how to say “authority” in Hebrew
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שְׂרָרָה, סַמְכוּת
The Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world deals with authority, its limitations and its importance.
There are two words used in Modern Hebrew to refer to authority, both of which originate in the Bible.
סַמְכוּת (sahm-KHOOT) is the more common word, of the root ס.מ.כ (s.m.k) meaning placement. This word is related to the word לִסְמוֹךְ (lees-MOHKH), meaning to rely (upon) as well as other familiar words. For example:
רָצוּי שֶׁאָדָם בַּעַל סַמְכוּת יִהְיֶה אָדָם שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לִסְמוֹךְ עָלָיו.
It’s preferable (literally, desired) that a person of a authority be someone that can be relied on.
rah-TSOO-ee sheh-ah-DAHM BAH-ahl sahm-KHOOT yee-heh-YEH ah-DAHM sheh-ef-SHAHR lees-MOHKH ah-LAHV
The other word meaning authority – שְׂרָרָה (seh-rah-RAH) is used in a more general sense, as in the following example:
יֵשׁ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים שֶׁהַשְּׂרָרָה הִיא דָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהִתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנּוּ, אָבָל שֶׁגַּם צָרִיךְ אֹתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם.
There are those that say that authority is something from which one must distance himself, but that it is also needed in the world.
(yesh sheh-ohm-REEM sheh-hah-seh-rah-RAH hee dah-VAHR sheh-tsah-REEKH leh-heet-rah-KHEK mee-MEE-noo, ah-VAHL sheh-GAHM tsah-REEKH oh-TOH bah-oh-LAHM)
The root of שררה is שׂ.ר.ר (s.r.r) meaning rule. It is the root of the name שָׂרָה – Sarah (sah-RAH), and appears prominently in this week’s Torah portion in the Biblical verb לְהִשְׂתָּרֵר – to assume authority in a controlling manner (leh-hees-tah-REHR).
As for the authorities, that’s a different word altogether.
שבת שלום, וסוף שבוע נעים לכולם!
Shabbat Shalom, and a pleasant weekend to all!
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