Updated: 2024.04.16
bᵊ-Mi•dᵊbarꞋ 15.19-21 — Tᵊrum•atꞋ khal•ãhꞋ didn't depend upon the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdãshꞋ hã-Rish•onꞋ nor Mi•zᵊbeiꞋakh. Tᵊrum•atꞋ khal•ãhꞋ, therefore, was not annulled with their destruction and remains valid:
“So it shall be that, when you m.pl. eat the lëkhꞋëm of hã-ãrꞋëtz, you m.pl. shall absolutely offer tᵊrum•ãhꞋ, belonging to י‑‑ה.
First, your m.pl. עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם — it is khal•ãhꞋ. You m.pl. shall absolutely offer tᵊrum•ãhꞋ. Like the tᵊrum•ãhꞋ of the threshing-floor, so you m.pl. shall offer tᵊrum•ãhꞋ with it. From the first, of your m.pl. עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם, shall you m.pl. give to י‑‑ה, a tᵊrum•ãhꞋ — to your m.pl. generations.”
Today, in addition to the better known standards, kã•sheirꞋ bakers — arrogating each person's personal responsibility to carry out the command — take care of tᵊrum•ãhꞋ for all of their baked goods.
Modern antique עֲרִסָה (not מִשְׁאֶרֶת) 47x25x7cm/18.5x9.8x2.8" (photo etsy.com) |
עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם — usually translated "dough". Hebrew ס and שׂ, both an "s" consonant, were frequently interchanged in early texts. Evolution of this term into MH: עֶרֶשׂ (ërꞋës; cradle) and עֲרִיסָה (a•ris•ãhꞋ; cradle or crib) is fact requiring connection. And, simply, a kneading trencher or trough looks like a bassinet or cradle whereas there seems no connection from "dough" to "kneading-trencher" other than dough was kneaded in the trencher/trough — two separate nouns! Millennia before unseen bacteria were known, sanitary standards were very different. Perhaps the utensil, at different times, served both purposes. While leavening bacteria is present in the air, this conjectured etymology would, nevertheless, be a new facet further explaining the widely recognized individuality of each family's leavening. Thus, I would conclude that the more careful definition of עֲרִסָה is the kneading-trough, instantiated 4 times in Ta•na"khꞋ, each describing the first dough produced in one's עֲרִסָה: bᵊ-Mi•dᵊbarꞋ 15.20 & 21; Nᵊkhëm•yãhꞋ 10.38 and Yᵊkhë•zᵊq•eilꞋ 44.30.
מִשְׁאֲרֹתָם — 4 instantiations in Ta•na"khꞋ (Shᵊm•ōtꞋ 7.28; 12.34; Dᵊvãr•imꞋ 28.5 &17) demonstrate that translators are in disagreement and disarray, confusing this term variously as "their kneading-trough", "their dough" and "their store." שׁ and שׂ were sometimes confused in early texts — which were unpointed (i.e. ש v identical ש). מִשְׁאֶרֶת is derived from שְׂאׂר (5 instantiations in Ta•na"khꞋ: Shᵊm•ōtꞋ 12.15, 19; 13.7; wa-Yi•qᵊr•ãꞋ 2.11; Dᵊvãr•imꞋ 16.4; modern spelling שְׂאוֹר). The Hebrew term for "kneading-trough" is עֲרִסָה. A priori, מִשְׁאֶרֶת is a sealed jar, or even a cloth pouch or sack, of dried sourdough stock — which could be צְרֻרֹת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָם — packed/wrapped, folded in one's clothes (Shᵊm•ōtꞋ 12.34).
Thusly, the terms fit together properly: ancient Israelis took שְׂאׂר from their מִשְׁאֶרֶת, kneaded it into their בָּצֵק in their עֲרִסָה, producing חָמֵץ, which they then baked to produce their לֶחֶם חָמֵץ.
Pay it forward (Quote & Cite):
Yirmeyahu Ben-David. Terumah (2024.04.16). Netzarim Jews Worldwide (Ra'anana, Israel). https://www.netzarim.co.il/ (Accessed: MM DD, YYYY). |