Baali (My Master) vs. Ishi (My Husband) |
When I arrived in I don’t have a problem with the English word “husband” which in Old English meant master of the house since today the word husband is defined as a married man. I can therefore see where the teacher is coming from. However, there are women today who prefer not to use the word husband due to the Old English definition and prefer to use a different word such as spouse. Despite her answer, there are many men and women in The relationship between God and the Jewish people is often compared in the Tanach to the relationship between a husband and wife, this week’s Haftarah (Hoshea 2:18-19) is no exception where we read: “It shall be on that day-the word of God- you will say ‘ishi’ (my Husband) and you will no longer say ‘baali’ (My master). Rashi explains that “ishi” is an expression of marital relationship and young love while “baali” is an expression of lordship and fear. Radak points out that the word “baal” also refers to the heathen idol. In 1953, David Ben Gurion wrote a letter stating that on government documents and forms the word “ishi” should be used as opposed to the word “baali” since “baali” conjures up images of the husband being the master as well as a god of idol worship and does not show respect for women. Ben Gurion then quoted our pasuk from Hoshea to prove his point. David Ben Gurion took the Tanach and Biblical Hebrew seriously. Today, unfortunately many Israelis are not as well educated in Biblical Hebrew and are only familiar with Modern and spoken Hebrew. If more women use the word “ishi” to describe their husbands, the word may eventually become standard. From looking at our Haftarah it is clear that “ishi” is the word that God prefers. |