Page 54 - HaMizrachi #33 Sukkot 2021 USA

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

Names of the Week

David Curwin

T he holiday of Sukkot has sev- and bore a son, and said, ‘G-d has

eral names. Let’s take a look
taken away (ף ַס ָא) my disgrace.’ So she
at them:
named him Yosef, which is to say, ‘May
ֹ
Hashem add (ף ֵסי) another son for me’”
(Bereishit 30:23–24).
Chag HaSukkot
Chag
One name of Sukkot, of course, is ג ַח
ת ֹו ּ כֻּ סַה. “On the 15th day of this sev- In Yechezkel 45:23, Sukkot is not
enth month there shall be the Feast referred to by name, but simply called
of Booths (Sukkot) to Hashem, [to last] ג ָח ֶה. This name is found frequently in
seven days. […] You shall live in booths rabbinic literature, so any mention
(sukkot) for seven days; all citizens in of just “chag” will indicate Sukkot. Of
Israel shall live in booths, in order that course, with the addition of the specific
future generations may know that I chag it could be referring to any of the
made the Israelite people live in booths three pilgrimage festivals. The notion
when I brought them out of the land of pilgrimage is reflected in its root: ג ַג ָח
of Egypt; I Hashem your G-d” (Vayikra – “to make a pilgrimage, to celebrate
23:34, 42–43). 34:22). Often translated as the “Harvest a feast.”
Festival,” a more precise translation
While the word sukkot in Tanach often The root ג ַג ָח can also mean “to dance”
refers to the holiday, there are also would be the “Festival of Ingathering,” and is related to the root גּוח – “to make
examples of sukkot referring to com- since the crops are gathered in from the or move in a circle.” Although today
monplace booths. Those booths were field at harvest time, as is mentioned it is an anachronism, the “dialing” of
used for shade, either for workers in in Vayikra 23:39: “Mark, on the 15th day phones in Hebrew is called גּוּי ִח, and
a field or for livestock. The shade pro- of the seventh month, when you have an area code is an גּוּי ִח רֹוז ֵא. From the
vided by these booths is the root of the gathered in the yield of your land.” notion of a “circle of people,” we get
word sukkah. “Sukkah” derives from the The root ף ָס ָא means “to gather, to col- the word גּוח, meaning “club” or “class.”
ְ
root ך ַכ ָס, “to cover,” which also provides lect, to assemble.” Other related words
us with the word we use to describe the are ה ָפ ֵס ֲא – “assembly,” ףּו ּ ס ִא – “compila- Z’man Simchateinu
ְ
covering of the sukkah: ך ָכ ְס. This same tion” and ף ֶסֹא – “collection.”
root is the foundation for other words As seen above, Sukkot was the most
involving covering: There is some disagreement over which prominent of the agricultural holidays.
ְ
• ך ָסּומ – In its only occurrence in other roots may be related to ף ָס ָא, and This is due to the end of the harvest
this debate helps us understand the
the Bible (Melachim II 16:18), this original meaning of ף ָס ָא as well. Some season, a time of great joy. That feel-
ׂ
meant a covered portico; today it say it is related to the root ף ָסָי – “to add, ing is reflected in the name ּונ ֵת ָח ְמ ִש ן ַמ ְז,
means “a garage”. increase.” This latter root is found in which appears in our prayers. The
root ַח ֵמ ָׂש is connected to the root ח ַמ ֶצ
ְ
• ך ָס ָמ – Originally a curtain or words related to increasing, such as – “to sprout.” A similar case is found
screen; today it often refers to a ת ֶפ ֶסֹו ּ ת ,ף ָסֹונ ,ף ָסּומ ,ףי ִסֹומ. As one collects in English, in which the word “elated”
computer monitor or the screen and gathers, one’s possessions increase. means both “happy” and “lifted up.”
of a phone. Another meaning of ַח ֵמ ָׂש is “to glow”
Others say ף ָס ָא is related to the root ףֹוס,
ֵ
• ה ָכ ּ ס ַמ – A covering; today it means meaning “to end,” since gathering in which is why it is often found together
“mask” (influenced by the English items (such as the grains from a har- in with the word for light, as in ה ָרֹוא
word). vest), puts them in a closed, limited ה ָח ְמ ִׂש ְו.
area. This is seen in another meaning
Chag HaAsif of ף ָס ָא – “he took away, withdrew.”
David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat,
In the Torah, Sukkot is also referred Both meanings are found in the name and the author of the Balashon blog,
to as “Chag HaAsif” (Shemot 23:16 and given to Yosef by Rachel: “She conceived balashon.com.

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