[Avodah] The meaning of the name Gid'on

[David W. Eisen]

RnSB asked: "Does anyone know the meaning of the name Gid'on?"

Gidon's name is a derivation of the word "Ligdoa" a la the obligation to "smash their asherim (Devarim 7:5) OR idols (Devarim 12:3)."

Apropos the midrashim at the beginning of this week's parasha on Avraham the iconoclast, there is a striking (pun unintended) similarity between these midrashim and the story of Gidon's smashing the idol of ba'al and the ashera on top of it as described in Sefer Shoftim at the end of Pereq 6. In both stories, the protagonist is a young child confronting his pagan surroundings who smashes the idols to demonstrate their futility.   

For an interesting shiur and some articles comparing Avraham and Gidon in this light, see: 
1. http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/738938/Rabbi%20Nathaniel%20Helfgot/Comparing%20Avraham%20to%20Gidon
2. http://www.etzion.org.il/dk/1to899/625daf.htm#Heading3
3. http://www.etzion.org.il/vbm/update_views.php?num=1292&file=/vbm/archive/9-parsha/03noach.rtf 

B'virkat HaTorah,
David Eisen
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