Both Arabic and Hebrew are central Semitic languages, with Arabic most likely originating in the interior of southern Levant (around modern-day Jordan), before gradually expanding southward into the Arabian peninsula. According to Bayesian phylogenetic analysis, Arabic and Hebrew split from a common language around ~2500BC.
The Nabataeans were essentially the remnant Arabs still living in their original homeland.
Ironically, you could say the early Islamic Arabians who conquered the Levant were simply making aliyah back to their homeland...
Not knowing mishna like the epikors I am, I didn't know of the mishnaic context of ספרא וסייפא. I was led to believe that it was a phrase used by haskalists to signify they could pursue book learning but also fence like all the cool kids in 19th c. universities.
It probably was something like that. Hard to know if the coiner took the words because it sounded cool or because he wanted to make a subtle dig against rabbinic Judaism, and I suppose that once the term was coined it didn't make much difference.
In mine opinion, the criticism from Yehoshua is valid. You are like contemporary version of Ahad Haam, with plenty of criticism towards anything you find distasteful but no actual vision for an alternative that is practical or scalable. I welcome you to become a man in the arena and produce a vision for Israel and religious zionism that would be better than the current incarnation.
He's probably the least influential of the major Zionist thinkers. In addition, his alternative vision of Eretz Yiseal serving as some kind of secular Jewish cultural center was gay and pointless. It's probably the thing that he was most wrong about.
Excellent analysis, the IBS comparison made me chuckle. I'm curios what your full translation of 'ספרא וסייפא במלחמה על הארץ' reveals about the author's underlying logic?
Closer to home, Baruch defines the state of Israel as the main enemy waging covert war against the Jewish people (https://substack.com/@postkahanism/p-63420669) and the post you linked to by your former iteration says that it is basically heresy to think that "State of Israel represents a fulfillment of Judaism in any respect."
At what point would you say that this hilltop/kahanist group and Religious Zionism are completely different things?
It's like the relationship between Nazis and German nationalism more broadly. They posture about rebelling agains the state, but all their tactics are predicated on knowing that the state has their back, which is why they have expanded their activities in line with increasing support from the state.
Principled anti-[whatever you want to call it] Religious Zionism is Alon Shevut, half of Tekoa and various people who aren't Religious Zionists at all, but identify as such because there is no Modern Orthodoxy in Israel institutionally speaking.
I can write competently in Israeli, but not stylishly and certainly I don't think I could pull off certain rhetorical allusions (maybe I don't pull them off in English either, hard to tell). Another reason is that if I actually did pick up a substantial sabra audience I would have to start taking the anonymity thing a lot more seriously or start toning things way down.
I'd short your pessimism
Interestingly the word סייף is shared with Arabic سيف but with سين/שין
Need to learn to read Arabic. I feel like such an imbecile.
Both Arabic and Hebrew are central Semitic languages, with Arabic most likely originating in the interior of southern Levant (around modern-day Jordan), before gradually expanding southward into the Arabian peninsula. According to Bayesian phylogenetic analysis, Arabic and Hebrew split from a common language around ~2500BC.
The Nabataeans were essentially the remnant Arabs still living in their original homeland.
Ironically, you could say the early Islamic Arabians who conquered the Levant were simply making aliyah back to their homeland...
Well, of course. They don't have a samekh.
lol, i was trying to think up of an answer, thats most probably the simplest.
Not knowing mishna like the epikors I am, I didn't know of the mishnaic context of ספרא וסייפא. I was led to believe that it was a phrase used by haskalists to signify they could pursue book learning but also fence like all the cool kids in 19th c. universities.
It probably was something like that. Hard to know if the coiner took the words because it sounded cool or because he wanted to make a subtle dig against rabbinic Judaism, and I suppose that once the term was coined it didn't make much difference.
In mine opinion, the criticism from Yehoshua is valid. You are like contemporary version of Ahad Haam, with plenty of criticism towards anything you find distasteful but no actual vision for an alternative that is practical or scalable. I welcome you to become a man in the arena and produce a vision for Israel and religious zionism that would be better than the current incarnation.
But Ahad Haam was cool and right about everything!
He's probably the least influential of the major Zionist thinkers. In addition, his alternative vision of Eretz Yiseal serving as some kind of secular Jewish cultural center was gay and pointless. It's probably the thing that he was most wrong about.
Excellent analysis, the IBS comparison made me chuckle. I'm curios what your full translation of 'ספרא וסייפא במלחמה על הארץ' reveals about the author's underlying logic?
In the spirit of nitpicking, does it really make sense to hold up Elisha Yered and friends as your go-to examples of Religious Zionism?
These guys have been for decades singing about מדינת הציונים מתפוררת (https://youtu.be/dtBt8ALqCzM?t=119) and writing pamphlets planning literal rebellions against the state of Israel (https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4687158,00.html).
Closer to home, Baruch defines the state of Israel as the main enemy waging covert war against the Jewish people (https://substack.com/@postkahanism/p-63420669) and the post you linked to by your former iteration says that it is basically heresy to think that "State of Israel represents a fulfillment of Judaism in any respect."
At what point would you say that this hilltop/kahanist group and Religious Zionism are completely different things?
It's like the relationship between Nazis and German nationalism more broadly. They posture about rebelling agains the state, but all their tactics are predicated on knowing that the state has their back, which is why they have expanded their activities in line with increasing support from the state.
Principled anti-[whatever you want to call it] Religious Zionism is Alon Shevut, half of Tekoa and various people who aren't Religious Zionists at all, but identify as such because there is no Modern Orthodoxy in Israel institutionally speaking.
Excellent post.
Have you considered producing versions of your essays in Hebrew?
I imagine there is a non trivial potential audience which is not already on the English substack.
I can write competently in Israeli, but not stylishly and certainly I don't think I could pull off certain rhetorical allusions (maybe I don't pull them off in English either, hard to tell). Another reason is that if I actually did pick up a substantial sabra audience I would have to start taking the anonymity thing a lot more seriously or start toning things way down.
Whatever you do, don't tone things down, that's what we love you for.
Great post.
This is what Rav Amiel meant when he referred to Purah, the angel of forgetfulness: https://the-divine-comedy.fandom.com/wiki/Purah
More likely he was referring to פורה שר השכחה mentioned in סדר ר' עמרם גאון [מוצאי שבת] and פרי עץ חיים [סדר שבת פרק כ"ד]
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That makes sense! I figured he probably got it from a Jewish source.