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WHAT’S IN A WORD

David Curwin

OF TREES AND ALMONDS

EITZ AND ILAN SHAKED So after the winter, the blossoming of
the almond tree on Tu BiShvat sym-
et’s look at the two Hebrew Tu BiShvat is the new year for all of
words for tree: eitz ץ ֵ ע and ilan the trees, but it is very much associ- bolizes the coming spring.
Lן ָ לי ִ א: ated with the almond tree. It is the However, not everyone agreed with
time that the almond trees blossom, the connection between the verb
Eitz is a biblical word, appearing over and therefore they star in Tu BiShvat
300 times. Rabbi Yehoshua Steinberg ד ֵ ק ָ ׁש and shaked as “almond tree.” For
in his Milon HaTanach, connects songs, including perhaps the most example, the Ben Yehuda dictionary
eitz to a root, ּ ה ָ צ ֵ ע, meaning “to bind, famous, HaShkediya Porachat – the notes that shaked (the tree) does not
attach, strengthen,” and is related to blossoming almond tree. appear in other Semitic languages
such other words as ם ֶ צ ֶ ע / ּ ה ָ צ ֵ ע – “to Levin Kipnis, the Israeli writer of chil- aside from Akkadian (shiqdu), which
close (the eyes),” ם ֶ צ ֶ ע – “to be strong, dren’s literature, probably coined the doesn’t share the verb ד ֵ ק ָ ׁש. Therefore,
mighty,” ץ ַ עָּי – “advise, give counsel,” word shkediya in 1919. Originally, the the Hebrew shaked is borrowed from
and ב ֶ צ ֶ ע – “give form, shape.” word for the almond tree was shaked Akkadian, which probably got it from
some other language.
Ilan is originally an Aramaic word, ד ֵ ק ָ ׁש – but the new word shkediya
only appearing in the Tanach in allowed a distinction between an Should this be a cause of concern?
the Aramaic section of the book of almond (shaked) and an almond tree. Shouldn’t we assume that if the verse
Daniel. Dr. Ernest Klein writes that it Hebrew also has a verb ד ֵ ק ָ ׁש – meaning in Jeremiah ties the two together, they
is related to the Hebrew elon, ןֹול ֵ א – are related?
“oak.” Elon is related to ela, ה ֶּ ל ֵ א – also “to work diligently, to labor, to strive.” I don’t believe it is. Wordplay in the
meaning “oak, terebinth,” and Klein Is there a connection between the verb Bible does not need to indicate an ety-
connects all of them to the root ל ֹוא and the almond tree? Many sources mological connection – and can be
– meaning “to be strong.” This is sim- make a connection. Klein, for example, more surprising, and therefore more
ilar to Steinberg’s etymology of eitz, points out that the original meaning of powerful when it doesn’t. In fact,
and it’s not surprising – a tree was a the verb was “to watch, wake,” and the the Rambam discusses the verse in
symbol of strength. almond tree is so called “because it is Jeremiah: 1
the tree which flourishes (awakens)
Prof. Yechezkel Kutscher asks the first.” “Compare makkal shaked, Jeremiah’s
question – “Why don’t we call Tu almond staff. By the second meaning
BiShvat Chag HaEitzim instead of Earlier, this opinion was given by of shaked, it was intended to indi-
Chag HaIlanot?” His answer is that in Rashi on Jeremiah 1:11-12. The verse cate the prophecy, ‘For I will watch’
Biblical Hebrew eitz meant both “tree” there has a play on words: (shoked), etc. which has no relation
and “wood.” But in the times of Mish- whatever to the staff or to almonds.”
naic Hebrew, ilan had entered into .ה ֶ אֹר יִנ ֲ א ד ֵ ק ָ ׁש ל ֵּ ק ַ מ ,ר ַ מֹא ָ ו ;ּוהָי ְ מ ְ רִי ה ֶ אֹר ה ָּ ת ַ א ה ָ מ
Hebrew from Aramaic, and now we ,י ִ ר ָ ב ְ ּ ד ל ַ ע יִנ ֲ א ד ֵ קֹ ׁש י ִּ כ :תֹוא ְ ר ִ ל ָּ ת ְ ב ַ טי ֵ ה … 'ה ר ֶ מאֹּי ַ ו So whether or not there’s an etymolog-
could have two separate terms – eitz .ֹותֹׂש ֲ ע ַ ל ical connection, Jeremiah’s audience
for wood and ilan for tree. “...‘What do you see Jeremiah?’ I got the message – G-d’s punishment

This can explain why Rashi on Genesis replied, “I see a branch of an almond would be coming soon, like the blos-
soming of an almond tree.
18:4 found it necessary to explain tachat tree.” G-d said... ‘You have seen right,
haEitz as tachat haIlan. He was trying for I am watchful to bring my word to
to point out that the guests sat under pass’.” 1 Guide to the Perplexed 2:43.
a tree, and not under a wooden roof.
Rashi writes, “The almond tree has-
Modern Hebrew tends to prefer Bibli- tens to blossom before all the other David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat,
cal over Mishnaic Hebrew, and so gen- trees – so too will I hasten to perform and the author of the Balashon blog
erally uses the word eitz for tree. my word.” balashon.com • balashon1@gmail.com

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