Post by Mark on Jul 15, 2007 6:01:32 GMT -8
This is carried over from a question presented by Morne on another thread. We try to keep things arranged according to catagory as best we can. His question is:
How should I interpret left and right in terms of what Solomon said, Ecc 10:2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Same as when the nets were cast over the left side of the boat, the disciples didn't catch anything, but then Yeshua instructed them to cast their nets to the right.
Here's my answer:
The innuendo that is carried with the idea of the word left is a good place to start. The idea of it is quite cross-cultural. We’ve heard of the radical left as opposed to the conservative right. When someone is making little sense, one might suggested that he or she is coming from left field (or was left out in left field too long). This likely carries further implications to the Hebrew mind: when one reads in Hebrew one reads from right to left, thus that which is to the left is that which is left over. It is also noteworthy that in the oriental mindset one is always facing East as the true direction for orientation. This makes the left hand toward the North. For most of Israel’s history, her greatest enemies have been toward the North: Sennachib, Assyria and Babylon. Contrarily, those whom Israel sought allegiances with were toward the South: Egypt, Edom and Moab.
Each Hebrew letter has its own unique definition making every Hebrew word somewhat of an acrostic in its own right. The Hebrew word that is usually translated “left” is the word “se-mole”: sheen-mem-aleph-lamed. Sheen is represented by teeth and means to consume or destroy. Mem is represented by water and demonstrates turbulence or chaos (disorder). Aleph is an ox or a bull and means strength. Lamed is demonstrated by a staff or an ox-goad and means to prod forward or possibly to give instruction. So put together, the word left leaves us with something like destructive chaos pulling us in a particular direction.
What’s interesting is when we counter the word “left” (se-mole) with the word “right” (yah-meem”: yod-mem-yod-nun. The letter yod is represented by a closed hand and means a work or deed (something purposefully accomplished). The letter mem, as we have seen above is water representing confusion. Then yod again. Then finally nun which is represented by a fish which means life or activity, as a fish when you first catch hold of it wiggles with all it’s strength. If you put these words together, the word right gives us the idea of working to turn chaos into something alive (turning chaos into good).
I had never made a connection between the two passages that you bring up; but the language gives a very clear representation of the same ideas doesn’t it? The foolish accomplish nothing- the result is chaos and destruction (or in the case of the disciples, hunger). Yet with wisdom comes order and the setting of things aright- and food aplenty.
How should I interpret left and right in terms of what Solomon said, Ecc 10:2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Same as when the nets were cast over the left side of the boat, the disciples didn't catch anything, but then Yeshua instructed them to cast their nets to the right.
Here's my answer:
The innuendo that is carried with the idea of the word left is a good place to start. The idea of it is quite cross-cultural. We’ve heard of the radical left as opposed to the conservative right. When someone is making little sense, one might suggested that he or she is coming from left field (or was left out in left field too long). This likely carries further implications to the Hebrew mind: when one reads in Hebrew one reads from right to left, thus that which is to the left is that which is left over. It is also noteworthy that in the oriental mindset one is always facing East as the true direction for orientation. This makes the left hand toward the North. For most of Israel’s history, her greatest enemies have been toward the North: Sennachib, Assyria and Babylon. Contrarily, those whom Israel sought allegiances with were toward the South: Egypt, Edom and Moab.
Each Hebrew letter has its own unique definition making every Hebrew word somewhat of an acrostic in its own right. The Hebrew word that is usually translated “left” is the word “se-mole”: sheen-mem-aleph-lamed. Sheen is represented by teeth and means to consume or destroy. Mem is represented by water and demonstrates turbulence or chaos (disorder). Aleph is an ox or a bull and means strength. Lamed is demonstrated by a staff or an ox-goad and means to prod forward or possibly to give instruction. So put together, the word left leaves us with something like destructive chaos pulling us in a particular direction.
What’s interesting is when we counter the word “left” (se-mole) with the word “right” (yah-meem”: yod-mem-yod-nun. The letter yod is represented by a closed hand and means a work or deed (something purposefully accomplished). The letter mem, as we have seen above is water representing confusion. Then yod again. Then finally nun which is represented by a fish which means life or activity, as a fish when you first catch hold of it wiggles with all it’s strength. If you put these words together, the word right gives us the idea of working to turn chaos into something alive (turning chaos into good).
I had never made a connection between the two passages that you bring up; but the language gives a very clear representation of the same ideas doesn’t it? The foolish accomplish nothing- the result is chaos and destruction (or in the case of the disciples, hunger). Yet with wisdom comes order and the setting of things aright- and food aplenty.