written in English,\u0026nbsp;I\u0026nbsp;initially assumed that the word\u0026nbsp;was spelt with a \u003Cem\u003Echet\u003C\/em\u003E, and was therefore cognate with the word \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/07\/machsan.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emachsan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E מחסן - \"storeroom\", and I could see a connection regarding storing things or people. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut when I started looking in my dictionaries, I discovered that the word is actually spelled with a \u003Cem\u003Ekhaf\u003C\/em\u003E - אכסניה (or אכסניא). Klein writes that the word originally meant \"hospitality\", then \"lodging\", and derives from the Greek \u003Cem\u003Exenia\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning hospitality. \u003Cem\u003EXenia\u003C\/em\u003E is related to\u003Cem\u003E xenos\u003C\/em\u003E, \"stranger, guest\", and is the root of the English word \"xenophobia\", meaning \"fear of strangers.\" Both come from the root \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=xeno-\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Exeno\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E-, \"strange, foreign\", and ultimately\u0026nbsp;may be\u0026nbsp;cognate with the Latin word meaning guest - \u003Cem\u003Ehostis\u003C\/em\u003E. If this is the case, it would lead to a connection between \u003Cem\u003Eachsania\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Eusphizin\u003C\/em\u003E אושפיזין, as we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/10\/ushpizin.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAchsania\u003C\/em\u003E earlier had the sense of \"inn\", which is generally more rural than an urban hotel. Today the word for inn is \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/07\/pundak.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Epundak\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E פונדק, although \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/tzimmer.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Etzimmer\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E צימר is used for specifically rural guest houses. Hotel is \u003Cem\u003Emalon\u003C\/em\u003E מלון, and therefore the less\u0026nbsp;expensive option, hostel in English, found its place in \u003Cem\u003Eachsania\u003C\/em\u003E. As far as I know, there's no specific Hebrew word for \"motel\"..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7061027194830217954\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7061027194830217954","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7061027194830217954"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7061027194830217954"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/12\/achsania.html","title":"achsania"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4515922140116613662"},"published":{"$t":"2016-12-18T16:20:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-12-18T16:20:18.713+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"date and dekel"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Here's a connection between two words that you might not have known. I don't have too much to add, but I found it really interesting. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein has the following entry for the word \"date\" (fruit of the palm tree):\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EOld French \u003Cem\u003Edate\u003C\/em\u003E (French \u003Cem\u003Edatte\u003C\/em\u003E), from Old Provençal \u003Cem\u003Edatil\u003C\/em\u003E (or from Italian \u003Cem\u003Edattero\u003C\/em\u003E), from Latin \u003Cem\u003Edactylus\u003C\/em\u003E, from Greek \u003Cem\u003Edactylos\u003C\/em\u003E, 'date', which is of Semitic origin. Compare Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Edeqel\u003C\/em\u003E, Aramaic \u003Cem\u003Ediqla\u003C\/em\u003E, Syriac \u003Cem\u003Edeqla\u003C\/em\u003E, Arabic \u003Cem\u003Edaqal\u003C\/em\u003E, 'date palm', and Hebrew \u003Cem\u003EDiqlah\u003C\/em\u003E, name of a region in Arabia, rich in date palms (see Genesis 10:27 and I Chronicles 1:21). The form of Greek \u003Cem\u003Edaktylos\u003C\/em\u003E, 'date', was influenced by a folk-etymological association with \u003Cem\u003Edaktylos\u003C\/em\u003E, 'finger', suggested by the fingerlike shape of the date.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Biblical Hebrew we don't have \u003Cem\u003Edekel\u003C\/em\u003E דקל for date, but rather \u003Cem\u003Etamar\u003C\/em\u003E תמר. And in Talmudic Hebrew, when \u003Cem\u003Edekel\u003C\/em\u003E was introduced (likely via Aramaic), it was used to refer to the date palm, not the date fruit (as in other Semitic languages). \u003Cem\u003ETamar\u003C\/em\u003E continued to refer to both the tree and the fruit.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERegarding the Dikla דלקה of Bereshit 10:27, the Daat Mikra writes that Arabic geographers mention a place called Dikla in Yemen.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERegarding the root \u003Cem\u003Edkl\u003C\/em\u003E - Klein in his Hebrew dictionary, following Ben Yehuda, says that the ultimate etymology is unknown.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe homonym for date - \"time\" is not related at all, but as we saw \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/03\/dat.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, might have a connection to the word in Hebrew for religion - \u003Cem\u003Edat\u003C\/em\u003E דת."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4515922140116613662\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4515922140116613662","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4515922140116613662"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4515922140116613662"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/12\/date-and-dekel.html","title":"date and dekel"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-839034529616254777"},"published":{"$t":"2016-12-11T21:47:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-12-11T21:47:19.156+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"geves and gypsum"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew\u0026nbsp;word \u003Cem\u003Egeves\u003C\/em\u003E גבס and the English word gypsum are closely related. Let's see how.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Hebrew today, you'll most likely hear \u003Cem\u003Egeves\u003C\/em\u003E used to describe a type of construction - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Drywall\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edrywall\u003C\/a\u003E, used to form the interior walls of buildings, and for orthopedic casts of plaster. But both of those uses were adopted because of\u0026nbsp;the mineral\u0026nbsp;primarily used to make them - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gypsum\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Egypsum\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDuring Talmudic times there were a number of\u0026nbsp;longer\u0026nbsp;words for gypsum\u0026nbsp;including \u003Cem\u003Egipsis\u003C\/em\u003E גפסיס (Para 5:9, Pesachim 75a), \u003Cem\u003Egipsos \u003C\/em\u003Eגיפסוס (Yerushalmi Shabbat 5:1) and \u003Cem\u003Egipsim\u003C\/em\u003E גפסים (some versions of Kelim 10:2). The Ben\u0026nbsp;Yehuda dictionary reports that the current form, \u003Cem\u003Egeves\u003C\/em\u003E, was based on these Talmudic forms, and this was the word used by people in Eretz Yisrael in his time. He doesn't mention this, but I wonder if perhaps the switch from the letter \"\u003Cem\u003Epe\u003C\/em\u003E\" to the letter \"\u003Cem\u003Ebet\u003C\/em\u003E\" was due to influence from contemporary Arabic, who often make that switch, and pronounce their word for gypsum as \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/translate.google.co.il\/?oe=utf-8\u0026amp;client=firefox-b\u0026amp;gfe_rd=cr\u0026amp;um=1\u0026amp;ie=UTF-8\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;client=tw-ob#auto\/ar\/gypsum\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ejabas\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E. (It's possibly that the answer is in page 119 of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=EE7uAAAAMAAJ\u0026amp;source=gbs_navlinks_s\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis book\u003C\/a\u003E, but unfortunately I don't have access to it and\u0026nbsp; Google Books only gives me a snippet view.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe dictionary also points out that the Talmudic forms\u0026nbsp;come from the Greek, and this is where the English word gypsum derives as well. Klein writes in his CEDEL in the entry for \"gypsum\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ELatin, from Greek \u003Cem\u003Egypsos\u003C\/em\u003E, 'chalk', of Semitic origin. Compare Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ejibs\u003C\/em\u003E, Mishnaic Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Egebhes\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Egephes\u003C\/em\u003E, 'plaster, mortar, gypsum', which probably derive from Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Egassu\u003C\/em\u003E (whence also Aramaic \u003Cem\u003Egassa \u003C\/em\u003Eגצא, whence Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ejass\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Ejiss\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Ejuss\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eqass\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eqiss\u003C\/em\u003E), 'gypsum'.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Aramaic \u003Cem\u003Egatza\u003C\/em\u003E גצא, which according to Sokoloff means \"lime\", is found in some Talmudic era texts (some\u0026nbsp;versions of Moed Katan 10b)\u0026nbsp;as a parallel to \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2008\/06\/sod.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Esid\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E סיד - \"whitewash\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo as often\u0026nbsp;happened in that region, the word \u003Cem\u003Egeves\u003C\/em\u003E was originally Semitic (Akkadian), then borrowed into Greek, then borrowed back into Hebrew and Aramaic. That is how language is built - not with stone walls that never change, but with much more adaptable gypsum..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/839034529616254777\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=839034529616254777","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/839034529616254777"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/839034529616254777"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/12\/geves-and-gypsum_11.html","title":"geves and gypsum"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7125912739061188664"},"published":{"$t":"2016-12-03T22:11:00.003+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-12-03T22:11:56.075+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"nasi"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Why is the Hebrew word for \"president\" נשיא \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E? I'm not entirely sure, but I'll share my ideas with you. Let's start out by looking at the history of the word.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe word appears in the bible 129 times (not including four other\u0026nbsp;cases where it means \"rain cloud\", but that's unrelated). The Even-Shoshan concordance says\u0026nbsp;it means \"head of a tribe, head of a congregation, ruler, etc.\" One thing I noticed from looking at the concordance was that it shows up in some biblical books, but not others.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMilgrom notes this in Excursus\u0026nbsp;1, \"Some Political Institutions of Early Israel\", in JPS\u0026nbsp;Numbers. He defines \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;as \"chieftan\" or \"clan leader\", and sometimes the leader of the entire tribe. He then writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe term \u003Cem\u003Enasi'\u003C\/em\u003E occurs over one hundred times in the Bible in a striking distribution. It clusters in the first four books of the Torah and in Joshua and again in Ezekiel and the postexilic books. It is totally absent from Deuteronomy, Judges Samuel and all the other prophets. \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe continues:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe antiquity of the term \u003Cem\u003Enasi'\u003C\/em\u003E is corroborated by its occurrence only among those non-Israelite societies that are nomadic: Ishmaelites (Gen 17:20, 25:16) and Midianites (Num. 25:14)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESarna, in his comment to Shemot 22:27 in JPS Exodus makes a similar comment:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EHebrew \u003Cem\u003Enasi'\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp; is the title given to the chief of a clan or tribe in the period before the monarchy.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd in his commentary on Bereshit 34:2, Sarna notes that Hamor, is called the \u003Cem\u003Enas\u003C\/em\u003Ei of the land, and not a king, as the Canaanite leaders usually are, because \"the ruler of Shechem has dominion over rural - that is, tribal - territory as well as the urban center ... Such a complex situation does not permit absolute power. Indeed, Hamor does not act like a king.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo from all this we see that \u003Cem\u003Enasi \u003C\/em\u003Erefers to a leader who is not a king, and therefore is absent from many sections of the bible that focus on the monarchy. There are some biblical synonyms for \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E, such as \u003Cem\u003Enasich\u003C\/em\u003E נסיך and \u003Cem\u003Enagid\u003C\/em\u003E נגיד. It might seem, due to their similar sounds that \u003Cem\u003Enasi \u003C\/em\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Enasich\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp; are related, but that doesn't appear to be the case. \u003Cem\u003ENasich, \u003C\/em\u003Ewhile meaning \"prince\" in current Hebrew, derives from the root נסך, \"to pour\", and as Klein writes, originally meant \"he upon whom the anointing oil was poured\". \u003Cem\u003ENagid\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp; (which today is used as \"governor\", as in \"governor of the Bank of Israel\") does not share a common root with \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E, but as Klein writes, they share a similar path of development. Here is his entry for the etymology of \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EDerived from נשא and literally meaning 'lifted up, exalted'. For sense development, compare \u003Cem\u003Enagid\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;(=leader), from נגד, 'to be high'. According to G. Hoffman, \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E literally means 'speaker', and derives from נשא in the sense 'he lifted up (his word)'; compare \u003Cem\u003Enagid\u003C\/em\u003E, which may have also meant originally 'speaker, spokesman'.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELater the term \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;was adopted to mean the head of the Sanhedrin, e.g. Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Nasi. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org\/jsource\/judaica\/ejud_0002_0014_0_14546.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThis Encyclopedia Judaica entry\u003C\/a\u003E describes how it was used even after the end of the Talmudic period:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe title \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E persisted for many centuries and in different lands throughout the Middle Ages, sometimes as the title of a defined head of a Jewish institution, sometimes as an honorific title only, given to important personages and to sons of illustrious families.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut why president? My theory is that there had always been a clear distinction between a king - מלך \u003Cem\u003Emelech\u003C\/em\u003E, and \u003Cem\u003Enasi. \u003C\/em\u003EThis certainly doesn't mean that the word \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E ever meant a democratically elected ruler before modern times - but in earlier periods, when the role of king had very significant implications (particularly in Jewish law), there needed to be an alternate term for such a leader. And since \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E had been used throughout the generations, it was a natural choice for a translation of \"president\", when that term began to be used.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOf course, I wouldn't need to resort to conjecture if I could find any source mentioning the coinage of the modern use. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any such source. As I did when I researched \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2010\/04\/artzot-habrit.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eartzot habrit\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, I turned to the archives of the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/web.nli.org.il\/sites\/jpress\/Hebrew\/pages\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EHistorical Jewish Press\u003C\/a\u003E. The earliest mentions of \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E there meaning \"president\" appear in the 1860s, describing Abraham Lincoln (there's an interesting Hebrew \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/web.nli.org.il\/sites\/NLI\/Hebrew\/library\/reading_corner\/Pages\/president_Lincoln_must_go.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Earticle here\u003C\/a\u003E about how Lincoln was covered in the European Jewish press at the time). It's unclear to me if this means that the sense was coined then, or if it had been used earlier, but no one happened to be writing about presidents before that point. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.jpress.nli.org.il\/Olive\/APA\/NLI_heb\/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=MGD%2F1858%2F11%2F03\u0026amp;id=Ar00402\u0026amp;sk=204684A7\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThis 1858 article in Hamagid\u003C\/a\u003E, mentions James Buchanan, but calls him the ראש ממשלה \u003Cem\u003ERosh Memshala\u003C\/em\u003E of America, a term that today means \"prime minister\" and \u003Cem\u003Esar\u003C\/em\u003E שר, \"minister\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-AnQNdPb8C1Y\/WEMhsZcUaWI\/AAAAAAAAAPY\/048pVzg16r41TQ1IccIrl34uXQX_lvlagCLcB\/s1600\/nasi1.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"36\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-AnQNdPb8C1Y\/WEMhsZcUaWI\/AAAAAAAAAPY\/048pVzg16r41TQ1IccIrl34uXQX_lvlagCLcB\/s320\/nasi1.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBy 1861, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/jpress.org.il\/Olive\/APA\/NLI_heb\/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=HCL%2F1861%2F08%2F29\u0026amp;id=Ar00403\u0026amp;sk=F870A6C4\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethe newspaper Hacarmel\u003C\/a\u003E describes Lincoln as \u003Cem\u003Enasi\u003C\/em\u003E, but puts the term \"president\" in parentheses to help the reader:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-0oeiyRUjTPI\/WEMi2pylUjI\/AAAAAAAAAPg\/W6zor_B2xx8itw4ME9lgcMvuguhECQGjQCLcB\/s1600\/nasi2.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"29\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-0oeiyRUjTPI\/WEMi2pylUjI\/AAAAAAAAAPg\/W6zor_B2xx8itw4ME9lgcMvuguhECQGjQCLcB\/s320\/nasi2.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe parentheses are gone by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/jpress.org.il\/Olive\/APA\/NLI_heb\/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=HCL%2F1862%2F03%2F07\u0026amp;id=Ar00202\u0026amp;sk=6DD7BDAA\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis 1862\u0026nbsp;article\u003C\/a\u003E in Hacarmel, although they call him ראש נשיא - \u003Cem\u003Erosh nasi\u003C\/em\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-n4lOuclYmjQ\/WEMjxbdSVGI\/AAAAAAAAAPk\/YTwxnUnid3s7jtM4z92u6h3ckBm7JAT_wCLcB\/s1600\/nasi3.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"71\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-n4lOuclYmjQ\/WEMjxbdSVGI\/AAAAAAAAAPk\/YTwxnUnid3s7jtM4z92u6h3ckBm7JAT_wCLcB\/s320\/nasi3.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd the earliest mention I found of \"president\" in Hebrew was from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=kiNpAAAAcAAJ\u0026amp;dq=%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%96%D7%99%D7%93%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%98\u0026amp;pg=PA13#v=onepage\u0026amp;q=%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%96%D7%99%D7%93%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%98\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis 1853 book\u003C\/a\u003E discussing \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Napoleon_III\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ENapoleon III\u003C\/a\u003E, who had the title of \"prince-president\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-Jgt_0dmcXXg\/WEMk2scCYWI\/AAAAAAAAAPs\/LK0ryXKQtYAfRUvLsk67c-cJy4ngMX7SgCLcB\/s1600\/nasi4.JPG\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"34\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-Jgt_0dmcXXg\/WEMk2scCYWI\/AAAAAAAAAPs\/LK0ryXKQtYAfRUvLsk67c-cJy4ngMX7SgCLcB\/s320\/nasi4.JPG\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs mentioned in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/President#Title\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis Wikepedia entry\u003C\/a\u003E, the term \"president\" has a history going back quite a while before being adopted by the founders of the United States. But those usages weren't so well known, so I can see why I wouldn't be able to find any references to them in Hebrew texts. However, certainly there must have been some awareness of US presidents before Lincoln, even if the Jews were not paying so much attention to the goings on in the States at the time (and their press wasn't as fully developed). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf any of you readers know of earlier uses of \u003Cem\u003Enasi \u003C\/em\u003Eor other Hebrew synonyms for \"president\", or any other sources that discuss the coinage of the term, I'd love to hear..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7125912739061188664\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7125912739061188664","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7125912739061188664"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7125912739061188664"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/12\/nasi.html","title":"nasi"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-AnQNdPb8C1Y\/WEMhsZcUaWI\/AAAAAAAAAPY\/048pVzg16r41TQ1IccIrl34uXQX_lvlagCLcB\/s72-c\/nasi1.JPG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8889347567954261190"},"published":{"$t":"2016-11-26T22:10:00.003+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-11-26T22:10:45.397+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"navi"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew word for \"prophet\" - נביא \u003Cem\u003Enavi\u003C\/em\u003E has a surprising number of suggested etymologies. Let's take a look at some of them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein gives the following etymology for \u003Cem\u003Enavi\u003C\/em\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EProbably derived from the base נבא (= to call, proclaim); accordingly the original meaning of \u003Cem\u003Enavi\u003C\/em\u003E probably was 'the man who\u0026nbsp;calls or proclaims'.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe then has this entry for the root נבא:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAkkadian \u003Cem\u003Enabu\u003C\/em\u003E (=to call, announce, proclaim), Arabic\u003Cem\u003E naba'a\u003C\/em\u003E (= he uttered with a low voice, announced), \u003Cem\u003Enaba'\u003C\/em\u003E (= announcement, information),\u003Cem\u003E nab'ah\u003C\/em\u003E (=a low sound).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/files.gustarelaparola.it\/200000056-b4b42b5b07\/Etimologia%20di%20nabi.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThis article\u003C\/a\u003E by Daniel E. Fleming quotes Albright as saying that \u003Cem\u003Enavi\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eis a noun from a passive form of the Semitic root \u003Cem\u003Enb'\u003C\/em\u003E, \"to call\"... The prophet is therefore \"one called\" by God.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn the end, he prefers this theory:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EThe Syrian \u003Cem\u003Enabu\u003C\/em\u003E is best understood as one who invokes the gods, and the noun should be an active participle from the verb \u003Cem\u003Enabu\u003C\/em\u003E, \"to name.\" ... the Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Enabi\u003C\/em\u003E is best explained by the same etymology.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Ben Yehuda dictionary says that the Arabic verb meaning \"to announce, inform,\" had the sense of someone walking from land to land, and perhaps this sense of walking from place to place was the original meaning, since these kinds of travelers would be the ones to inform.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe same source also suggest another theory, which connects it to a different Arabic root meaning to \"wake from sleep\", in which someone's heart is suddenly awake with the need to speak about something.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EReturning to the Akkadian connection, the Akkadian dictionary has \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.assyrianlanguages.org\/akkadian\/dosearch.php?searchkey=5721\u0026amp;language=id\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethe following entry\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Enabu\u003C\/em\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EG. to name (+2 acc.) ; to invoke (a god) ; to nominate ; to decree, ordain D. to lament, wail Š. to cause to proclaim N. to be named ; to be appointed, called upon\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis last sense, \"to be appointed\", calls to mind a suggested etymology by my friend Michael Gerver. He wrote:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EAlthough I have not seen this suggested anywhere, it seems possible that Arabic \u003Cem\u003Enawaba\u003C\/em\u003E, “represent,” “substitute,” is related to Hebrew נוב, “speak,” if the Arabic word originally meant “speak for.” Arabic \u003Cem\u003Enawaba\u003C\/em\u003E is the source of Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ena’ib\u003C\/em\u003E, “viceroy,” whose plural \u003Cem\u003Enuwab\u003C\/em\u003E is the source, via Hindi or Urdu, of English nabob\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven if \u003Cem\u003Enawaba\u003C\/em\u003E doesn't mean \"to speak for\", it could still be connected to nabob via the Akkadian \"appoint\". Here is the Online Etymology Dictionary entry for \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=nabob\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Enabob\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E1610s, \"deputy governor in Mogul Empire,\" Anglo-Indian, from Hindi \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Enabab\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Arabic \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Enuwwab\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, honorific plural of \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ena'ib\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"viceroy, deputy,\" from base \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003En-w-b\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"to take someone's place.\" Also used of Europeans who came home from  India having made a fortune there, hence \"very rich man\" (1764).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI also have no proof of this (although as always, I welcome help from readers), but I relish the opportunity to discuss nabob (which can mean \"important person\" in addition to \"rich man\"), as it was used so masterfully by my \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/02\/first-things-first.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Einspiration for this blog\u003C\/a\u003E, William Safire. When Safire was a White House speechwriter in 1970, he wrote a speech for Vice President Spiro Agnew that used the phrase \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/politicaldictionary.com\/words\/nattering-nabobs-of-negativism\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Enattering nabobs of negativism\u003C\/a\u003E.\" It is one of the most famous quotes associated with both Agnew and Safire.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI've always loved the phrase - but until now, had no idea that nabob could be perhaps related to \u003Cem\u003Enavi\u003C\/em\u003E...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8889347567954261190\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8889347567954261190","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8889347567954261190"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8889347567954261190"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/11\/navi.html","title":"navi"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6507741475211559362"},"published":{"$t":"2016-11-20T11:35:00.000+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-11-20T11:35:40.380+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gaon"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Last week we discussed how\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/11\/seter-and-setira.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Emistorin\u003C\/em\u003E מסתורין\u003C\/a\u003E is a Talmudic era \"blend\" of a Hebrew root and a Greek word. A more recent blend is the word \u003Cem\u003Egaon\u003C\/em\u003E גאון. Let's take a look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Biblical Hebrew, \u003Cem\u003Egaon\u003C\/em\u003E has a few different meanings - \"glory, majesty\", \"pride, haughtiness\" and \"rising of the waters, tides.\" All of these meanings show a connection to the source of \u003Cem\u003Egaon\u003C\/em\u003E - the root גאה, which means \"to rise up, be proud\", and is also the source of the word for pride - גאוה \u003Cem\u003Ega'ava\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe word is used in Nachum 2:3 (as well as Tehilim 47:5) in the positive sense of \"pride\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003Eכִּ֣י שָׁ֤ב\u0026nbsp;ה' אֶת־גְּא֣וֹן יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּגְא֖וֹן יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\"\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EFor the LORD has restored \u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Ethe Pride\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E of Jacob,\u0026nbsp;as well as the Pride\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E of Israel\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGaon Yaakov\u003C\/em\u003E - \"Pride of Jacob\" was adopted as the name of a post Talmudic Babylonian yeshiva, and the head of that yeshiva, whose official title was \u003Cem\u003ERosh Yeshivat Gaon Yaakov\u003C\/em\u003E, was abbreviated to \"\u003Cem\u003EGaon\u003C\/em\u003E\". During this period the most important rabbinical leaders were known as \u003Cem\u003Egeonim\u003C\/em\u003E, some of the famous including Amram Gaon and Saadia Gaon. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Geonim\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThe period of the Geonim\u003C\/a\u003E ended around 1000 CE, but the title of \u003Cem\u003Egaon\u003C\/em\u003E was continued to be used to describe individuals who had mastered the Torah. Such usage can be found in the poetry of Ibn Ezra and others, and perhaps most famously it was used to describe the 18th century\u0026nbsp;rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna - the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vilna_Gaon\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EVilna Gaon\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EThe blend I mentioned above occurred later. \u003Cem\u003EGaon\u003C\/em\u003E sounds similar to the word \"genius\" in many foreign languages. In\u0026nbsp;addition to English, we find the German and French \u003Cem\u003Egenie\u003C\/em\u003E, Russian гений (\u003Cem\u003Egeniy\u003C\/em\u003E), and Yiddish \u003Cem\u003Ezheni\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;So in Modern Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Egaon\u003C\/em\u003E came to refer to a genius - indicating inherent intellectual ability, and not just proficiency in the study of Torah. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EWithin Modern Hebrew the adjective \u003Cem\u003Egeoni\u003C\/em\u003E גאוני - \"ingenious\" developed as well. I'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not this post fits that description!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Nahum 2:3\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6507741475211559362\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6507741475211559362","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6507741475211559362"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6507741475211559362"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/11\/gaon.html","title":"gaon"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5723692039439508221"},"published":{"$t":"2016-11-13T22:48:00.002+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-11-13T22:48:46.808+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"seter and setira"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The words \u003Cem\u003Eseter\u003C\/em\u003E סתר -\"hideaway; secret\" and \u003Cem\u003Esetira\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp; סתירה - \"contradiction\", seem to have the same root - סתר. However, they are not related.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;verb סתר meaning \"to hide, conceal\", most commonly found in the \u003Cem\u003Ehifil\u003C\/em\u003E form - \u003Cem\u003Ehistir\u003C\/em\u003E הסתיר - \"he hid\", is found in Biblical Hebrew and has cognates in other Semitic languages such as Ugaritic, Aramaic and Arabic.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESetira\u003C\/em\u003E, however, derives from a homographic root סתר, which originally meant \"to pull down, destroy\", and that sense was expanded to mean \"contradict, refute.\" Both these uses are found in Rabbinic Hebrew, but not in Biblical Hebrew. What\u0026nbsp;we do find in Biblical Hebrew, in one verse, is the form שתר (Shmuel I 5:9). where it means something like \"break out, burst.\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWe can see from the Arabic cognates that these are two different roots - the root meaning \"hide\" is cognate with the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Esatara\u003C\/em\u003E, whereas the root meaning \"tear down\" has a cognate in the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eshatara\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile one might assume a connection between \u003Cem\u003Eseter\u003C\/em\u003E and the English word \"mystery\", the latter has \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=mystery\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ean unrelated etymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Efrom Anglo-French *\u003Cem\u003Emisterie\u003C\/em\u003E, Old French \u003Cem\u003Emistere\u003C\/em\u003E \"secret, mystery, hidden meaning\" (Modern French \u003Cem\u003Emystère\u003C\/em\u003E), from Latin \u003Cem\u003Emysterium\u003C\/em\u003E \"secret rite, secret worship; a secret thing,\" from Greek \u003Cem\u003Emysterion\u003C\/em\u003E (usually in plural \u003Cem\u003Emysteria\u003C\/em\u003E) \"secret rite or doctrine,\" from \u003Cem\u003Emystes\u003C\/em\u003E \"one who has been initiated,\" from \u003Cem\u003Emyein\u003C\/em\u003E \"to close, shut\" (see mute (adj.)); perhaps referring to the lips (in secrecy) or to the eyes (only initiates were allowed to see the sacred rites). \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat said, Klein does write that the Hebrew word \u003Cem\u003Emistorin\u003C\/em\u003E מסתורין - \"mystery\", is a \"blend\" of מסתור \u003Cem\u003Emistor\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;(a biblical word meaning \"hiding place, shelter\")\u0026nbsp;and Greek \u003Cem\u003Emysterion\u003C\/em\u003E. What's interesting about this blend is that it is found already in Rabbinic Hebrew\u0026nbsp; (where it is also spelled מסטורין, showing more Greek influence). I was more familiar with these\u0026nbsp;blends in Modern Hebrew, such as עלית \u003Cem\u003Eelit\u003C\/em\u003E - blending the Hebrew עלי \u003Cem\u003Eili\u003C\/em\u003E- \"upper\" and the French \"\u003Cem\u003Eelite\u003C\/em\u003E.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo while I might have torn down any ideas you had connecting the roots, at least it is a hidden mystery no more..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5723692039439508221\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5723692039439508221","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5723692039439508221"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5723692039439508221"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/11\/seter-and-setira.html","title":"seter and setira"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-642292809803508785"},"published":{"$t":"2016-09-25T19:55:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-09-25T19:55:41.121+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"keren"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader wrote and asked how did \u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u003C\/em\u003E קרן come to mean both \"horn, ray\" and \"fund\"?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBoth Even-Shoshan and Klein say\u0026nbsp;there are two\u0026nbsp;possible answers. We'll look at each, but first let's take a look at the two meanings.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe first\u0026nbsp;dictionary entry for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u003C\/em\u003E, is found throughout Biblical Hebrew and has a number of meanings:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ehorn (as in the horn of an animal)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ea shofar (made from a horn)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Estrength, power (figuratively related to the strength of the horn)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eray, beam (a ray protrudes from its source like a horn. A misreading of the Biblical verse describing the rays radiating from Moshe caused many Christians to believe that\u0026nbsp;Moshe, and in fact all Jews, had horns).\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Ecorner, point (again, related to the idea of \"protrusion\")\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Econtainer (a horn was used to hold things, like oil, food, etc)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKeren\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"fund, capital, principal\" is a financial term, and is found in post-biblical Hebrew. It always\u0026nbsp;has a distinct dictionary entry.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile as I said, both Klein and Even-Shoshan say that this later meaning of \u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u003C\/em\u003E might have developed from the earlier one, neither explain how. Horowitz, however, does write (page 63):\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ESince \u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u003C\/em\u003E, the horn, was used to store oil it gradually came to mean a receptacle in general, or a place where things are stored. From this usage developed the meaning \"a fund\".\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHe doesn't quote any verses, but the usage in Shmuel I 16:13 - \u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u0026nbsp; hashemen\u003C\/em\u003E קרן השמן - \"the keren of oil\" (used for anointing kings) is one example of this usage. So \u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u003C\/em\u003E went from a horn used to store oil and became a fund used to \"store\" money.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAn alternate explanation says that the two meanings of \u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u003C\/em\u003E have different roots. For the meaning \"fund\", Klein provides this etymology, unrelated to \"horn\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eborrowed from Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Eqerenu\u003C\/em\u003E (=heap, pile, stack; threshing floor), \u003Cem\u003Eqaranu\u003C\/em\u003E (=he heaped, piled)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis would mean that this sense of \u003Cem\u003Ekeren\u003C\/em\u003E is cognate to the Hebrew \u003Cem\u003Egoren\u003C\/em\u003E גורן - \"threshing floor\", as both have the same Akkadian root.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKeren\u003C\/em\u003E as horn, however, has a very ancient etymology, and many sources, such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=RAwg47G0M2IC\u0026amp;lpg=PA171\u0026amp;dq=qeren%20hofrn%20capital\u0026amp;pg=PA168#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis one\u003C\/a\u003E, find cognates in Indo-European languages (and I briefly touched on it in \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/07\/koret.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis post\u003C\/a\u003E)."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/642292809803508785\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=642292809803508785","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/642292809803508785"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/642292809803508785"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/09\/keren.html","title":"keren"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8177213942854981031"},"published":{"$t":"2016-09-20T11:45:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-09-20T11:45:24.407+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ketev and kotev"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"In the Bible, we find the word \u003Cem\u003Eketev\u003C\/em\u003E קטב meaning \"destruction, plague\". It appears in this form in Devarim 32:24, Tehilim 91:6, and Yeshaya 28:2. In Hoshea 13:14 there is a different vocalization - it appears as \u003Cem\u003Ekotev\u003C\/em\u003E. In Talmudic Hebrew and later, \u003Cem\u003Eketev\u003C\/em\u003E is also the name of a demon.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA homonym is \u003Cem\u003Ekotev\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"axis, pole\". This usage began in the Middle Ages. For example, Ibn Tibbon uses it in his Hebrew translation of the Arabic \u003Cem\u003EGuide of the Perplexed\u003C\/em\u003E by Maimonides. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIs there any connection between the two words?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERegarding\u003Cem\u003E ketev\u003C\/em\u003E, Klein follows the Ben Yehuda dictionary and provides the following etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003ERelated to Aramaic קטב (=he cut), Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eqataba\u003C\/em\u003E (= he cut off), \u003Cem\u003Equtbah\u003C\/em\u003E (=arrow).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd as is mentioned in the Ben Yehuda dictionary, a connection between arrows and \u003Cem\u003Eketev\u003C\/em\u003E as destruction can be found in the chapter of Tehilim (91:5-6) where \u003Cem\u003Eketev\u003C\/em\u003E is mentioned:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EYou need not fear the terror by night, or the \u003Cu\u003Earrow\u003C\/u\u003E that flies by day, the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the \u003Cu\u003Escourge\u003C\/u\u003E (\u003Cem\u003Eketev\u003C\/em\u003E) that ravages at noon. \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOther Hebrew roots beginning with the letters קט that mean \"cut\" include קטם,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;קטע, קטם, קטף, as well as the related words beginning with קצ (as we discussed\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/kaytana.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E here\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKotev\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"axis, pole\", derives directly from the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Equtb\u003C\/em\u003E, of the same meaning. Klein does not connect \u003Cem\u003Equtb\u003C\/em\u003E - \"axis\" and \u003Cem\u003Equtbah\u003C\/em\u003E - \"arrow\", and Ben Yehuda's comment suggests a possible connection but does not elaborate. I could imagine that the straightness of an arrow could lead to a connection with poles or a straight line like an axis. However, I haven't found confirmation of that. Perhaps one of you readers has a source that can help?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8177213942854981031\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8177213942854981031","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8177213942854981031"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8177213942854981031"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/09\/ketev-and-kotev.html","title":"ketev and kotev"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-599744864085164505"},"published":{"$t":"2016-09-10T23:45:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-09-10T23:45:27.346+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"chupar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"What is the origin of the Hebrew slang word \u003Cem\u003Echupar\u003C\/em\u003E צ'ופר meaning \"bonus\" or \"perk\"? Ruvik Rosenthal in his Hebrew slang dictionary offers two suggestions. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe first is that it derives from the Spanish word \u003Cem\u003Echupar\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"to suck\", either via Ladino or perhaps directly from Spanish. He suggest that if this is the case, it might be found in a phrase like \"\u003Cem\u003Epara chuparse los dedos\u003C\/em\u003E\", which is Spanish for\u0026nbsp; \"finger-licking good\" (and\u0026nbsp;in fact was used\u0026nbsp;as the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/latino.foxnews.com\/latino\/money\/2016\/06\/17\/mexican-restaurant-to-kfc-go-lick-your-fingers-in-another-language\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eslogan for KFC\u003C\/a\u003E). \u003Cem\u003EChupar\u003C\/em\u003E, which is of imitative origin (a sucking sound), is also found in the legendary monster, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chupacabra\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Echupacabra\u003C\/a\u003E, which literally means \"goat sucker.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;other suggestion is that\u0026nbsp;is the Hebrew\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echupar\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;comes from an altered version of the adjective \u003Cem\u003Emeshupar\u003C\/em\u003E משופר - improved. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blog.ravmilim.co.il\/2012\/07\/30\/story\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThis supposedly\u0026nbsp;began\u003C\/a\u003E in the Israeli army before the Six\u0026nbsp;Day War, where\u0026nbsp;the soldiers were served\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Emanot krav meshuparot\u003C\/em\u003E מנות קרב משופרות - \"improved battle rations\", which the soldiers shortened to \u003Cem\u003Emechuparot\u003C\/em\u003E מצ'ופרות, and from that adjective the noun \u003Cem\u003Echupar\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;arose.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnother related slang\u0026nbsp;word that came out of the Israeli army is \u003Cem\u003Eshaptzer\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;שפצר. This root is a combination of שפר - \"to improve\" and שפץ - \"to repair\". Together, \u003Cem\u003Eshaptzer\u003C\/em\u003E means to repair and improve - i.e. \"to renovate.\""},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/599744864085164505\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=599744864085164505","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/599744864085164505"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/599744864085164505"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/09\/chupar.html","title":"chupar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-148307539769924630"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-07T19:58:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-08-07T19:58:42.461+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"meltzar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew word for waiter is \u003Cem\u003Emeltzar\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;מלצר\u0026nbsp; (feminine \u003Cem\u003Emeltzarit\u003C\/em\u003E מלצרית). But Klein has the following definition and etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eguardian [Probably from Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Emassaru\u003C\/em\u003E (=guardian).]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Akkadian \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=-qIuVCsRb98C\u0026amp;lpg=PA200\u0026amp;dq=massaru%20akkadian\u0026amp;pg=PA200#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emassaru\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=e1hnJYbShWMC\u0026amp;lpg=PA442\u0026amp;dq=massaru%20akkadian\u0026amp;pg=PA442#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eprobably cognate\u003C\/a\u003E with the Hebrew root נצר, also meaning \"to guard\" (which we discussed \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/nadir.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHow did\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Emeltzar\u003C\/em\u003E get from guardian to waiter?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe word only appears twice in Biblical Hebrew, both in the\u0026nbsp;first chapter of the Book of Daniel. The book begins with the king of Babylon calling for some Israelites (including Daniel) for training, to eventually enter the king's service. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EThe king  allotted daily rations to them from the king’s food and from the wine he  drank. They were to be educated for three years, \u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003Eat the end of which they were to enter the king’s service.\u0026nbsp;(verse 5)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:8\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EDaniel  resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food or the wine he  drank, so he sought permission of the chief officer not to defile  himself,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:9\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003Eand God disposed the chief officer to be kind and compassionate toward Daniel. \u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:10\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EThe  chief officer said to Daniel, “I fear that my lord the king, who  allotted food and drink to you, will notice that you look out of sorts,  unlike the other youths of your age—and you will put my life\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E in jeopardy with the king.”\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp; (verses 8-10)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:8\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:9\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EWe\u0026nbsp;here (verse 11)\u0026nbsp;see the first appearance of the word \u003Cem\u003Emeltzar\u003C\/em\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:8\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:9\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003Eוַיֹּ֥אמֶר דָּנִיֵּ֖אל אֶל־הַמֶּלְצַ֑ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר מִנָּה֙ שַׂ֣ר הַסָּֽרִיסִ֔ים עַל־דָּנִיֵּ֣אל חֲנַנְיָ֔ה מִֽישָׁאֵ֖ל וַעֲזַרְיָֽה׃ \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:8\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:9\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EDaniel replied to the guard [meltzar] whom the chief officer had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:5\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:8\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Daniel 1:9\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EAnd then we see the word once again in verse 16:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E“Please test your servants for ten days, giving us legumes to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the youths who eat of the king’s food, and do with your servants as you see fit.” He agreed to this plan of theirs, and tested them for ten days. When the ten days were over, they looked better and healthier than all the youths who were eating of the king’s food. So the guard [\u003Cem\u003Emeltzar\u003C\/em\u003E] kept on removing their food, and the wine they were supposed to drink, and gave them legumes. (verses 12-16)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo since this guard was occupied with bringing and removing the food from Daniel and his friends, it's easy to understand how one might assume he was a waiter, not a guard. Rashi on verse 11 says that a \u003Cem\u003Emeltzar\u003C\/em\u003E is someone\u0026nbsp;who\u0026nbsp;organizes the portions of food and the dishes. He translates with a French word of which there are various versions. The scholar Moshe Katan says that Rashi most likely wrote מיישטר\"א, which would make it a form of the Old French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Emaistre\u003C\/em\u003E -\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"master\". That would make it related to the term \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=maitre+d%27hotel\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emaître d'\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, which is an abbreviation of \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Emaître d'hôtel\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"the head of the house.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003EIt is difficult to say if Rashi reflected this understanding of the word, or because of his influence made that the common meaning. Ben Yehuda defines the word as\u0026nbsp;\"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=steward\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Esteward\u003C\/a\u003E\", a person in charge of the affairs of the house, etc. This meaning contains both concepts presented in Rashi - someone who organizes the food (think of a steward or stewardess on an airplane), as well as master of the\u0026nbsp;house.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003EHowever,\u0026nbsp;as Elon Gilad \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.haaretz.co.il\/magazine\/the-edge\/mehasafa\/.premium-1.2080169\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewrites here\u003C\/a\u003E, Ben Yehuda did not want the word \u003Cem\u003Emeltzar\u003C\/em\u003E used for \"waiter\" in Modern Hebrew. He preferred \u003Cem\u003Edayal\u003C\/em\u003E דייל (feminine \u003Cem\u003Edayelet\u003C\/em\u003E דיילת). He coined \u003Cem\u003Edayal\u003C\/em\u003E on the basis of the Talmudic Aramaic word \u003Cem\u003Edayala\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;דיילא - \"attendant\", which in turn derives from the Greek word for slave or servant - \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Edoulos. Doulos\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eis also the root of the English word \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?search=Doula\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edoula\u003C\/a\u003E, which literally means \"female slave\". \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003EHowever, as happened on more than one occasion, Ben Yehuda's plans did not win out, and people continued referring to waiters as \u003Cem\u003Emeltzarim\u003C\/em\u003E. But his word \u003Cem\u003Edayal\u003C\/em\u003E was eventually redeemed - when El Al airlines was founded in 1948, they needed a specialized word for someone attending to passengers - and so a few years later, \u003Cem\u003Edayal\u003C\/em\u003E became the Hebrew word for steward. Quite the journey for these words!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/148307539769924630\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=148307539769924630","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/148307539769924630"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/148307539769924630"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/08\/meltzar.html","title":"meltzar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1389011187424077766"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-01T15:38:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-08-01T15:38:30.050+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"nachash, nichush and nechoshet"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Is there any connection between the Hebrew words \u003Cem\u003Enachash\u003C\/em\u003E נחש - \"snake\", \u003Cem\u003Enichush\u003C\/em\u003E ניחוש - \"guess\" and \u003Cem\u003Enechoshet\u003C\/em\u003E נחושת - \"copper\"? They all appear to have the same root. However, it doesn't appear very likely that they are connected with each other. Let's take a closer look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENachash\u003C\/em\u003E is the biblical word for snake, and Klein doesn't say much about its etymology other than that it is likely related to the Arabic word for serpent - \"\u003Cem\u003Ehanash\u003C\/em\u003E\". This is clearly an example of metathesis, but he doesn't say which form is likely the original form of the word. Horowitz, in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0881254878\/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;camp=1789\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;creativeASIN=0881254878\u0026amp;linkId=8cac5ceac4e1a4594937358df230e2a5\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EHow the Hebrew Language Grew\u003C\/a\u003E, provides the following anecdote:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe little children were playing at the edge of the clearing in front of their house. Suddenly their mother, horror struck, saw a snake near them, with lifted head, poised to strike. She hissed out to them sharply the warning sound חש (\u003Cem\u003Echash\u003C\/em\u003E) imitating the very hiss of the snake. The children heard. They understood and ran to safety.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom this warning syllable \u003Cem\u003Echash\u003C\/em\u003E arose the Hebrew word for snake \u003Cem\u003Enachash\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's a bit fanciful, but I think it's reasonable to claim that \u003Cem\u003Enachash\u003C\/em\u003E might have onomatopoeic origins. Other words ending in -\u003Cem\u003Echash\u003C\/em\u003E also relate to sounds, like \u003Cem\u003Elachash\u003C\/em\u003E לחש - \"whisper\"and \u003Cem\u003Erachash\u003C\/em\u003E רחש - \"rustle\". \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENichush\u003C\/em\u003E (and the verb נחש) did not originally mean \"guess\". In biblical Hebrew it meant \"divination\" and was associated with magical practices. Only in modern Hebrew was it \"secularized\" to mean \"guess.\" Klein points out that it is cognate with the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Enahisa\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Enahusa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; - \"was unlucky\". The Arabic form entered Hebrew slang as \u003Cem\u003Enachs\u003C\/em\u003E נחס - \"unlucky\" or \"bad\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERegarding the etymology, Horowitz does connect \u003Cem\u003Enichush\u003C\/em\u003E to \u003Cem\u003Enachash\u003C\/em\u003E, saying that\u0026nbsp;the divination\u0026nbsp;was apparently done with snakes. However, Stahl, Klein\u0026nbsp;and Kaddari all say that \u003Cem\u003Enichush\u003C\/em\u003E is more likely related to \u003Cem\u003Elachash\u003C\/em\u003E, since the diviners would whisper when\u0026nbsp;reciting their incantations.\u0026nbsp; The BDB mentions a theory that \u003Cem\u003Enichush\u003C\/em\u003E derives from \u003Cem\u003Enachash\u003C\/em\u003E, but rejects it because Aramaic has \u003Cem\u003Enichush\u003C\/em\u003E, but does not have \u003Cem\u003Enachash\u003C\/em\u003E meaning snake.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOur last term is \u003Cem\u003Enechoshet\u003C\/em\u003E which Klein translates as brass or copper (BDB adds bronze), and while he provides cognates in a number of other Semitic languages, he doesn't connect it to either \u003Cem\u003Enachash\u003C\/em\u003E or \u003Cem\u003Enichush\u003C\/em\u003E. One derivative of that word is \u003Cem\u003Enachush\u003C\/em\u003E נחוש, which meant \"brazen\" in Biblical Hebrew, in the same way that the English word \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=brazen\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ebrazen derives from brass\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003EOld English \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebræsen\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"of brass,\" from \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebræs\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"brass\" + -en. The figurative sense of \"hardened in effrontery\" is 1570s (in \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003Ebrazen-face\u003C\/span\u003E), perhaps suggesting a face unable to show shame.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn modern Hebrew the word\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Enachush\u003C\/em\u003E does not always\u0026nbsp;have\u0026nbsp;the negative connotation, and instead can also mean \"decisive, firm, steadfast.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf you're wondering about the phrase נחש נחושת - \u003Cspan style=\"font-style: italic;\"\u003Enachash nechoshet\u003C\/span\u003E found in Bamidbar 21:9, referring to a \"copper snake\", please take a look at my post from a few years ago about \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2008\/10\/ish-and-isha.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eish and isha\u003C\/a\u003E. What we have here is a play on words, a pun - not any proof of an etymological connection.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"clear\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1389011187424077766\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1389011187424077766","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1389011187424077766"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1389011187424077766"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/08\/nachash-nichush-and-nechoshet.html","title":"nachash, nichush and nechoshet"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8425033680938037739"},"published":{"$t":"2016-07-24T10:45:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-07-24T10:45:04.562+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"pundak"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"What is the origin of the rabbinic word for \"inn\" - פונדק \u003Cem\u003Epundak\u003C\/em\u003E?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein provides the following etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EFrom Greek \u003Cem\u003Epandakion\u003C\/em\u003E, from \u003Cem\u003Epandokos\u003C\/em\u003E (= innkeeper, host; literally 'all-receiving'), which is compounded of \u003Cem\u003Epan\u003C\/em\u003E (= every), which is of uncertain origin, and \u003Cem\u003Edokos\u003C\/em\u003E, which stands in gradational relationship to \u003Cem\u003Edekesthai\u003C\/em\u003E ( = to receive), from IE base *\u003Cem\u003Edek\u003C\/em\u003E-, *\u003Cem\u003Edok\u003C\/em\u003E- (= to take, receive, accept; acceptable, becoming, good).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMore common Greek transliterations\u0026nbsp;are \u003Cem\u003Epandocheion\u003C\/em\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Epandokeion\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKutscher points out that the word entered into Arabic as well as \u003Cem\u003Efundaq\u003C\/em\u003E, and in an interesting turn of events, Crusaders from Europe borrowed the word from Arabic back into European languages as either an inn or a storehouse. So\u0026nbsp;this led to\u0026nbsp;the Romanian \u003Cem\u003Efundac\u003C\/em\u003E, the Italian \u003Cem\u003Efondaco\u003C\/em\u003E, the Portuguese \u003Cem\u003Ealfandega\u003C\/em\u003E, and the Spanish \u003Cem\u003Efonda\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile it would have been an interesting connection, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/blog.fonda.org\/archives\/731\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eit does not appear\u003C\/a\u003E that the surname Fonda is related to the Spanish word for tavern."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8425033680938037739\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8425033680938037739","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8425033680938037739"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8425033680938037739"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/07\/pundak.html","title":"pundak"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-8895946068109444407"},"published":{"$t":"2016-07-19T19:33:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-07-19T19:33:38.686+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"kir, choma, kotel"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"There are three words in Hebrew for wall - \u003Cem\u003Ekir\u003C\/em\u003E קיר, \u003Cem\u003Echoma\u003C\/em\u003E חומה, and \u003Cem\u003Ekotel\u003C\/em\u003E כותל. What is the difference between them?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAll three are biblical, although \u003Cem\u003Ekotel\u003C\/em\u003E appears only once (Shir Hashirim 2:9). Let's look at each.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKir\u003C\/em\u003E - this is the most common word for \"wall\" in Modern Hebrew. Ben Yehuda and Even-Shoshan say it might be related to \u003Cem\u003Ekora\u003C\/em\u003E קורה\u0026nbsp; - \"beam\". Klein says that it is perhaps related to the Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Eqiru\u003C\/em\u003E and Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eqir\u003C\/em\u003E, both meaning asphalt, and so the original meaning may have been \"something paved or painted with asphalt.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EChoma\u003C\/em\u003E is generally used to describe the protective\u0026nbsp;wall around a city. Klein's etymology reflects this sense, as he derives it from the root חמה, \"to see, protect\". That root is common in Aramaic, and is used in the declaration made when disowning any \u003Cem\u003Echametz\u003C\/em\u003E before Pesach - כל חמירא .. דחמיתה ודלא חמיתה \u003Cem\u003Ekol chamira\u0026nbsp;... d'chamitey u'dlo chamitey\u003C\/em\u003E - \"any chametz ... that I saw or did not see\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne interesting verse that uses both \u003Cem\u003Ekir\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Echoma\u003C\/em\u003E is Yehoshua 2:15\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003Eוַתּוֹרִדֵ֥ם בַּחֶ֖בֶל בְּעַ֣ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן כִּ֤י בֵיתָהּ֙ בְּקִ֣יר הַֽחוֹמָ֔ה וּבַֽחוֹמָ֖ה הִ֥יא יוֹשָֽׁבֶת׃ \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"he\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EThis is the New JPS translation:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EShe  let them down by a rope through the window—for her dwelling was at the  outer side of the city wall (\u003Cem\u003Eb'kir hachoma\u003C\/em\u003E) and she lived in the actual wall (\u003Cem\u003Ebachoma\u003C\/em\u003E).\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EThat translation has \u003Cem\u003Ekir\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"side\" and \u003Cem\u003Echoma\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"wall.\"\u0026nbsp; The JPS commentary on Bamidbar 35:4 expands on this idea and writes:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EHebrew \u003Cem\u003Ekir\u003C\/em\u003E, a rare word for a town wall. (The term elsewhere is \u003Cem\u003Ehomah\u003C\/em\u003E.) It probably refers to the outside\u0026nbsp;surface of the town wall (see \u003Cem\u003Ekir ha-homah\u003C\/em\u003E in Josh. 2:15).\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003EArtscroll adjusts the phrasing slightly - \"for\u0026nbsp;her house\u0026nbsp;was in a wall of the fortification, and she lived in the fortification.\" So\u0026nbsp;in this case \u003Cem\u003Ekir\u003C\/em\u003E means wall, and \u003Cem\u003Echoma\u003C\/em\u003E means fortification.\u0026nbsp;This fits the explanation of Daat Mikra on Yehoshua\u0026nbsp; 2:15, who writes that in order to save on construction material it was common to include houses inside the city wall, and sometimes these houses would share their walls with the city walls. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"segment highlight\" data-ref=\"Joshua 2:15\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"en\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKotel\u003C\/em\u003E likely has Aramaic origins, and Klein points out\u0026nbsp;that the Aramaic cognate כתלא \u003Cem\u003Ekutla\u003C\/em\u003E is probably a loan word from the Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Ekutallu\u003C\/em\u003E - \"back side\". It was used frequently in rabbinic Hebrew, but in modern Hebrew it's generally reserved to describe the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Western_Wall\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewestern retaining wall of the Temple Mount\u003C\/a\u003E - the \u003Cem\u003Ekotel hamaaravi\u003C\/em\u003E הכותל המערבי.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/8895946068109444407\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=8895946068109444407","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8895946068109444407"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/8895946068109444407"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/07\/kir-choma-kotel.html","title":"kir, choma, kotel"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4518294616197414283"},"published":{"$t":"2016-07-05T14:26:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-07-05T14:30:57.700+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"masorah and musar"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Until recently, I would have assumed the words \u003Cem\u003Emasorah\u003C\/em\u003E מסורה \/ \u003Cem\u003Emasoret\u003C\/em\u003E מסורת - \"tradition\" and \u003Cem\u003Emusar\u003C\/em\u003E מוסר - \"ethics\" all derived from the root מסר - \"to hand over, deliver.\" However, a quick look at Klein's dictionary showed me that I was mistaken.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHere is his entry for \u003Cem\u003Emasorah\u003C\/em\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Masoretic_Text#Masorah\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E'Masorah'\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E - the system of notes on the external form of the scriptural text of the Bible. [A secondary form of \u003Cem\u003Emasoret\u003C\/em\u003E. The word \u003Cem\u003Emasoret\u003C\/em\u003E is probably contracted from \u003Cem\u003Ema'asoret\u003C\/em\u003E מאסרת and is formed with instrumental suffix \u003Cem\u003Ema_\u003C\/em\u003E from אסר (=to bind). Later, however, the word \u003Cem\u003Emasorah\u003C\/em\u003E was explained as the summary of traditions concerning the correct writing and reading of the Bible and, accordingly, was regarded as a derivative of the verb מסר (= to hand down, hand over).]\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom the root אסר - \"bind, tie, imprison\", we also get the words \u003Cem\u003Easur\u003C\/em\u003E אסור - \"prohibited\", \u003Cem\u003Easir\u003C\/em\u003E אסיר - \"prisoner\" and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/10\/isru-chag.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eisru chag\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E אסרו חג.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMusar\u003C\/em\u003E, however, has a different source. Klein writes that it originally meant \"chastisement, discipline, correction\" and derives from the root יסר - \"to chasten\". This is the root of \u003Cem\u003Eyisurim\u003C\/em\u003E יסורים - \"suffering, affliction\" (only found in the plural). He adds that it is probably related to the root אסר (perhaps prisoners were likely to be disciplined, or those disciplined were likely to be bound).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENone of the above are related to the word for the cutting tool \"saw\"\u0026nbsp; - מסור \u003Cem\u003Emasor\u003C\/em\u003E. That derives from the root נסר - \"to saw.\" Both \u003Cem\u003Emasor\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Enasar\u003C\/em\u003E appear in their Biblical form with a \u003Cem\u003Esin\u003C\/em\u003E, not a \u003Cem\u003Esamech\u003C\/em\u003E - so in Yeshaya 10:15 we have \u003Cem\u003Emasor\u003C\/em\u003E as משור."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4518294616197414283\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4518294616197414283","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4518294616197414283"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4518294616197414283"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/07\/masorah-and-musar.html","title":"masorah and musar"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4891866306780375301"},"published":{"$t":"2016-06-26T22:38:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-06-26T22:38:51.078+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"gur"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader asked me if there was any connection between two meanings of the root גור - \"to dwell\" and \"to fear\".\u0026nbsp;As you might imagine, it depends who\u0026nbsp;you\u0026nbsp;ask. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein does not connect the various meanings. He provides a number of roots - each with their own etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eגור meaning \"to sojourn, dwell\". From here we get the words \u003Cem\u003Eger\u003C\/em\u003E גר (biblically a stranger, in rabbinic and later Hebrew a convert), and \u003Cem\u003Emigurim\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;מגורים - \"residence.\" He finds cognates in the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ejawara\u003C\/em\u003E (=was the neighbor of) and \u003Cem\u003Egiwar\u003C\/em\u003E (= neighborhood). He writes that \"the original meaning of this base probably was 'to turn off, leave the way', whence 'to be a stranger, to sojourn.'\". \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eגור meaning \"to fear\". Klein writes that this is a secondary form of the root יגר, which is cognate to the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ewajira\u003C\/em\u003E (=he feared). Derivatives of this root include \u003Cem\u003Emagor\u003C\/em\u003E מגור and \u003Cem\u003Emigora\u003C\/em\u003E מגורה - both meaning \"fear, terror\". \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eגור meaning \"to attack.\" Klein finds another Arabic cognate - \u003Cem\u003Ejara'al\u003C\/em\u003E (=he acted wrongfully against) and says it is possible related to the base גרה meaning \"to excite, provoke, irritate, tease, incite, stir up.\". This is the origin of the word גרוי \u003Cem\u003Egerui\u003C\/em\u003E - \"irritation\".\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eגור - \u003Cem\u003Egur\u003C\/em\u003E: this last meaning is a noun - \"cub, whelp\". It has cognates in a number of Semitic languages, including Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ejarw, jirw\u003C\/em\u003E and Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Egerru\u003C\/em\u003E - both meaning \"whelp.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003ESo it seems that Klein does not find any connections. Gesenius, on the other hand, does find ways to connect them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELike Klein, he\u0026nbsp;says\u0026nbsp;that the original meaning of גור was \"to turn aside from the way.\"\u0026nbsp; But he manages to see that root in\u0026nbsp;many of the meanings. He writes that גור is cognate to זור\u0026nbsp;- which\u0026nbsp; Klein also defines as \"turn aside, be a stranger\" (and is the origin of \u003Cem\u003Ezar\u003C\/em\u003E זר - \"stranger\" and \u003Cem\u003Emuzar\u003C\/em\u003E מוזר - \"strange\".) However, Klein doesn't connect גור and זור, but rather writes that זור is connected to סור - which also means \"to turn aside.\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn any case, back to Gesenius. The sense \"to sojourn, dwell\" originally meant \"to tarry anywhere, as a sojourner and a stranger.\"\u0026nbsp;Regarding \"fear\", he writes \"this signification is taken from that of turning aside, since one who is timid and fearful of another, goes out of the way and turns aside from him.\". And he\u0026nbsp;provides\u0026nbsp;two theories as to \u003Cem\u003Egur\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"whelp\". One is from a separate root meaning \"a suckling\", but\u0026nbsp;a second\u0026nbsp;theory says\u0026nbsp;it\u0026nbsp;is \"so called as still sojourning under the care of its mother.\" (He does not connect the sense \"to attack\" to this common root).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWho is right?\u0026nbsp;My gut instinct tells me to follow Klein, since he lived\u0026nbsp;about 100 years later than Gesenius and so had the benefit of hindsight and perspective. But there is still something persuasive in the argument\u0026nbsp;of Gesenius. I'll leave it to you readers to see who\u0026nbsp;convinced you more. You can \u003Cu\u003Eturn away from\u003C\/u\u003E the theory you find less convincing,\u0026nbsp;but if\u0026nbsp;you\u0026nbsp;have doubts,\u0026nbsp;don't\u0026nbsp;\u003Cu\u003Edwell\u003C\/u\u003E in \u003Cu\u003Efear\u003C\/u\u003E..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4891866306780375301\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4891866306780375301","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4891866306780375301"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4891866306780375301"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/06\/gur.html","title":"gur"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6228879437437204640"},"published":{"$t":"2016-06-13T22:44:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-06-13T22:45:51.943+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"am, goy, leom and uma"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"There are four different biblical words that all can mean \"nation\". Since they originate at the same time period, it will be difficult for me to say that they had precise differences back then. However, since that time, the meanings have evolved. Let's take a look:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAm\u003C\/em\u003E עם\u003C\/strong\u003E: This is by far the most common biblical word. In his concordance, Even-Shoshan lists 1850 uses! Most of them mean \"nation\", while a fraction mean\u0026nbsp;\"crowd or group\", humanity,\u0026nbsp;or a group of animals. Aside from this last\u0026nbsp;definition, they can all be included\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;the general definition of \"people\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt's interesting to note that Even-Shoshan has a second, independent entry for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eam\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"relative\".\u0026nbsp; This is found in phrases where a person is described as being buried\u0026nbsp;with his \u003Cem\u003Eam\u003C\/em\u003E, being punished by being\u0026nbsp;cut off from his \u003Cem\u003Eam\u003C\/em\u003E, or the relatives for whom a kohen can become ritually impure to bury.\u0026nbsp;Stahl points out (in his Arabic dictionary)\u0026nbsp;that\u0026nbsp;the Arabic cognate \u003Cem\u003E'amm\u003C\/em\u003E means \"father's brother\" and that in Hebrew\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;original meaning was \"father\", which later expanded to \"family, clan\" and eventually \"nation\". He\u0026nbsp;writes that this explains how the two children of Lot were given parallel names - \u003Cem\u003EMoav\u003C\/em\u003E מואב - \"from father\" and\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EBen-Ami\u003C\/em\u003E בן-עמי - \"the son of my father\". \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein writes that both\u0026nbsp;the meaning \"people\" and \"kinsman\" derive from the root עמם - \"to join, connect\", from where we also get the word \u003Cem\u003Eim\u003C\/em\u003E עם meaning \"with\". \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Modern Hebrew, \u003Cem\u003Eam\u003C\/em\u003E has more of an ethnic, and less of a political sense. \u003Cem\u003EAm Yisrael\u003C\/em\u003E, the nation or people of Israel, is not limited to citizens of a particular nation-state.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGoy\u003C\/em\u003E גוי\u003C\/strong\u003E: In the Tanach, \u003Cem\u003Egoy\u003C\/em\u003E also appears frequently (556 times)\u0026nbsp;meaning \"nation\" (like \u003Cem\u003Eam\u003C\/em\u003E it has a couple of appearances meaning a pack of animals). Klein says that it is of uncertain etymology, and is possibly related to \u003Cem\u003Egev\u003C\/em\u003E גו - \"body\" so originally denoted an\u0026nbsp;ethnic \"body\". In these occasions\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Egoy\u003C\/em\u003E is\u0026nbsp;often used to\u0026nbsp;refer to Israel (either\u0026nbsp;individually,\u0026nbsp;or as a member of the greater set of world nations).\u0026nbsp;Only in post-biblical\u0026nbsp;Hebrew did goy take on the\u0026nbsp;meaning of \"non-Jew\" or \"Gentile.\" Radak writes that\u0026nbsp;the reason \u003Cem\u003Egoy\u003C\/em\u003E became the term for a non-Jew was because in\u0026nbsp;Talmudic times\u0026nbsp;it was unclear\u0026nbsp;which Biblical\u0026nbsp;nation\u0026nbsp;non-Jewish individuals originated from, so the generic \u003Cem\u003Egoy\u003C\/em\u003E, nation, was used. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDuring the exile, and particularly in Yiddish,\u0026nbsp;the word \u003Cem\u003Egoy\u003C\/em\u003E took on a derogatory note, and so today there are more polite\u0026nbsp;alternatives to refer to a non-Jew. In English there is \"gentile\" (although somewhat archaic) and in Hebrew\u0026nbsp;a better word is \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/12\/hikir-and-hitnaker.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Enochri\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E נכרי.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELeom\u003C\/em\u003E לאום\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003Cem\u003ELeom\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;appears far less frequently in the Tanach than the previous two terms -\u0026nbsp;it is found 35 times\u0026nbsp;(and\u0026nbsp;is spelled there without\u0026nbsp;the \u003Cem\u003Evav\u003C\/em\u003E - לאם). Klein doesn't offer an etymology, but finds cognates in the Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Eli'mu, limu\u003C\/em\u003E - \"thousand\", Ugaritic \u003Cem\u003El'm\u003C\/em\u003E - \"people, crowd\" and Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ela'ama\u003C\/em\u003E - \"he\u0026nbsp;gathered together, assembled\". Since it did not have the\u0026nbsp;frequency and weight\u0026nbsp;of \u003Cem\u003Eam\u003C\/em\u003E or \u003Cem\u003Egoy\u003C\/em\u003E, it\u0026nbsp; was\u0026nbsp;available in modern Hebrew for the new terms related to the modern nation-state and nationalism. Perhaps this usage was influenced by the Talmudic passage in Avoda Zara 2b where a midrash states that אין\u0026nbsp; לאום אלא מלכות\u0026nbsp; - \u003Cem\u003Eleom\u003C\/em\u003E always means a kingdom.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Modern Hebrew we find the word used most frequently in the adjectival form - \u003Cem\u003Eleumi\u003C\/em\u003E לאומי - \"national\": Bank Leumi, Sherut\u0026nbsp; Leumi (national service), Bituach Leumi (national insurance), etc. The noun has migrated to the meaning \"nationality\", as can be found\u0026nbsp;on identity cards.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUma\u003C\/em\u003E אומה\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; This is\u0026nbsp;the most infrequent of the four terms in biblical Hebrew. It only\u0026nbsp;appears three times, always in the plural - \u003Cem\u003Eumot\u003C\/em\u003E אומות in Bereshit 25:16 and Bamidbar 25:15, and \u003Cem\u003Eumim\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;אומים\u0026nbsp; in Tehilim 117:1. The singular is therefore\u0026nbsp;unattested in the Biblical text, but\u0026nbsp;the assumption is that the male and female forms are \u003Cem\u003Eom\u003C\/em\u003E אום and \u003Cem\u003Euma\u003C\/em\u003E אומה. Klein isn't sure about the etymology, saying that it is cognate with similar words in other Semitic languages, like the Arabic \u003Cem\u003E'ummah \u003C\/em\u003E(which actually is more of a religious group, and so the religious leader is the related \u003Cem\u003Eimam\u003C\/em\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Modern Hebrew it is used for \"nation\" in cases where neither\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/02\/medina.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emedina\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E מדינה - \"state\" nor \u003Cem\u003Eam\u003C\/em\u003E are appropriate (and again, \u003Cem\u003Eleom\u003C\/em\u003E is generally reserved for adjectives). So an address to the nation will be a\u0026nbsp;נאום לאומה\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eneum leuma\u003C\/em\u003E and the United Nations are אומות מאוחדות \u003Cem\u003Eumot meuchadot\u003C\/em\u003E (generally abbreviated to או\"ם\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eum\u003C\/em\u003E)."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6228879437437204640\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6228879437437204640","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6228879437437204640"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6228879437437204640"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/06\/am-goy-leom-and-uma.html","title":"am, goy, leom and uma"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6426439691850810562"},"published":{"$t":"2016-06-05T21:13:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-06-05T21:13:57.211+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"zera and tzaraat"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Is\u0026nbsp;there a connection between the word \u003Cem\u003Ezera\u003C\/em\u003E זרע\u0026nbsp;- \"seed\" and the skin affliction \u003Cem\u003Etzaraat\u003C\/em\u003E צרעת - (frequently,\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tzaraath\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E although\u0026nbsp;perhaps inaccurately\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;translated as \"leprosy\")?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe noun \u003Cem\u003Ezera\u003C\/em\u003E derives from the root זרע. In the \u003Cem\u003Ekal\u003C\/em\u003E form (\u003Cem\u003Ezara\u003C\/em\u003E), it means \"to sow\" or \"to scatter seeds\". In the \u003Cem\u003Ehifil\u003C\/em\u003E form, \u003Cem\u003Ehizria\u003C\/em\u003E הזריע\u0026nbsp;it takes on the meaning \"to inseminate.\" The word \u003Cem\u003Ez'roa\u003C\/em\u003E זרוע - \"arm\", or metaphorically \"strength, might\" looks like it comes from the same root. However, based on the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/arabichebrewlexicon\/introduction\/pronunciation-changes\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EArabic cognates\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;we can see that they are not related. \u003Cem\u003EZera\u003C\/em\u003E is cognate with Arabic \u003Cem\u003Ezara'a\u003C\/em\u003E, whereas \u003Cem\u003Ez'roa\u003C\/em\u003E is cognate with \u003Cem\u003Edhira\u003C\/em\u003E in Arabic.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKlein writes that\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;tzaraat\u003C\/em\u003E comes from the root צרע - \"to become leprous.\" He says that it is cognate with the Arabic \u003Cem\u003Esara'a\u003C\/em\u003E - \"he threw to the ground, threw down\" and \u003Cem\u003Esar'\u003C\/em\u003E - \"epilepsy\". He adds that the biblical word \u003Cem\u003Etzir'a\u003C\/em\u003E צרעה - \"wasp, hornet\", may also be related to the root meaning \"he threw to the ground.\" He doesn't explain how either \u003Cem\u003Etzaraat\u003C\/em\u003E or \u003Cem\u003Etzir'a\u003C\/em\u003E are related to throwing down, but the BDB elaborates and says that \u003Cem\u003Etzir'a\u003C\/em\u003E may have an original sense of \"wounding, prostrating\". In the notes in Ben Yehuda's dictionary, a theory is suggested that \u003Cem\u003Etzaarat\u003C\/em\u003E is so named because\u0026nbsp;it cause the person to literally \"fall\" ill.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESince sowing seeds involves throwing them on the ground, I thought perhaps the two roots might be related. However, I could not find any reliable sources that could prove such a connection, so I won't make such a claim. Another thing I noticed is that a number of Hebrew roots beginning with the letters זר have an association with throwing. Most obvious\u0026nbsp;would be\u0026nbsp;זרק - \"to\u0026nbsp;throw\", and זרה - \"to scatter, winnow\". Perhaps one could also include זרם and זרף - both meaning \"to flow.\"\u0026nbsp; Again, I didn't find any master theory connecting these roots. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat do I do with a theory like this? Throw it away, or scatter the seeds to future readers, hoping that someday I'll be able to reap what I sow?"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6426439691850810562\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6426439691850810562","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6426439691850810562"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6426439691850810562"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/06\/zera-and-tzaraat.html","title":"zera and tzaraat"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1072335736243538661"},"published":{"$t":"2016-05-29T21:59:00.003+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-05-29T21:59:51.203+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"cheresh"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Last week we discussed the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/domeh-and-dumah.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eroot דמם\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning \"to\u0026nbsp;be silent\". Today we'll take a look at a synonym - the root חרש, which can also mean \"to be silent, be mute, be deaf.\"\u0026nbsp; This root gives us the words \u003Cem\u003Echeresh\u003C\/em\u003E חרש - \"deaf\", \u003Cem\u003Echarisha\u003C\/em\u003E חרישה - \"silence\" and even \u003Cem\u003Emacharish\u003C\/em\u003E מחריש which means \"shout\u0026nbsp;down\" or \"drown out\", but literally means \"deafening\", so is related to this root. One other possible related word is \u003Cem\u003Echorsha\u003C\/em\u003E חורשה\u0026nbsp;- \"thicket, small forest\", since based on Shmuel I 23:19 it was a place for hiding, which has an association with silence. But most sources say the ultimate etymology of \u003Cem\u003Echorsha\u003C\/em\u003E is not clear.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIs there any connection between the root חרש as \"to be silent\" and another root, with the same spelling, meaning \"to cut in, engrave, plow\"? We actually discussed this \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/01\/shin-and-sin.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eback in 2007\u003C\/a\u003E, quoting Horowitz as saying the too aren't related, and points out that the \u003Cem\u003Eshin\u003C\/em\u003E in each root is actually a different letter. The proof of this is that in other Semitic languages (in this case Syriac) we see that the \u003Cem\u003Eshin\u003C\/em\u003E in the root meaning \"plow\" becomes a \u003Cem\u003Etav\u003C\/em\u003E, but not in the root meaning \"silent\". And indeed, the root חרת in Hebrew also means \"to engrave\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs we've \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/kaytana.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ementioned\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2008\/06\/derash.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Epreviously\u003C\/a\u003E, the question of two letter roots in Hebrew is still very much undecided. But whatever the explanation, there are many roots in Hebrew beginning with the letters חר that have a meaning connected to \"engrave\" or \"cut.\" Let's take a look at some:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eחרב - \u003Cem\u003Echerev\u003C\/em\u003E חרב means \"sword\" and Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Eharbu\u003C\/em\u003E is a kind of plow. We've seen before that \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/07\/carob.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Echaruv\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E חרוב - \"carob\" derives from the sword shape of the fruit.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eחרז - \u003Cem\u003Echaruz\u003C\/em\u003E חרוז is a string of beads, which came from the idea of piercing together. Later, \u003Cem\u003Echaruz\u003C\/em\u003E came to mean \"rhyme\", by analogy (influenced\u0026nbsp;by\u0026nbsp;Arabic)\u0026nbsp;with arranging words like pearls or beads, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=Fm6mAAAAIAAJ\u0026amp;lpg=PA181\u0026amp;ots=nu-rgY1tWd\u0026amp;dq=rhyme%20beads%20hebrew\u0026amp;pg=PA181#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewith the rhyming syllables at the\u0026nbsp;end of the\u0026nbsp;verse\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eחרט - a \u003Cem\u003Echeret\u003C\/em\u003E חרט is a graving tool, stylus\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eחרף - \u003Cem\u003Echarif\u003C\/em\u003E חריף means \"sharp\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eחרץ - the root means \"to cut, cut in\" and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/08\/katom.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emay be related\u003C\/a\u003E to the word \u003Cem\u003Echarutz\u003C\/em\u003E חרוץ meaning \"gold\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eחרק - this root can mean \"to grind or gnash\", \"to notch, indent\" and \"to cut, make incisions.\" This last meaning gave the Hebrew word for insect - \u003Cem\u003Echerek\u003C\/em\u003E חרק, which is a loan translation from the Latin \u003Cem\u003Einsectum\u003C\/em\u003E, literally \"(animal) cut into\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eחרר\u0026nbsp;- to make a hole, bore through. This is the root of the word \u003Cem\u003Echor\u003C\/em\u003E חור - \"hole.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EOne word that\u0026nbsp;has a possible\u0026nbsp;connection\u0026nbsp;to this meaning is \u003Cem\u003Echeres\u003C\/em\u003E חרס - \"clay, earthenware\". The earlier spelling was \u003Cem\u003Echeres\u003C\/em\u003E חרש (with a \u003Cem\u003Esin\u003C\/em\u003E). Klein does say it is related to the Arabic root \u003Cem\u003Eh-r-sh\u003C\/em\u003E, \"to scratch, to be rough\". If this is the case, we can also add to our list of cognates\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echaroset\u003C\/em\u003E חרוסת - the food eaten on Pesach which is reminiscent of \"clay.\""},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1072335736243538661\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1072335736243538661","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1072335736243538661"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1072335736243538661"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/cheresh.html","title":"cheresh"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7835807410009101839"},"published":{"$t":"2016-05-24T23:32:00.004+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-05-24T23:32:57.520+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"domeh and dumah"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Is there any connection between the Hebrew homographs \u003Cem\u003Edomeh\u003C\/em\u003E - \"similar\" and \u003Cem\u003Edumah\u003C\/em\u003E - \"silence\", both spelled דומה?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELet's look at \u003Cem\u003Edomeh\u003C\/em\u003E first. The root is דמה, meaning \"to be like, resemble, to be equal in value.\" The verb's meaning progressed from \"likened\" to \"compared\" to \"considered\" to \"imagined\".\u0026nbsp; From this root, with the various meanings,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/hebrew-academy.org.il\/2012\/01\/12\/%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%93-%D7%94%D7%93%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9F\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewe get quite a few common words\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;including:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003Edemut\u003C\/em\u003E דמות - in Biblical Hebrew\u0026nbsp;it meant \"likeness\" or \"image\". In modern\u0026nbsp; Hebrew it primarily means \"personality.\"\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003Edimyon\u003C\/em\u003E דמיון - It\u0026nbsp;only appears once in Tanach (Tehilim 17:12), with a similar meaning to \u003Cem\u003Edemut,\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;with the meaning \"similarity\", which it still has today. In modern Hebrew it\u0026nbsp;also has the meaning \"imagination\" - perhaps in a similar way that \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=imagination\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\"image\" and \"imagination\" are related in English\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003Etadmit\u003C\/em\u003E תדמית - This word means \"image\" or \"perception\", particularly how one is perceived by others.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003Edemai\u003C\/em\u003E דמאי - This is a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demai\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehalachic term\u003C\/a\u003E for \"produce not certainly tithed\".While there are a number of folk etymologies for the word, Klein derives it from our root דמה and says it literally means \"seeming, apparent\".\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003Edamim\u003C\/em\u003E דמים - Klein says this post-biblical word meaning \"money, value, price\" is probably derived from the root דמה meaning \"to be like\", in the sense \"to be equal\". (There\u0026nbsp;are, however, many \u003Cem\u003Edrashot\u003C\/em\u003E that\u0026nbsp;connect \u003Cem\u003Edamim\u003C\/em\u003E as money to \u003Cem\u003Edam\u003C\/em\u003E דם - \"blood\").\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDumah\u003C\/em\u003E,\u0026nbsp; however, meaning \"silence\" has a different root - דמם. It appears once in the Tanach (Yechezkel 27:32), and has a cognate synonym in \u003Cem\u003Edemama\u003C\/em\u003E דממה. Other related words are \u003Cem\u003Edomem\u003C\/em\u003E דומם - \"inanimate\u0026nbsp;matter\", and דמדם - \"to be in a daze, confused\", which gives the word dimdum דמדום - \"dim light\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis root, דמם, \"to be or grow dumb or silent\" has cognates in many Semitic languages, such\u0026nbsp;as Ugaritic, Aramaic, Arabic and Ethiopian. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou might have noticed that the English word \"dumb\", originally meaning \"silent\" has a similar sound to the Hebrew root. However, they are not related. All research I could find says that the English word \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=dumb\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edumb\u003C\/a\u003E\" comes from the Indo-European root *\u003Cem\u003Edhumbh\u003C\/em\u003E, which is (as Klein writes) \"a nasalized form of base *\u003Cem\u003Edhubh \u003C\/em\u003Eor *\u003Cem\u003Edheubh\u003C\/em\u003E, 'to fill with smoke, to cloud darken; to be dumb, dull, or deaf.\". Cognate words in English may include \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=deaf\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edeaf\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.collinsdictionary.com\/dictionary\/american\/dove\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edove\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=typhus\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Etyphus\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wordreference.com\/definition\/stove\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Estove\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow, I know that the Hebrew and English words sound similar. And they both have similar meanings - both \"mute\" and \"confused\". But while this is a good example of using your \u003Cem\u003Edimyon\u003C\/em\u003E, they don't have\u0026nbsp;the same roots. Remember the\u0026nbsp;helpful Hebrew phrase\u0026nbsp;דומה אך שונה - \"similar, yet different.\" \u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7835807410009101839\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7835807410009101839","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7835807410009101839"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7835807410009101839"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/domeh-and-dumah.html","title":"domeh and dumah"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4559370971336275470"},"published":{"$t":"2016-05-16T11:09:00.005+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-05-16T11:09:58.446+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"yakar and makor"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader asked if there is any connection between \u003Cem\u003Eyakar\u003C\/em\u003E יקר - \"precious\" and \u003Cem\u003Emakor\u003C\/em\u003E מקור - \"source\". As far as I can tell there is no relationship between the two, but that's no reason not to take a quick look at the etymology of each.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EYakar\u003C\/em\u003E originally meant precious or honored, and over time came to mean \"costly\" as well. It has cognates in many other Semitic languages. In modern Hebrew, the related term \u003Cem\u003Eyukra\u003C\/em\u003E יוקרה - \"prestige\" was coined.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMakor\u003C\/em\u003E has a more complicated story. It has biblical origins, and Klein points out that the earliest meaning was \"spring, fountain\" (as in Yirmiya 2:13), and only later did it gain the more general meanings of \"source\" and \"origin\" (and \"original\"). He writes that the root of the word is קור, meaning \"to dig\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA homograph is \u003Cem\u003Emakor\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"beak\". This was originally a Talmudic word meaning \"millstone, chisel\", but Ben Yehuda gave it the new meaning of beak, on the basis of the Aramaic \u003Cem\u003Emakora\u003C\/em\u003E מקורא. This makor has a different root נקר - \"to pick, peck, pierce.\" (Another difference is that the plural of \u003Cem\u003Emakor\u003C\/em\u003E as \"source\" is \u003Cem\u003Emekorot\u003C\/em\u003E, and the plural of \u003Cem\u003Emakor\u003C\/em\u003E as \"beak\" is \u003Cem\u003Emakorim\u003C\/em\u003E.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHowever, Klein points out that the root נקר also means \"to dig\" and is related to the root קור we saw above. From נקר we get many related words such as \u003Cem\u003Enikur\u003C\/em\u003E ניקור - \"gouging\" and \u003Cem\u003Enikra\u003C\/em\u003E נקרה - \"cave, grotto\" (as in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rosh_HaNikra_grottoes\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ERosh Hanikra\u003C\/a\u003E). This root has Arabic cognates as well, and one of them may be the source of the word \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nacre\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Enacre\u003C\/a\u003E\", meaning \"mother of pearl\", which has the following etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E1590s, \"type of shellfish that yields mother-of-pearl,\" from Middle French \u003Cem\u003Enacre \u003C\/em\u003E(14c.), from Italian \u003Cem\u003Enaccaro\u003C\/em\u003E (now \u003Cem\u003Enacchera\u003C\/em\u003E), possibly from Arabic \u003Cem\u003Enaqur\u003C\/em\u003E \"hunting horn\" (from \u003Cem\u003Enakara\u003C\/em\u003E \"to hollow out\"), in reference to the shape of the mollusk shell. Meaning \"mother-of-pearl\" is from 1718.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe root קור appears only\u0026nbsp;twice in the Bible (Melachim II 19:24 and Yeshaya 37:25) meaning \"to dig for water.\" This leads me to an interesting etymological connection that I'm not entirely sure about.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn his entry for קרר, the root of \u003Cem\u003Ekar\u003C\/em\u003E קר meaning \"cold\", Klein writes that it is possibly related to Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eqarara\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning \"depth of a well\". Would that mean that \u003Cem\u003Ekar\u003C\/em\u003E is also related to the words we've discussed meaning \"dig\"? Any readers out there with more knowledge of Arabic than I have that could help? "},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4559370971336275470\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4559370971336275470","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4559370971336275470"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4559370971336275470"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/yakar-and-makor.html","title":"yakar and makor"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-1712700992188384057"},"published":{"$t":"2016-05-09T11:00:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-05-09T11:00:36.057+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"lama and madua"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"A reader asked about the origin of and difference between the two Hebrew words \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E למה and \u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E מדוע, both generally translated into English as \"why\". Let's take a look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMadua\u003C\/em\u003E appears in biblical Hebrew (but is not found in rabbinic Hebrew). Klein provides the following etymology:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EContraction of מה ידוע \u003Cem\u003Ema yadua\u003C\/em\u003E (=what is known? i.e. 'for what reason').\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd reflecting that etymology, it refers specifically to the cause (in the past) of\u0026nbsp;a thing, event, etc.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELama\u003C\/em\u003E has a wider background and usage than \u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E, and is used more frequently today (\u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E is considered much more formal).\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ELama\u003C\/em\u003E is also found in biblical Hebrew but\u0026nbsp;appears in rabbinic Hebrew as well. It also can refer to the cause of a thing, but can also ask \"what is the purpose, aim\". Its etymology shows that flexibility, for it\u0026nbsp;is a contraction \u0026nbsp;of ל-מה \"for what\". \u003Cem\u003ELama\u003C\/em\u003E asks about cause in Bereshit 4:7, 12:18 and about purpose in Shemot 5:22 and Iyov 30:2.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn this way, \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E is indeed similar to the English \"why\", which contains both aspects - past and future. In other languages, there are different words for each meaning. For example, German has \u003Cem\u003Ewarum\u003C\/em\u003E for \"cause\" and \u003Cem\u003Ewozu\u003C\/em\u003E for \"purpose\", and the same phenomenon can be found in other European languages.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECreating a dichotomy between \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E (even if it's not always faithful to the biblical \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E, as we have seen), allows for some powerful interpretations about how we understand the world.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor example, in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.alephbeta.org\/course\/lecture\/ki-tisa-moshes-benevolent-chutzpah\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis fascinating video\u003C\/a\u003E, Rabbi David Fohrman confronts the question that Moshe asks God after the sin of the golden calf (Shemot 32:11) לָמָה\u0026nbsp;ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ - \"Why (\u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E), God, should you be angry at your people?\" Rabbi Fohrman asks:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EWhat is he talking about? Why should you be angry at your people? They are\u0026nbsp; supposed to be accepting the Torah, and they are dancing around a golden calf, an idol that they have made with their very own hands, and you have the chutzpah to ask God, ‘Why should you be angry with your people?’ What is he talking about?\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut then later he answers:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo here you have to understand the crucial distinction between the two Hebrew words for ‘why’, \u003Cem\u003Elamah\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E. Why would one language have two words for ‘why’ unless they didn’t mean the same thing? \u003Cem\u003EMadua\u003C\/em\u003E, from the word \u003Cem\u003Emada\u003C\/em\u003E, is the scientific ‘why’. It means what happened in the past to cause the present state of affairs? When Moses looked at the burning bush, \u003Cem\u003Emadua lo-yivar hasneh\u003C\/em\u003E, what is it about this bush that causes it not to burn? It is a question about the past that would explain the present. But that is not the only kind of ‘why’ that you can ask. You can ask a different kind of ‘why’. A \u003Cem\u003Elamah\u003C\/em\u003E kind of ‘why’. \u003Cem\u003ELamah\u003C\/em\u003E is a contraction of ‘\u003Cem\u003Ele mah\u003C\/em\u003E’, to what, for what, for what purpose. It is a question about the future.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYes, I understand what happened to make you angry, God. That’s not my question, we all get that. The question is, where will this anger take you? Let’s read the rest of the words. \u003Cem\u003ELamah yechereh apcha be’amecha\u003C\/em\u003E. Moshe says, ‘why should you be angry with your people?’ Don’t say it is my people, it is your people. You are attached to them whether you like it or not.\u003C\/blockquote\u003EIn that case, by using the word \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E, Moshe was challenging God - and in the end was successful. A different case, where we need to make sure we ourselves are asking \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E and not \u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E is found in \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.atid.org\/journal\/journal05\/korn.doc\"\u003Ethis powerful story\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn the morning of September 11, 2001, I found myself on the uptown campus of Yeshiva University. As it was for the entire country and for much of the world, initial reactions to the attacks on the World Trade Center were little more than shock and disbelief. Particularly for those located so close to the disaster, it was difficult to absorb what transpired that morning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn response to the events of the morning, student leaders at Yeshiva quickly organized an outdoor Mincha and Tehillim rally. The main speaker at this rally was Rabbi Norman Lamm … There is one thought that he stressed that I have not forgotten. David Hamelech exclaims in Tehillim \"\u003Cem\u003Ekeili keili lama azavtani\u003C\/em\u003E?\".\u0026nbsp; [“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”]\u0026nbsp; Rabbi Shimshon Rephael Hirsh explains that in Hebrew, one can ask \"why\" with the use of the word \u003Cem\u003Emadua \u003C\/em\u003Eor of the word \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp; The word \u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E means why in its purest sense, wanting to know the reason behind something, what caused it to happen. On the other hand, \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E comes from the words \"\u003Cem\u003Ele ma\u003C\/em\u003E,\" literally \"to what,\" trying to figure out not what caused something to happen, but rather what is the purpose that is meant to come out of the occurrence. And so when David Hamelech feels deserted by Hashem, he does not ask \u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E. It is not his place to question the causes of the actions of Hashem. Rather he asks \u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E. What is meant to come out of the actions of Hashem? What responsibilities do they place upon me?\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003EThis must be our response to tragedy as well, explained Rabbi Lamm to the hundreds of students and faculty assembled on the lawn outside of Rubin Hall. It is futile to try to understand the reasons or causes for such a horrible occurrence. What we can do, however, is to try our best to figure out the ends to which events such as the attacks of September 11th are meant to bring about in our lives.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn general on this site, I focus on the \"\u003Cem\u003Emadua\u003C\/em\u003E\" - why words came to take the meanings they have. But it is important not to forget the \"\u003Cem\u003Elama\u003C\/em\u003E\" - what purpose words can have. In the week between Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) and Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day for Israeli soldiers and victims of terror), this is indeed a very appropriate message."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/1712700992188384057\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=1712700992188384057","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1712700992188384057"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/1712700992188384057"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/lama-and-madua.html","title":"lama and madua"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4075488528213903657"},"published":{"$t":"2016-05-03T07:55:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-05-03T07:55:19.934+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"aveira"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The Hebrew root עבר is extremely common, and in general means \"to pass\" or \"to pass over\". (Despite the similarity to the English word\u0026nbsp; \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=over\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eover\u003C\/a\u003E\", there is no\u0026nbsp;etymological connection).\u0026nbsp;There are a number of related terms that derive from this meaning:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eעבר can also mean to impregnate (from the sense\u0026nbsp;of \"to pass the seed\"). From here we get the word עובר \u003Cem\u003Eubar\u003C\/em\u003E - \"fetus\" and a leap year is known as a שנה מעוברת - \u003Cem\u003Eshana meuberet\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eעברה \u003Cem\u003Eevra\u003C\/em\u003E means\u0026nbsp;\"anger\", and Klein says it's related to עבר in the sense of \"carried away by anger\". He also provides two alternative etymologies- from\u0026nbsp; Arabic \u003Cem\u003Egharb\u003C\/em\u003E (passion, violence) or Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eghabira\u003C\/em\u003E (=he bore ill will).\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003Eעברי \u003Cem\u003EIvri\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp; and\u0026nbsp;עברית \u003Cem\u003EIvrit\u003C\/em\u003E mean \"Hebrew\". While there are many theories as to the etymology of Ivri (and because it's a proper noun it's more\u0026nbsp;difficult to track), one of them derives it from the related \u003Cem\u003Eever\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;עבר - \"side\", and therefore literally means \"one from beyond (the Euphrates)\". Perhaps I'll do a more extensive post on this some day.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EThe root can have a positive connotation, such as \u003Cem\u003Eover mivchan\u003C\/em\u003E עובר מבחן - \"pass a test\". But today I want to focus on the negative sense - \"to transgress\". It appears 18 times in the Tanach (a small fraction of the over 500 appearances of the verb alone), and generally refers to a transgression against God. Even-Shoshan in his concordance says it is related to the meaning \"pass\" in the sense of \"avoid, evade\", and frequently means\u0026nbsp;\"did\u0026nbsp;not fulfill or keep\" (the covenant or God's command). The BDB has the passing in a different direction, and says it meant \"overstep\". This would give a similar sense to the English word \"trespass\", and in fact the word \"transgression\" itself\u0026nbsp;has a similar \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=transgression\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eetymology\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Elate 14c., from Old French transgression \"transgression,\" particularly that relating to Adam and the Fall (12c.), from Late Latin \u003Cem\u003Etransgressionem\u003C\/em\u003E (nominative \u003Cem\u003Etransgressio\u003C\/em\u003E) \"a transgression of the law,\" in classical Latin, \"a going over, a going across,\" noun of action from \u003Cem\u003Etransgressus\u003C\/em\u003E, past participle of \u003Cem\u003Etransgredi\u003C\/em\u003E \"step across, step over; climb over, pass, go beyond,\" from \u003Cem\u003Etrans\u003C\/em\u003E- \"across\" + \u003Cem\u003Egradi\u003C\/em\u003E (past participle \u003Cem\u003Egressus\u003C\/em\u003E) \"to walk, go\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Biblical Hebrew, we don't find this root in a noun form. There are other words for sin, such as \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/chitui.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Echet\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E חטא, \u003Cem\u003Epesha\u003C\/em\u003E פשע and \u003Cem\u003Eavon\u003C\/em\u003E עון. However, in Talmudic Hebrew, we are introduced to a new noun - \u003Cem\u003Eaveira\u003C\/em\u003E עבירה. \u003Cem\u003EAvera\u003C\/em\u003E can also mean \"sin\", but has a more general sense of \"transgression or offence\" as in \u003Cem\u003Eaverot\u003C\/em\u003E between a person and his fellow עבירות בין אדם לחברו. In modern Hebrew it can mean\u0026nbsp;\"crime or violation\", as in a traffic violation עבירת תנועה - \u003Cem\u003Eaveirat tenua\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI recently read a fascinating book by Ruth Gruber - \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0786708360\/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;camp=1789\u0026amp;creative=9325\u0026amp;creativeASIN=0786708360\u0026amp;linkCode=as2\u0026amp;tag=balashonhebre-20\u0026amp;linkId=ANHSBRMMQPICHWV7\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EAhead of Time, My\u0026nbsp;Early Years\u0026nbsp;as a Foreign Correspondent\u003C\/a\u003E. Ruth, the Jewish daughter of European immigrants in New York, describes her travels to Nazi Germany\u0026nbsp;and Stalinist Russia. These were captivating accounts, but one particular passage in her home in Brooklyn in the 1930s\u0026nbsp;caught my eye. She describes the loft, over the garage, that her father\u0026nbsp;suggested she move in to. It\u0026nbsp;had been\u0026nbsp;previously occupied by her brother\u0026nbsp;Harry (a\u0026nbsp; doctor). She writes:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EYou entered the loft by climbing a ladder inside the garage and pushing up a latch-door. Once hay had been hoisted up through the big front hatchway for the horses quartered below. Harry had turned part of the loft into his operating lab, the rest was the \u003Cem\u003Eavayra\u003C\/em\u003E room\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhen I first read this, I stopped midsentence (as I'm quoting it to you here). What exactly took place in an \"\u003Cem\u003Eavayra\u003C\/em\u003E room\"? What\u0026nbsp;sins? What crimes?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut then she\u0026nbsp;continues:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Efor things that were an \u003Cem\u003Eavayra\u003C\/em\u003E, a shame to throw out—family portraits, diplomas, clothes to be sent to the relatives in Europe.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter taking a breath of relief, I suddenly realized that I knew this particular sense of \u003Cem\u003Eaveira\u003C\/em\u003E already. My great-aunt Mollie, who was born just a few years before Ruth\u0026nbsp;(also to European immigrants, but to Boston instead of New York), used to talk about \"\u003Cem\u003Eaveira\u003C\/em\u003E fat\".\u0026nbsp;This meant the fat you gained by eating things that were a shame (an \u003Cem\u003Eaveira\u003C\/em\u003E) to throw out. I'm certainly familiar with this type of weight gain, but\u0026nbsp;I always\u0026nbsp;thought that was a strange turn of phrase (particularly considering that I rarely heard Mollie use any Hebrew or Yiddish\u0026nbsp;words). But now it seems that this was a particular sense of the word \u003Cem\u003Eaveira\u003C\/em\u003E, perhaps even specifically used by immigrants to the United States. I'm going to continue using the phrase \"\u003Cem\u003Eaveira\u003C\/em\u003E fat\". It would be a shame to let it go to waste!"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4075488528213903657\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4075488528213903657","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4075488528213903657"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4075488528213903657"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/05\/aveira.html","title":"aveira"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-6671689314871334927"},"published":{"$t":"2016-04-17T21:06:00.001+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-04-17T21:41:01.680+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"rahut and rahit"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Two Hebrew words that seem to have similar roots, but very different meanings are \u003Cem\u003Erahut\u003C\/em\u003E רהוט - \"fluent\" and \u003Cem\u003Erahit\u003C\/em\u003E רהיט - \"furniture\" (as in a piece of furniture, the general term for furniture is \u003Cem\u003Erihut\u003C\/em\u003E ריהוט).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELet's look at \u003Cem\u003Erahut\u003C\/em\u003E first. This derives from the Aramaic root רהט, meaning \"to run\", and it's cognate with the Hebrew equivalent - רוץ. (The letters \u003Cem\u003Etzade\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Etet\u003C\/em\u003E can switch between Hebrew and Aramaic, as can also be seen in the words \u003Cem\u003Etzel\u003C\/em\u003E צל\u0026nbsp;- \"shade\" and טלל - \"to overshadow\", the root of \u003Cem\u003Etalit\u003C\/em\u003E טלית). From the meaning \"to run\", we also get \"to flow\". This meaning appears in the word \u003Cem\u003Erahat\u003C\/em\u003E רהט meaning \"watering trough\" in Bereshit 30:38,41 and Shemot 2:16, as well as the word \u003Cem\u003Erahut\u003C\/em\u003E, which is first found in Medieval Hebrew\u0026nbsp;(\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=fluent\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Efluent and flow\u003C\/a\u003E are related in English as well).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe story of \u003Cem\u003Erahit\u003C\/em\u003E is less clear. It only appears once in the Tanach, in Shir HaShirim 1:17 \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003Eקֹרוֹת בָּתֵּינוּ אֲרָזִים\u0026nbsp;רַהִיטֵנוּ בְּרוֹתִים\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Cedars are the beams of our house,\u0026nbsp;our rafters (\u003Cem\u003Erahiteinu\u003C\/em\u003E) are cypresses\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERahit\u003C\/em\u003E as \"rafter\" appears in Talmudic Hebrew as well, but only in modern times did the meaning change to \"furniture.\" Why? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/jewish\/features\/.premium-1.598571\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis article\u003C\/a\u003E (and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.haaretz.co.il\/magazine\/the-edge\/.premium-1.2503354\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E in Hebrew), Elon Gilad writes that the synonym used in the verse, \u003Cem\u003Ekora\u003C\/em\u003E קורה - \"beam\" had become much more popular, and so \u003Cem\u003Erahit\u003C\/em\u003E was in danger of being forgotten. So Eliezer Ben-Yehuda rescued the word for the concept of\u0026nbsp; \"furniture\", which was no longer an item just for the rich. He was influenced by the Arabic word\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Erihat\u003C\/em\u003E, which had a similar meaning. Stahl adds that in the Talmud we find the phrase רהיטי ביתו - \u003Cem\u003Erihitei beito\u003C\/em\u003E, which then meant \"the rafters of his house\", but\u0026nbsp;the early writers of modern Hebrew would find that an appropriate phrase for various articles used in the house.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe only question that remains is, are the two terms related? Klein doesn't say so, but there are some sources that hint to a possibility. The Daat Mikra on Bereshit 30:38 points out that the troughs were made of \u003Cem\u003Ekorot\u003C\/em\u003E (beams), but doesn't actually say that this\u0026nbsp;indicates a connection between \u003Cem\u003Erahat\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Erahit\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp; Steinberg, in Milon HaTanach, does say they derive from the same root, but doesn't explain how.\u0026nbsp;Similarly, in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=wahEDz68raQC\u0026amp;lpg=PA59\u0026amp;dq=rahit%20aramaic\u0026amp;pg=PA58#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis more recent book\u003C\/a\u003E a connection is made, but I don't quite understand (other than an Aramaic connection). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe best citation I could find that does connect the terms is the BDB, which\u0026nbsp;defines rafters as \"strips \u003Cem\u003Erunning\u003C\/em\u003E between beams.\" We find that usage in English as well, for a \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/runner\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Erunner\u003C\/a\u003E\" can also mean something spanning some distance, as in the runners of a sled or\u0026nbsp;a carpet spanning a hallway."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/6671689314871334927\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=6671689314871334927","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6671689314871334927"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/6671689314871334927"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/04\/rahut-and-rahit.html","title":"rahut and rahit"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-4707758424860629249"},"published":{"$t":"2016-04-10T16:50:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-04-10T16:50:00.459+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"pitgam"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Not long ago, on Purim, we read Megilat Esther, and in the megila appears the word \u003Cem\u003Epitgam\u003C\/em\u003E פתגם. The word also appears in other late biblical books such as Kohelet, Ezra\u0026nbsp;and Daniel. In Biblical Hebrew the word means \"edict\" or \"decree\", but in modern Hebrew the sense is less strict, and means \"idiom\" or \"proverb\". \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat is the etymology of the word? Klein mentions Aramaic and Syriac\u0026nbsp;cognates \u003Cem\u003Epitgama\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;פתגמא meaning \"word, command\", and writes that they are all\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eborrowed from Persian. Compare Old Persian \u003Cem\u003Epratigama\u003C\/em\u003E, Persian *\u003Cem\u003Epatgam\u003C\/em\u003E, which properly mean 'that which has come to, that which has arrived'\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESince Persian is an Indo-European language, I was curious if there were any cognates in English. \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.interfaith.org\/community\/threads\/13547\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThis site\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=owd9zig7i1oC\u0026amp;lpg=RA1-PA150\u0026amp;ots=IQruI5yyhV\u0026amp;dq=apophthegm%20etymology%20(persian%20OR%20iranian%20OR%20sanskrit)\u0026amp;pg=RA1-PA150#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis book\u003C\/a\u003E suggest that \u003Cem\u003Epatgam\u003C\/em\u003E is cognate with the Greek \u003Cem\u003Epthegma\u003C\/em\u003E which means \"(spoken) word\", and is found in the English word apophthegm, which more commonly appears\u0026nbsp;in American English\u0026nbsp;as apothegm - meaning \"pithy saying\" - nearly an identical meaning to the modern sense of \u003Cem\u003Epitgam\u003C\/em\u003E in Hebrew. (I don't have evidence that the Greek sense influenced the modern meaning, but on the other hand, I don't know why there was a change from the Biblical - and Rabbinic - meanings to the modern one).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Online Etymology Dictionary has this etymology for \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=apothegm\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=0\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eapothegm\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Efrom Greek \u003Cem\u003Eapophthegma\u003C\/em\u003E \"terse, pointed saying,\" literally \"something clearly spoken,\" from \u003Cem\u003Eapophthengesthai\u003C\/em\u003E \"to speak one's opinion plainly,\" from \u003Cem\u003Eapo\u003C\/em\u003E- \"from\" + \u003Cem\u003Ephthengesthai\u003C\/em\u003E \"to utter.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnother word on that site with a common origin is \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=diphthong\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ediphthong\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Elate 15c., from Middle French \u003Cem\u003Ediphthongue\u003C\/em\u003E, from Late Latin \u003Cem\u003Ediphthongus\u003C\/em\u003E, from Greek \u003Cem\u003Ediphthongos\u003C\/em\u003E \"having two sounds,\" from \u003Cem\u003Edi\u003C\/em\u003E- \"double\"\u0026nbsp; + \u003Cem\u003Ephthongos\u003C\/em\u003E \"sound, voice,\" related to \u003Cem\u003Ephthengesthai\u003C\/em\u003E \"utter, speak loudly.\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWe've seen the concept of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Diphthong\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ediphthong\u003C\/a\u003E on Balashon before, even though I didn't use the official term, when we discussed the origins of the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/search\/label\/hebrew%20letters\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eletters of the Hebrew alphabet\u003C\/a\u003E. The letter \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2006\/06\/bet.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ebet\u003C\/a\u003E\" derives from the word \u003Cem\u003Ebayit\u003C\/em\u003E בית (house). \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=LtD4Xomh4XgC\u0026amp;lpg=PA8\u0026amp;ots=VHnq2gkHiJ\u0026amp;dq=biblical%20hebrew%20diphthongs%20bayit\u0026amp;pg=PA8#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESome locations in ancient Israel\u003C\/a\u003E pronounced words with a diphthong - \u003Cem\u003Ebayit\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eyayin\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Ezayit\u003C\/em\u003E and others without\u0026nbsp;- \u003Cem\u003Ebet\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Eyen\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003Ezet\u003C\/em\u003E. The versions without the diphthong are preserved such cases as the letter \"bet\" and in the \u003Cem\u003Esemichut\u003C\/em\u003E form.\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/4707758424860629249\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=4707758424860629249","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4707758424860629249"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/4707758424860629249"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/04\/pitgam.html","title":"pitgam"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-7103562376034594488"},"published":{"$t":"2016-04-05T07:35:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-04-05T07:35:54.981+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"sipuk and safek"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Is there a connection between the words \u003Cem\u003Esipuk\u003C\/em\u003E סיפוק - \"satisfaction\" and \u003Cem\u003Esafek\u003C\/em\u003E ספק - \"doubt\"? They both appear to have the same root, but no obvious connection springs to mind. Let's take a closer look.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf we look in the Tanach, we notice two things. First of all, the root appears also with the letter \u003Cem\u003Esin\u003C\/em\u003E - שפק. (By Rabbinic Hebrew, however, we only see\u0026nbsp;it with a \u003Cem\u003Esamech\u003C\/em\u003E.)\u0026nbsp;Secondly, there is a third meaning - \"to strike\" or \"to clap (hands)\". In fact, this meaning is the most common one found (even though it is almost never used in modern Hebrew). According to Even-Shoshan's concordance, it accounts for all seven times the root ספק appears in the Tanach. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEven-Shoshan claims that the root שפק means \"to satisfy\" three times - twice as a verb (Melachim I 20:10, Yeshaya 2:6) and once as a noun\u0026nbsp;(Iyov 20:22). In modern Hebrew we find many uses of ספק meaning \"to be sufficient, to suffice\".\u0026nbsp;The \u003Cem\u003Epiel\u003C\/em\u003E form - \u003Cem\u003Esipek\u003C\/em\u003E סיפק can mean both \"to satisfy\" and \"to supply\". The \u003Cem\u003Ehifil\u003C\/em\u003E form \u003Cem\u003Ehispik\u003C\/em\u003E הספיק can also mean \"to supply\", but also can mean \"to be sufficient, adequate, enough\" and \" to enable, to succeed\". So if I write הספקתי לכתוב \u003Cem\u003Ehispakti l'khtov\u003C\/em\u003E - that means \"I succeeded in writing\" (usually within a desired period of time). The \u003Cem\u003Ehitpael\u003C\/em\u003E form הסתפק histapek means \"to be satisfied, content\". And of course the exclamation מספיק \u003Cem\u003Emaspik\u003C\/em\u003E - means \"enough!\".\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat about\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Esafek\u003C\/em\u003E meaning doubt? It appears frequently from Rabbinic Hebrew onwards, but it's not clear if it is found in Biblical Hebrew as well. The one verse that might have that usage is Iyov 36:18. The verse says כִּי-חֵמָה פֶּן-יְסִיתְךָ בְסָפֶק (this is the form in the Aleppo and Leningrad codices,\u0026nbsp;but\u0026nbsp;many printed\u0026nbsp;variants have בשפק). The Koren Tanach translates the word \u003Cem\u003Ev'safek\u003C\/em\u003E using the sense of clapping hands:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"But beware of wrath, lest he take thee away with his \u003Cu\u003Eclenched fist\u003C\/u\u003E\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe New JPS translation connects the word to the meaning \"to satisfy\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\"Let anger at his \u003Cu\u003Eaffluence\u003C\/u\u003E not mislead you\"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA third possibility, that it means \"doubt\" is mentioned by a number of scholars - Even Shoshan in his concordance (although he does follow this up with a\u0026nbsp;question mark), Klein in his dictionary (quoting \"some scholars\") and in the notes to Ben Yehuda's dictionary which mentions translators and commentators that explain the word as \"doubt or hesitation\". Aside from the Malbim (who I doubt they were referring to), I was unable to find which translations give this explanation for \u003Cem\u003Esafek\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENow back to my original question - do these roots have any connection? Klein\u0026nbsp;does not connect them at all, and even Steinberg in his Milon HaTanach, who frequently makes clever, if not convincing, connections between similar roots, doesn't connect the meanings \"satisfy\" and \"doubt\". (He does, however, say that the sense \"to strike\" and \"satisfy, abundance\" both derive from a sense meaning \"to make a lot of noise\" - applying to the sound of the striking, as well as the noise from a\u0026nbsp;home with much wealth.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI was surprised, however, to find that Even-Shoshan in his dictionary did make a connection. Regarding \u003Cem\u003Esafek\u003C\/em\u003E meaning \"doubt\", he says that perhaps it comes from an earlier sense meaning \"bound\" - in other words, a thing in doubt is \"bound up\" until it is solved. This sense of \"bound\" is found in Talmudic Hebrew, for example in the Mishna (Para 12:1 - although Kehati there says the word has the sense of \"adequate\"). Even-Shoshan then writes the meaning \"to join, attach\" is related to the meaning \"to suffice\" (as does Klein).\u0026nbsp;They don't\u0026nbsp;explain why\u0026nbsp; - but perhaps when you supply something to a person, or they have a sufficient amount, it is as if that thing is\u0026nbsp;attached to them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAre you satisfied that the words are related? I'm in doubt..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/7103562376034594488\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=7103562376034594488","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7103562376034594488"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/7103562376034594488"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/04\/sipuk-and-safek.html","title":"sipuk and safek"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-5311809795601519958"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-27T22:26:00.000+03:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-27T22:26:15.495+03:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"frank"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"The word \"frank\" (or its cognates) is an interesting one. All over the world, it refers to Westerners (as viewed by locals), but in Israeli slang, it's a derogatory term for Sephardic \/ Mizrahi Jews (as used by Ashkenazim). How did this happen?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAccording to this \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/forward.com\/articles\/6013\/french-dressing\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EPhilologos post\u003C\/a\u003E, and this \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/languagehat.com\/franks\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ELanguage Hat post\u003C\/a\u003E, the French were the ones leading the initial Crusades, and so they became known as the standard European foreigner. Philologos mentions the following cognates in many languages - all over the world:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EGreek \u003Cem\u003Efrangos\u003C\/em\u003E, “Westerner”; Turkish \u003Cem\u003Efrenk\u003C\/em\u003E, “European” (\u003Cem\u003Efrengi\u003C\/em\u003E in Turkish means syphilis, for which the Turks had Europe to thank); Syriac \u003Cem\u003Efrang\u003C\/em\u003E, “European”; Persian \u003Cem\u003Eferang\u003C\/em\u003E, ditto; Amharic \u003Cem\u003Efrenj\u003C\/em\u003E, “White Man”; southern Indian \u003Cem\u003Efarangi\u003C\/em\u003E or \u003Cem\u003Epirangi\u003C\/em\u003E, “European” or “White Man”; Thai \u003Cem\u003Efarang\u003C\/em\u003E, ditto; Cambodian \u003Cem\u003Ebarang\u003C\/em\u003E, ditto; Vietnamese \u003Cem\u003Epha-lang-xa\u003C\/em\u003E, ditto; Malaysian \u003Cem\u003Eferringi\u003C\/em\u003E, ditto; Indonesian \u003Cem\u003Ebarang\u003C\/em\u003E, goods sold by a foreign trader; Samoan \u003Cem\u003Epapalangi\u003C\/em\u003E, “foreigner.” (Other derivations for \u003Cem\u003Epapalangi\u003C\/em\u003E, however, also have been given.)\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn fact, the name might even extend beyond our planet. He mentions the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ferengi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFerengi of Star Trek\u003C\/a\u003E, whose name might have the same source. (We've seen Star Trek \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2007\/03\/herut-and-uhura.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere before\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Hebrew slang, the term \u003Cem\u003Efranji\u003C\/em\u003E פרנג'י means \"to dress fancily, in a European style\". But this phrase\u0026nbsp; is not in common use today (in fact, I'm not sure if I've ever heard it myself). However, the pejorative \u003Cem\u003Efrank\u003C\/em\u003E (actually better spelled \u003Cem\u003Efrenk\u003C\/em\u003E), which sometimes in Hebrew is still spelled\u0026nbsp;in the Yiddish style פרענק instead of the Hebrew פרנק, is still heard (if not in polite company). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhy in this case are the Ashkenazi westerners calling the \"local\" Sephardim by this term?\u0026nbsp;Ruvik Rosenthal writes \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ruvik.co.il\/%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%9C-%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A7\/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%90-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D.aspx?page=5\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E that the usage derives from the Spanish word \"Francos\", which had the same meaning we've seen before - Western Europeans as viewed by people in the East. In this case it referred to Sephardic Jews who migrated to the land of Israel from Spain and the Balkans. The local Jews referred to them as Europeans, and when the Ashkenazi Jews immigrated to Israel, they referred to all Sephardim as \"\u003Cem\u003Efrenks\u003C\/em\u003E\" - and the sense became much more insulting.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA different form of the root פרנק, which is much\u0026nbsp;more positive, but unrelated to the modern use is found in the midrash. For example in Midrash Tanaim on Devarim 32:2 it says that the words of Torah are מעדנים\u0026nbsp; and מפרנקים - \"refreshing\" and \"pampering\". However this root is simply an expansion of the root פנק - also meaning \"to spoil, pamper\", and the Midrash Sifrei on the same verse uses\u0026nbsp;מפנקים instead of מפרנקים. The root פנק appears once in the Bible, in Mishlei 29:21 - מְפַנֵּק מִנֹּעַר עַבְדּוֹ\u0026nbsp; - \"a slave pampered from youth\". In Modern\u0026nbsp;Hebrew we see the word \u003Cem\u003Epinuk\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;פינוק with both the positive connotation of \"pampering\" and the negative connotation of \"spoiling\". Like with the previous meaning, what can be fancy and pleasant\u0026nbsp;to some, can be overindulgent and arrogant to others..."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/5311809795601519958\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=5311809795601519958","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5311809795601519958"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/5311809795601519958"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/03\/frank.html","title":"frank"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22247423.post-682173348009121065"},"published":{"$t":"2016-03-21T13:17:00.001+02:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-03-21T13:17:24.155+02:00"},"title":{"type":"text","$t":"artichoke"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"I recently discovered that the English word \"artichoke\" has a Semitic \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=artichoke\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eorigin\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E1530s, from \u003Cem\u003Earticiocco\u003C\/em\u003E, Northern Italian variant of Italian \u003Cem\u003Earcicioffo\u003C\/em\u003E, from Old Spanish \u003Cem\u003Ealcarchofa\u003C\/em\u003E, from Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eal-hursufa\u003C\/em\u003E \"artichoke.\" \u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOther sites give the original Arabic as \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.bonappetit.com\/test-kitchen\/ingredients\/article\/the-etymology-of-the-word-artichoke\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eal-karsufa\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/references-definitions.blurtit.com\/67349\/where-does-the-word-artichoke-come-from\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eal-haršuf\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003Eor from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/etymology\/comments\/13ct1w\/the_etymology_of_artichoke\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethe OED\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;a combination:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003EItalian regional (northern) \u003Cem\u003Earticiocco\u003C\/em\u003E (16th cent.), apparently \u0026lt; Spanish \u003Cem\u003Ealcarchofa\u003C\/em\u003E (1492; now usually \u003Cem\u003Ealcachofa\u003C\/em\u003E ) or its etymon Spanish Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eal-ḵaršūfa\u003C\/em\u003E \u0026lt; \u003Cem\u003Eal-\u003C\/em\u003E the + \u003Cem\u003Eḵaršūfa\u003C\/em\u003E , regional variant (also \u003Cem\u003Eḵaršafa\u003C\/em\u003E , \u003Cem\u003Eḵuršūfa\u003C\/em\u003E ) of classical Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eḥaršafa\u003C\/em\u003E (compare modern standard Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eḵuršūfa\u003C\/em\u003E ), singular form corresponding to \u003Cem\u003Eḥaršaf\u003C\/em\u003E , collective noun (compare modern standard Arabic \u003Cem\u003Eḵuršūf\u003C\/em\u003E ), further etymology unknown.\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDespite the\u0026nbsp;ominous\u0026nbsp;\"further etymology unknown\", I got curious - could there be a connection to a Hebrew word? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFirst of all, I should point out that the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jerusalem_artichoke\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EJerusalem artichoke\u003C\/a\u003E has nothing to do with Jerusalem. It gets its name from an alteration\u0026nbsp;of the Italian \u003Cem\u003Egirasole\u003C\/em\u003E, meaning sunflower. (They are also called \"sunchokes\" - which is my preferred name for them.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut what about the \"original\"\u0026nbsp;artichoke? They do appear in Jewish tradition - potentially very far back. After Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God cursed them saying they would eat \"thorns and thistles\" קוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר - \u003Cem\u003Ekotz\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Edardar\u003C\/em\u003E. The midrash (Bereshit Rabba 20:10)\u0026nbsp;identifies them with \u003Cem\u003Ekinras\u003C\/em\u003E קינרס and \u003Cem\u003Eakavit\u003C\/em\u003E עכבית, but isn't sure which Biblical word matches with which Talmudic one. The gemara in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/daf-yomi.com\/DYItemDetails.aspx?itemId=26996\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EBeitza (34a)\u003C\/a\u003E points out\u0026nbsp;that they both require effort before they are edible, and Rashi on the\u0026nbsp;verse in Bereshit explains that this is the nature of the curse.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKinras \u003C\/em\u003Eis\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003Ecognate\u0026nbsp;with the Latin word \u003Cem\u003Ecynara\u003C\/em\u003E - the name of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cynara\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Egenus\u003C\/a\u003E, and the Greek \u003Cem\u003Ekynára\u003C\/em\u003E, which \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.avogel.ca\/en\/plant-encyclopedia\/cynara-scolymus.php\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emay be named\u003C\/a\u003E for the island \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kinaros\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKinaros\u003C\/a\u003E, or maybe the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=hVuFG3RwZVIC\u0026amp;dq=%22celebrated%20for%20its%20artichokes%22%5C\u0026amp;pg=PA175#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eisland is named\u003C\/a\u003E for the plant. Avshalom Kor \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GoNirg9m73I\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E proposes an interesting\u0026nbsp;theory that the\u0026nbsp;Kinneret lake may be named for the artichokes that grew on its shore, and that the Greeks actually borrowed a\u0026nbsp;Semitic word, כינר \u003Cem\u003Ekinar\u003C\/em\u003E, that was later reintroduced to\u0026nbsp;Hebrew in Talmudic times as \u003Cem\u003Ekinras\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;.\u003Cem\u003EKinras\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Eakavit\u003C\/em\u003E refer to artichokes and the related \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cardoon\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecardoon\u003C\/a\u003E, both of which do require significant preparation to eat. In fact, the Rambam in his commentary on the Mishna (Uktzin 1:6), which mentions \u003Cem\u003Ekinras \u003C\/em\u003E(in some versions as \u003Cem\u003Ekunras\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;קונרס and even as \u003Cem\u003Ekundas\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;קונדס, but that seems to be a typographical error), gives the Arabic version as אלחרשף,\u0026nbsp;and says that in the west, it is known as אלכ'רשף. These match up with the etymologies we saw above for artichoke. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn Modern Hebrew the official word for artichoke is\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echurshaf\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E(or \u003Cem\u003Echarshof\u003C\/em\u003E)\u0026nbsp;חרשף (derived from the Arabic, and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/he.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%A3\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecoined in the Middle Ages\u003C\/a\u003E), but I've only seen \"artichoke\" ארטישוק used.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo while we can trace the concept of artichoke back to earlier periods, we still haven't answered my question about any Semitic cognates to \u003Cem\u003Eharsaf\u003C\/em\u003E. I have a possible lead, but I'm really not sure - and I welcome your input. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.academia.edu\/4847281\/Arabic_Etymological_Dictionary\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EArabic Etymological Dictionary\u003C\/a\u003E has the following entry:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehharshaf\u003C\/em\u003E : fish scales [Akk \u003Cem\u003Earsuppu\u003C\/em\u003E (carp)] Per \u003Cem\u003Echarshaf\u003C\/em\u003E borrowed from Ara\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.il\/books?id=-qIuVCsRb98C\u0026amp;lpg=PA79\u0026amp;dq=%22arsuppu%22\u0026amp;pg=PA24#v=onepage\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;f=false\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EConcise Dictionary of Akkadian\u003C\/a\u003E has a similar entry, saying the Akkadian \u003Cem\u003Earsuppu\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Eersuppu\u003C\/em\u003E can mean carp or carp scales, einkorn (wheat) or a kind of apple. (You can see the full entry \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/oi.uchicago.edu\/sites\/oi.uchicago.edu\/files\/uploads\/shared\/docs\/cad_a2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E, but I couldn't find anything more helpful).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo could the original word refer to an item with scales or thorns? Both of those could apply to the artichoke.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd if that's the case - could this also be the origin of a Hebrew word - \u003Cem\u003Ekartzef\u003C\/em\u003E קרצף\u0026nbsp;- \"to scrape or scratch\"?\u0026nbsp; Klein says that it's related to an Aramaic root with the same spelling, but the ultimate etymology is unknown. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd here's where it gets a little strange. There's a kind of thistle, the \"\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cnicus\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eblessed thistle\u003C\/a\u003E\", known in Hebrew as a\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.wildflowers.co.il\/hebrew\/plant.asp?ID=1253\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E \u003Cem\u003Ekartzaf mevorach\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E קרצף מבורך. I haven't been able to find out where or how this term entered Hebrew (in fact, it's not in any of my dictionaries). But perhaps this too makes a connection between \u003Cem\u003Ekartzaf\u003C\/em\u003E and artichoke? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd one more possible theory. The Online Etymology Dictionary gives the following origin of \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=cardoon\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=O\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecardoon:\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E1610s, from French \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ecardon\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, from Provençal \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ecardon\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, properly \"thistle,\" from Late latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ecardonem\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E (nominative \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ecardo\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"thistle,\" related to Latin \u003Cspan class=\"foreign\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ecarduus\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \"thistle, artichoke\"\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd then going further back, in the entry for \"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.etymonline.com\/index.php?term=harsh\u0026amp;allowed_in_frame=O\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eharsh\u003C\/a\u003E\":\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003Eoriginally of texture, \"hairy,\" 1530s, probably from Middle English \u003Cem\u003Eharske \u003C\/em\u003E\"rough, coarse, sour\" (c. 1300), a northern word of Scandinavian origin (compare Danish and Norwegian \u003Cem\u003Eharsk\u003C\/em\u003E \"rancid, rank\"), related to Middle Low German \u003Cem\u003Eharsch\u003C\/em\u003E \"rough, raw,\" German \u003Cem\u003Eharst\u003C\/em\u003E \"a rake;\" perhaps from PIE root *\u003Cem\u003Ekars\u003C\/em\u003E- \"to scrape, scratch, rub, card\" (cognates: Lithuanian \u003Cem\u003Ekarsiu\u003C\/em\u003E \"to comb,\" Old Church Slavonic \u003Cem\u003Ekrasta\u003C\/em\u003E, Russian \u003Cem\u003Ekorosta\u003C\/em\u003E \"to itch,\" Latin \u003Cem\u003Ecarduus\u003C\/em\u003E \"thistle,\" Sanskrit \u003Cem\u003Ekasati\u003C\/em\u003E \"rubs, scratches\").\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo could this Indo-European root, *\u003Cem\u003Ekars\u003C\/em\u003E be related to \u003Cem\u003Ekartzaf\u003C\/em\u003E, which shares a meaning and a similar sound\u0026nbsp;- and could either or both of them be related to the Arabic and Akkadian words we've found?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhat do you all think?"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/feeds\/682173348009121065\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/comment.g?blogID=22247423\u0026postID=682173348009121065","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/682173348009121065"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/22247423\/posts\/default\/682173348009121065"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.balashon.com\/2016\/03\/artichoke.html","title":"artichoke"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Balashon"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01200811858068140830"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hp1uPLz0978\/XQ-ENpF51NI\/AAAAAAAAAbk\/vky8ywm1KfQFLRPjj2RvF2I0yySjjAcnQCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/balashon_draft_2.png"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});