← Babylonian (Talmudic) Aramaic
What does "way" mean in Babylonian Aramaic?
The Aramaic of the Babylonian Talmud says "way" with אוֹרְחָא (ʾōrḥā). It is first of all the road under a traveller's feet. Many stories of the Gemara begin with a sage on a journey: הֲוָה אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא (hăwā ʾāzēl bə-ʾōrḥā), "he was going along the road". The story of Ḥoni and the carob tree in Section F begins in just this way.
The English learner should notice four things at once.
First, אוֹרְחָא is a road you can walk on. בְּאוֹרְחָא (bə-ʾōrḥā) is "on the road, along the way"; with a pronoun ending, אֲזַל לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ (ʾăzal lə-ʾōrḥēh) is "he went on his way". You have met the word already in this course: אַשְׁכַּח חַד מַרְגָּלִיתָא בְּאוֹרְחָא, "he found a pearl on the road" (lesson 5).
Second, the way you walk is also the way you live. As in English, a "way" is a manner of life. The Gemara's phrase for good manners is אוֹרַח אַרְעָא (ʾōraḥ ʾarʿā), word for word "the way of the land", that is, "proper conduct, the decent way of the world". Its Hebrew twin is דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ (derekh ʾereṣ). When the Gemara judges an act improper it says לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא, "it is not proper conduct" (Berakhot 7a).
Third, אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא (ʾōrḥā də-millətā) is "the ordinary way of the matter". Word for word it is "the way of the thing". The Gemara uses it for what normally happens: when a teaching mentions one case and not another, the answer may be that it speaks of the ordinary course of things.
Fourth, "way" in the sense "how, in this manner" is not אוֹרְחָא. "Do it this way" is said with הָכִי (hākhī), "thus"; "in what way?" is הֵיכִי (hēkhī), "how", the word of lesson 59. The way a thing is done is asked with הֵיכִי, as in הֵיכִי עָבֵיד, "how he does it" (lesson 61). אוֹרְחָא is a road, a custom or a manner of life, never the little word "how".
The word comes from the root א-ר-ח, "to travel, go on a journey". Biblical Hebrew has the noun אֹרַח, "path": תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים, "you will make known to me the path of life" (Psalm 16:11). The Hebrew אוֹרֵחַ, "wayfarer, guest", is the one who is on the road. Biblical Aramaic has the plural with a pronoun: וְאֹרְחָתֵהּ דִּין, "and his ways are justice" (Daniel 4:34). The Talmud uses the word for the road and for the right way to behave on it.
In this lesson the romanisation follows a simple academic scheme: ʾ for א, ʿ for ע, ḥ for ח, ṭ for ט, ṣ for צ, q for ק, sh for שׁ, kh for soft כ, v for soft ב, f for soft פ; long vowels are marked with a macron (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū), and ə stands for the short vowel shewa.
- אוֹרְחָא (ʾōrḥā) = "way, road, path"; also "custom, manner of life" - בְּאוֹרְחָא (bə-ʾōrḥā) = "on the road, along the way" - אֲזַל לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ (ʾăzal lə-ʾōrḥēh) = "he went on his way" - אוֹרַח אַרְעָא (ʾōraḥ ʾarʿā) = "proper conduct", Hebrew דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ - לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא (lāw ʾōraḥ ʾarʿā) = "it is not proper conduct" - אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא (ʾōrḥā də-millətā) = "the ordinary way of the matter" - The short form אוֹרַח (ʾōraḥ) stands before a following noun: "the way of …" - "In this way" is הָכִי, "in what way?" is הֵיכִי; neither is אוֹרְחָא
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The sentences of Sections A to C and of the Genre Section are written for this lesson; they are not quotations from the Talmud. 62.12 repeats a phrase of Berakhot 7a; the only full quotation is in Section F.
62.1a אָזֵיל he-goes בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road
62.1b ʾāzēl (aa-ZAYL) go-PTCP.M.SG bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH
62.2a אֲזַל he-went לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ on-his-way
62.2b ʾăzal (a-ZAL) go-PERF.3M.SG lə-ʾōrḥēh (l'-ohr-KHAYH) to-way-his
62.3a לָאו not אוֹרַח the-way-of אַרְעָא the-land
62.3b lāw (LAAV) not-it-is ʾōraḥ (OH-rakh) way-CONST ʾarʿā (ar-'AA) land-F.SG.EMPH
62.4a אֵימָא tell לִי to-me אוֹרְחָא the-way
62.4b ʾēmā (AY-maa) say-IMP.M.SG lī (LEE) to-me ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH
62.5a אוֹרְחָא the-way דְּמִילְּתָא of-the-matter נָקֵט he-takes
62.5b ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH də-millətā (d'-mil-l'-TAA) of-matter-F.SG.EMPH nāqēṭ (naa-QAYT) take-PTCP.M.SG
62.6a גַּבְרָא the-man אַשְׁכַּח found זוּזָא a-zuz בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road
62.6b gavrā (gav-RAA) man-M.SG.EMPH ʾashkaḥ (ash-KAKH) find-PERF.3M.SG zūzā (zoo-ZAA) zuz-M.SG.EMPH bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH
62.7a לָא not יָדַעְנָא I-know אוֹרְחָא the-way לְבֵי to-the-house-of מִדְרְשָׁא study
62.7b lā (laa) not yādaʿnā (yaa-DA'-naa) know-PTCP.1SG ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH lə-vē (l'-VAY) to-house-CONST midrəshā (mid-r'-SHAA) study-M.SG.EMPH
62.8a אִי if אָזְלַתְּ you-go בְּאוֹרְחָא along-the-road מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ you-find לֵיהּ him
62.8b ʾī (EE) if ʾāzlat (AAZ-lat) go-PTCP.2M.SG bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH mashkaḥat (mash-KA-khat) find-PTCP.2M.SG lēh (LAYH) OBJ-him
62.9a אֲמַר said לִי to-me אַבָּא father נְקוֹט take אוֹרְחָא the-way דַּאֲבָהָתָךְ of-your-fathers
62.9b ʾămar (a-MAR) say-PERF.3M.SG lī (LEE) to-me ʾabbā (AB-baa) father-EMPH nəqōṭ (n'-QOHT) take-IMP.M.SG ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH da-ʾăvāhātākh (da-a-vaa-haa-TAAKH) of-fathers-your-M.SG
62.10a מַאן whoever דְּיָדַע that-knows אוֹרְחָא the-way לָא not טָעֵי goes-astray
62.10b man (MAN) whoever də-yādaʿ (d'-yaa-DA') that-know-PTCP.M.SG ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH lā (laa) not ṭāʿē (taa-'AY) stray-PTCP.M.SG
62.11a הָכִי thus אוֹרְחָא the-way דְּמִילְּתָא of-the-matter בְּרָא the-son יָלֵיף learns מֵאֲבוּהּ from-his-father
62.11b hākhī (HAA-khee) thus ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH də-millətā (d'-mil-l'-TAA) of-matter-F.SG.EMPH bərā (b'-RAA) son-M.SG.EMPH yālēf (yaa-LAYF) learn-PTCP.M.SG mē-ʾăvūh (may-a-VOOH) from-father-his
62.12a שְׁמַע hear מִינַּהּ from-it לָאו not אוֹרַח the-way-of אַרְעָא the-land לְמֶעְבַּד to-do הָכִי thus
62.12b shəmaʿ (sh'-MA') hear-IMP.M.SG minnah (min-NAH) from-it-F lāw (LAAV) not-it-is ʾōraḥ (OH-rakh) way-CONST ʾarʿā (ar-'AA) land-F.SG.EMPH lə-meʿbad (l'-me'-BAD) to-do-INF hākhī (HAA-khee) thus
62.13a יוֹמָא day חַד one רַבָּה Rabbah הֲוָה was אָזֵיל going בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road חַזְיֵיהּ he-saw-him לְהָהוּא that סָבָא old-man
62.13b yōmā (YOH-maa) day-M.SG.EMPH ḥad (KHAD) one-M Rabbā (RAB-baa) Rabbah hăwā (ha-VAA) be-PERF.3M.SG ʾāzēl (aa-ZAYL) go-PTCP.M.SG bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH ḥazyēh (khaz-YAYH) see-PERF.3M.SG-him lə-hahū (l'-ha-HOO) OBJ-that-M.SG sāvā (saa-VAA) old-man-M.SG.EMPH
62.14a גַּבְרָא a-man דְּאָזֵיל who-goes בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road וְלָא and-not יָדַע knows לְהֵיכָא to-where אָזֵיל he-goes לָא not מָטֵי arrives
62.14b gavrā (gav-RAA) man-M.SG.EMPH də-ʾāzēl (d'-aa-ZAYL) who-go-PTCP.M.SG bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH wə-lā (v'-LAA) and-not yādaʿ (yaa-DA') know-PTCP.M.SG lə-hēkhā (l'-HAY-khaa) to-where ʾāzēl (aa-ZAYL) go-PTCP.M.SG lā (laa) not māṭē (maa-TAY) arrive-PTCP.M.SG
62.15a תַּלְמִידָא a-student דְּשָׁבֵיק who-leaves אוֹרְחָא the-way דְּרַבֵּיהּ of-his-master טָעֵי goes-astray
62.15b talmīdā (tal-mee-DAA) student-M.SG.EMPH də-shāvēq (d'-shaa-VAYQ) who-leave-PTCP.M.SG ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH də-rabbēh (d'-rab-BAYH) of-master-his ṭāʿē (taa-'AY) stray-PTCP.M.SG
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62.1 אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא. — ʾāzēl bə-ʾōrḥā. — "He is going along the road."
62.2 אֲזַל לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ. — ʾăzal lə-ʾōrḥēh. — "He went on his way."
62.3 לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא. — lāw ʾōraḥ ʾarʿā. — "It is not proper conduct."
62.4 אֵימָא לִי אוֹרְחָא. — ʾēmā lī ʾōrḥā. — "Tell me the way."
62.5 אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא נָקֵט. — ʾōrḥā də-millətā nāqēṭ. — "He mentions the ordinary case."
62.6 גַּבְרָא אַשְׁכַּח זוּזָא בְּאוֹרְחָא. — gavrā ʾashkaḥ zūzā bə-ʾōrḥā. — "The man found a zuz on the road."
62.7 לָא יָדַעְנָא אוֹרְחָא לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא. — lā yādaʿnā ʾōrḥā lə-vē midrəshā. — "I do not know the way to the study house."
62.8 אִי אָזְלַתְּ בְּאוֹרְחָא, מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לֵיהּ. — ʾī ʾāzlat bə-ʾōrḥā, mashkaḥat lēh. — "If you go along the road, you will find him."
62.9 אֲמַר לִי אַבָּא: נְקוֹט אוֹרְחָא דַּאֲבָהָתָךְ. — ʾămar lī ʾabbā: nəqōṭ ʾōrḥā da-ʾăvāhātākh. — "Father said to me: Keep to the way of your fathers."
62.10 מַאן דְּיָדַע אוֹרְחָא, לָא טָעֵי. — man də-yādaʿ ʾōrḥā, lā ṭāʿē. — "Whoever knows the way does not go astray."
62.11 הָכִי אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא: בְּרָא יָלֵיף מֵאֲבוּהּ. — hākhī ʾōrḥā də-millətā: bərā yālēf mē-ʾăvūh. — "This is the ordinary way of things: a son learns from his father."
62.12 שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי. — shəmaʿ minnah: lāw ʾōraḥ ʾarʿā lə-meʿbad hākhī. — "Learn from this: it is not proper conduct to act so."
62.13 יוֹמָא חַד רַבָּה הֲוָה אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא סָבָא. — yōmā ḥad Rabbā hăwā ʾāzēl bə-ʾōrḥā, ḥazyēh lə-hahū sāvā. — "One day Rabbah was going along the road, and he saw a certain old man."
62.14 גַּבְרָא דְּאָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא וְלָא יָדַע לְהֵיכָא אָזֵיל, לָא מָטֵי. — gavrā də-ʾāzēl bə-ʾōrḥā wə-lā yādaʿ lə-hēkhā ʾāzēl, lā māṭē. — "A man who goes along the road and does not know where he is going does not arrive."
62.15 תַּלְמִידָא דְּשָׁבֵיק אוֹרְחָא דְּרַבֵּיהּ, טָעֵי. — talmīdā də-shāvēq ʾōrḥā də-rabbēh, ṭāʿē. — "A student who leaves the way of his master goes astray."
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62.1 אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא.
62.2 אֲזַל לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ.
62.3 לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא.
62.4 אֵימָא לִי אוֹרְחָא.
62.5 אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא נָקֵט.
62.6 גַּבְרָא אַשְׁכַּח זוּזָא בְּאוֹרְחָא.
62.7 לָא יָדַעְנָא אוֹרְחָא לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא.
62.8 אִי אָזְלַתְּ בְּאוֹרְחָא, מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לֵיהּ.
62.9 אֲמַר לִי אַבָּא: נְקוֹט אוֹרְחָא דַּאֲבָהָתָךְ.
62.10 מַאן דְּיָדַע אוֹרְחָא, לָא טָעֵי.
62.11 הָכִי אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא: בְּרָא יָלֵיף מֵאֲבוּהּ.
62.12 שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי.
62.13 יוֹמָא חַד רַבָּה הֲוָה אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא סָבָא.
62.14 גַּבְרָא דְּאָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא וְלָא יָדַע לְהֵיכָא אָזֵיל, לָא מָטֵי.
62.15 תַּלְמִידָא דְּשָׁבֵיק אוֹרְחָא דְּרַבֵּיהּ, טָעֵי.
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1. The forms of the noun. An Aramaic noun changes its form with its job. These are the forms of אוֹרְחָא in this lesson:
- emphatic (the ordinary form): אוֹרְחָא (ʾōrḥā), "the way, a way" (62.4, 62.6) - construct (before a following noun): אוֹרַח (ʾōraḥ), "the way of": אוֹרַח אַרְעָא (62.3) - with a pronoun ending: אוֹרְחֵיהּ (ʾōrḥēh), "his way" (62.2); אוֹרְחִי (ʾōrḥī), "my way"
The plural construct is אוֹרְחֵי (ʾōrḥē), "the ways of", as in אוֹרְחֵי דִּינָא, "the ways of the law" (lesson 15).
2. Construct or דְּ-: two ways to say "the way of". The Gemara uses both. The construct, אוֹרַח אַרְעָא, belongs to the fixed phrase. Elsewhere the full form stands with דְּ- (də-), "of": אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא (62.5), אוֹרְחָא דַּאֲבָהָתָךְ (62.9), אוֹרְחָא דְּרַבֵּיהּ (62.15). The meaning is the same. In 62.5 the phrase is the object of נָקֵט (nāqēṭ), "he takes", which in the Gemara's discussion of a teaching means "he mentions": אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא נָקֵט, "he mentions the ordinary case". The imperative of the same verb is נְקוֹט (nəqōṭ), "take, hold to" (62.9).
3. The prepositions of the road. בְּ- (bə-), "in, on", marks the road along which one goes: אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, "he goes along the road" (62.1). לְ- (lə-), "to, for", with a pronoun, marks the journey one is on: אֲזַל לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ, "he went on his way" (62.2). The goal of the road also takes לְ-: אוֹרְחָא לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא, "the way to the study house" (62.7).
4. לָאו, "it is not". לָא (lā) negates a verb: לָא יָדַעְנָא, "I do not know" (62.7). לָאו (lāw) negates a statement without a verb: לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא, "it is not proper conduct" (62.3). An infinitive may follow to say what is improper: לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי, "it is not proper conduct to do so" (62.12).
5. The past progressive: הֲוָה with a participle. הֲוָה (hăwā), "was", with a participle describes an action going on in the past: הֲוָה אָזֵיל, "he was going" (62.13). This is the opening of many stories, and of the passage in Section F.
6. The object announced in advance. In חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא סָבָא (62.13) the verb already carries the object ending -ēh, "him", and the object follows with לְ-: "he saw him, that old man". English says only "he saw a certain old man". The same construction stands in Section F.
7. "Way" as manner. For "in this way" Aramaic says הָכִי (hākhī), "thus" (62.11, 62.12); for "in what way?" it says הֵיכִי (hēkhī), "how" (lesson 59). Where does a road lead? לְהֵיכָא (lə-hēkhā), "to where" (62.14).
- Using אוֹרְחָא for "how". "This is the way he does it" is הָכִי עָבֵיד, or הֵיכִי עָבֵיד for "how he does it". אוֹרְחָא is a road or a custom, not a manner of doing in the small sense. - The full form before a noun in the fixed phrase. ✗ אוֹרְחָא אַרְעָא → ✓ אוֹרַח אַרְעָא. Before a following noun, without דְּ-, use the short construct form. - Translating אוֹרַח אַרְעָא as "the road of the earth". The sense is "proper conduct, good manners". - לָא for לָאו. ✗ לָא אוֹרַח אַרְעָא → ✓ לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא. Where there is no verb, the negative is לָאו. - Confusing טָעֵי and טָעֵין. טָעֵי (ṭāʿē, 62.10, 62.15) is "he goes astray", from ט-ע-י. טָעֵין (ṭāʿēn) in Section F is "it bears (fruit)", from ט-ע-ן. One letter separates them. - Confusing בְּאוֹרְחָא and לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ. בְּאוֹרְחָא is "on the road, along the road"; לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ is "on his way", setting off on his journey.
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In Babylonia sages travelled between towns and academies, to markets, to their teachers and back to their families. The Gemara's stories often begin on the road: a sage was going along the way, and he saw something, met someone, or was asked a question. The formula יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה אָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, "one day he was going along the road", tells the reader that a story has begun.
אוֹרַח אַרְעָא, with its Hebrew twin דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, names the decent conduct that people owe one another: greeting, courtesy, modesty, the right behaviour at table and on a journey. The Mishnah joins it to Torah: יָפֶה תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה עִם דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, "Torah study is good together with the way of the land" (Avot 2:2). The Gemara can judge an act by it with three words: לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא, "it is not proper conduct".
A teaching cannot list every case. When the Mishnah or a baraita speaks of one case only, the Gemara may ask why, and the answer may be that the teaching mentions the usual case, אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא, "the ordinary way of the matter". The reader learns not to draw a rule from every detail: some details are only how things normally happen.
In English, Aramaic and Hebrew alike, a "way" is both the road and the manner of life. Psalm 16:11 speaks of "the path of life", אֹרַח חַיִּים; Daniel 4:34 says of God, "his ways are justice". In the Talmud the same word carries the traveller along the road and the student along the way of his teacher.
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The Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 23a, text as in the William Davidson (Vilna-based, vocalised) edition on Sefaria. This is the opening of the famous story of Ḥoni HaMeʿaggel, Ḥoni the Circle-Drawer, and the carob tree. Ḥoni is walking along the road and meets a man planting a carob. In the lines that follow Ḥoni asks whether the man expects to live seventy years; the man answers that he found carob trees in the world, planted for him by his fathers, and he plants for his children. Ḥoni then falls asleep for seventy years. The passage is chosen because it opens with בְּאוֹרְחָא, the word of this lesson, in the commonest formula of a Talmudic story.
F.1a יוֹמָא day חַד one הֲוָה he-was אָזֵל going בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road חַזְיֵיהּ he-saw-him לְהָהוּא that גַּבְרָא man דַּהֲוָה who-was נָטַע planting חָרוּבָא a-carob
F.1b yōmā (YOH-maa) day-M.SG.EMPH ḥad (KHAD) one-M hăwā (ha-VAA) be-PERF.3M.SG ʾāzēl (aa-ZAYL) go-PTCP.M.SG bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH ḥazyēh (khaz-YAYH) see-PERF.3M.SG-him lə-hahū (l'-ha-HOO) OBJ-that-M.SG gavrā (gav-RAA) man-M.SG.EMPH da-hăwā (da-ha-VAA) who-be-PERF.3M.SG nāṭaʿ (naa-TA') plant-PTCP.M.SG ḥārūvā (khaa-roo-VAA) carob-M.SG.EMPH
F.2a אֲמַר he-said לֵיהּ to-him הַאי this עַד until כַּמָּה how-many שְׁנִין years טָעֵין it-bears
F.2b ʾămar (a-MAR) say-PERF.3M.SG lēh (LAYH) to-him hāy (HAI) this-M ʿad (AD) until kammā (KAM-maa) how-many shənīn (sh'-NEEN) years-F.PL ṭāʿēn (taa-'AYN) bear-PTCP.M.SG
F.3a אֲמַר he-said לֵיהּ to-him עַד until שִׁבְעִין seventy שְׁנִין years
F.3b ʾămar (a-MAR) say-PERF.3M.SG lēh (LAYH) to-him ʿad (AD) until shivʿīn (shiv-'EEN) seventy shənīn (sh'-NEEN) years-F.PL
יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה אָזֵל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה נָטַע חָרוּבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַאי, עַד כַּמָּה שְׁנִין טָעֵין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַד שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין.
One day he was walking along the road, and he saw a certain man planting a carob tree. He said to him: This tree, how many years until it bears fruit? He said to him: Seventy years.
יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה אָזֵל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה נָטַע חָרוּבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַאי, עַד כַּמָּה שְׁנִין טָעֵין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַד שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין.
- The opening formula. The subject, Ḥoni, is named in the lines before; here the verbs alone carry him. יוֹמָא חַד, "one day", then הֲוָה with a participle, "he was going". The past progressive sets the scene, and the perfect חַזְיֵיהּ, "he saw", brings the event. - אָזֵל and אָזֵיל. The vocalised edition prints אָזֵל (ʾāzēl); this course writes אָזֵיל, with a yod for the long ē. Both spellings are found; the word and its sound are the same. - בְּאוֹרְחָא. "On the road, along the way", with בְּ-, as in 62.1. The road is where the story happens: Ḥoni is a traveller when the question comes to him. - חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא. The verb carries the object ending, "he saw him", and the object follows with לְ-, as in 62.13. הָהוּא גַּבְרָא, "that man", is the Gemara's way of saying "a certain man" in a story. - דַּהֲוָה נָטַע. The relative דְּ- with הֲוָה and a participle: "who was planting". The same past progressive as at the opening, now inside a clause. - הַאי. "This (one)", that is, the carob tree. It stands first, and the question about it follows. - עַד כַּמָּה שְׁנִין טָעֵין? Word for word, "until how many years does it bear?" טָעֵין is the participle of ט-ע-ן, "to carry, to bear", here "to bear fruit". The answer repeats the frame: עַד שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין, "until seventy years". - The story and the lesson. The man on the road plants a tree he may not live to eat from, because his fathers did the same for him. The story ends with Ḥoni's long sleep. The road at its start is a fitting picture for this lesson: one generation follows the way the last one walked, as in 62.9.
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A short description in the language of the Gemara, written for this lesson. It is not a quotation from the Talmud.
62.16a מִבֵּיתָא from-the-house דְּאַבָּא of-father לְבֵי to-the-house-of מִדְרְשָׁא study אִיכָּא there-is אוֹרְחָא a-road
62.16b mi-bbētā (mib-bay-TAA) from-house-M.SG.EMPH də-ʾabbā (d'-AB-baa) of-father-EMPH lə-vē (l'-VAY) to-house-CONST midrəshā (mid-r'-SHAA) study-M.SG.EMPH ʾīkkā (eek-KAA) there-is ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH
62.17a בְּרֵישׁ at-the-head-of אוֹרְחָא the-road אִיכָּא there-is בֵּירָא a-well
62.17b bə-rēsh (b'-RAYSH) at-head-CONST ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH ʾīkkā (eek-KAA) there-is bērā (bay-RAA) well-M.SG.EMPH
62.18a אִינָשֵׁי people דְּאָזְלִי who-go בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road שָׁתוּ drink מַיָּא water מִבֵּירָא from-the-well
62.18b ʾīnāshē (ee-naa-SHAY) people-M.PL də-ʾāzlī (d'-AAZ-lee) who-go-PTCP.M.PL bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH shātū (shaa-TOO) drink-PTCP.M.PL mayyā (MAI-yaa) water-M.PL.EMPH mi-bbērā (mib-bay-RAA) from-well-M.SG.EMPH
62.19a בָּתַר after בֵּירָא the-well אִיכָּא there-is נַהֲרָא a-river בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road
62.19b bātar (baa-TAR) after bērā (bay-RAA) well-M.SG.EMPH ʾīkkā (eek-KAA) there-is nahărā (na-ha-RAA) river-M.SG.EMPH bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH
62.20a וְעַל and-over נַהֲרָא the-river אִיכָּא there-is גִּישְׁרָא a-bridge
62.20b wə-ʿal (v'-AL) and-over nahărā (na-ha-RAA) river-M.SG.EMPH ʾīkkā (eek-KAA) there-is gishrā (gish-RAA) bridge-M.SG.EMPH
62.21a תַּלְמִידֵי students עָבְרִי cross בְּגִישְׁרָא by-the-bridge כׇּל every יוֹמָא day
62.21b talmīdē (tal-mee-DAY) students-M.PL ʿāvrī (AAV-ree) cross-PTCP.M.PL bə-gishrā (b'-gish-RAA) by-bridge-M.SG.EMPH kol (KOL) every yōmā (YOH-maa) day-M.SG.EMPH
62.22a אִיכָּא there-is נָמֵי also אוֹרְחָא a-way דְּחַקְלָא of-the-field
62.22b ʾīkkā (eek-KAA) there-is nāmē (naa-MAY) also ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH də-ḥaqlā (d'-khaq-LAA) of-field-M.SG.EMPH
62.23a מַאן whoever דְּאָזֵיל goes בְּאוֹרְחָא by-the-way דְּחַקְלָא of-the-field לָא not עָבַר crosses בְּנַהֲרָא by-the-river
62.23b man (MAN) whoever də-ʾāzēl (d'-aa-ZAYL) that-go-PTCP.M.SG bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH də-ḥaqlā (d'-khaq-LAA) of-field-M.SG.EMPH lā (laa) not ʿāvar (aa-VAR) cross-PTCP.M.SG bə-nahărā (b'-na-ha-RAA) by-river-M.SG.EMPH
62.24a בְּסִיתְוָא in-winter אִיכָּא there-is טִינָא mud בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-way דְּחַקְלָא of-the-field
62.24b bə-sitwā (b'-SIT-vaa) in-winter-M.SG.EMPH ʾīkkā (eek-KAA) there-is ṭīnā (tee-NAA) mud-M.SG.EMPH bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH də-ḥaqlā (d'-khaq-LAA) of-field-M.SG.EMPH
62.25a הִלְכָּךְ therefore בְּסִיתְוָא in-winter כּוּלְּהוּ all-of-them אָזְלִי go בְּאוֹרְחָא by-the-way דְּגִישְׁרָא of-the-bridge
62.25b hilkākh (hil-KAAKH) therefore bə-sitwā (b'-SIT-vaa) in-winter-M.SG.EMPH kulləhū (kul-l'-HOO) all-of-them-M ʾāzlī (AAZ-lee) go-PTCP.M.PL bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH də-gishrā (d'-gish-RAA) of-bridge-M.SG.EMPH
62.26a אוֹרַח the-way-of אַרְעָא the-land לְמֵימַר to-say שְׁלָמָא peace לְכׇל to-every אִינִישׁ person בְּאוֹרְחָא on-the-road
62.26b ʾōraḥ (OH-rakh) way-CONST ʾarʿā (ar-'AA) land-F.SG.EMPH lə-mēmar (l'-may-MAR) to-say-INF shəlāmā (sh'-laa-MAA) peace-M.SG.EMPH lə-khol (l'-KHOL) to-every ʾīnīsh (ee-NEESH) person-M.SG bə-ʾōrḥā (b'-ohr-KHAA) on-way-EMPH
62.27a וְתַלְמִידָא and-a-student דְּלָא who-not אֲמַר said שְׁלָמָא peace לָאו not אוֹרַח the-way-of אַרְעָא the-land הוּא it-is
62.27b wə-talmīdā (v'-tal-mee-DAA) and-student-M.SG.EMPH də-lā (d'-LAA) who-not ʾămar (a-MAR) say-PERF.3M.SG shəlāmā (sh'-laa-MAA) peace-M.SG.EMPH lāw (LAAV) not-it-is ʾōraḥ (OH-rakh) way-CONST ʾarʿā (ar-'AA) land-F.SG.EMPH hū (HOO) it-is-M
62.28a בְּסוֹף at-the-end-of אוֹרְחָא the-road אִיכָּא there-is בֵּי the-house-of מִדְרְשָׁא study
62.28b bə-sōf (b'-SOHF) at-end-CONST ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH ʾīkkā (eek-KAA) there-is bē (BAY) house-CONST midrəshā (mid-r'-SHAA) study-M.SG.EMPH
62.29a הָתָם there יָתֵיב sits רַבָּה Rabbah וְגָרֵיס and-studies
62.29b hātam (haa-TAM) there yātēv (yaa-TAYV) sit-PTCP.M.SG Rabbā (RAB-baa) Rabbah wə-gārēs (v'-gaa-RAYS) and-study-PTCP.M.SG
62.30a וְהָכִי and-thus אוֹרְחָא the-way דְּמִילְּתָא of-the-matter מִבֵּיתָא from-the-house לְבֵי to-the-house-of מִדְרְשָׁא study וּמִבֵּי and-from-the-house-of מִדְרְשָׁא study לְבֵיתָא to-the-house
62.30b wə-hākhī (v'-HAA-khee) and-thus ʾōrḥā (ohr-KHAA) way-EMPH də-millətā (d'-mil-l'-TAA) of-matter-F.SG.EMPH mi-bbētā (mib-bay-TAA) from-house-M.SG.EMPH lə-vē (l'-VAY) to-house-CONST midrəshā (mid-r'-SHAA) study-M.SG.EMPH u-mi-bbē (oo-mib-BAY) and-from-house-CONST midrəshā (mid-r'-SHAA) study-M.SG.EMPH lə-vētā (l'-vay-TAA) to-house-M.SG.EMPH
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62.16 מִבֵּיתָא דְּאַבָּא לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא אִיכָּא אוֹרְחָא. — mi-bbētā də-ʾabbā lə-vē midrəshā ʾīkkā ʾōrḥā. — "From father's house to the study house there is a road."
62.17 בְּרֵישׁ אוֹרְחָא אִיכָּא בֵּירָא. — bə-rēsh ʾōrḥā ʾīkkā bērā. — "At the start of the road there is a well."
62.18 אִינָשֵׁי דְּאָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא שָׁתוּ מַיָּא מִבֵּירָא. — ʾīnāshē də-ʾāzlī bə-ʾōrḥā shātū mayyā mi-bbērā. — "People who go along the road drink water from the well."
62.19 בָּתַר בֵּירָא, אִיכָּא נַהֲרָא בְּאוֹרְחָא. — bātar bērā, ʾīkkā nahărā bə-ʾōrḥā. — "After the well there is a river on the road."
62.20 וְעַל נַהֲרָא אִיכָּא גִּישְׁרָא. — wə-ʿal nahărā ʾīkkā gishrā. — "And over the river there is a bridge."
62.21 תַּלְמִידֵי עָבְרִי בְּגִישְׁרָא כׇּל יוֹמָא. — talmīdē ʿāvrī bə-gishrā kol yōmā. — "Students cross by the bridge every day."
62.22 אִיכָּא נָמֵי אוֹרְחָא דְּחַקְלָא. — ʾīkkā nāmē ʾōrḥā də-ḥaqlā. — "There is also a way through the field."
62.23 מַאן דְּאָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא דְּחַקְלָא, לָא עָבַר בְּנַהֲרָא. — man də-ʾāzēl bə-ʾōrḥā də-ḥaqlā, lā ʿāvar bə-nahărā. — "Whoever goes by the field way does not cross the river."
62.24 בְּסִיתְוָא אִיכָּא טִינָא בְּאוֹרְחָא דְּחַקְלָא. — bə-sitwā ʾīkkā ṭīnā bə-ʾōrḥā də-ḥaqlā. — "In winter there is mud on the field way."
62.25 הִלְכָּךְ בְּסִיתְוָא כּוּלְּהוּ אָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא דְּגִישְׁרָא. — hilkākh bə-sitwā kulləhū ʾāzlī bə-ʾōrḥā də-gishrā. — "So in winter they all go by the bridge way."
62.26 אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֵימַר שְׁלָמָא לְכׇל אִינִישׁ בְּאוֹרְחָא. — ʾōraḥ ʾarʿā lə-mēmar shəlāmā lə-khol ʾīnīsh bə-ʾōrḥā. — "It is good manners to greet everyone on the road."
62.27 וְתַלְמִידָא דְּלָא אֲמַר שְׁלָמָא, לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא הוּא. — wə-talmīdā də-lā ʾămar shəlāmā, lāw ʾōraḥ ʾarʿā hū. — "And a student who did not greet: that is not proper conduct."
62.28 בְּסוֹף אוֹרְחָא אִיכָּא בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא. — bə-sōf ʾōrḥā ʾīkkā bē midrəshā. — "At the end of the road is the study house."
62.29 הָתָם יָתֵיב רַבָּה וְגָרֵיס. — hātam yātēv Rabbā wə-gārēs. — "There Rabbah sits and studies."
62.30 וְהָכִי אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא: מִבֵּיתָא לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא, וּמִבֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא לְבֵיתָא. — wə-hākhī ʾōrḥā də-millətā: mi-bbētā lə-vē midrəshā, u-mi-bbē midrəshā lə-vētā. — "And this is the ordinary way of things: from home to the study house, and from the study house home."
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62.16 מִבֵּיתָא דְּאַבָּא לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא אִיכָּא אוֹרְחָא.
62.17 בְּרֵישׁ אוֹרְחָא אִיכָּא בֵּירָא.
62.18 אִינָשֵׁי דְּאָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא שָׁתוּ מַיָּא מִבֵּירָא.
62.19 בָּתַר בֵּירָא, אִיכָּא נַהֲרָא בְּאוֹרְחָא.
62.20 וְעַל נַהֲרָא אִיכָּא גִּישְׁרָא.
62.21 תַּלְמִידֵי עָבְרִי בְּגִישְׁרָא כׇּל יוֹמָא.
62.22 אִיכָּא נָמֵי אוֹרְחָא דְּחַקְלָא.
62.23 מַאן דְּאָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחָא דְּחַקְלָא, לָא עָבַר בְּנַהֲרָא.
62.24 בְּסִיתְוָא אִיכָּא טִינָא בְּאוֹרְחָא דְּחַקְלָא.
62.25 הִלְכָּךְ בְּסִיתְוָא כּוּלְּהוּ אָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא דְּגִישְׁרָא.
62.26 אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֵימַר שְׁלָמָא לְכׇל אִינִישׁ בְּאוֹרְחָא.
62.27 וְתַלְמִידָא דְּלָא אֲמַר שְׁלָמָא, לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא הוּא.
62.28 בְּסוֹף אוֹרְחָא אִיכָּא בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא.
62.29 הָתָם יָתֵיב רַבָּה וְגָרֵיס.
62.30 וְהָכִי אוֹרְחָא דְּמִילְּתָא: מִבֵּיתָא לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא, וּמִבֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא לְבֵיתָא.
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- אִיכָּא, "there is". A description of a road is a list of what lies on it. אִיכָּא (ʾīkkā) never changes: אִיכָּא אוֹרְחָא (62.16), אִיכָּא בֵּירָא (62.17), אִיכָּא גִּישְׁרָא (62.20), אִיכָּא טִינָא (62.24). The place usually comes first: בְּרֵישׁ אוֹרְחָא, "at the head of the road"; בְּסוֹף אוֹרְחָא, "at the end of the road". - רֵישׁ and סוֹף, "head" and "end". Both stand in the construct before אוֹרְחָא: בְּרֵישׁ אוֹרְחָא (62.17), בְּסוֹף אוֹרְחָא (62.28). The road has a head and an end, as in English it has a beginning and an end. - אוֹרְחָא with דְּ-: naming the roads. The two roads are told apart by what lies on them: אוֹרְחָא דְּחַקְלָא, "the field way" (62.22–62.24), and אוֹרְחָא דְּגִישְׁרָא, "the bridge way" (62.25). - Plural participles. People and students are plural, and so are their verbs: אָזְלִי (ʾāzlī), "they go" (62.18, 62.25); עָבְרִי (ʿāvrī), "they cross" (62.21); שָׁתוּ (shātū), "they drink" (62.18), from a root that ends in a vowel. Compare the singular אָזֵיל (62.23) and עָבַר (62.23). - אוֹרַח אַרְעָא with an infinitive. "It is good manners to …": אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֵימַר שְׁלָמָא (62.26), and the opposite, לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא (62.27). לְמֵימַר is the infinitive of אֲמַר, "say"; לְמֶעְבַּד in 62.12 is the infinitive of עֲבַד, "do". "To say peace" is "to greet". - בֵּי, "house of". בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא, "house of study", uses the short construct בֵּי of בֵּיתָא, "house". In 62.30 both appear together: מִבֵּיתָא, "from home", and לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא, "to the study house". - מִ- with doubling. מִן, "from", shortens to מִ- and doubles the next letter: מִבֵּיתָא (mi-bbētā), מִבֵּירָא (mi-bbērā), as in lesson 61. - הִלְכָּךְ, "therefore". It draws a conclusion from what has gone before: because there is mud on the field way, everyone goes by the bridge (62.25).
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- IPA: /ʔoːrˈħaː/ - אוֹ (alef with holam) = a long oh. The alef is a light catch in the throat, or is not heard at all. - רְ (resh with shewa) = an r with no vowel after it: it closes the first syllable, ohr-. - חָ (ḥet with qamats) = a rasping kh in the throat, followed by a long aa. - Stress falls on the last syllable: ohr-KHAA.
- IPA: /ˈʔoːraħ/ - The short construct form ends in ḥet with a short a before it: OH-rakh. Say the final kh clearly; it is the root's last letter.
- IPA: /ʔarˈʕaː/ - The ע after the r is a voiced sound in the throat, in most modern readings silent or a slight catch: ar-'AA.
- IPA: /ħazˈjeːh/ - The final ה has a dot (mappiq): it is a real h, breathed out at the end: khaz-YAYH. The same is true of לֵיהּ, אוֹרְחֵיהּ, אֲבוּהּ, רַבֵּיהּ and מִינַּהּ.
- ח (ḥet) in אוֹרְחָא, אוֹרַח, חַד, חַזְיֵיהּ, חַקְלָא, חָרוּבָא, אַשְׁכַּח: a rasping sound in the throat, like the ch of Scottish loch. Written kh in the respellings. - ע (ʿayin) in אַרְעָא, יָדַע, טָעֵי, עָבְרִי, שְׁמַע, שִׁבְעִין: a voiced sound in the throat, in most modern readings silent or a slight catch. Written ' in the respellings. - ק (qof) in נָקֵט, נְקוֹט, שָׁבֵיק, חַקְלָא: originally a k made further back in the throat; most readers today say a plain k. - ט (ṭet) in טָעֵי, נָקֵט, מָטֵי, טִינָא, נָטַע: originally an emphatic t; most readers today say a plain t.
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)