[Avodah] Hebrews/Israelites/Bnei Yisroel - Jews

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, October 18, 2007 7:55 am, Moshe Y. Gluck wrote:
: R' MB:
:> The name Shneiur originated from Signor. However, Rav Aharon Kotler
:> named his son for the fact that he was born Friday evening, when
:> "shenei or" should be lit. So, while the names is from "Signor", my
:> nephew in Lakewood was still named for the derashah of "two lights".

: Ayin Yam Shel Shlomo, Gittin, 4:26, and Ayin Sheim Hagedolim,
: Maareches Gedolim, Shin, Kuntres Acharon.

Assuming I owned a Sheim Gedolim.

In any case, I would insist that they are derashos. IOW, folk
etymologies that added depth to and longevity to the name. Just moving
my point up in the centuries without changing its substance.

Here's the story, as I read it:

Signor Salamon De Acosta (surname might be misremembered) of Genoa,
who had letters of introduction written for him to the business
community in Ashkenaz. By the time he arrived, people unused to
reading such things in Hebrew lettering turned the sin into a shin,
and the n-sheva nach-yud into nun-teirei-malei. And thus, the first
"Shneiur Zalman".

Juanita became Yenta at about the same time. And Esperanza ->
Shprintza. And here's the really weird: Yentle is from Gentile (with
the long /E/, meaning "gentle", not "nachri" -- although the fact that
nachriim called themselves "gentile" is no coincidence...)

Source: Dr Avshalom Carr, on Israeli radio, heard by someone on an
electronic forum and posted around 15 years back. (Don't remember
where.)

One of the Baalei Tosafos's father was named Shneiur. Temura 18a
"afilu" -- R' Yitzchaq bar Shneiur.


And I think I've taken the topic well into Areivim territory, but not
sure enough to actually redirect this email.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv