Page 31 - HaMizrachi # 21 Tisha B'Av 2020 USA

WHAT’S IN A WORD AM, ERETZ, TORAH

Daniel S. Mariaschin David Curwin

Tzom and Ta’anit

ebrew has two words that an interesting pattern, where many B’Av is known as bein hametzarim
both mean fast (abstaining words that begin with the two let- םי ִ ר ָ צ ְּ מ ַ ה ןי ֵּ ב – literally, “between the
Hfrom food): tzom, ם ֹוצ and ters מ-צ mean “to draw together, straits.” The origin of the phrase is
ta’anit, תי ִנ ֲ ע ַּ ת. What is the differ- to contract.” In addition to ם ֹוצ (in from Eichah 1:3: ןי ֵּ ב ָ הּוגי ִּ ׂש ִ ה ָ הי ֶ פ ְ דֹר ל ָּ כ
ence between them? The primary which one restrains oneself), and םי ִ ר ָ צ ְּ מ ַ ה, “All her pursuers overtook
difference is that ם ֹוצ is a biblical א ָּ מ ַ צ (where the tongue and throat her in the narrow places.”
word (appearing 26 times in Nevi’im contract from lack of water), here
and Ketuvim, although never in are a few others: The word for “narrow places,
the Torah), and תי ִנ ֲ ע ַּ ת is primarily straits” is meitzar, ר ַ צ ֵ מ. Others
found in Rabbinic Hebrew (it does • ד ַ מ ָ צ – to join, couple. From here translate the phrase as “when she
appear once in the Bible – Ezra 9:5). we get the words tzemed, ד ֶ מ ֶ צ – was in distress.” Both meanings
pair, and tzamid, די ִ מ ָ צ – brace- derive from the root ר-ר-צ – “to be
However, תי ִנ ֲ ע ַּ ת does derive from let, something “bound on the distress.” A third opinion is that the
a Biblical root: ה ָנ ָ ע (or the related wrist.” word means “border.” According to
root י-נ-ע). That verb is the root • ה ָּ מ ַ צ, tzamah – lock or braid this understanding, whenever the
of the word used to command of hair, also a veil. The hair is Jews would flee to the border, their
us to fast on Yom Kippur: ם ֶ תי ִּנ ִ ע ְ ו drawn together. neighbors would hand them over to
ם ֶ כי ֵ תֹ ׁש ְ פ ַנ ת ֶ א (Vayikra 16:31). That their enemies.
phrase literally means “you shall • ם ֵ צ ְ מ ִ צ – to press, reduce, con-
afflict your souls.” Yet, the sense of tract. From here, Rashi coined ר ֶ צ ֶ מ meaning “border, boundary”
fasting is clear from the context, the word tzimtzum, םּוצ ְ מ ִ צ – is also possibly an origin of the
and is also found in parallel to ם ֹוצ restriction, limitation, which Hebrew word for Egypt – Mitz-
in another Biblical verse: ּונ ְ מ ַּ צ ה ָּ מ ָ ל was later adopted by the rayim, םִי ַ ר ְ צ ִ מ. Egypt was divided
ּונ ֵ ׁש ְ פ ַנ ּוני ִּנ ִ ע ָ תי ִ א ָ ר אלֹ ְ ו, “Why, when we Kabbalah. into two lands – Upper and Lower
fasted, did You not see? When we Egypt (which can explain the plural
afflicted our souls, did You pay no • ק ַ מ ָ צ – to shrink, shrivel. Raisins form, with the suffix -im). And
heed?” (Yeshayahu 58:3) in Hebrew are םי ִ קּו ּ מ ִ צ, tzimukim. why was Egypt referred to with the
Other words that derive from that • ת ַ מ ָ צ – one meaning is “to join, word for border? Either because
root also indicate suffering and attach, contract”. From here the the meaning extended from border
affliction: anav, ו ָנ ָ ע – “humble,” ani, word tzomet, ת ֶ מֹצ – juncture. to “region,” or because the Egyp-
י ִנ ָ ע – “poor,” and inui, יּוּנ ִ ע – “tor- Another meaning is “to oppress, tians were known for having strict
ture”. Another word that is possibly subdue, destroy”, and is the root borders.
related is inyan, ן ָי ְנ ִ ע. Today it means of the word tzemitut, תּותי ִ מ ְ צ –
“matter, subject,” but in Biblical “finality.” The meaning of “pres- Perhaps due to association with
Hebrew, it meant “occupation, task.” sure” is identified with the sense the word tzarah, ה ָ ר ָ צ – “trouble,
Some linguists think that it origi- of contraction we see in other sorrow,” these weeks are known
nally meant “toilsome occupation” words with this root. as days of sadness. But we should
and derived from the root ה-נ-ע In modern Hebrew, ם ֹוצ is used for remember that the original mean-
meaning “affliction.” all kinds of fasts, including medical ing referred to a narrow strait or a
border area. May our sadness be
ם ֹוצ, as we said, also means “to fast.” ones. תי ִנ ֲ ע ַּ ת is restricted to the reli- limited to this time of year, and in
Surprisingly, it is not clear if it is gious realm, and can also refer to the future, may these weeks become
related to the word tzama, א ָּ מ ַ צ – refraining from other things, like days of joy.
“thirst.” The cognates to each in from speaking (a ta’anit dibbur).
other Semitic languages (like Ara-
maic, Arabic and Akkadian) don’t Bein HaMetzarim David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat,
point to an obvious connection. The three-week period between and the author of the Balashon blog,
That said, there does seem to be the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha balashon.com

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