6

What is the Diffrence between Eitz and Illan?

|improve this question
10

Etz is Biblical Hebrew; ilan is Rabbinic.

Also, etz is ambiguous, since it can mean "tree" or "wood." Thus Rashi (to Gen. 18:4) finds it necessary to gloss תחת העץ as תחת האילן, to make it clear that Avraham was inviting his guests to rest under the shade of a tree rather than under a wooden canopy or something similar.

|improve this answer
  • 2
    It does get a Mention in Daniel – SimchasTorah Nov 5 '10 at 6:06
  • 4
    Actually ilan does appear twice in the Bible, once in Gen 26:34 as the name of Esau's father in law, and again in Dan 4:7. Esau's in-laws were not Jews, and Daniel is written in Aramaic, which leads to believe that Ilan is actually an Aramaic word, that was adopted into Rabbinic Hebrew. – Rabbi Michael Tzadok Nov 5 '10 at 7:07
  • 3
    Eisav's father-in-law was named "Elon" (with a tzeirei), not "Ilan" (with a chirik). – Alex Nov 5 '10 at 15:06
  • 1
    R' JD Bleich has said that Ilan is Aramaic not Hebrew (unsurprising it wound up in the Mishna); he goes so far to then state that "Ilana" is a non-Hebrew name and is properly spelled אילנא, just like "Lisa" would be ליסא, the ending-with-heh-for-feminine is only for authentic Hebrew names. – Shalom Nov 5 '10 at 16:05
  • (From yutorah shiur of his on spelling names in Gittin.) – Shalom Nov 5 '10 at 16:06

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .