[Avodah] Did the Patriarchs Speak Hebrew?

Micha Berger micha at aishdas.org
Tue Dec 19 10:59:01 PST 2017


On Tue, Dec 19, 2017 at 12:12:45PM -0500, Zev Sero wrote:
: On 19/12/17 12:05, Micha Berger via Avodah wrote:
: >I wonder if the Ramban understands the name of Kesav Ashuris to mean
: >"Assyrian Script", rather than "Enriched Script" (from "osher". YMMV
: >on the definition of osher.)

: You associate osher with an alef and `osher with an `ayin?

RSRH does, as he does all alef-ayin pairs. Also osher with asher. But
I used enriched because in common usage, it refers to someone having
a gift. We say that a cereal is enriched with vitamins. We far more
rarely speak of a CEO being enriched. At least, not anymore.

And what about yiysher kochakha, assuming the correct niqud isn't
yeyasher? Reish Laqish (Shabbos 87a) says "asher shibarta" is an
allusion to "yiyshar kochakha", so that's connected as well.

RSRH himself uses "being in successful progress" (eg Bereishis 30:30),
which R/Dr Mattiyahu Clark's Hirschian dictionary gives as its 1st
definition.

Chodesh tov,
un a lichtikn un freilechn Chanukah!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The trick is learning to be passionate in one's
micha at aishdas.org        ideals, but compassionate to one's peers.
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