body
hair
At a glance
In short
Saar (Aramaic saara) is the plain word for hair, whether one strand or the whole growth: hair. Rabbi Klein found no theory of why Talmudic Aramaic would have four words for hair, and offers his own suggestion: mazia is a patch of hair, hair or a head of hair; binta is one single strand, a hair; nimah is a hair that protrudes or is unwanted, and outside the hair sense it is a string or thread. Binta and mazia stand side by side in Yoma 69b and Bava Metzia 84b, where a single binta comes loose from the mazia.
Distinctions
Saar / saarah (שער / שערה)
The Hebrew word, used both for a single strand (Vayikra 13:37) and for hair collectively (Vayikra 14:9). Some medakdekim separate the two forms, se'ar for a patch of hair and se'arah for one strand (see Tosafos Yom Tov to Negaim 4:1 and Niddah 3:2). Rabbi Dr. Jared Greenblatt theorizes that Hebrew and Aramaic saar(a) appear to be cognate with the words for barley, se'orah, barley being possibly called "hairy" because its awns are longer than wheat's. Indeed, the Mishnah uses se'ar for the fibers protruding from produce (Shabbos 21:3, Kilayim 3:5). Greenblatt adds that both sets of words may be related to sa'ir, a goat, as ma'azia is. Apart from the three places where the Targum uses binta (Rabbi Eliyahu HaBachur, Meturgeman, counts only those three), the Targumim do not really translate sa'ar at all, but simply Aramaicize it into saara. A reader pointed out to Rabbi Klein that Biblical Aramaic itself has se'ar three times (Daniel 3:27, 4:30, 7:9), which suggests a native Aramaic word, and that the standard Arabic word for hair is the same, with a shin for the sin.
Mazia (מזיא)
Its etymology is disputed.
- Rabbi Dr. Jared Greenblatt argues that it is related to the Syriac and Aramaic ma'azia, goat hair (Targum Onkelos to Shemos 25:4, 26:7, 35:6), plainly a cognate of eiz, and that in later permutations the zayin doubled, giving mazia, as if the ayin had dropped.
- Rabbi Dr. Alexander Kohut contends the opposite, that mazia is unrelated to ma'azia and derives instead from Old Persian, noting its relation to the Old Persian word for the hair of the eyebrows.
Either way, Rashi (to Devarim 32:24) identifies the mezei of mezei ra'av as the one appearance of this Aramaic word in Tanach; others, including Ibn Janach, Ibn Parchon, Ibn Ezra and Radak, explain mezei differently.
Mazia is used of Mordechai asking Haman to cut his hair (Megillah 16a), of Rabbi Akiva picking the straw out of Rachel's hair (Nedarim 50a), of a certain butcher letting his hair grow as teshuvah (Sanhedrin 25a), of the shaving of the yefas to'ar (Targum Yonasan to Devarim 21:12), and of the wife of On ben Pelet uncovering her hair to keep Korach's men away (Sanhedrin 109b to 110a; On is listed with Korach's entourage at Bamidbar 16:1 and then drops out of the story). It is also the word in Korach's wife's taunt that shaving all the Levi'im (Bamidbar 8:7) was meant to humiliate him (Sanhedrin 110a).
Binta (בינתא)
One strand. Death by misas neshikah is "like drawing a hair (binta) out of milk" (Berachos 8a). The Targum to Shoftim 20:16, where the Binyaminite slingers could hit a hair without missing, renders the Hebrew sa'arah as binas saara, one strand of the hair; cognates also appear at Tehillim 40:13 and Iyov 9:17, and per Rabbi Eliyahu HaBachur those three are the only places binta occurs in Targum. Kohut explains the medicinal leech called a bini of the water (Gittin 68b) as related to binta, such leeches being long and thin like strands of hair, and notes that elsewhere the same leech is called a nimah of the waters (Avodah Zarah 12b).
The two words appear side by side twice. When the chachamim captured the fiery lion of the yetzer for avodah zarah, a single strand (binta) slipped from its hair (mazia), a sign that the fight is not finished (Yoma 69b); and the body of Rabbi Elazar beRabbi Shimon, preserved in the attic, would bleed if one strand (binta) came loose from his hair (mazia) (Bava Metzia 84b). Rabbi Avraham Meir Israel (Yalkut HaMeiri) hears a hint of the same word in the pasuk Chazal applied to the wife of On ben Pelet, "chachmos nashim bansah beisah" (Mishlei 14:1): bansah, she built, sounds like binta, hair.
Where the Gemara speaks of a nazir uprooting some of his hair it says mazia (Nazir 39a), but Rabbi Yoel Sirkes deletes the word and, following the commentary ascribed to Rashi there, reads binta.
Nimah (נימא)
The ordinary Talmudic word for a hair: no one can touch what is set aside for another, not even by a hair's worth (Yoma 38b); the hair of the body as a chatzitzah in tevilah (Eruvin 4b, Sukkah 6a); pubic hair (Sanhedrin 21a, Gittin 6b). But it seems the hair sense is only secondary and borrowed. Elsewhere nimah is a string or cord: the strings of an instrument (Targum to Tehillim 6:1, Tosefta Erchin 2:7, Eruvin 102b), a bowstring (Targum to Tehillim 11:2 and Iyov 30:11), threads for sewing (Shabbos 64a, 74b), threads sticking out of a garment (Menachos 42b, Sukkah 9a), and by extension a kernel (Shabbos 79a). Several philologists and linguists derive the Aramaic nimah from the Ancient Greek nema, thread.
The proposal that ties them together
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein has found no theory of why Talmudic Aramaic would have four words that all mean hair. His own suggestion: mazia is a patch of hair, binta is a single strand, nimah is hair that sticks out or is otherwise unwanted, and saara is simply the Hebrew word taken over into Aramaic in its general sense.
Radak on these roots
Sefer HaShorashim
מ-ז-יhe files it under מזה
Burnt: מְזֵי רָעָב (Devarim 32:24) is שרופי רעב, those burnt up with hunger.
The Aramaic
לְמֵזֵא לְאַתּוּנָא (Daniel 3:19), to heat the furnace, carries the same sense, though the mem of לְמֵזֵא is not a root letter.
מְזֵי רָעָב (דברים לב, כד), ענינו שרופי רעב. וכן בארמית לְמֵזֵא לְאַתּוּנָא (דניאל ג, יט), ואף על פי שאין מ"ם לְמֵזֵא שרשית.
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).
Radak, Sefer HaShorashim, Berlin 1847. Public domain, digitised by Sefaria from the National Library of Israel.
Sources
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, "All About Hair," What's in a Word?, Ohr Somayach, 20 June 2020.
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, "All About Hair," What's in a Word? Synonyms in the Hebrew Language (book manuscript).
Cited in the essay: Bamidbar 8:7, 16:1; Vayikra 13:37, 14:9; Devarim 21:12, 32:24 with Rashi; Shoftim 20:16 with Targum; Tehillim 6:1, 11:2, 40:13; Iyov 9:17, 30:11; Mishlei 14:1; Shemos 25:4, 26:7, 35:6 in Targum Onkelos; Berachos 8a; Shabbos 64a, 74b, 79a; Eruvin 4b, 102b; Sukkah 6a, 9a; Megillah 16a; Nedarim 50a; Gittin 6b, 68b; Avodah Zarah 12b; Bava Metzia 84b; Sanhedrin 21a, 25a, 109b to 110a; Yoma 38b, 69b; Menachos 42b; Mishnah Shabbos 21:3, Kilayim 3:5, Negaim 4:1, Niddah 3:2 with Tosafos Yom Tov; Tosefta Erchin 2:7; Zohar, Tazria 49a; Rabbi Eliyahu HaBachur, Meturgeman; Rabbi Avraham Meir Israel, Yalkut HaMeiri; Rabbi Dr. Alexander Kohut on mazia, bini and nimah; Nazir 39a with the commentary ascribed to Rashi and the Bach; Daniel 3:27, 4:30, 7:9.