time
seven
At a glance
In short
Sheviis, "the seventh," is the Sabbatical year, and it is the Mishnah's usual word for it. Shavua is a week, but in several mishnayos, and seemingly throughout Daniel, it is a seven-year cycle. Shabbos is the day and the Sabbatical year, and by synecdoche the week the day closes (Ramban), though Rabbi Mecklenburg objects that nowhere else in Tanach does it mean a week, and reads it in Vayikra 23 as cessation. Shevuah is an oath; most of the authorities Rabbi Klein brings tie it to sheva, though they differ on why. Sheva itself is not always the number: Rasag renders it "much" at Bereishis 4:24 and "many" at Mishlei 24:16.
Distinctions
Sheva (שבע) and sheviis (שביעית)
Sheviis is simply the ordinal, the seventh year of a seven-year cycle, and it is Biblical for the Sabbatical year (Shemos 23:11; Vayikra 25:4, 25:20; Devarim 15:12; Nechemiah 10:32) as well as the Mishnah's standing term and the name of the masechta.
Shavua (שבוע)
In Tanach usually a week of seven days (Bereishis 29:27-28; Vayikra 12:5; Devarim 16:9), and so in the Mishnah (Bava Metzia 9:11, Erachin 2:1, and throughout Negaim). But every time it appears in Daniel it seemingly means a period of seven years (9:24-27, 10:2-3), and so in several mishnayos (Sheviis 4:7-9, Bava Metzia 9:10, Sanhedrin 5:1, Makkos 1:10, Parah 8:9), as Rashi repeatedly points out (Pesachim 12a, 86a; Moed Katan 12a; Sotah 44a; Bava Metzia 110b; Sanhedrin 97a). In Biblical Hebrew the plural of shavua as a seven-day period is shavuos, and of shavua as a seven-year period shavuim; for some reason, Rashi in his commentary to the Gemara sometimes uses shavuim for weeks.
The root
- Mecklenburg traces both ש-ב-ת and ש-ב-ע to the two-letter ש-ב, whose sense is returning. The ayin is not one of Pappenheim's radical letters, but, Rabbi Klein argues, the Aramaic shav, seven, is sheva without it, which leaves ample room for the derivation. Hence, for Mecklenburg, a shevuyah, a captive, caught in a closed system that keeps returning to its start, and hence shabbos and shavua as cycles of time that restart on reaching seven, whether of days, weeks, years, or, as the medieval mekubalim have it, millennia.
- Pappenheim offers a similar explanation: one who has returned home no longer moves toward anything, so shabbos as cessation grows out of returning, and a captive is forced into that same stillness.
Mecklenburg holds that seven's cyclical importance is embedded in creation; although the week answers to no astronomical cycle as day, month, and year do, he points to the seven musical notes, and Rabbi Moshe Zuriel to the seven colors of the rainbow, to which Rabbi Klein adds the seven planets visible to the naked eye, the seven letters that take a dagesh, the seven orifices of the head (Sefer Yetzirah 4:3), and perhaps the reputed seven-chambered uterus. Rabbi Klein then qualifies this: the first examples are not foolproof and could be understood as social constructs, since seven notes and seven colors of the rainbow may reflect no more than a human consensus that fixed on seven, and in reality the notes or the colors could be divided into any number, though we are not conditioned to think of them so. The Shelah writes that Hashem made the world in six days and rested on the seventh to teach a man to use his seventy years (Tehillim 90:10) and waste none of them, and the mitzvos built on seven, the seven days of chametz, the seven days of sheva berachos, carry the same reminder.
Where the authorities disagree
Does shabbos mean "week"?
- In "you shall count seven complete shabbasos" (Vayikra 23:15-16), Ibn Ezra and Ramban hold that the word carries two senses within a few pesukim: the first two occurrences name a holy day, the first day of Pesach, and the last two mean weeks. Targum Onkelos reflects exactly this, rendering the first pair yoma tava and the second shavua. Ramban adds that shabbos for "week" is common in rabbinic speech (Taanis 4:7, Megillah 3:4, Kesubos 1:1, 5:6-7, Eduyos 4:10, Nedarim 8:1, Bava Metzia 9:11, Bava Basra 5:10, Sheviis 2:6, Niddah 4:5), and calls the word a synecdoche: a day within the week and the week entire. By the same token the Sabbatical year is called shabbos (Vayikra 25:2, 25:4, 25:6, 26:34-35; Divrei HaYamim II 36:21), and so is the seven-year cycle that contains it (Vayikra 25:8), the name for the Sabbatical year highlighting its Shabbos-like rules requiring one to rest from working the ground.
- Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg objects that nowhere else in Tanach does shabbos mean week, and reads it there in its plain sense of ceasing: between the Omer on the second day of Pesach and the Two Loaves on Shavuos no new grain is used in the Mikdash, so those weeks may be characterized as a cessation. The Torah says shabbasos in Parshas Emor to allude to that stopping of offerings from the new grain, and he says a chiddush: even new barley is not brought between the sixteenth of Nissan and Shavuos, which bears in practice on the minchas sotah.
Shabbos or shavua, when both mean week.
- Mecklenburg: shabbos is specifically the calendar week that runs from Sunday to Shabbos, which lends the day's name to the whole; shavua, from sheva, is any seven-day stretch and need not begin on Sunday.
- Rabbi Dr. Alter HaLevi Hilowitz presumes that shavua too means the calendar week, and draws a consequence: if the shavuos counted to the festival are calendar weeks, the count would always begin on a Sunday, which is the heretical Tzedoki position; on his account the name Shavuos lends credence to it, and that is why Chazal refrained from using it and called the festival Atzeres instead.
- Mecklenburg's own reading runs against Hilowitz's. Parshas Emor says shabbasos (Vayikra 23:15-16) for the cessation of offerings from the new grain; Parshas Re'eh says shavuos (Devarim 16:9) because from shabbasos alone one would have understood weeks that begin on Sunday, so there the Torah makes clear with shavuos that any kind of week is meant.
Why an oath is a shevuah. Six accounts:
- Sevenfold strengthening. Rava rules that saying "no, no" or "yes, yes" is an oath (Shevuos 36a), which Rashi explains as strengthening by repetition, conceptually like an oath, which is meant to strengthen the force of what one says. The Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon joins the two senses of ש-ב-ע by defining the "swear" sense as "seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things." And treaty oaths in Tanach were accompanied by seven animals (Bereishis 21:23-33) or a multiple of seven (Divrei HaYamim II 15:11-15), so that, Rabbi Klein concludes, it seems the number seven was somehow associated with affirming the oath taken, and all oaths came to be called shevuah in consequence. Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 330) explains the connection between shevuah and sheva: repeating a thing seven times strengthens that speech act and symbolizes its everlasting value. Onkelos renders the oath verb at Bereishis 24:9 with a cognate of kiyum, establishing and everlasting.
- Hashem is the Seventh. Ibn Ezra suggests in several places, building on Sefer Yetzirah 4:2 that the first six numbers are the six directions and the seventh is Hashem at the center as Prime Mover: to swear is to tie one's claim to His existence, as though saying, just as Hashem is true, so is this. Ibn Ezra (to Bereishis 21:31) and Ramban (to Bamidbar 30:3) both comment on the link cryptically without elaborating.
- Delivering oneself into His hand. Rav Hirsch (to Bereishis 21:23): since Hashem made the world in seven days, seven came to be associated with Him and to symbolize universally His role as Creator and Master of the world, so the one who swears actively places himself under His direct control, as if to say that if what he says is untrue he hereby delivers himself into Hashem's hand to be dealt with justly. Seven went on being a significant stock number in many ancient Near Eastern texts.
- Captivity. Mecklenburg, Pappenheim, and Rav Hirsch all connect shevuah to shevuyah, a captive: the sworn man is bound and cannot move freely.
- Satiation. Rabbi Moshe Elyakim Briah Hopstein: shevuah is akin to seviah, being satisfied, since swearing in Hashem's name is a way of clinging to Him, and the righteous are not satisfied until they cling to Him entirely.
- Tying the claim to This World's higher purpose. Maharal (Derech Chaim to Avos 5:15) sets out three worlds, each with its number: This World, which we experience, is four; the Highest World, the Divine world of direct emanations from Hashem, is ten; and the Middle World, the celestial world of the mazalos, which joins This World to the Highest World as the conduit for Hashem's influx of shefa, is seven. Lying between four and ten, seven also connotes connecting This World to a higher purpose, a man using his free will to choose goodness and holiness, and following such connections reveals the true purpose of This World. Rabbi Eliyahu Menachem Margulies (Emunas Eliezer, Yerach HaEisanim ch. 9, and see ch. 18) notes that the Torah, in giving the etymology of the place-name Be'er Sheva, shows a connection between sheva and shevuah: "therefore he called that place Be'er Sheva [literally, the seventh well], because there they both swore" (Bereishis 21:31). On the Maharal's basis he explains that one who takes an oath ties his undertaking or his truth-claim to the goals of This World that sheva represents.
Rabbi Yitzchok Avigdor Lubchansky of Milwaukee notes that the mitzvah to swear in Hashem's name, as against the name of any other deity (Devarim 6:13, 10:20), is listed as the seventh positive commandment in Rambam's reckoning of the 613, which illustrates the tie again between Hashem, swearing and the number seven.
Tishrei is called the seventh month, and the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 29:9) ties that ordinal to shevuah, since it was in that month that Hashem swore to Avraham at the Akeidah.
Is sheva always the number?
- Rasag's Tafsir renders Lemech's "sevenfold has Kayin been avenged, and Lemech seventy-seven" (Bereishis 4:24) as "much... more and more," and sheva yipol tzaddik vakam (Mishlei 24:16) as "many"; Ibn Ezra and Ralbag read Mishlei the same way.
- Mecklenburg likewise intimates that the sevenfold punishments of Vayikra 26:18, 26:24, 26:28 are recurring punishment rather than a count.
Also discussed in
- Names of Shavuosשבוע / שבועות / shavua, Shavuos (ש-ב-ע)
- Returnשבת / shabbos (ש-ב, returning)
- Vowשבועה / shevuah (ש-ב-ע)
Radak on these roots
Sefer HaShorashim
ש-ב-עhis headword שׂבע
To eat one's fill and be sated, of food and of other things; to give another his fill; and the nouns שָׂבְעָה and שֹׂבַע, fullness and plenty.
Of other things
לֹא תִשְׂבַּע עַיִן לִרְאוֹת (Koheles 1:8), the eye is never filled with seeing; שָׂבְעָה בְרָעוֹת נַפְשִׁי (Tehillim 88:4), my soul has had its fill of troubles; כִּי רַב שָׂבַעְנוּ בוּז (Tehillim 123:3), we have had our fill of contempt; and דָּוִיד זָקֵן וְשָׂבַע יָמִים (Divrei HaYamim I 23:1), David old and full of days.
The nouns
שָׂבְעָה, as לֹא יָדְעוּ שָׂבְעָה (Yeshayahu 56:11), they know no fullness, and שֹׂבַע, as וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לָשֹׂבַע (Vayikra 25:19), and you shall eat to the full; and another form, וְנִשְׁכַּח כָּל הַשָּׂבָע (Bereishis 41:30), and all the plenty will be forgotten.
Eating one's fill
Of food and drink: וְאָכַל וְשָׂבַע וְדָשֵׁן (Devarim 31:20), he will eat and be satisfied and grow fat; וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ (Devarim 6:11), you will eat and be satisfied; אַתָּה תֹאכַל וְלֹא תִשְׂבָּע (Michah 6:14), you will eat and not be satisfied; וּבַבֹּקֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ־לָחֶם (Shemos 16:12), in the morning you will have your fill of bread; and לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם וְלֹא יִשְׂבָּעוּ (Amos 4:8), to drink water and not be satisfied.
Filled with a thing
Where the thing one is filled with stands as the object, he reads it as though it said of it: פֶּן־תִּשְׂבָּעֶנּוּ וַהֲקֵאתוֹ (Mishlei 25:16), lest you be filled with it and vomit it, he glosses פן תשבע ממנו, lest you have your fill of it; and likewise וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם אֹתוֹ (Yoel 2:19), which he glosses ושבעתם ממנו, you will have your fill of it.
Full of
The adjective is a man full of something: וְשָׂבֵעַ יָלִין בַּל־יִפָּקֶד רָע (Mishlei 19:23), he rests satisfied and is not visited by evil; וּשְׂבַע יָמִים (Iyov 42:17), full of days; שְׂבַע קָלוֹן (Iyov 10:15), full of disgrace; וּשְׂבַע־רֹגֶז (Iyov 14:1), full of turmoil; and שְׂבֵעִים בַּלֶּחֶם נִשְׂכָּרוּ (Shmuel I 2:5), those full of bread hired themselves out. שִׂבְעַת־לֶחֶם וְשַׁלְוַת הַשְׁקֵט (Yechezkel 16:49), fullness of bread and quiet ease, is another form of the noun.
Giving another his fill
The heavy forms give another his fill: וָאַשְׂבִּעַ אוֹתָם וַיִּנְאָפוּ (Yirmiyahu 5:7), I gave them their fill and they went whoring; וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל־חַי רָצוֹן (Tehillim 145:16), satisfying every living thing with favour; וְנֶפֶשׁ נַעֲנָה תַּשְׂבִּיעַ (Yeshayahu 58:10), you satisfy the afflicted soul; נַפְשָׁם לֹא יְשַׂבֵּעוּ (Yechezkel 7:19), they will not satisfy their appetite; and שַׂבְּעֵנוּ בַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ (Tehillim 90:14), satisfy us in the morning with Your kindness. Of all of them he says their sense is known.
Radak’s root שׂבע
וְאָכַל וְשָׂבַע וְדָשֵׁן (דברים לא, כ), וְדָוִיד זָקֵן וְשָׂבַע יָמִים (דברי הימים א' כג, א), וְאָֽכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ (דברים ו, יא), אַתָּה תֹאכַל וְלֹא תִשְׂבָּע (מיכה ו, יד), וּבַבֹּקֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ־לָחֶם (שמות טז, יב), אֶל־עִיר אַחַת לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם וְלֹא יִשְׂבָּעוּ (עמוס ד, ח). פֶּן־תִּשְׂבָּעֶנּוּ וַֽהֲקֵאתֽוֹ (משלי כה, טז), רוצה לומר פן תשבע ממנו. וכן וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם אֹתוֹ (יואל ב, יט), ושבעתם ממנו. לֹא־תִשְׂבַּע עַיִן לִרְאוֹת (קהלת א, ח), שְׁאוֹל וַֽאֲבַדֹּה [וַֽאֲבַדּוֹ] לֹא תִּשְׂבַּעְנָה (משלי כז, כ), שָֽׂבְעָה בְרָעוֹת נַפְשִׁי (תהלים פח, ד), יִשְׂבַּע בחרפה (איכה ג, ל), מִדְּרָכָיו יִשְׂבַּע סוּג לֵב (משלי יד, יד), וּמִמֹּֽעֲצֹֽתֵיהֶם יִשְׂבָּֽעוּ (משלי א, לא), כִּֽי־רַב שָׂבַעְנוּ בֽוּז (תהלים קכג, ג). והשם אָכוֹל וְאֵֽין־לְשָׂבְעָה (חגי א, ו), לֹא יָֽדְעוּ שָׂבְעָה (ישעיה נו, יא), מִבִּלְתִּי שָׂבְעָתֵךְ (יחזקאל טז, כח). וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּם לָשֹׂבַע (ויקרא כה, יט), שׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶיךָ (תהלים טז, יא), וְאָֽכַלְתָּ עֲנָבִים כְּנַפְשְׁךָ שָׂבְעֶךָ (דברים כג, כה). ומשקל אחר וְנִשְׁכַּח כָּל־הַשָּׂבָע (בראשית מא, ל). ומשקל אחר שִׂבְעַת־לֶחֶם וְשַׁלְוַת הַשְׁקֵט (יחזקאל טז, מט). והתאר וְשָׂבֵעַ יָלִין בַּל־יִפָּקֶד רָֽע (משלי יט, כג), וּשְׂבַע יָמִֽים (איוב מב, יז), שְׂבַע קָלוֹן (איוב י, טו), וּֽשְׂבַע־רֹֽגֶז (איוב יד, א), שְׂבֵעִים בַּלֶּחֶם נִשְׂכָּרוּ (שמואל א' ב, ה). והפעל הכבד [הִפְעִיל] וָֽאַשְׂבִּעַ אוֹתָם וַיִּנְאָפוּ (ירמיה ה, ז), וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל־חַי רָצֽוֹן (תהלים קמה, טז), וְנֶפֶשׁ נַֽעֲנָה תַּשְׂבִּיעַ (ישעיה נח, י). וכבד אחר [פִּעֵל] נַפְשָׁם לֹא יְשַׂבֵּעוּ (יחזקאל ז, יט), שַׂבְּעֵנוּ בַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ (תהלים צ, יד), כולם ענינם ידוע.
Seven and the seventh; seven used for many rather than the exact count; and the week. In another sense, to swear, and to put another under oath.
Which day was the seventh
בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי (Shoftim 14:15), on the seventh day, at Shimshon's feast, he holds is the Shabbos, and the fourth of the days of the feast rather than the seventh of them; and וַתֵּבְךְּ עָלָיו שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים (Shoftim 14:17), she wept upon him the seven days, he reads as until the end of the seven days. Rabbi Yonah read that שביעי as standing for רביעי, and Radak rejects it: שביעי never means רביעי, since such an exchange is not found and could not be. Some take it instead as the seventh day of the feast, the Pelishtim having pressed her only after three days of failing at the riddle; on their reading she had already wept the whole seven.
Which son David was
דָּוִיד הַשְּׁבִעִי (Divrei HaYamim I 2:15) he holds against Rabbi Yonah likewise: the seventh is not the eighth. Shmuel I 16:10, which counts seven sons passing before Shmuel besides David, he settles by saying Yishai may have had a son from another wife, the brothers from David's own mother being seven with him.
Sevenfold
וְנִמְצָא יְשַׁלֵּם שִׁבְעָתָיִם (Mishlei 6:31), and being found he pays שבעתים, which he glosses כפלים, manifold, as the law lays on him: if he stole an ox and a sheep, he pays seven besides the principal.
Seven for a number simply large
לָכֵן כָּל־הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם (Bereishis 4:15) he reads as many vengeances taken from whoever kills him, not seven exactly, since שֶׁבַע and שִׁבְעָה come for a reckoning that is not their own number but more: עַל־אֶבֶן אַחַת שִׁבְעָה עֵינָיִם (Zecharyah 3:9) is many watchings, and שֶׁבַע כְּחַטֹּאתֵיכֶם (Vayikra 26:21) and שֶׁבַע יִפּוֹל צַדִּיק (Mishlei 24:16) are many times.
The week
They come by this reckoning, he says, because all the days of the world are weeks: וַחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ (Daniel 9:27), half the week, מַלֵּא שְׁבֻעַ זֹאת (Bereishis 29:27), fill out this one's week, said of Leah, and שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים (Daniel 9:24), seventy weeks. In the feminine שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעֹת (Devarim 16:9), seven weeks. On שְׁבֻעֹת חֻקּוֹת קָצִיר (Yirmiyahu 5:24), the weeks, the set laws of harvest, his father read that in those weeks of harvest Hashem keeps for him the harvest's set laws, since rain did not fall in Eretz Yisrael in the days of harvest, which is why Shmuel said he would call and Hashem would give thunder. In the same form, with a sheva under the shin, חָג שְׁבֻעוֹת יָמִים מַצּוֹת יֵאָכֵל (Yechezkel 45:21), a festival of seven days, matzos shall be eaten, is not a plural but like שבעת ימים, seven days, since the festival of matzos is only seven days, neither now nor in time to come.
Another sense: swearing
וַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לִי (Bereishis 24:7), and who swore to me, וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ (Bereishis 24:9), and he swore to him, וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ (Devarim 6:13), by His name you shall swear, and וְהִשָּׁבֵעַ לַשֶּׁקֶר (Yirmiyahu 7:9), swearing falsely. The noun is כִּי הַשְּׁבוּעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה (Shoftim 21:5), the great oath. שְׁבֻעוֹת מַטּוֹת אֹמֶר סֶלָה (Chavakuk 3:9) he takes as the oath sworn to the tribes; others read it of the lightnings, which are like arrows and staves, as though they had sworn to keep His word.
Putting another under oath
Where the verb takes an object it is laying the oath on someone: וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ הַכֹּהֵן (Bamidbar 5:21), the kohen puts her under oath, and וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי אֲדֹנִי (Bereishis 24:37), my master put me under oath. On וּבְשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם לֹא־תַזְכִּירוּ וְלֹא תַשְׁבִּיעוּ (Yehoshua 23:7) he glosses that a man may not put his fellow under oath by them, or even a gentile, as Chazal explain it (Sanhedrin 63b), ולא ישמע על פיך, nor let it be heard through you.
Radak’s root שׁבע
שִׁבְעָה כְבָשִׂים (במדבר כח, כז), שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת (ויקרא כג, טו), וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי (שמות יב, טז), בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְאֵֽשֶׁת־שִׁמְשׁוֹן פַּתִּי אֶת־אִישֵׁךְ (שופטים יד, טו), אינו אומר שביעי לימי המשתה אבל על יום השבת הוא אומר והיה רביעי לימי המשתה. ופירוש וַתֵּבְךְּ עָלָיו שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים (שופטים יד, יז), עד סוף שבעת הימים. ויש מפרשים שביעי לימי המשתה והם אחר שהשתדלו להוציא החידה שלשת ימים ולא יכלו נואשו ממנה, וכשהיה ביום השביעי אמרו לאשת שמשון פַּתִּי אֶת־אִישֵׁךְ וכאשר הציקתהו בעבור מה שאמרו לה נשרוף אותך ואת בית אביך באש הגיד לה. ופירוש וַתֵּבְךְּ עָלָיו שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים וכבר בכתה מעצמה כל שבעת הימים להגיד לה. ואין שביעי רביעי כלל כאשר כתב רבי יונה כי לא ימצא זה ההפך ולא יתכן. וכן דָּוִיד הַשְּׁבִעִֽי (דברי הימים א' ב, טו), אינו כמו השמיני כאשר כתב רבי יונה. ואף על פי שבספר שמואל אומר וַיַּֽעֲבֵר יִשַׁי שִׁבְעַת בָּנָיו (שמואל א' טז, י), כי ידמה ששבעה בנים היו לו מלבד דוד, אפשר שהיה לו בן מאשה אחרת, אבל אחי דוד מאמו היו שבעה עמו. וַיִּפְּלוּ שְׁבַעְתָּים [שְׁבַעְתָּם] יָחַד (שמואל ב' כא, ט), וְנִמְצָא יְשַׁלֵּם שִׁבְעָתָיִם (משלי ו, לא), כפלים כמשפטו אם גנב שור ושה ישלם שבעה מלבד הקרן. ורצונו לומר אפילו אם יענשו אותו לשלם כפלים או אם הוא עני את כל הון ביתו יתן וינצל בזה, אבל נואף אשה משחית נפשו ולא ינצל בממונו. לָכֵן כָּל־הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם (בראשית ד, טו), רצונו לומר נקמות רבות יקח־ממי שיהרגהו, ולא ירצה לומר שבעתים יקם דוקא כי שֶׁבַע, וְשִׁבְעָה יבואו לסך חשבון שאינו חשבונו אלא יותר, כמו עַל־אֶבֶן אַחַת שִׁבְעָה עֵינָיִם (זכריה ג, ט), רוצה לומר שמירות רבות. וכן שֶׁבַע כְּחַטֹּֽאתֵיכֶֽם (ויקרא כו, כא), שֶׁבַע יִפּוֹל צַדִּיק (משלי כד, טז), רצונו לומר פעמים רבות. ויבאו כן בזה החשבון לפי שכל ימי העולם שבועות וַֽחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ (דניאל ט, כז), והסמוך מַלֵּא שְׁבֻעַ זֹאת (בראשית כט, כד), וזאת יאמר על לאה. שְׁלשָׁה שָֽׁבֻעִים יָמִֽים (דניאל י, ב), שָֽׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים (דניאל ט, כד). ובלשון נקבה שִׁבְעָה שָֽׁבֻעֹת (דברים טז, ט), לַֽי"י בְּשָֽׁבֻעֹתֵיכֶם (במדבר כח, כו). ובשוא השׁי"ן שְׁבֻעֹת חֻקּוֹת קָצִיר (ירמיה ה, כד), ופירש אדוני אבי ז"ל הפסוק כן אותם שבועות של קציר ישמור לו חקות הקציר, שלא היה יורד המטר בארץ ישראל בימי הקציר, וזהו שאמר שמואל הֲלוֹא קְצִיר־חִטִּים הַיּוֹם אֶקְרָא אֶל־ י"י וְיִתֵּן קֹלוֹת (שמואל א' יב, יז), לפיכך אמר הנותן גשם ויוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּעִתּוֹ (שם) לא בימי הקציר כי אינו עתו. וכן בשוא השׁי"ן חָג שְׁבֻעוֹת יָמִים מַצּוֹת יֵֽאָכֵֽל (יחזקאל מה, כא), ואיננו ריבוי והוא כמו שבעת ימים. וכן לְעֻמּוֹת אַחַד הַֽחֲלָקִים (יחזקאל מה, ז) כמו לְעֻמַת, כי אין חַג הַמַּצּוֹת כי אם שבעת ימים לא היום ולא לעתיד. וענין אחר וַֽאֲשֶׁר נִֽשְׁבַּֽע־לִי (בראשית כד, ז), וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ (בראשית כד, ט), וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ (דברים ו, יג), וְהִשָּׁבֵעַ לַשֶּׁקֶר (ירמיה ז, ט). והשם כִּי הַשְּׁבוּעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה (שופטים כא, ה), יִתֵּן י"י אוֹתָךְ לְאָלָה וְלִשְׁבֻעָה (במדבר ה, כא), וְהִנַּחְתֶּם שִׁמְכֶם לִשְׁבוּעָה לִבְחִירַי (ישעיה סה, טו), שְׁבֻעַת י"י תִּֽהְיֶה בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם (שמות כב, י), שְׁבֻעוֹת מַטּוֹת אֹמֶר סֶלָה (חבקוק ג, ט), כלומר השבועה שנשבעת לשבטים. ויש מפרשים על הברקים שהם כמו חצים ומטות כאילו נשבעו לקיים מאמרך. ומפרשים מזה שְׁבֻעֹת חֻקּוֹת קָצִיר, כלומר מה שאמר זֶרַע וְקָצִיר וְקֹר וָחֹם וְקַיִץ וָחֹרֶף וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה לֹא יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ (בראשית ח, כב). והפעול מן הקל שְׁבֻעֵי שְׁבֻעוֹת לָהֶם (יחזקאל כא, כח). או יהיה תאר. והנכון הוא זה בפלס הַשְּׁכוּנֵי בָֽאֳהָלִים (שופטים ח, יא) כי [לא] נבנה בנין הקל ממנו. והפעל הכבד [הִפְעִיל] ממנו וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ הַכֹּהֵן (במדבר ה, כא), וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ בַּֽי"י (בראשית כד, ג), וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי אֲדֹנִי (בראשית כד, לז). וּבְשֵׁם אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶם לֹֽא־תַזְכִּירוּ וְלֹא תַשְׁבִּיעוּ (יהושע כג, ז), פירוש לא תשביעו איש את חבירו. או אפילו הגוי, כמו שפירשו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין סג, ע"ב) ולא ישמע על פיך.
ש-ב-ת
To cease, to leave off and stop, and to make a thing cease. The noun שַׁבָּת is the Shabbos, and it can be a week, since every week has a Shabbos in it.
Ceasing
אֵיךְ שָׁבַת נֹגֵשׂ (Yeshayahu 14:4), how the oppressor has ceased; שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ לִבֵּנוּ (Eichah 5:15), the joy of our heart has ceased; שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ (Shemos 31:17), He ceased and rested; וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה לֹא יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ (Bereishis 8:22), and day and night shall not cease; וַיִּשְׁבְּתוּ שְׁלשֶׁת הָֽאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה מֵֽעֲנוֹת אֶת־אִיּוֹב (Iyov 32:1), and these three men ceased from answering Iyov. Every form here and below has one sense, הבטלה והפסק הדבר, leaving off and the stopping of a thing. The nouns are כָּבוֹד לָאִישׁ שֶׁבֶת מֵרִיב (Mishlei 20:3), it is an honour for a man to cease from strife, with six points; רַק שִׁבְתּוֹ יִתֵּן (Shemos 21:19), only for his ceasing shall he pay; and on another pattern שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן (Vayikra 16:31), a Shabbos of ceasing.
Masculine and feminine
Shabbos is sometimes feminine, as וְֽהָֽיְתָה שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה (Vayikra 25:6), and the Shabbos of the land shall be food for you, and sometimes masculine, as שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵֽחַלְּלוֹ (Yeshayahu 56:2), who keeps the Shabbos from profaning it, and עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ (Bamidbar 28:10), the offering of each Shabbos on its Shabbos, which goes as חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ (Yeshayahu 66:23), each month in its month, and יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ (Vayikra 23:37), each day on its day. The plural, שַׁבָּתוֹת, is feminine.
A week, and the seven weeks
שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת (Vayikra 23:15) is seven weeks of days, and עַד מִמָּֽחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת (Vayikra 23:16) is until the morrow of the seventh week. A week is called so because there is a Shabbos in every week; and because seven שבתות might fall without seven whole weeks of days in them, it says תְּמִימֹת תִּֽהְיֶֽינָה (Vayikra 23:15), they shall be complete, making forty-nine days. Chazal (Menachos 66a) expounded another matter from its saying תמימות; Radak holds his own explanation the right one by the plain sense of the pasuk. So too with the years of shemittah, each shemittah year being called שבת: since שֶׁבַע שַׁבְּתֹת שָׁנִים (Vayikra 25:8), seven Shabbosos of years, might hold fewer than forty-nine years, it spells it out, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים (Vayikra 25:8), seven years seven times.
Egypt's help will cease, on one reading
A noun on yet another pattern is שָֽׁבֶת in רַהַב הֵם שָֽׁבֶת (Yeshayahu 30:7), they are strength, they will cease. The pasuk runs וּמִצְרַיִם הֶבֶל וָרִיק יַעְזֹרוּ, and Egypt will help in vain and to no purpose, and then לכן קראתי לזאת, therefore I have called this one, which Radak explains of Yerushalayim, who thinks to be helped by Egypt and that they will be רהב, strength, to them: הם שבת, they will cease and stop from helping them. He has given another explanation, better than this, in the root יָשַׁב.
What Rabbi Yonah takes from it
Rabbi Yonah explained שָׂרוֹף יִשָּֽׂרְפוּ בַּשָּֽׁבֶת (Shmuel II 23:7), they shall be utterly burned בַּשָּׁבֶת, from this sense, that is, בכליון חרוץ, with a decreed destruction, until no memory of them is left. שֶׁבֶת חָמָֽס (Amos 6:3), the שֶׁבֶת of violence, has been explained from it as well. Radak has explained both himself in the root יָשַׁב.
Putting a stop to a thing
Where the verb takes an object it is making a thing cease: אֲשֶׁר לֹא הִשְׁבִּית לָךְ גֹּאֵל הַיּוֹם (Rus 4:14), who has not left you without a redeemer today; וְהִשְׁבִּית אֶת־הַכְּמָרִים (Melachim II 23:5), and he put down the idolatrous priests; וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה רָעָה (Vayikra 26:6), and I will make evil beasts cease; אַשְׁבִּיתָה מֵּֽאֱנוֹשׁ זִכְרָֽם (Devarim 32:26), I would make their memory cease from men; תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שְּׂאֹר מִבָּֽתֵּיכֶם (Shemos 12:15), you shall make leaven cease from your houses. Of the same sense are וְנִשְׁבַּת גְּאוֹן עֻזָּהּ (Yechezkel 33:28), and the pride of her strength shall cease, and the noun in שָֽׂחֲקוּ עַל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ (Eichah 1:7), they mocked at her ceasing.
אֵיךְ שָׁבַת נֹגֵשׂ (ישעיה יד, ד), שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ לִבֵּנוּ (איכה ה, טו), שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ (שמות לא, יז), שָׁבְתָה מַדְהֵבָֽה (ישעיה יד, ד), וְשָֽׁבְתָה הָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַֽי"י (ויקרא כה, ב), אָז תִּשְׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ (ויקרא כו, לד), בפתח. כָּל־יְמֵי הָשַּׁמָּה תִּשְׁבֹּת (ויקרא כו, לה), וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תִּשְׁבֹּת (שמות כג, יב), בחלם. תִּשְׁבְּתוּ שַֽׁבַּתְּכֶֽם (ויקרא כג, לב), וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה לֹא יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ (בראשית ח, כב), וַיִּשְׁבְּתוּ שְׁלשֶׁת הָֽאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה מֵֽעֲנוֹת אֶת־אִיּוֹב (איוב לב, א). והשם כָּבוֹד לָאִישׁ שֶׁבֶת מֵרִיב (משלי כ, ג), בשש נקודות, רַק שִׁבְתּוֹ יִתֵּן (שמות כא, יט). ומשקל אחר שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן (ויקרא טז, לא). ושבת פעם [היא] בלשון נקבה כמו שַׁבָּת הִוא לַֽי"י (ויקרא כג, ג), וְֽהָֽיְתָה שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה (ויקרא כה, ו), ופעם בלשון זכר שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵֽחַלְּלוֹ (ישעיה נו, ב), עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ (במדבר כח, י), כמו חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ (ישעיה סו, כג), יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ (ויקרא כג, לז). והקבוץ בלשון נקבות שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת (ויקרא כג, טו), מִלְּבַד שַׁבְּתֹת י"י (ויקרא כג, לח), שֶׁבַע שַׁבְּתֹת שָׁנִים (ויקרא כה, ח), אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שָֽׁבְתָה בְּשַׁבְּתֹֽתֵיכֶם (ויקרא כו, לה) ופירוש שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת שבע שבועות ימים. וכן עַד מִמָּֽחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת (ויקרא כג, טז), ממחרת השבוע השביעית. וקרא השבוע כן, כי בכל שבוע שבת לפיכך אמר תְּמִימֹת תִּֽהְיֶֽינָה (ויקרא כג, טו). והם תשעה וארבעים ימים, כי יכול להיות שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת שלא יהיו בהם שבע שבועות ימים [לפיכך אמר תמימות תהיינה]. ורבותינו ז"ל (מנחות סו, ע"א) דרשו בו ענין אחר למה אמר תמימות. וזה הוא הנכון לפי פשט הפסוק. וכן פירש בשמטה השנים שקרא כל שנת השמטה מהם שבת, ואם אמר שבע שבתות שנים יוכל להיות שלא יהיה בהן תשע וארבעים שנה לפיכך אמר ופירש שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים (מנחות כה, ח). והשם במשקל אחר רַהַב הֵם שָֽׁבֶת (ישעיה ל, ז), ופירוש הפסוק וּמִצְרַיִם הֶבֶל וָרִיק יַעְזֹרוּ (שם), לכן קראתי לזאת פירוש קראתי לזאת ירושלים החושבת להיותה נעזרת במצרים ויהיו רהב וחוזק להם, הם שבת כלומר ישבתו ויפסקו מלעזרם. וככר פירשתי פירוש אחר טוב מזה בשרש יָשַׁב. ורבי יונה פירש מזה הענין שָׂרוֹף יִשָּֽׂרְפוּ בַּשָּֽׁבֶת (שמואל ב' כג, ז), כלומר בכליון חרוץ עד אשר לא ישאר להם זכר. וכן פירשו מזה שֶׁבֶת חָמָֽס (עמוס ו, ג). וכבר פירשתים בשרש יָשַׁב. והנפעל וְנִשְׁבַּת גְּאוֹן עֻזָּהּ (יחזקאל לג, כח). והכבד [הִפְעִיל] אֲשֶׁר לֹא הִשְׁבִּית לָךְ גֹּאֵל הַיּוֹם (רות ד, יד), וְהִשְׁבִּית אֶת־הַכְּמָרִים (מלכים ב' כג, ה), וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה רָעָה (ויקרא כו, ו), אַשְׁבִּיתָה מֵּֽאֱנוֹשׁ זִכְרָֽם (דברים לב, כו), תַּשְׁבִּיתוּ שְּׂאֹר מִבָּֽתֵּיכֶם (שמות יב, טו), הַשְׁבִּיתוּ מִפָּנֵינוּ אֶת־קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (ישעיה ל, יא). והשם שָֽׂחֲקוּ עַל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ (איכה א, ו), כלם ענין הבטלה והפסק הדבר.
Radak, Sefer HaShorashim, Berlin 1847. Public domain, digitised by Sefaria from the National Library of Israel.
Rav Pappenheim on this root
Cheshek Shlomo
ש-ב
In English, our account of his entry
Return, to a former place or state or to the state nature calls for; and since rest is the natural state, ceasing from motion: sitting, captivity, Shabbos
Three kinds of return
The root's basic sense is return, a going back to what came before, and it comes in three kinds. The first is back to a former place: ויצא יצוא ושוב (Bereishis 8:7), it went out, going and returning; ותשב אליו אל התבה (Bereishis 8:9), she came back to him, to the ark; ודור רביעי ישובו הנה (Bereishis 15:16), the fourth generation shall return here. The second is back to a former condition: עד אשר תשוב חמת אחיך (Bereishis 27:44), until your brother's fury turns back; שוב מחרון אפך (Shemos 32:12), turn back from Your burning anger, that is, to the goodwill there was before; והנה שבה כבשרו (Shemos 4:7), and it had gone back to being like his flesh. Both have three stations and two moves: the thing leaves its first station for a second, then leaves that and goes back to the first.
Return to one's natural state
The third kind has two stations and one move: a thing enters the state it ought to be in, by nature or by right, though it was never there before. One born blind who is healed is said to have שב לראיתו, returned to his sight, though he never saw; since nature calls for sight, it counts as his earlier station, and blindness as a removal from it. So ההשב אשיב את בנך אל הארץ אשר יצאת משם (Bereishis 24:5), shall I bring your son back to the land you came out of?, though Yitzchak had never been there: it was the land of his fathers' birth. So too תשובו לתוכחתי (Mishlei 1:23), turn back to my rebuke, since heeding rebuke is what the soul's nature calls for; and גם אל פיהו לא ישיבנה (Mishlei 19:24), he will not even bring it back to his mouth, since the hand meeting the mouth to eat is a natural need, and so השבה, bringing back, is said of it.
Teshuvah in either direction
ובשוב צדיק מצדקתו ועשה עול (Yechezkel 18:24), when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does wrong, does not by its plain sense speak of one who was wicked, became righteous and then went back to his wickedness, but of one who was always righteous and became wicked. Nor is ובשוב רשע מרשעתו (Yechezkel 18:27), when a wicked man turns from his wickedness, about one who was righteous, became wicked and turned righteous again because תוהא על הראשונות, he regrets the earlier ones, the reading Chazal give by way of derash (Kiddushin 40b). Rav Pappenheim's account is that man is set in two natures that oppose each other: his good inclination binds him to be good and his evil inclination binds him to be evil. A lifelong tzaddik who turns wicked has returned to the nature that binds him to evil, and a lifelong rasha who turns righteous has returned to the nature that binds him to righteousness, so תשובה, return, is said of both.
Returning words: an answer
There is also a return of words: וישב משה את דברי העם (Shemos 19:8), Moshe brought back the people's words; וישיבו אותם דבר (Bamidbar 13:26), they brought back word to them; משיב דברים נכוחים (Mishlei 24:26), one who gives back straight words. Speech is like a messenger sent to bring something back, and the other man's answer is like the messenger coming back to the one who sent him, so תשובה, return, fits an answer.
שביב: the rebounding spark
With the bet doubled comes the noun שביב: ולא-יגה שביב אשו (Iyov 18:5), the spark of his fire will not shine. It is the spark of light that comes back when it falls on a hard body.
שובב: straying, turning back
The verb שבב: וילך שובב בדרך לבו (Yeshayahu 57:17), he went on wayward in the way of his heart; שובו בנים שובבים (Yirmiyahu 3:14), return, wayward children. It is error and wandering: one who strives to reach a true goal and does not find it, since nothing he finds is the true one, and he must keep turning back and taking another road. So שובב is from תשובה, return, for he must always go back from the road he set out on. A deranged mind that cannot settle is also שובב: ושובבתיך ונתתי חחים (Yechezkel 38:4), I will turn you about and put hooks in you; משובבת מחרב (Yechezkel 38:8), turned about from the sword; ושבבתיך וששאתיך (Yechezkel 39:2), I will turn you about and lead you on.
שבב: a tangled road
So the twisting, confused road, where no way out can be found and one must go back to where one came from, is also שבב: רעיהם התעום הרים שובבום (Yirmiyahu 50:6), their shepherds led them astray, on mountains that turned them about, mountains so tangled that no way out of them is found, going always from mountain to hill and from hill to mountain; and כי שבבים יהיה עגל שמרון (Hoshea 8:6), for the calf of Shomron shall become shevavim, meaning the roads that lead to the calf of Shomron will be confused, and the road that brings one there will not be found.
משבה: waywardness
The noun משבה belongs with these: משבה ישראל (Yirmiyahu 3:6), wayward Israel; ארפה משובתיכם (Yirmiyahu 3:22), I will heal your waywardness; משבה נצחת (Yirmiyahu 8:5), a lasting waywardness; ארפא משובתם (Hoshea 14:5), I will heal their waywardness.
Rest as a return to nature
From the first sense, return to what came earlier in time or to the natural state that comes first in rank, other nouns and verbs derive that all share one meaning, ceasing from motion, that is, rest, which is in truth a return to the natural state. Rest is a thing's natural state: a body is by nature at rest of itself, and rest involves no action and needs no cause to come about, while nothing moves without a cause, from outside or within, to move it. So a thing that stops moving is said to have שב, returned, to its natural state, which is rest.
ישב: sitting
That is the verb ישב, sitting, the end of moving about and the return to rest. Sometimes it is the body not moving, the opposite of walking and standing: יושב פתח האוהל (Bereishis 18:1), sitting at the entrance of the tent; קום נא שבה (Bereishis 27:19), rise, please, sit; וכל כלי אשר תשב עליו (Vayikra 15:20), and any vessel she sits on; היושב על כסאו (Shemos 11:5), who sits on his throne.
ישב: staying; the תושב
Sometimes it is no longer moving from place to place, and then it means staying: לשבת אברם בארץ כנען (Bereishis 16:3), of Avram's dwelling in the land of Canaan; בכל מושבותיכם (Shemos 12:20), in all your dwellings; ואשב בהר (Devarim 9:9), I stayed on the mountain; בסוכות תשבו (Vayikra 23:42), you shall dwell in sukkos; גר ותושב (Bereishis 23:4), a sojourner and a resident. One who stays in a land and fixes his dwelling there is called תושב, resident. So תשב על דמי טהרה (Vayikra 12:5), she shall remain in the blood of purity, means she shall stay.
שובה, שובב: stillness, settling
From the end of moving about comes בשובה ונחת תושעון (Yeshayahu 30:15), in stillness and quiet you shall be saved, that is, מתון מתון (Berachos 20a), slowly, slowly, without much moving about. From this sense too is שובנו אלהי ישענו (Tehillim 85:5), settle us, Elokim of our salvation; and with the bet doubled, נפשי ישובב (Tehillim 23:3), He settles my soul, and לשובב יעקב אליו (Yeshayahu 49:5), to settle Yaakov with Him. Or it is from תשובה, return: לשובב is like להשיב, to bring back, as לרומם is like להרים, to raise, in לרומם את בית אלהינו (Ezra 9:9), to raise up the house of our Elokim.
נשב: the wind settles in
With a nun, one of the formative letters, comes a verb נשב, from ישיבה, settling: וישב אתם אברם (Bereishis 15:11), and Avram blew them away; כי רוח ה׳ נשבה בו (Yeshayahu 40:7), for the breath of Hashem blew upon it; ישב רוחו יזלו מים (Tehillim 147:18), He makes His wind blow and the waters flow. It is from settling: the wind that moves about enters and settles in the body that receives it.
שבה: captivity
Also from the stopping of motion is the verb שבה, captivity, which stops free natural movement: כי נשבה אחיו (Bereishis 14:14), that his brother had been taken captive; כשבויות חרב (Bereishis 31:26), like captives of the sword; וישב ממנו שבי (Bamidbar 21:1), he took captives from him; שבות יעקב (Yechezkel 39:25), the captivity of Yaakov; שבות בני עמון (Yirmiyahu 49:6), the captivity of the children of Ammon. Any stopping and cessation of moving by choice and will is called שביה, captivity.
שבת: ceasing from work
For stopping occupation and the motion of work a tav is added: שבת, ceasing, an end to activity: שבת וינפש (Shemos 31:17), He ceased and rested; ושבתה הארץ (Vayikra 25:2), the land shall rest; תשביתו שאור מבתיכם (Shemos 12:15), you shall clear leaven out of your houses, meaning an end to dealing with leaven; שבת שבתון (Shemos 31:15), a Shabbos of complete rest; שחקו על משבתיה (Eichah 1:7), they mocked at her ceasing.
שאב: drawing water
For stopping plain natural motion there is the verb שאב, drawing water: יוצאות לשאוב מים (Bereishis 24:13), coming out to draw water; עד שואב מימיך (Devarim 29:10), to the one who draws your water; ושאבתם מים בששון (Yeshayahu 12:3), you shall draw water in joy. Water brought into a vessel is stopped from flowing and moving with its natural motion. So the three are set apart by the motion each stops: שביה the movement of choice and will, שבת occupation and work, שאב the plain motion of nature; and Rav Pappenheim calls שאב close to שביה, in which the captive is stopped from the movement of his own choice.
Rav Shlomo Pappenheim, Cheshek Shlomo (Shorashim), first printed from his manuscript by Moshe Tzuriel, Bnei Brak 5777. The English is our account of his entry.
Sources
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, "The Year of Seven (Part 2 of 2)," What's in a Word?, Ohr Somayach, 21 May 2022.
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, "Stop! It's Shavuot!" What's in a Word?, Ohr Somayach, 19 May 2018.
Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein, "The Seventh Year of Slipping Away," What's in a Word? Synonyms in the Hebrew Language (book manuscript).
Cited in the essay: Bereishis 4:24 with Rasag's Tafsir, 21:23-33 with Rav Hirsch to 21:23 and Ibn Ezra to 21:31, 24:9 with Targum Onkelos, 29:27-28; Shemos 23:11; Vayikra 12:5, 23:15-16 with Ibn Ezra, Ramban, Targum Onkelos and Mecklenburg, 25:2, 25:4, 25:6, 25:8, 25:20, 26:18, 26:24, 26:28, 26:34-35; Bamidbar 30:3 with Ramban; Devarim 6:13, 10:20, 15:12, 16:9 with Mecklenburg; Tehillim 90:10; Mishlei 24:16 with Rasag, Ibn Ezra and Ralbag; Daniel 9:24-27, 10:2-3; Nechemiah 10:32; Divrei HaYamim II 15:11-15, 36:21; Mishnah Sheviis 2:6, 4:7-9, Taanis 4:7, Megillah 3:4, Kesubos 1:1, 5:6-7, Nedarim 8:1, Bava Metzia 9:10, 9:11, Bava Basra 5:10, Sanhedrin 5:1, Makkos 1:10, Eduyos 4:10, Erachin 2:1, Negaim, Parah 8:9, Niddah 4:5; Shevuos 36a with Rashi; Rashi to Pesachim 12a, 86a, Moed Katan 12a, Sotah 44a, Bava Metzia 110b, Sanhedrin 97a; Vayikra Rabbah 29:9; Sefer Yetzirah 4:2-3; Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 330; Rambam's count of the 613 mitzvos; Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg; Rabbi Shlomo Pappenheim; Rabbi Moshe Elyakim Briah Hopstein; Rabbi Dr. Alter HaLevi Hilowitz; Rabbi Moshe Zuriel; Rabbi Yitzchok Avigdor Lubchansky; the Shelah; Maharal, Derech Chaim to Avos 5:15; Rabbi Eliyahu Menachem Margulies, Emunas Eliezer, Yerach HaEisanim chs. 9 and 18; the Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon.