how to say “boundary” in Hebrew
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The Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world falls smack in the middle of the fifth of Five Books of Moses, סֵפֶר דְּבָרִים (SEH-fehr deh-vah-REEM) – The Book of Deuteronomy, or literally, The Book of Words. ספר דברים and its narrator, Moses, concern themselves primarily with preparing the Children of Israel for entering their land – present-day Israel – and thus a word that pops up over and over in the book, as well as in this week’s portion, is גְּבוּל (gheh-VOOL) – border or boundary.
Despite the word’s masculine gender, it appears feminine in the plural: גְּבוּלוֹת (gheh-voo-LOHT). However, since the word is masculine in the singular form, it behaves like a masculine noun, even in the plural, when described by an adjective. For example:
For instance, the term setting boundaries, in Hebrew, is לְהַצִּיב גְּבוּלוֹת (leh-hah-TSEEV gheh-voo-LOHT).I find it interesting that the root of boundary – ג.ב.ל (g.b.l), is almost identical to that of bravery, manhood and heroism – ג.ב.ר (g.b.r). I am convinced that the two roots share a core concept, since the first two root letters are identical, and since the sounds l and r have a tendency to alternate among languages and sometimes within languages.
If you agree with me on the commonality, how do you understand the connection between ג.ב.ל and ג.ב.ר?
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Shabbat Shalom, and a pleasant weekend to all!
(shah-BAHT shah-LOHM, veh-SOHF shah-VOO-ah nah-EEM leh-khoo-LAHM)
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