Correlation between Expensive things and Greater Value
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July 4, 2017 10:57 pm at 10:57 pm #1310503
HEBREW: Dear = Yakar
In Hebrew, dear is “ha yakar.” The dear. We address a greeting card to “Chaim the dear”
HEBREW: Yakar = Expensive
In Hebrew, “yakar” refers to an expensive item. You can buy something inexpensively “bI zol,” or expensively “yakar.”
ENGLISH
Dear = Dear
In English we hold things we love and value dear.
But not everything expensive is something we hold dear.
Anyone want to explain more about the origins of Dear in Hebrew and English and fill in the gaps?
Thanks!
July 4, 2017 11:01 pm at 11:01 pm #1310558But not everything expensive is something we hold dear.
Ordinarily, you wouldn’t spend a lot of money on something which didn’t have value to you.
July 4, 2017 11:53 pm at 11:53 pm #1310581Maybe I spend a lot of money on some things because I value the ends but not necessarily the expensive means.
I spend more than the bare minimum money on vitamins, cleaning products, and skin care products. Though it’s not because I value them, rather, I value my health.
On the other hand, I directly value my family members; they are intrinsically dear to me.
But the thing is in English, we say EXPENSIVE. A high expense. Expenses can be draining. Expenses add up and take away from income. That’s not fun. Purchasing expensive items doesn’t necessarily sound like that is directly adding value to my life. Expensive is not always a positive connotation.
July 5, 2017 12:36 am at 12:36 am #1310587In English some use the word dear to mean expensive while others are unfamiliar with that usage.
Actual expensive items had better provide more utility, or else you’re paying for nothing.July 5, 2017 6:26 am at 6:26 am #1310596Well said RebYidd23!!! 👏👏👏☺☺☺
July 5, 2017 6:26 am at 6:26 am #1310598LB: Yakar = precious. While I know “dear” and “precious” are synonyms the term yakar used as you state “We address a greeting card to “Chaim the dear” ” is really Chaim the precious.
July 5, 2017 12:15 pm at 12:15 pm #1310821In British English, “dear” is sometimes used to mean “expensive.” I think you are overlooking that meaning. I do not know enough about Hebrew etymology to speculate on how “yakar” came to mean what you say it means, but it may be a mis-translation by a Jewish English-speaker who used “yakar” in a way not theretofore used to mean “expensive.”
July 5, 2017 12:48 pm at 12:48 pm #1310836“Yakar” meant “expensive” way before English came around. It appears numerous times in Mishnayos
July 5, 2017 1:13 pm at 1:13 pm #1310861When in business correspondence you address an unknown party as “Dear Sir”, or a known party as “Dear Mr. Buffett”, are you implying the potential business relationship is also very personal and precious?
July 5, 2017 1:43 pm at 1:43 pm #1310872Language evolves.
July 5, 2017 3:33 pm at 3:33 pm #1310977Ye but expensive and value is usually related so yakar can still mean valuable. There is no gap, it can mean either or.
July 5, 2017 4:23 pm at 4:23 pm #1311082We are not talking about societal niceties. dictionary dot com has various definitions for “dear”.
1. beloved or loved: a dear friend.
2. (used in the salutation of a letter as an expression of affection or respect or as a conventional greeting):
Dear Sir.
3. precious in one’s regard; cherished: our dearest possessions.
4. heartfelt; earnest: one’s dearest wish.
5. high-priced; expensive: The silk dress was too dear.
6. charging high prices: That shop is too dear for my budget.
7. excessive; high: a dear price to pay for one’s independence.I would think that the word HAYAKAR used after the name would probably be “the precious” and not “the dear”.
July 5, 2017 9:48 pm at 9:48 pm #1311557Thanks for all of the clarification on “ha yakar” being closer to “precious” than anything! 🙂
July 5, 2017 10:10 pm at 10:10 pm #1311567ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר
Explain that one
July 5, 2017 10:40 pm at 10:40 pm #1311574Explain that one
Tefillin are both precious and expensive, so it works either way.
July 5, 2017 10:48 pm at 10:48 pm #1311578meno: The Jews had light and joy, and gladness and honor.
How about Esther 1:4 – בְּהַרְאֹתוֹ אֶת עשֶׁר כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ וְאֶת יְקָר – When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the splendor….
or Tehillim 116:15 – יָקָר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה הַמָּוְתָה לַחֲסִידָיו – Difficult in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones.
July 5, 2017 10:48 pm at 10:48 pm #1311576As far as the literal definition, it seems to mean honor.
As in “ככה יעשה לאיש אשר המלך חפץ ביקרו”.
July 5, 2017 11:32 pm at 11:32 pm #1311627Tehillim 116:15 יָקָר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה הַמָּוְתָה לַחֲסִידָיו: – Difficult in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones.
See Rashi
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14255&st=%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%A8&pgnum=433
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14255&st=%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%A8&pgnum=434July 6, 2017 6:11 am at 6:11 am #1311654Yirmiyahu 31:19 – הֲבֵן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרַיִם Is Ephraim a son who is dear to Me?
Esther 1:4 – בְּהַרְאֹתוֹ אֶת עשֶׁר כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ וְאֶת יְקָר When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the splendor
Esther 6:6 וַיָּבוֹא הָמָן וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת בָּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הַמֶּלֶךְ חָפֵץ בִּיקָרוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר הָמָן בְּלִבּוֹ לְמִי יַחְפֹּץ הַמֶּלֶךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת יְקָר יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנִּי: And Haman entered, and the king said to him, “What should be done to a man whom the king wishes to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?”
Esther 8:16 לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׂן וִיקָר: The Jews had light and joy, and gladness and honor.
July 6, 2017 2:59 pm at 2:59 pm #1312258http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14363&st=&pgnum=308&hilite=
kavod is called ykar in targum
July 6, 2017 4:09 pm at 4:09 pm #1312392and your point about targum…..the OP was talking about the hebrew word.
July 6, 2017 5:01 pm at 5:01 pm #1312627Re Joseph’s comment re Dear Sir, et al.: Your speculation about the meaning of “Dear” in the salutation of a business letter is nonsensical speculation. “Dear” in a business letter means nothing other than: I’m talking to you.
July 7, 2017 8:02 am at 8:02 am #1312789I know. I believe it can still be used as a small proof to what some are saying that it means kavod.
July 7, 2017 8:02 am at 8:02 am #1312790DY think in the gemara it means heavy (kovaid). I think these are all interrelated somehow.
July 7, 2017 8:40 am at 8:40 am #1312807Rashi on the passuk in Tehillim states KASHER VCHAVEID – difficult and heavy. The ones in Esther, based on the context, means honor.
July 11, 2017 12:30 pm at 12:30 pm #1315306Yes. If u realize chavaid and kovod have very similar letters. I doubt this is a coincidence
July 11, 2017 1:58 pm at 1:58 pm #1315393oyy: And you just realized this now? I mean both words do appear in the Torah!
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