David Kolinsky suggests that " /aDaM comes from the verb DMH "to think" so Adam - /aDaM = 'the thinker' (a fitting name for human being - don't you think?)"
While "the thinker" might be a fitting appellation for a human being, the Anchor Bible Dictionary discussion of the etymology focuses on roots that have to do with redness, and from there to the (red fertile?) earth - )DMH - from which the adam is created. (In Genesis )DM is merely a noun, with the possible exception of Gen. 3:17. The first human is always referred to as H)ADM - "the adam"; the occurrence in 3:17 is L)DM; the Masoretic vowelization of the intial lamed is a shwa, giving "to Adam", but vowelizing with a patakh would give "to the adam", consonant with the other occurrences.) Lewis Reich -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Kolinsky Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 2:02 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [b-hebrew] Wild-ass of a man Dear List, Eventhough, the explanation for the name Yishmael is "because haShem heard your affliction," metaphorically it means "One who is attentive to G-d." He is described as PeRe/ /aDaM. (/= aleph) The word PeRe/ is related to words that mean "to scatter." Such as the hitpael PRR "to crumble away"(Is24:19); the piel of PRPR "to throw about / all around" (Jb16:12); and PRY = fruit (literally = what is scattered about). PaRa/ means "a wild ass-donkey." It is related to the hiphil of this root "to go wild, behave wildly' in (Hosea13:15). /aDaM comes from the verb DMH "to think" so Adam - /aDaM = "the thinker" (a fitting name for human being - don't you think?) A person who is "attentive to G-d" and the many things that G-d brings forth in life must be a thinker whose attention is scattered in all directions, a PeRe/ /aDaM, and as a consequence of being attentive to so many of the things being brought forth by G-d, "his hand will be upon everything and the hand = power = influence of everything will be upon him." Compare this to Job 11:12 : "And a hallow man (/eeSh) shall become wise, when of a colt of a wild-ass, a man (/aDaM) shall be born." The word for colt (\aYeeR) (\ = ayin) is related to \eeYR (city), and Ya\aR (forest) - all of which literally mean "something that is stirred up" related to the verb \WR "to stir up or awaken." In other words, a hallow man shall become wise, when a wildly scattered person is stirred and awakened, thus producing :"a thinking man." Yishmael is a person who has thus achieved Job11:12 because he is attentive to G-d. Thanks for your time, David Kolinsky Monterey, CA _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
