Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Sevillano Hispalis <sevillanomail AT yahoo.com>]

Shalom,
whats the meaning of the name Asher? 

Does it mean "happy" as I have read?

Thank you very much
David Sevilla
Spain.


Isaac,

During a brief speech at my son's brit mila on Taanit Esther 2003 at the
Eldridge Street Synagogue on the Lower East Side, I raised that very issue:
the distinct possibility (and I suspect probability) that Asher was the
masculine counterpart of Canaanite Ashera (Ashtoret/Ishtar/Esther). It's
certainly interesting that the traditional symbol of the Tribe of Asher is
a tree.

What made it especially fun is that members of my very frum family in the
pews stared at me aghast as if I'd just landed from Mars.

Uzi Silber