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THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND
WHAT’S IN A WORD THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND

David Curwin

Illuminating Words

hanukah marks the conflict after the kohen who led the call for הָנֹמ ְ ׁש ַ ח (mentioned in Bamidbar 33:2)
between different groups living rebellion against the Greeks. But both or ןֹומ ְ ׁש ֶ ח (mentioned in Yehoshua
Cin Eretz Yisrael in the Second of these etymologies are assumed to 15:27). According to these theories,
Temple period. Let’s look at the words be folk etymologies. the family lived in or near one of
that describe them. A more plausible explanation is that these places before moving to Modi’in

Yavan the name derives from the Hebrew (where they lived when the rebellion
word ת ֶ ב ֶּ ק ַ מ – “hammer” and is broke out).
t the time, the Land was con- reflected in the spelling םי ִ ב ָּ ק ַ מ. This Another theory connects Chash-
trolled by the Greeks – the theory claims that Matitiyahu’s monaim to the word ןֹומ ְ ׁש ֶ ח. It is
AYevanim, םי ִנ ָ וְי. Those Jews son Yehuda was called the Makabi unclear what the word chashman
who identified with Greek culture and because he struck his enemies as with means – it appears only once, in
wished to assimilate into it were known a hammer. Tehillim 68:32. Some explanations
as mityavnim, םיִנ ְּוַי ְ ת ִ מ – “Hellenists.” A third theory claims that Makabim of the word do not fit a connection
The word Hellenist reflects how the is an inaccurate translation of the to Chashmonaim – for example, one
Greeks themselves called their country Hebrew אי ִּ ב ְ צ ַ מ – “general, commander scholar says it may mean horses or
– Hellas. The Jews, however, referred to of an army.” Since we encounter the chariots. However, the Septuagint
Greece as Yavan, ן ָ וָי. This name appears word first in Greek texts, not Hebrew translates it as “ambassador” and
in Bereshit 10:2, as the fourth son of ones, no Hebrew spelling can be con- other commentaries have “princes.”
Yafet, and a grandson of Noah. The sidered authoritative, and so אי ִּ ב ְ צ ַ מ is Therefore the name Chashmonaim
Talmud (Yoma 10a) identifies the other certainly a reasonable possibility. referred to the status of the family,
sons of Yafet with various nations in and the author of Maoz Tzur picked
the region but simply says that Yavan The English word “macabre,” meaning up on this – םיִּנ ַ מ ְ ׁש ַ ח י ֵ מי ִּ ב יַז ֲ א.
is according to its plain meaning – i.e. “gruesome,” actually derives from the
Greece. The word Yavan is likely related Maccabees. In the art of the Middle From this interpretation, the word
to the name of the Eastern Greeks – Ages, a certain “dance of death,” was chashman developed into the mean-
the Ionians. The Ionians crossed the known as the “dance of Maccabees” ing of “an important person,” and
Aegean Sea and settled on the west because of the martyrdom of those eventually became the translation for
coast of Asia Minor, in today’s Turkey. Jews defying their Greek oppressors. the Catholic “cardinal.”
They were therefore the first Greek Chashmonaim Both terms are used in other contexts
tribe many nations of the Middle East in Israel today. Chashmonaim is the
encountered, so in addition to Hebrew, While Yehuda and his brothers were name of a town in central Israel, and
other languages (like Akkadian and known as Makabim, the dynasty they Maccabi is the name of a large sports
Sanskrit) also refer to Greeks as Ionians. founded was called the םי ִ אָנֹומ ְ ׁש ַ ח – organization, a health maintenance
the Hasmoneans. This term does not organization and a brand of beer.
Makabim appear in the post-biblical Books of
the Maccabees but is found in the
The group that rebelled against the Talmud and other rabbinic works.
Greeks and their Jewish supporters And like “makabim,” there are a
were known as the Maccabees or number of theories as to the origin of
Makabim in Hebrew. Makabim is chashmonaim.
either spelled םי ִּ ב ַּ כ ַ מ or םי ִ ב ָּ ק ַ מ, each
reflecting a different etymology. The One theory, as quoted by Josephus,
more common spelling today is םיבכמ. says Asmoneus was the grandfather
It is often explained as an acronym, (or great-grandfather) of Matityahu
either from Shemot 15:11, ה ָ כֹמ ָ כ י ִ מ and the family name derived from this
ה ם ִ ל ֵ א ָּ ב (“Who is like you among the ancestor. David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat,
mighty, G-d”) or ןָנ ָ חֹוי ן ֶּ ב ן ֵ הֹ ּ כ ּוהָי ְ ת ִּ ת ַ מ – Others say that Chashmonaim may and the author of the Balashon blog.
“Matityahu Kohen son of Yochanan,” come from a place name – either balashon.com • balashon1@gmail.com.

Israel has taken an ancient language, the Hebrew of the Bible, and made it speak again. | 45
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