ארפכס
Grammatical information: noun m.
Translation: clepsydra
Translation equivalent: ἁρπάγιον(Post-Classical Greek)
Usage:
Domain: artefacts
Socio-cultural norm: cultural borrowing
Normativity: standard
Meaning type: lit.
כותי אחד שאל את ר' מאיר אמר לו אפשר המים העליונים תלוים במאמר, אמר לו הן, אמר לו הבא לי ארפכס, הביא לו ארפכס, נתן עליה טס שלזהב ולא עמדו המים, טס שלכסף ולא עמדו, כיון שנתן אצבעו עמדו מים, אמר לו אצבעך אתה נותן, אמר לו מה שאני בשר ודם אצבעי מעמדת המים, אצבעו שלהקב"ה על אחת כמה וכמה
4,4 [I 27: 5]
A Samaritan asked R. Meir: “Is it possible that the upper water is suspended by [God's] word?” “Yes,” he answered. “Bring me a water-clock,” he added. When he brought the water-clock, he placed a gold plate upon it, but the water did not stand still; then a silver plate, but the water did not stand still. But as soon as he placed his finger [upon the aperture], the water stood still. “But you have put your finger there,” he objected. “If my finger stays the water, though I am but flesh and blood, how much more so the finger of the Holy One, blessed be He! Hence the upper waters are suspended by [God's] word.” (cf. Freedman / Simon I 28-29).
= Yalq 5 [3b: 48] (אפרכס); Yalq Ps 789 [463b: 23] (אפרכס)
The etymology ἅρπαξ (ἁρπάγιον, ὑδράρπαξ) was suggested by MY ad loc., AC I 301ab, Jastrow I 125a, Levy I 173b and other (cf. Hejmanns ibid.). As “clepsydra” explained by Freedman / Simon ad loc. Ar (26a) refers to דיופי 〈dywpy〉 |diopi| (“double-mouth”, pop. etymology for דיוביט 〈dywbyṭ〉 |diobiṭ| Gr. διαβήτης, „siphon [for wine]“, cf. Ar 62b, Krauss, LW II 198b, not in GenR). The version אפרכס 〈ʾprks〉 |aparkas| (Vat1, K, V, Ox1 and Yalq) is found in mKel 14,8, mKel 30,4 [some versions] and several other talmudic sources. This word shall be traced back, however, to Gr. πρόχοος “funnel” (according to Krauss [LW II 116b] the correct reading in GenR), which is a different loanword (contra Heijmanns).
Bibliography:
Heijmanns (2013), 61-62.
How to cite: Art. ארפכס in: Dictionary of Loanwords in Rabbinic Literature. Eds. . https://lrl.acdh.oeaw.ac.at/arpakas.html. 2024.
