Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jay Frank <jif95 AT mac.com>]

With regards to: "We know from Genesis 21: 5 that Abraham is age 100 'years', 
in 6-month years," I can not help but pay tribute to a somewhat less 
theological interchange ...

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`When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, `it means 
just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'

`The question is,' said Alice, `whether you can make words mean so many 
different things.'

`The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master -- that's all.'

Alice was too much puzzled to say anything; so after a minute Humpty Dumpty 
began again. `They've a temper, some of them -- particularly verbs: they're 
the proudest -- adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs -- 
however, I can manage the whole lot of them! Impenetrability! That's what I 
say!'

`Would you tell me please,' said Alice, `what that means?'

`Now you talk like a reasonable child,' said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much 
pleased. `I meant by "impenetrability" that we've had enough of that subject, 
and it would be just as well if you'd mention what you mean to do next, as I 
suppose you don't mean to stop here all the rest of your life.'

`That's a great deal to make one word mean,' Alice said in a thoughtful tone.

`When I make a word do a lot of work like that,' said Humpty Dumpty, `I 
always pay it extra.'

`Oh!' said Alice. She was too much puzzled to make any other remark. 

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Were such an approached deemed halakhically sound, 'years' would certainly 
deserve a double measure.

L'shalom,

Jay