Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yaakov Stein" <yaakov_s AT rad.com>]

> Assuming that SAPIR is a native Hebrew word, then its root is SPR 
 
I would say that it is related to $PYR, meaning beautiful.
 
>  I don't know if what he said was before or after his visit to Rome 
 
Since Ben Azai and Ben Zoma were already his colleagues and not his
students, 
I would guess the story is rather late in Akiba's life.
His travels (to Babylonia and to Rome) were at the request of Gamliel of
Yavne.
 
 >  Technically speaking, the W-TAXAT RAGLAYW of Exodus 24:10 is, in my
opinion, 'below his feet', not 'under his feet' 
 
Absolutely agree.

So have we broken the code ?  Did Akiba translate SPYR as marble ?
I am still unsure, but don't have any other explanation.

 
Yaakov (J) Stein