PURIM AND EARS! As the holi
day of Purim approaches, Hamantaschen אָזְנֵי הַמָּן (read: אוֹזְנֵי) (triangular filled-pocket pastry associated with the Jewish holiday of Purim) return to bakeries, and questions arise about the word ‘ear’ אוֹזֶן in general and the origin of this pastry’s name in particular.
Apparently, the word ‘haman’ in the pastry’s name is derived from a similar word in Yiddish and German (‘mahn’ or ‘mohn’), meaning ‘poppy’ פֶּרֶג, as the original pastry was filled with poppy seeds. The term ‘taschen’ in German translates to ‘pocket’. In other words, the pastry was called in German ‘poppy pocket’. But in Hebrew we took the creative approach by associating the word ‘Haman’ to mean the name of the villain Persian הָמָן in the Scroll of Esther, מְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר, who wanted to exterminate the Jews. Furthermore, the word ‘ear’ אוֹזֶן is linked to the shape of the pastry that resembles an ear. If you observe any illustration of Haman you’ll notice one of his distinctive features was his large, pointed ears, which inspired the shape of the pastry eaten during Purim (פּוּרִים)
The word for ‘ear’ אוֹזֶן originates from the root ‘א.ז.נ’. Did you know that the word for ‘scale’ מֹאזְנַיִם is derived from the same root? and lo and behold the word אִיזוּן that means ‘balace’. Our ancestors already knew way back then that the body’s balance אִיזוּן is related to the ears. Nice, Eh?
From the word ‘ear’ אוֹזֶן we get the verb הֶאֱזִין, which means ‘to listen’ but attentively. We ‘listen’ מַאֲזִינִים to the news on the radio, or to music. It is interesting that Hebrew had another verb that is synonymous to הֶאֱזִין which is הִקְשִיב. They both mean to listen attentively. We use הֶאֱזִין specifically when we listen to the radio or to music, and we use הִקְשִיב when we listen to the radio, music and also when people talk to us, or we listen to a lecture.
Let’s learn a few expression with the word אוֹזֶן:
In spoken language, the phrase “it went in one ear and out the other” נִכְנַס לוֹ בְּאֹזֶן אַחַת וְיָצָא מִן הַשְנִיָּה is said about someone who hears but does not listen, does not pay attention to what was said, or does not remember what was said.
If someone did not perceive the words spoken, it can be said that it עָבַר לוֹ לְיַד הָאֹזֶן as if saying that what the other person said ‘passed by his ear’.
Perhaps he listened with ‘half an ear’, בַּחֲצִי אֹזֶן, that is, without attention or only partly, which is In contrast, to expressing our readiness to listen fully, when we say ‘I’m all ears’ כֻּלִּי אֹזֶן lit: I’m all ear.
I wish you a happy Purim חַג פּוּרִים שָׂמֵחַ
Ruti Yudovich