XOMAH חוֹמָה 'wall', Lev. 25:29

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Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

XOMAH חוֹמָה 'wall', Lev. 25:29

Post by Isaac Fried »

The word חוֹמָה XOMAH, 'wall' we have just encountered in Lev. 25:29 is an apt remainder that Hebrew words are mostly linked "vertically" via a shared root, and not "horizontally" by related meaning. To wit: XOMAH has absolutely nothing in common with neither חוֹם XOM, 'warmth', nor with חם XAM, 'father-in-law'.

XOMAH is from the root חם of the family of roots
גם, הם, חם, כם, קם
of which we have:

From GM
גם GAM, 'also'; אגם AGAM, 'lake, pond', as in Ex.7:19; גֹמֶא GOME (and אגמוֹן AGMON), 'bulrushes'; גמא, גמע GAMA, 'gulp', as in Gen. 24:17; גוּמָה GUMAH (post biblical), 'dimple'; עגם AGAM, 'grieve', as in Job 30:25, and related to the post biblical עקם AQAM, 'bend'.

From HM
המה HAMAH, 'collect, pile', as in Jer. 5:22; המוֹן HAMON, 'multitude, crowd, jostling mass', as in Isaiah 5:14; המם HAMAM, 'pile'.

From XM
חָם XAM, 'father in law'; חוֹם XOM, 'heat'; חוּם XUM, 'brown?'; חוֹמָה XOMAH, 'wall'; חֶמאָה XEMAH, butter, solidified milk fat'.

From KM
כמוֹן KAMON, 'cumin'; כמה KAMAH, 'yearn, long'; כימה KIYMAH, 'accumulation of stars', as in Amos 5:8.

From QM
קוּם QUM, 'stand up, erect'; קמה QAMAH, 'grown corn'; עקם AQAM (post biblical), 'bend'.

Hence, חוֹמה XOMAH is קוֹמה QOMAH, 'a tall and thick structure of arranged blocks built to form a strong enclosing fence or barrier'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: XOMAH חוֹמָה 'wall', Lev. 25:29

Post by Isaac Fried »

So what is חוֹם XOM, 'heat'? It is the extraneous thing that קם QAM, 'rises, cumulates', and הוֹמֶה HOMEH, 'bustling', in the invigorated body.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: XOMAH חוֹמָה 'wall', Lev. 25:29

Post by Isaac Fried »

Avichai,

How did you come to the conclusion that the Hebrew root חמי, חמה indicates "vision", by reasoning that a חומה is inescapably visible?

שוּר, related to טוּר, may mean 'series, chain, order, succession', as does the שוּרה $URAH of Job 24:11. שיר, 'song', is also a series, or string, of words. שוּרוּ, 'look!' (as in the song שוּרוּ הביטוּ וּראוּ), may just mean, as we say it today, הישירוּ מבט, 'look straight ahead'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
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