Hebrews is a name given in English language to the Semitic people otherwise known as the Jews who follow Judaism as a religious faith. In the Hebrew language, the name used to refer to the group as a whole is Ivrim (plural), (Hebrew: עברים or עבריים, Standard ʿIvrim, ʿIvriyyim Tiberian ʿIḇrîm, ʿIḇriyyîm) or Ivri (singular). In Russia the name is pronounced Yevrei.
Derivation
The name Hebrews is derived from the biblical Patriarch Abraham who is referred to as "Abram the Hebrew" עברי(ʿIḇrî)ה(Ha) "the passer-over"[1], in the Hebrew Bible Genesis 14:13.
| יג וַיָּבֹא, הַפָּלִיט, וַיַּגֵּד, לְאַבְרָם הָעִבְרִי; וְהוּא שֹׁכֵן בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא הָאֱמֹרִי, אֲחִי אֶשְׁכֹּל וַאֲחִי עָנֵר, וְהֵם, בַּעֲלֵי בְרִית-אַבְרָם. |
And there came the fugitive and told Abram, the Ivri, now he dwelt by the terebinths of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; these being Abram's allies.[2] |
Midrashic sources
In the Midrashic commentary to this verse recorded in Genesis Rabba, Rabbi Nehemiah states that Abram was so named because he was a descendent of Eber[3], however the majority of the rabbinic opinion in the Midrashic period was that he was so named because Abram came from the other side of the river, and spoke the language of the people from the other side as is explicitly stated in Joshua 24:3.[4] However, Midrashic literature also suggests in Genesis Rabba LXVIII. 5 that both Abrham and Jacob spent time studying in the school of Shem and Eber, the later for fourteen years[5], so the reference could serve a dual purpose of denoting Abram as a pupil of Eber.
Usage
Hebrews are synonymous with the Israelites, who used the Hebrew language used for writing the Torah (Hebrew Bible) which is the primary cultural textual heritage of the Judaism.
Since the Hellenistic Greece period Hebrews have also been referred to as Jews derived from the contraction of Yehuda (Judea, the area of the Kingdom of Judah.
Hebrews was first extensively used by Josephus, and since 1948 the use of "Hebrews" in English has been largely replaced with either "Jews" in reference to citizens of United Kingdom or Israelis in reference to citizens of Israel.
Hebrew is the primary language used in Jewish holy scriptures and prayer, and since the early 20th century, has undergone a secular revival, to become the primary everyday language of Jews in the State of Israel.
See also
- See also: Israelites, Who is a Jew?, and History of ancient Israel and Judah
Notes
- ^ pp.1038-1040, Jastrow
- ^ p.29, Scherman
- ^ through the genealogical lists of Shem
- ^ p.350, Freedman
- ^ p.618, Freedman
References
- Scherman, Nosson, Tanach, volume I, Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 2001
- Jastrow, Marcus, A dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic literature, with an index of scriptural quotations, The Judaica Press, New York, 1996
- Freedman, H., (trans.), Midrash Rabba: Genesis volume I, The Soncino Press, London, 1983
Recommended reading
External links
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