Correlation between Expensive things and Greater Value

Home Forums Eretz Yisroel Correlation between Expensive things and Greater Value

Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1310503
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    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!

    #1310558
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    But 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.

    #1310581
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Maybe 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.

    #1310587
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    In 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.

    #1310596
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Well said RebYidd23!!! 👏👏👏☺☺☺

    #1310598
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    LB: 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.

    #1310821
    huju
    Participant

    In 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.”

    #1310836
    Meno
    Participant

    “Yakar” meant “expensive” way before English came around. It appears numerous times in Mishnayos

    #1310861
    Joseph
    Participant

    When 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?

    #1310872
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    Language evolves.

    #1310977
    oyyoyyoy
    Participant

    Ye but expensive and value is usually related so yakar can still mean valuable. There is no gap, it can mean either or.

    #1311082

    We 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”.

    #1311557
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Thanks for all of the clarification on “ha yakar” being closer to “precious” than anything! 🙂

    #1311567
    Meno
    Participant

    ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר

    Explain that one

    #1311574
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Explain that one

    Tefillin are both precious and expensive, so it works either way.

    #1311578
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    meno: 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.

    #1311576
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    As far as the literal definition, it seems to mean honor.

    As in “ככה יעשה לאיש אשר המלך חפץ ביקרו”.

    #1311627
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    Tehillim 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=434

    #1311654
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    Yirmiyahu 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.

    #1312258
    oyyoyyoy
    Participant
    #1312392

    and your point about targum…..the OP was talking about the hebrew word.

    #1312627
    huju
    Participant

    Re 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.

    #1312789
    oyyoyyoy
    Participant

    I know. I believe it can still be used as a small proof to what some are saying that it means kavod.

    #1312790
    oyyoyyoy
    Participant

    DY think in the gemara it means heavy (kovaid). I think these are all interrelated somehow.

    #1312807
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    Rashi on the passuk in Tehillim states KASHER VCHAVEID – difficult and heavy. The ones in Esther, based on the context, means honor.

    #1315306
    oyyoyyoy
    Participant

    Yes. If u realize chavaid and kovod have very similar letters. I doubt this is a coincidence

    #1315393
    iacisrmma
    Participant

    oyy: And you just realized this now? I mean both words do appear in the Torah!

Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.