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When the word מקבילות comes up in parashas T'ruma, Rash"i defines it based on the Aramaic root ק.ב.ל, commonly found in the preposition לקבל (against or opposite) to mean physically across from/corresponding to. Is this root etymologically related or identical to the Hebrew root of the same spelling meaning accept or receive?

(If not, which is the operative root in the phrase kabalas panim?)

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    Note also the other Hebrew root, meaning to complain.
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Feb 6, 2011 at 21:28
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    msh210, I do believe that the meaning "to complain" is a variation of either the Aramaic meaning "facing opposite" or the Hebrew meaning "to receive" as in a plaintiff, who when he is in the right will receive his due. The meaning "to receive" is in the binyan pi'eil and "to complain" is in the binyan pa'ahl.
    – Yahu
    Commented Feb 6, 2011 at 22:21
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    Note that there is another Aramaic root קבל, meaning "dark" or "humble," as in לעולם הוי קבל וקיים (Sanhedrin 92a).
    – Alex
    Commented Feb 6, 2011 at 22:51
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    @msh210 @Yahu @Alex Duly noted.
    – WAF
    Commented Feb 7, 2011 at 13:11
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    You find the Aramaic "kol k'veil" meaning "as a result of", most likely related to the idea of "correspondence." As to whether "correspondence" and "receiving" are related ... well, probably distantly. Just as "weigh" and "take" (shin-kuf-lamed) are, or "ascend" and "arrive" (ayin-lamed-heh) are, in Hebrew and Aramaic, respectively.
    – Shalom
    Commented Feb 7, 2011 at 15:30

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Hebrew and Aramaic קבל qbl have the same origins, though qbl came into popular use in Hebrew (instead of לקח) only later, towards the Mishnaic period, under Aramaic influence.

Yes, there is a base meaning "facing", though the most common word from this root in Hebrew, qibbel means "receive" (with the obvious relation to the base meaning).

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  • If I understand correctly, the original meaning of the root is "facing" and the others are derivatives?
    – WAF
    Commented May 11, 2011 at 12:44
  • It seems that that's the case.
    – Joshua Fox
    Commented May 25, 2011 at 19:55
  • If I understand Ramba"m on Avos 3:12 correctly, the hif'il version is Aramaic and means "facing" or "corresponding" but the are the same root.
    – WAF
    Commented Mar 11, 2012 at 13:55

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