Hebrew edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Found also in other Semitic languages: Galilean Aramaic חוּרְשָׁא (ḥuršā), Arabic حُرْش (ḥurš). From uses of the word in the Bible, it appears to be related to Semitic words relating to mountains: Ugaritic 𐎃𐎗𐎌𐎐 (ḫršn), Akkadian 𒄯𒊕 (ḫuršānu). Also probably related to Ge'ez ሐሪሥ, ሐሪስ (ḥäriś, ḥäris, rhinoceros) (the source of Arabic حَرِيش (ḥarīš, rhinoceros) and some Cushitic words for the rhinoceros) since this is also called in Ge'ez አርዌ፡ ሐሪሥ, አርዌ፡ ሐሪስ (ʾärwe ḥäriś, ʾärwe ḥäris) which would be “beast of the mountains”; regard the distribution of this animal and juxtapose Ge'ez አርዌ፡ ምድር (ʾärwe- mədr, snake, literally beast of the ground); Tigre ሐሪሥ, አውራሪሥ (ḥäriś, ʾäwrariś, rhinoceros), Tigrinya ሐሪሥ, አውራሪሥ (ḥäriś, ʾäwrariś, rhinoceros), Amharic ሐሪስ, አውራሪስ (ḥäris, ʾäwraris, rhinoceros) and Ge'ez አውራርስ, አውራሐርስ, አውራሪስ (äwrarəs, ʾäwraḥärs, ʾäwraris, rhinoceros).

Noun edit

 

חורש / חֹרֶשׁ (ḥóreshm (plural indefinite חורשים / חֳרָשִׁים) [pattern: קֹטֶל]

  1. a grove, a wood, a thicket: an area with many trees
    • "ושוב אחים השלח ביד", עממי:
      מִמְּרוֹם הַקַּסְטֵל עַד חוֹרֶשׁ בַּאב אֲל־וַאד.
      mi-mróm ha-Kástel ad ḥoresh Bab al-Wad
      from the height of the Castel to the forest of Bab al-Wad
    • "יעקב השומר", מרדכי זאב פיארברג:
      רוּחַ קַל מְנַשֵּׁב עַל פְּנֵי שִׁכְבַת הָעֵשֶׂב אֲשֶׁר הוּא רוֹעֶה שָׁם, וּמִשָּׁם יַעֲבֹר חִישׁ קַל, וִינַעְנֵעַ בַּלָאט אֶת עֲלֵי עֲצֵי הַחוֹרֶשׁ הַקָּרוֹב
      Rúaḥ kal m'nashév al p'nei shikhvát ha-ésev asher hu ro'éh sham, u-mi-sham ya'avor ḥish kal, v-ina'né'a balát et aléi atséi haḥoresh ha-karov.
      A light blows over the layer of grass where it is grazing, and from there it will pass quickly, gently rustling the leaves of the trees of the nearby grove.
    • Tanach, Hosea 31:3, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
      הִנֵּה אַשּׁוּר אֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יְפֵה עָנָף וְחֹרֶשׁ מֵצַל
      Hinéh Ashur erez ba-Lvanon y'feh anaf v-ḥoresh matsal
      Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon, with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud
    • Tanach, Isaiah 17:9, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
      בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיוּ עָרֵי מָעֻזּוֹ כַּעֲזוּבַת הַחֹרֶשׁ וְהָאָמִיר אֲשֶׁר עָזְבוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיְתָה שְׁמָמָה
      Ba-yom ha-hu yih'hú 'arei ma'uzó ka'azuvát ha-ḥoresh v-ha-amir asher 'azvu mipnei b'nei Yisrael v'hayta sh'mama.
      In that day shall his strong cities be as the forsaken places, which were forsaken from before the children of Israel, after the manner of woods and lofty forests; and it shall be a desolation.
    • Tanach, 2 Chronicles 27:4, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
      וְעָרִים בָּנָה בְּהַר יְהוּדָה וּבֶחֳרָשִׁים בָּנָה בִּירָנִיּוֹת וּמִגְדָּלִים
      V-arím banáh b-har Y'hudáh u-va-ḥorashím banáh biraniyót u-migdalim.
      Moreover he built cities in the hill-country of Judah, and in the forest he built castles and towers.
    • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud, Bava Kamma 80a:
      אָמַר ר' יִשְׁמָעֵאל: מִבַּעֲלֵי בָּתִּים שֶׁבַּגָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן הָיוּ בֵּית אַבָּא, וּמִפְּנֵי מָה חָרְבוּ? שֶׁהָיוּ מַרְעִין בַּחוֹרְשִׁין, וְדָנִין דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת בְּיָחִיד, ואע"פ שֶׁהָיוּ לָהֶם חוֹרְשִׁים סָמוּךְ לְבָתֵּיהֶם, שָׂדֶה קְטַנָּה הָיְתָה וּמַעֲבִירִין דֶּרֶךְ עָלֶיהָ.
      Amár R. Yishma'él: Mi-ba'aléi batím she-ba-Galíl ha-élyon hayú beit abba, u-mipnéi mah ḥarvú? She-hayú mar'ín baḥorshín, v'danín dinéi mamonót b-yaḥid, v-af al pi sh-hayú lahém ḥorshím samúkh l-vateihém, sadéh k'tanáh haytáh u-ma'avirín dérekh aleha.
      Said Rabbi Yishmael: My father's family was among the wealthy property owners in the upper Galilee. And why were they destroyed? They would graze in the forests, and judge monetary law with one person. And even though there were forests close to their homes, there was a small field and they would pass a path through it.
    • Yalkut Shimoni, parashat Balak, hint 9:
      מָה אֶרֶז זֶה עוֹלֶה בַּחוֹרְשִׁים וְהוּא עָשׂוּי הֶפְקֵר לְכָל אָדָם?
      Mah érez 'oléh ba-ḥorshím v-hu 'asúy hefkér l'khol adam?
      What is this cedar rising in the forests, and made of the refuse of all mankind?

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