2822: Advice and Trees Sep 11, 2024

In Hebrew, the words for ‘wood’ (etz) עֵץ and ‘advice’ (etzah) עֵצָה are etymologically related, sharing a common root (ע-צ-ה, ʿ-ṣ-h). This root, as it were, connecting these two concepts  conveys the sense of firmness or strength. The noun (etz) עֵץ refers to ‘wood’ or also simply ‘tree’, suggesting something solid and enduring. Similarly, (etzah) עֵצָה, meaning ‘advice’ or ‘counsel’, carries the connotation of something firm and reliable—guidance that one can depend upon, much like the sturdiness of wood. This quality of semantic relationship is common in many languages, where words for tangible objects are also reflected in abstract qualities.