xer
xer
צר
The meaning of 'xer' is unclear.
In many cases it is taken to mean “trouble”, or “enemies”, and is the root word of xerey refering to “skin problems” such as pox or leprosy.
On the other hand, in many case is has a rather opposite meaning of “preserve”.
It is also the root of mexerim “the Egyptians”. The Egyptians could be thought of as “the Preserved People”, due to their practice of mummification of their dead. However, in several notable biblical stories, the Egyptians function as the antagonists, and therefore “enemies”.
One possible resolution of this dilemma is that the word originally meant “preserve” but came to take on several ironic usages.
LexID 6862 - 6869
xer.txt · Last modified: 2024/09/23 20:38 (external edit)