A pause. A Sabbath pause.
First, a comment that there has been a new addition at the second half of Appendix 3, the discussion of the Hebrew word לפני, which is pretty short, and I encourage you to read. It is pertinent to the times in which we are now living.
Next, a reminder about PaRDeS for recent readers. There are probably more than four, but at least these four recognized levels of understanding of Scripture, in Jewish and in Christian methods of interpretation. This was discussed early on the site, in Post 12. Levels of Meaning.
The figure above is pretty self explanatory, but I will expand in a few areas. First the word exegesis means “lifting out” of Scripture. This is as opposed to eisegesis, which is “reading into” Scripture (see Post 04. Interpretation Overview). What we all have to be careful not to do is to read into Scripture. This is why it is important to remember these levels.
Mostly what I have been doing in recent entries is what is called midrash, which is a message or a sermon. That is the Hebrew word מדרש, which is
p.299 -מ that which emanates “from” an object or person, plus the d’rash:
p.53 דרש seek thoroughly. This is the same thing that your pastor, preacher, rabbi, leader does, trying to illustrate through a teaching. When a point is raised here, I generally tell you to “consider” another way of looking at it. The PaRDeS level are supposed to be interactive with one another, though some of the interpretations (as we have discussed especially recently) do get colored by בארץ, the situation, tradition, or times in which we find ourselves living. I will not say some of my interpretations do not contradict some prior interpretations or translations, just as what Hollis Green wrote in Appendix 4. However, I hope that when I truly contradict a translation I give you a clear reasoning behind it, and you are left to consider for yourself.
Very rarely, if at all, have I dipped into the sod (sohd) or hidden meaning. That is more into Kabbalah, and I’m not yet learned enough to go there. What I want to be certain to cover here, if I have not included it before on the website, is whence I am getting my teaching, so you are clear on that. My recent entries/teaching are based on this book, which I know I have told you previously:
This book is what I would call a book of Remez, of hints. It lists only Hebrew roots (verbs), with definitions, and gives verses where related words are listed (such as nouns and adjectives derived from the roots), and gives some verses that connect thematically, to give a sense of how the Hebrew scholars understand the word. These are the hints or Remez, and are very helpful. The word Remez רמז, does not itself occur in the Hebrew Scriptures, but a phonetic cognate, רמשׂ, does. The root רמשׂ (p.245) means “tread softly,” which gives you a clue to how the hints are to be used, and is itself an example. Sound-alike roots have similar meaning, and are the basis of the entire phonetic cognate system that Hirsch uses, shared by Clark. If you catch the thought here, Scripture has many, many subtle interconnections. One cannot catch them by stomping through the forest or even taking a jog through the forest. One must tread softly in order to catch meanings, in order not to crush the wildflowers or small wildlife, and in order not to scare off some larger wildlife which you might have been hoping to see. One must tread softly, slowly, barefoot or with soft-soled moccasins. These days, some folks call it “forest bathing.”
The Etymological Dictionary is the tour guide. And I think I’ve said here before, but want to clarify, that I do not read the Talmud, the Targums, the Mishnah, etc. purposely because I want what I write to reflect what Scripture says, not the thought processes of the wise ones/sages who have written those writings. However, note that some of these hints are based upon connections that those very sages have discovered. To carry the analogy of the forest a few steps farther, you want your tour guide to be experienced, to be able to point out some amazing things that you would never pick up on your own. I have experienced just this before, with a nephew who has gone home (God rest his soul) who helped us appreciate the National Park we were visiting far more than ever would have been possible without some hints that led to our own discoveries. On later visits, one knew where to peek, what signs to look for.
It seemed to this writer that wise ones who really knew the Hebrew language and its subtleties should be the guide. But since I had already been to the forest many times, I appreciated the hints of what else to look for, without being shown. Most of the learning is actually in the self-discovery, with a few hints along the way. It is a scavenger hunt, a treasure hunt, a one-verse parable you may have read.
So, that is the disclaimer. I focus on the written word, nothing relating to the Oral Torah. But I am definitely influenced by the sages and the way they approach Scripture, treading softly. It sensitizes the reader to be more thoughtful in their own reading.
All of this said, I would like to share a recent discovery for me. Undoubtedly this is written about somewhere in the Jewish writings. I am claiming to be no Lewis and Clark. I am hoping to be one witness coming from a certain direction, that may add to the knowledge base. There is a great feeding frenzy right now about the Dead Sea Scrolls. Always, it seems, there have been people searching to understand the Word given by God. Certainly at times, it waxes and wanes. In times of major change, upheavals, and new discoveries, the intensity increases. The approach here is simply to go back to the roots and tie it to what the current science and technology are showing us.
We spoke in the last entry of בארץ. We spoke of “in the land” referring to the land to which the LORD (יהוה) was taking Israel after its rebirth as a nation at Passover/Pesach. And we spoke of the phrase בארץ מצרים where they were “in the land of Egypt” before that rebirth (“How can one be born again?”). Some recent reading I was doing in the book of the prophet Jeremiah, relating to Israel’s exile to Babylon (בבל) led me to ponder whether בארץבבל was in Scripture. We are blessed these days to have electronics (both a blessing and a curse!) to help us with such things. בארץ and בבל occur in the same verse with one another thirteen times in Hebrew Scripture. I will share the occurrences with you so you may visualize, since the verses are few in number. I will not put English translations here, for brevity’s sake, but please look up in English any that pique your interest. These are from the BHS.
Genesis 10:10 וַתְּהִ֨י רֵאשִׁ֤ית מַמְלַכְתּוֹ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֶ֖רֶךְ וְאַכַּ֣ד וְכַלְנֵ֑ה בְּאֶ֖רֶץ שִׁנְעָֽר׃
2 Kings 25:21 וַיַּ֣ךְ אֹתָם֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֧ל וַיְמִיתֵ֛ם בְּרִבְלָ֖ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיִּ֥גֶל יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֹֽו׃
2 Kings 25:22 וְהָעָ֗ם הַנִּשְׁאָר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִשְׁאִ֔יר נְבֽוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וַיַּפְקֵ֣ד עֲלֵיהֶ֔םאֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֥ם בֶּן־שָׁפָֽן׃ פ
2 Kings 25:24 וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֤ם גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵעַבְדֵ֣י הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים שְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץוְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃ ס
Jeremiah 37:1 וַיִּ֨מְלָךְ־מֶ֔לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ בֶּן־יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ תַּ֗חַת כָּנְיָ֨הוּ֙ בֶּן־יְהֹ֣ויָקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִמְלִ֛יךְ נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה׃
Jeremiah 39:5 וַיִּרְדְּפ֨וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּ֜ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיַּשִּׂ֣גוּ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּהוּ֮ בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ות יְרֵחוֹ֒ וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֹתֹ֗ו וַֽ֠יַּעֲלֻהוּאֶל־נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֧ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל רִבְלָ֖תָה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו מִשְׁפָּטִֽים׃
Jeremiah 40:7 וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ כָל־שָׂרֵ֨י הַחֲיָלִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה הֵ֚מָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־הִפְקִ֧יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֥הוּבֶן־אֲחִיקָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכִ֣י ׀ הִפְקִ֣יד אִתֹּ֗ו אֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ וָטָ֔ף וּמִדַּלַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־הָגְל֖וּ בָּבֶֽלָה׃
Jeremiah 40:9 וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֜ם גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָ֤ם בֶּן־שָׁפָן֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵעֲבֹ֣וד הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑יםשְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץ וְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִיטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃
Jeremiah 41:2 וַיָּקָם֩ יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֜ה וַעֲשֶׂ֥רֶת הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים ׀ אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ אִתֹּ֗ו וַ֠יַּכּוּ אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָ֧םבֶּן־שָׁפָ֛ן בַּחֶ֖רֶב וַיָּ֣מֶת אֹתֹ֑ו אֲשֶׁר־הִפְקִ֥יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
Jeremiah 41:18 מִפְּנֵי֙ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים כִּ֥י יָרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־הִכָּ֞ה יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֗ה אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ֙ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֔םאֲשֶׁר־הִפְקִ֥יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ ס
Jeremiah 52:9 וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֨וּ אֹתֹ֜ו אֶל־מֶ֧לֶךְ בָּבֶ֛ל רִבְלָ֖תָה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו מִשְׁפָּטִֽים׃
Jeremiah 52:27 וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אוֹתָם֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֧ל וַיְמִתֵ֛ם בְּרִבְלָ֖ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיִּ֥גֶל יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֹֽו׃
2 Chronicles 32:31 וְכֵ֞ן בִּמְלִיצֵ֣י ׀ שָׂרֵ֣י בָּבֶ֗ל הַֽמְשַׁלְּחִ֤ים עָלָיו֙ לִדְרֹ֗שׁ הַמּוֹפֵת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ עֲזָבֹ֖והָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים לְנַ֨סּוֹתֹ֔ו לָדַ֖עַת כָּל־בִּלְבָבֹֽו׃
Anything make you want to look it up?
First, some off-the-cuff remarks: the three appearances in 2 Kings in rapid succession would make me want to look further; the appearances of בבל בארץ rather than בארץ בבל would suggest to me a need for “discovery.” Recall, Scripture has many, many layers of subtlety, densely packed in its intricately interwoven tapestry. It is up to us to mentally unravel the threads to the many connections. We must keep our eyes and ears open for discovery.
Personal interpretation here, which you may accept or reject. In light of our discussion in the previous entry and my seeing no occurrence of the phrase בארץ בבל as such, there is a significant message here, and in particular, one which is very pertinent to life at all times, but especially here and now. Please follow, as I hope to do it justice. It is consistent, I believe, in the entire fabric of Scripture and consistent in the fabric of life.
First, let’s look at the בבל בארץ verses:
Jeremiah 37:1 Now King Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
Jeremiah 41:2 Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, arose and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
Jeremiah 41:17-18 And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, as they went on their way to Egypt, 18 because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.
Notice all three are preceded by מלך, variously translated as king or governor, but all are referencing rulers from outside coming to “the land,” in the land of Israel or Judah.
Then let’s review the Second Kings rapid succession of verses. I am including some context so it will make more sense, and then we will move to what Jeremiah has written about the time of exile. I urge you to think in a manner as you read this, not of literal murders and international intrigue, but of what is happening here and now in our lives, as Scripture is intended for all times. These days more often than actual murder, we see character assassination.
2 Kings 25:1-26 – (The Fall and Captivity of Judah)
1 Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. 2 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 4 Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. And the king went by way of the plain. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. 6 So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him. 7 Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon.
8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He burned the house of the LORD and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.
11 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers. 13 The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried their bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered. 15 The firepans and the basins, the things of solid gold and solid silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16 The two pillars, one Sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. 17 The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits, and the network and pomegranates all around the capital were all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with a network.
18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 19 He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. 20 So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 Then the king of Babylonstruck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.
Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah
22 Then he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left. 23 Now when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Careah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 24 And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.”
25 But it happened in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck and killed Gedaliah, the Jews, as well as the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 And all the people, small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
We will not investigate every name/place in this context, but three will help us:
Gedaliah – Strongs h1436. גְּדַלְיָה g̱eḏalyâ; or (prolonged) גְּדַלְיָהוּ Gdalyahuw; from h1431. גָּדַל g̱âḏal and h3050. יָהּ yâh; Jah has become great
p.36 גדל increase; expand;; CM גדל extend/retard (C11)
+
יה
We spoke about the other way to look at יה when we were recently talking about Hallelu Yah!
GV p.57 ההה express [pain]; p.57 הוה exist [bring into being]; p.57 הוא be [exist]; p.58 היהbe; p.101 יהה exert power
DV p.57 ההה cry in pain [express pain] > p.4 אהה express pain ••• also
¿ GV p.150 נהה pain; p.151 נוה dwell [restfully and peacefully] ?
CM ההה and אהה express deep emotion (A20); הוה and הוא hide/reveal (A3); היה isolate (A32); יהה increase/reduce (C15); נהה impact physically/emotionally (D76)
Riblah – Strongs h7247. רִבְלָה riḇlâ; from an unused root meaning to be fruitful
GV p.237 רבב increase [to large quantities]; p.238 רבה multiply: p.237 רבא multiply [increase]; p.240 רוב fight; p.110 ירב contest [strive against]
DV ארב – p.237 רבב increase [to large quantities]; p.240 רוב fight > p.16 ארב restrain urge to penetrate
DV רהב – p.237 רבב increase [to large quantities]; p.238 רבה multiply: p.237 רבא multiply [increase] > p.240 רהב embolden; increase power
CM רבב intensify (E67); רבה and רבא increase/decrease (E66); רוב impact positively/negatively (E83); ירב limit activity (C40); ארב facilitate/restrain penetration (A49); רהב expand/contract activity (E80)
+
GV p.128 להה weaken [incrementally]; p.129 לוה connect [join for mutual benefit]; ¿ p.157 נלה finish ?
DV לאה – p.128 להה weaken [incrementally] > p.127 לאה give up; tire
¿ DV אלה – p.128 להה weaken [incrementally]; p.129 לוה connect [join for mutual benefit] > p.10 אלה master [combine elements for control] ?
¿ DV הלה – p.128 להה weaken [incrementally] > p.59 הלה fault ?
CM להה move slowly/quickly (D51); לוה ignite emotion/interest (D46); (נלה none listed); לאה retain/lose power (D42); אלה and הלה develop/decline (A33)
[[ By the way, אלה is the root for the word God. A reminder, the ¿ ? are there simply because the listing is not there in EDBH, not because there is doubt about the relationship of these roots. Roots appear easily to fit in multiple families. Again, this is all based upon the consonants individually having meaning. ]]
Hamath – Strongs h2574. חֲמָת ḥămâṯ; from the same as h2346. חוֹמָה ḥômâ
p.82 חמה protect
GV p.82 חמם glow [project extreme heat]; p.82 חמה protect; p.82 חמא churn [into smooth substance]; p.76 חום darken [blacken]; p.103 יחם warm; ¿ p.154 נחם change attitudes ?
CM חמם develop by agitation (A40); חמה and חמא protect/disturb (A38); חום limit (A22); נחם express restrained feeling (D58); (יחם – no cognates listed, but there is one phonetic cognate, p.223 קאם rise – Hosea 10:14, which BDB lists with eight occurrences of קם as a form of קום)
[[ p.223 קאם rise
DV קאם – p.229 קמם stand erect; p.226 קום rise > p.223 קאם rise
CM קמם to perfect (C52); קום establish (C45); קאמ no listed cognates, but see יחם, p.103 יחם warm••• a common theme might be: rising of repressed feelings)
p.103 יחם warm Gn30:39 Being sexually excited; Ps51:7 Nursing; warming
||
p.223 קאם rise Hs.10:14 Rising ]]
Isaiah 65:17-24 – (New Heavens and a New Earth)
17 “For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
20 No more shall there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days,
for the young man shall die a hundred years old,
and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain
or bear children for calamity,
for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD,
and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
My interpretation of what Gedaliah told the people is to go to Babylon, בבל, from בלל and be there, serve the peoples there as need be, but to remain themselves בארץ, meaning in the land which God has led them to. They are to maintain his teachings and not resist, just build their own strength/power. They should learn from the circumstances there, but keep God’s perspective. They are not to learn their ways, as they tended to do in Egypt, but remember their rebirth as a nation. A great example, giving a similar picture, is that of the Jewish people in the Book of Esther. They are accused by Haman of not following the laws of the King, but their own laws. And by Haman’s deception, the King orders the Jewish people to be done away with. It is Mordecai and Esther who are able to preserve the people and their laws and customs in the land ruled over by Ahasuerus.
h0325. אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ ’ăḥašwêrôš; or (shortened) אַחַשְׁרשׁ ’Achashrosh; (Esth. 10:1)
And though Strongs says this is a name of Persian origin, perhaps one might consider אח + שרש, which would give us:
p.7 אחה unity; bring together
DV אחה – p.75 חוה protect > p.7 אחה unity; bring together
GV p.79 חיי encircle [quickly; move actively due to inner drive]; p.79 חיה live [by virtue of God’s thoughts]; ¿ p.75 חוה protect ?
CM חיי encompass (A59); חיה isolate (A32); חוה hide/reveal (A3); אחה express deep emotion (A20).
+
p.271 שרש connect elements
CM שאש move energetically (E32)
Simply consider a few points. And feel free to reject them as not pertinent. First, make sure you have read all of the short book of Esther and see how it is a time of the bringing together of the Jewish people with the people in the kingdom of Persia under Ahasuerus. Consider how both אח and שרש have to do with connecting/bringing together. Consider also that this bringing together is the opposite of what happened in בבל, Babel/Babylon, in Genesis 11:1-9, where all were of one language, and the language was confused and the people scattered. Finally, just consider that this שרש, connect elements, is the root of our word שורש “root,” the roots of the Hebrew language that we have been discussing in our tree analogy, and in reality, the roots of the words in Hebrew. Perhaps one more small step toward bringing back together that which was scattered long ago. I have no answers, but am only here to pose questions.
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