Dear Mr. Collins,
A thousand thank you for this wonderful show on INR which I keep listening all over again on my iPod. Actually, one thing came to my mind regarding the word ‘G-d’ that you mentioned so many times in your enlightening show. In Northern Europe (Germany, Scandinavia) as well as in some other parts of the world, the letter ‘G’ is pronounced “ch†(guttural consonant) “Ch-t’ for ‘G-d’, very close indeed to the Hebrew word “ehot’ (Ashkenazi pronunciation) or “ehad†in modern Hebrew, which absolutely supports your wonderful research !
And one other aspect about France and Reuben (I am a French Jew living in Paris after spending about 5 years in the US, Washington DC): I read a long time ago about the first dynasty of kings in France: their name was “Merovingiens†, ethymologically comes from “Merovechâ€, latin “Meroviusâ€, quite close in Hebrew to “Me-Reuv-enâ€; it is also explained in the Tanach that “According to Rebbenu Bachya, and the New International Version, the word odem means “ruby” in the verse Exodus 28:17 (referring to a stone on the Hoshen), and was the stone representing the tribe of Reuben.†The rubis stone is red and the fish called “Merou†in French happens to be darkish red as well. I personnaly can’t help see a symbolic link here to the infamous Robespierre (translates ‘redstone’) and the bloody French Revolution.
Dear Mr Collins, may I apologize for having been perhaps a bit long in sharing these thoughts with you. G-d’s willing, I intend to purchase the 5 books you wrote very soon, and in the meantime, I will happily listen again to your INR show !
Sincerely Yours,
Eva Allouche
MYREPLY
Dear Eva,
Thanks for your very positive and encouraging response. A previous responder also commented on the etymology of the word “God,” indicating that it had a Persian origin. Thanks for your information about a possible Hebrew/Ashkenazi pronunciation and derivation of the word. We know from the book of Esther than many Jews lived in ancient Persia and also migrated into European regions, as did the ten tribes of Israel.
Your suggestion about the early ruling French dynasty, the Merovingians, is very interesting. I had not previously realized the connection between the word “Merovingian” and the Hebrew form, “Me-Reuven.” I personally know an Orthodox Jew living in Jerusalem named “Reuven” so I can attest that the English name,”Reuben” can be “Reuven” in Hebrew. That an early Frankish dynasty’s name preserved the Hebrew/Semitic name, Reuven, further supports an identification of the modern French as the modern Israelite tribe of Reuben.
Steve
