society
gate
At a glance
In short
All three mean gate: shaar in Hebrew, tera in Targumic Aramaic, bava in the Aramaic of the Gemara. They are not synonyms within one language, and each carries a second, non-architectural sense. In the Mishnah shaar is usually a gate and less commonly a market price, and in the Gemara bava can also be a section of a text, as in Bava Kamma. The authorities differ over whether that textual sense has anything to do with a gate. Rabbi Uriel Frank says it has none. Tosafos Yom Tov reads the names of the three masechtos as gates. Ibn Tibbon explains that a section of a book is called a shaar because its statements are like the citizens of one city, who all share the one gate; Rabbi Klein thinks it not farfetched to say the same of bava.
Distinctions
Shaar (שער)
Root ש-ע-ר, about 375 occurrences: most often the breach in a city, citadel, or Mikdash wall through which people enter, and in some cases any settlement. The same root twice means to assess a quantity: Yitzchak sowed and found "meah shearim," a hundredfold (Bereishis 26:12), and "as he has reckoned (shaar) in his soul, so is he" (Mishlei 23:7). In the Mishnah shaar most commonly means the gate, especially of the Mikdash or where the judges sat (Berachos 9:5, Yoma 1:3, Middos 1:1, 1:3-5, 1:7, and many more), and less commonly a price or exchange rate (Maaser Sheini 4:1-2, Bava Metzia 4:12, 5:1) and, as a verb, to appraise (Terumos 4:6, Chullin 7:4). Shadal joins the senses: the merchants who gathered at the city gate appraised goods and so set the going rate. Shiur, an amount (Kerisos 4:1), belongs with the quantitative sense, and the shiur one delivers is so called, perhaps, because the teacher measures his words to his subject.
Tera (תרע)
Biblical Aramaic (Daniel 2:49, 3:26; Ezra 7:24), and the Targumim's ordinary word for shaar.
Bava (בבא)
Absent from Biblical Aramaic, and never used by the Targumim to render anything, though it appears in Targum to Esther 5:14 in an addition to the text. In the Gemara Rashi renders it shaar (Moed Katan 22a) or, far more often, pesach (Shabbos 32a; Yoma 56a; Kesubos 62a; Gittin 68b), and sometimes deles, a door (Eruvin 104a).
- Shadal derives it from the root ב-ב, continuing the approach of Rabbi Shlomo Pappenheim, who gives the one-letter root beis the sense "in, inside," the plain force of the letter as a prefix; to it he assigns navuv, hollowed through (Shemos 27:8), the Mishnaic biv, the pipe into which waste flows (Eruvin 8:10), and the family of bo and biah, coming in, hence mavoy, tevuah, and navi. Shadal adds levav, the heart, and bavas ayin, the pupil; Rabbi Klein suggests why: possibly because the heart sits deep inside the chest, and the pupil is a hole light enters through. Menachem Ibn Saruk had filed bavas ayin and yevavah, weeping, under either the one-letter root beis or the two-letter ב-ב, and Rabbi Jeremy Steinberg of the Veromemanu Foundation clarifies, on Rashi to Shoftim 5:28, that both belong to the eye, the pupil being part of it and weeping its most visible act. On Shadal's derivation, bava is presumably the opening one comes in through.
- Rav Hirsch (to Tehillim 17:8) reads bavas as the eyelid rather than the pupil (see Rashi to Bechoros 38b), the gate that opens and shuts the eye, and says outright that it is connected to the Aramaic bava.
Where the authorities disagree
Why tera means gate.
- The obvious answer is that it is shaar Aramaicized, Hebrew shin becoming Aramaic tav with ayin and reish transposed.
- Rabbi Eliyahu HaBachur (Meturgeman) suggests another, which Rabbi Klein finds more convincing: the Targumim use tera to render Hebrew words for demolition, destruction, rupturing and breaching (Vayikra 14:45; Devarim 12:3; Shmuel II 6:8; Yechezkel 22:30), so a gate is seemingly nothing more than a break in the wall; that they also use it for pesach, "opening" (Bereishis 18:1; Shemos 33:9; Shoftim 4:20), supports this.
Why a section of a sefer is called a bava or a shaar. Rabbi Uriel Frank of Mitzpe Yericho, founder of the Maane Lashon Society, says the truth is that this has nothing to do with gates, and rests it on the dictionary of Talmudic Aramaic of his father, Rabbi Yitzchak Frank, which separates three senses of bava: a gate, door or entryway; a set or unit, as in the bavei of shofar blasts (Rosh Hashanah 33b); and a part or section of a text, the opening, middle and closing bava of a statement (Avodah Zarah 68b). On that reading Bava Kamma, and the divisions of Shaarei Teshuvah and of Chovos HaLevavos, have nothing to do with gates; a body of statements gathered under one heading is called a bava or a shaar because that is simply one of the word's meanings.
Against that, Rabbi Klein found a source that does tie the senses together. Rabbi Shmuel Ibn Tibbon (Peirush HaMilos HaZaros) writes that statements on one subject are called a shaar because they are like citizens of one city who all use the same city gate, so any section of a tract or book is a shaar; the word also carries the Aristotelian sense of a "category"; and on the same figure the standard buying rate is a shaar, since every buyer is subject to it as they all use the one gate. Ibn Tibbon says all this of shaar and does not explicitly extend it to bava; that the same reasoning would cover bava is Rabbi Klein's own suggestion, offered as "not farfetched."
Whether the three masechtos are named for gates. The Meiri and others record that Bava Kamma, Bava Metzia, and Bava Basra were once one thirty-perek masechta, Nezikin, split into three tens, as Tosefta Keilim and Seder Olam were. (The Cambridge manuscript of the Mishnah calls the middle one Bava Tinyana, "the second bava.")
- Tosafos Yom Tov (introduction to Seder Nezikin) reads the name as gates: the Mishnah is the gateway into the Torah's laws, the Oral Torah opening that body of knowledge to the learner.
- Others tie it to the judges at the city gate, which fits civil law but does not explain Tosefta Keilim or Seder Olam.
Radak on these roots
Sefer HaShorashim
ש-ע-רhis headword שׂער
To dread, with the noun שְׂעָרָה, a storm. Also שָׂעִיר, a he-goat, and the demons called שְׂעִירִם; fine rain; hair, and a hairy man; and barley.
Dread, and the storm
לֹא שְׂעָרוּם אֲבֹתֵיכֶם (Devarim 32:17), your fathers did not dread them: that is, they did not fear them and did not serve them. The noun is בְּסוּפָה וּבִשְׂעָרָה דַּרְכּוֹ (Nachum 1:3), His way is in whirlwind and in storm.
The goat, and the שְׂעִירִם
שְׂעִיר עִזִּים (Bamidbar 7:16), a he-goat, is known. וּשְׂעִירִים יְרַקְּדוּ שָׁם (Yeshayahu 13:21), and שעירים will dance there, and לַשְּׂעִירִם אֲשֶׁר הֵם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם (Vayikra 17:7), to the שעירים after whom they stray, are the demons; they are called so because they appear in the likeness of goats to those who believe in them.
The fine rain
כִּשְׂעִירִם עֲלֵי דֶשֶׁא (Devarim 32:2), like שעירים upon the grass: the fine rain is called so.
Hair, the hairy man, and barley
לַשֵּׂעָר הַצָּהֹב (Vayikra 13:36), for the yellow hair; שַׂעְרֵךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָעִזִּים (Shir HaShirim 4:1), your hair is like a flock of goats, that is, like the hair of a flock of goats; הֵן עֵשָׂו אָחִי אִישׁ שָׂעִר (Bereishis 27:11), Esav my brother is a hairy man; and וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה (Shemos 9:31), the flax and the barley. These last two, he says, are known.
Radak’s root שׂער
לֹא שְׂעָרוּם אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם (דברים לב, יז), פירוש לא שערו מהם כלומר שלא יראו מהם ולא עבדום. וּמַלְכֵיהֶם שָֽׂעֲרוּ שַׂעַר (יחזקאל כז, לה), וּמַלְכֵיהֶם יִשְֽׂעֲרוּ עָלֶיךָ שַׂעַר (יחזקאל לב, י), וְשַֽׂעֲרוּ חָרְבוּ מְאֹד (ירמיה ב, יב), כְּמוֹ־חַי כְּמוֹ־חָרוֹן יִשְׂעָרֶֽנּוּ (תהלים נח, י). והשם בְּסוּפָה וּבִשְׂעָרָה דַּרְכּוֹ (נחום א, ג). ומשקל אחר וְקַדְמֹנִים אָחֲזוּ שָֽׂעַר (איוב יח, כ). והנפעל וּסְבִיבָיו נִשְֽׂעֲרָה מְאֹֽד (תהלים נ, ג). וההתפעל וְיִשְׂתָּעֵר עָלָיו מֶלֶךְ הַצָּפוֹן (דניאל יא, מ), כבר זכרנים באות הסמ"ך. שְׂעִיר־עִזִּים אֶחָד לְחַטָּֽאת (במדבר ז, טז), אֶת־שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם (ויקרא טז, ז), שְׂעִירַת עִזִּים (ויקרא ד, כח), ידוע. וְשָׂעִיר עַל־רֵעֵהוּ יִקְרָא (ישעיה לד, יד), וּשְׂעִירִים יְרַקְּדוּ־שָֽׁם (ישעיה יג, כא), לַשְּׂעִירִם אֲשֶׁר הֵם זֹנִים אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם (ויקרא יז, ז), הם השדים וקראם כן לפי שהם נראים כדמות השעירים למאמינים בם. כִּשְׂעִירִם עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא (דברים לב, ב), יקרא כן הגשם הדק. לַשֵּׂעָר הַצָּהֹב (ויקרא יג, לו), וַיָּחֶל שְׂעַר־רֹאשׁוֹ לְצַמֵּחַ (שופטים טז, כב), שַׂעְרֵךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָֽעִזִּים (שיר השירים ד, א), פירוש כשער עדר העזים. וּשְׂעָרָה לֹֽא־הָפַךְ לָבָן (ויקרא יג, ד), הה"א נחה. ומשקל אחר עם ה"א הנקבה אֶל־הַֽשַּׂעֲרָה וְלֹא יַחֲטִֽא (שופטים כ, טז), תְּסַמֵּר שַֽׂעֲרַת בְּשָׂרִֽי (איוב ד, טו), מִשַּֽׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשִׁי (תהלים מ, יג). ומשקל אחר אֶת־הָרֹאשׁ וְשַׂעַר הָֽרַגְלָיִם (ישעיה ז, כ). והתאר הֵן עֵשָׂו אָחִי אִישׁ שָׂעִר (בראשית כז, יא), כִּידֵי עֵשָׂו אָחִיו שְׂעִרֹת (בראשית כז, כג), ידוע. וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה (שמות ט, לא), וְהַשְּׂעֹרִים וְהַתֶּבֶן (מלכים א' ה, ח), ידוע.
To reckon and estimate; in another sense, foul and filthy, said of figs; and שַׁעַר, a gate, a whole land being called by its gate, its entrance.
Reckoning
כְּמֽוֹ־ שָׁעַר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ כֶּן־הוּא (Mishlei 23:7), as he reckons in his soul so is he, on the pattern פָּעַל; the noun is שַׁעַר, accented on its first syllable, and in the plural מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים (Bereishis 26:12), a hundred measures; the sense is measure and estimate, and is known. Some take שַֽׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּה in בְּבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאִיתִי (Hoshea 6:10), in the house of Yisrael I have seen a שַֽׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּה, from this sense, so that the pasuk says: what I reckoned of them I saw in them.
Another sense, and the foul figs
Another sense: שַׁמָּה וְשַֽׁעֲרוּרָה (Yirmiyahu 5:30), an astonishment and a שַֽׁעֲרוּרָה, and רָאִיתִי שַֽׁעֲרוּרָה (Yirmiyahu 23:14), I have seen a שַֽׁעֲרוּרָה; and with the yud of relation, ראיתי שַֽׁעֲרוּרִיָּה (Hoshea 6:10), I have seen a שַֽׁעֲרוּרִיָּה, so that Radak files under this sense the word some take as reckoning; and in another form שַֽׁעֲרֻרִת עָֽשְׂתָה מְאֹד (Yirmiyahu 18:13), she has done a שַֽׁעֲרֻרִת exceedingly. Then כַּתְּאֵנִים הַשֹּׁעָרִים (Yirmiyahu 29:17), like the foul figs, an adjective, whose sense is filth and foulness. Whether that sense is given for the whole run or for this last word alone, his text does not mark.
The gate, and the land's entrance
שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם (Bereishis 28:17), the gate of heaven, and the verb from it, שֹׁעֵר הָעִיר (Melachim II 7:10), the gatekeeper of the city. A whole land is called by its gate, after its entrance, as וְיִרַשׁ זַֽרְעֲךָ אֵת שַׁעַר אֹֽיְבָֽיו (Bereishis 22:17), your seed shall possess the gate of its enemies: a strong and fortified land is strong at its entrance, having mountains or seas about it, and once enemies have come in and passed those gates the whole land is taken before them. So פָּתוֹחַ נִפְתְּחוּ שַֽׁעֲרֵי אַרְצֵךְ (Nachum 3:13), the gates of your land are thrown wide open, and וְהֵצַר לְךָ בְּכָל־ שְׁעָרֶיךָ (Devarim 28:52), he will press you in all your gates.
Radak’s root שׁער
כְּמֽוֹ־שָׁעַר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ כֶּן־הוּא (משלי כג, ז), בשקל פָּעַל. והשם מלעיל שַׁעַר. ולרבים מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים (בראשית כו, יב), ענין שעור ואומד ידוע. ויש מפרשים מזה בְּבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאִיתִי שַֽׁעֲרֽיּרִיָּה [שַֽׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּה] (הושע ו, י), כלומר מה ששיערתי בהם ראיתי בהם. וענין אחר שַׁמָּה וְשַֽׁעֲרוּרָה (ירמיה ה, ל), וּבִנְבִאֵי יְרֽוּשָׁלַם רָאִיתִי שַֽׁעֲרוּרָה (ירמיה כג, יד). ועם יו"ד היחש ראיתי שַֽׁעֲרוּרִיָּה. ומשקל אחר שַֽׁעֲרֻרִת עָֽשְׂתָה מְאֹד (ירמיה יח, יג). כַּתְּאֵנִים הַשֹּׁעָרִים (ירמיה כט, יז), בקמץ העי"ן והוא תאר, ענין לכלוך וטנוף. שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם (בראשית כח, יז), הַשַּׁעְרָה אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִים (דברים כה, ז), ידוע. והפעל ממנו שֹׁעֵר הָעִיר (מלכים ב' ז, י), הֵמָּה הַשֹּֽׁעֲרִים לְמַֽחֲנוֹת בְּנֵי לֵוִֽי (דברי הימים א' ט, יח), ונקראת כל הארץ שער על שם כניסתה שהיא שער הארץ כמו שאמר וְיִרַשׁ זַֽרְעֲךָ אֵת שַׁעַר אֹֽיְבָֽיו (בראשית כב, יז), לפי שהארץ החזקה והבצורה חזקה היא בכניסתה שיש סביבותיה הרים או ימים וכיון שנכנסו האויבים ועברו אותם השערים הרי כל הארץ נכבשת לפניהם לפיכך אמר פָּתוֹחַ נִפְתְּחוּ שַֽׁעֲרֵי אַרְצֵךְ אָֽכְלָה אֵשׁ בְּרִיחָֽיִךְ (נחום ג, יג), וְהֵצַר לְךָ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶיךָ (דברים כח, נב).
ת-ר-ע
A single word, תִּרְעָתִים, explained as gatekeepers, and the Targum of a gate is תַרְעָא; Radak allows that it may be the name of a family.
The whole entry
One line, on תִּרְעָתִים שִׁמְעָתִים (Divrei HaYamim I 2:55), the Tir'asim, the Shim'asim, where תִּרְעָתִים has been explained as gatekeepers; and the Targum of שַׁעַר (Bereishis 22:17), a gate, is תַרְעָא. Radak allows that it may be the name of a family.
תִּרְעָתִים שִׁמְעָתִים (דברי הימים א' ב, נה), פירשו בו שוערים. ותרגום שַׁעַר (בראשית כב, יז) תַרְעָא ויתכן שהוא שם למשפחה.
Radak, Sefer HaShorashim, Berlin 1847. Public domain, digitised by Sefaria from the National Library of Israel.
Sources
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, "Vayishlach: Enter the Gate," What's in a Word?, Ohr Somayach, 3 December 2022.
Cited in the essay: Bereishis 18:1, 26:12; Shemos 27:8, 33:9; Vayikra 14:45; Devarim 12:3; Shoftim 4:20, 5:28 with Rashi; Shmuel II 6:8; Yechezkel 22:30; Mishlei 23:7; Tehillim 17:8 with Rav Hirsch; Daniel 2:49, 3:26; Ezra 7:24; Esther 5:14 in Targum; Rosh Hashanah 33b; Avodah Zarah 68b; Moed Katan 22a, Shabbos 32a, Yoma 56a, Kesubos 62a, Gittin 68b and Eruvin 104a with Rashi; Bechoros 38b with Rashi; Mishnah Berachos 9:5, Yoma 1:3, Middos 1:1, 1:3-5, 1:7, Maaser Sheini 4:1-2, Bava Metzia 4:12, 5:1, Terumos 4:6, Chullin 7:4, Kerisos 4:1, Eruvin 8:10; the Cambridge manuscript of the Mishnah; Shadal; Rabbi Eliyahu HaBachur, Meturgeman; Machberes Menachem; Rabbi Shlomo Pappenheim, Cheshek Shlomo; Meiri to Bava Kamma; Tosafos Yom Tov, introduction to Seder Nezikin; Rabbi Shmuel Ibn Tibbon, Peirush HaMilos HaZaros; Rabbi Yitzchak Frank's dictionary of Talmudic Aramaic, as cited by his son Rabbi Uriel Frank; Rabbi Jeremy Steinberg of the Veromemanu Foundation; Rabbeinu Yonah's Shaarei Teshuvah and Rabbeinu Bachya Ibn Pakuda's Chovos HaLevavos as works divided into shearim.