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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Dear Fritz:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>There is a lot what is possible to tell
about blessing/benediction the meaning and etymology.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I will limit myself to a short etymological
note on berakhah (Heb.) / barakah (Arab). Etymologically <span class=GramE>its</span>
coming from Heb. berekh – pl. Birkayim (knees) / Arab. <span class=GramE>bark</span>
- buruuk<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The meaning ‘blessing’ in
Semitic people <span class=GramE>were</span> born in matriarchal society. One
woman<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=GramE><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>had</span></font></span><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'> many husbands. In order to be blessed one has to have mother and
father. When woman gave birth, the new born was coming from 9 month prison to
the knees of his father. In this case<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=GramE><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>he</span></font></span><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'> was barukh / mabruuk or mubarrak (blessed, benedictus), in the
opposite case (i.e. if there was no father who would recognize the baby as his
offspring) the baby was not blessed [which made him equal to modern society ‘bastard’
or ‘illegitimate child’ or ‘out of wedlock”] .<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This custom was preserved for long time in
a Bedouin society. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>In the Roman society and its modern
Western successors ‘benedictio’ always included an element of
extolling, praising, lauding in relation to God; divine symbol, e.g. cross (see
benedictio crucis), or blessing given by an authoritative person to member(s)
of congregation,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=GramE><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>community</span></font></span><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>. This also was derived from the Jewish Biblical society (you
remember “Blessed be you, our Lord” or “Laudetur Jesus
Christus), where existed custom of<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>‘<span class=GramE>birkat</span>
ha-kohanim’ [The priests in the temple raised both hands and positioned
their fingers in particular order what symbolized their blessing to the
congregants. It is possible to see the picture of this blessing in many
synagogues and in <span class=GramE>Jewishly</span> oriented art. The book
symbol of one of the most famous Hebrew printers from Amsterdam Solomon Proops who
acted in 17<sup>th</sup> century consists of such priestly blessing.] <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>Best wishes,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>Hayim Y. Sheynin<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=3
color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy;
mso-no-proof:yes'>Gratz</span></font></st1:PlaceName><font color=navy><span
style='color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">College</st1:PlaceType></span></font></st1:place><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
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face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com</st1:PersonName> [mailto:<st1:PersonName
w:st="on">lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com</st1:PersonName>] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Fritz Goerling<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, September 19, 2005
7:21 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">lexicographylist@yahoogroups.com</st1:PersonName><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Lexicog] Blessing,
benediction in English and other languages</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>
</span></font>Romance languages usually have one word for
"blessing", viz.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>b<font
color=black><span style='color:black'>é</span></font>n<font color=black><span
style='color:black'>é</span></font>diction (French), bendici<font color=black><span
style='color:black'>ó</span></font>n (Spanish), etc.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>English
has "blessing" and "benediction", although they are<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>not the
same, in register and use. How do they differ for<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>anglophones?
Is the Germanic word "bless(ing)" the heart/soul word,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>while the
word of Romance origin is more formal</span></font><font color=blue face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>, </span></font>to mention<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>just one
difference (like "love" as the heart word in English<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>vs.
"affection")?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>It
might </span></font><font color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-family:
Arial;color:blue'> </span></font><font color=black><span style='color:
black'>also </span></font>be helpful to think of the Latin origin "bene-<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>dicere"
(say/talk/speak well; praise) (also in Greek: eu-logeo) <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>when we
talk and think about what is involved in "bless(ing)."</span></font><font
color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:blue'>How do other languages express the idea of
"bless(ing)",</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:blue'>like through the semitic root BRK (Hebrew and Arabic),</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:blue'>German and Dutch (segnen-zegen). What meanings are </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:blue'>attached to these words (like ideas of empowerment</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:blue'>or enrichment)?</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:blue'>Fritz Goerling</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</blockquote>
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