This lecture by Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein explores the fascinating and controversial history of the Hebrew word Chashmal (חשמל), tracing its journey from a mysterious term in the Book of Ezekiel's prophetic vision to its modern usage as the word for "electricity." The discussion delves into classical rabbinic interpretations, where commentators like Rashi and the Rambam identified Chashmal as a type of angel, a unique color, or a compound word describing heavenly beings. The lecture then examines the pivotal moment when the Septuagint translated Chashmal into the Greek elektron (amber), which later became the root for "electricity." This linguistic link prompted modern Hebrew pioneers to adopt Chashmal for the new technology, sparking a fierce debate among 20th-century rabbinic authorities. The talk analyzes the three main reactions: staunch opposition from figures who saw it as a desecration of a holy term; pragmatic, post-facto acceptance from leaders like the Chazon Ish; and full permission from others like Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, who argued the word itself was not inherently sanctified. The lecture illuminates a deep cultural and ideological clash over the sanctity of language, Zionism, and the nature of holiness in the modern world.
From Prophetic Vision to Power Grid: The Controversy of 'Chashmal'
0:17 Introduction: The Real Controversy: The lecture is not about the halachic use of electricity on Shabbat, but about the history and controversy of using the biblical word Chashmal itself to mean electricity.
2:47 Biblical Origins: The word Chashmal appears three times in the Tanakh, all within the Book of Ezekiel's vision of the divine chariot (Ma'aseh Merkava). It describes a mysterious, fiery, and brilliantly shining entity at the center of the vision.
5:57 Classical Interpretations: Early commentators offered multiple explanations for this enigmatic word:
Rashi: Suggests it could be the name of an angel, a color resembling fire, or a compound word meaning beings that are "sometimes silent, sometimes speaking" (Chash-Mal).
Rambam: Identifies Chashmal as a specific type of angel.
Other Rishonim: Some scholars, like Ibn Janach, identified it as a specific color: blue, the color of the hottest fire.
22:02 The 'Elektron' Connection: The English word "electricity" derives from the Greek word elektron, meaning "amber." The ancient Greeks discovered that rubbing amber created static electricity. Critically, the ancient Greek translation of the Torah, the Septuagint, translates the Hebrew word Chashmal as elektron.
26:00 Ancient Linguistic Roots: Linguists support the Septuagint's translation by linking Chashmal to a cognate in the ancient Akkadian language, elmēšu, which also means amber.
32:00 Modern Hebrew Adoption: In the 1880s, the Haskalah poet Y.L. Gordon (Yalag) proposed using Chashmal as the Hebrew word for electricity, based on the established connection via the Septuagint. The idea was accepted by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda and the Academy for the Hebrew Language.
35:47 The Opposition: Many rabbinic leaders, particularly from the Old Yishuv and anti-Zionist circles (e.g., the Poppa Rav), fiercely opposed this new usage. They argued it was a desecration (shanda) to take a lofty, metaphysical word from a holy vision and apply it to a mundane, physical phenomenon.
40:10 Post-Facto Acceptance: Other leading authorities, most notably the Chazon Ish, took a pragmatic approach. While it may have been an improper innovation initially, he argued that the "language war" was over and modern Hebrew was now a reality.
43:11 The Permissive Argument: Figures like Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and the Lubavitcher Rebbe saw no issue with the term. They argued that the word Chashmal is a description of a holy vision, not a holy name itself. Furthermore, other words for angels, like Chayot (animals) and Ofanim (wheels), also have mundane meanings.
1:01:38 A Deeper Ideological Divide: The debate reflects a wider cultural conflict. Some rabbis rejected the word primarily due to its association with secular Zionism. Conversely, others argued that one can use linguistic innovations without adopting the innovator's ideology, just as the Sages used Greek and Latin loanwords despite their opposition to Hellenism.
1:04:52 A Kabbalistic Synthesis: The lecture concludes by noting a contemporary Kabbalistic view which suggests that there may indeed be an esoteric connection between the spiritual concept of Chashmal and the physical phenomenon of electricity, particularly as manifested in lightning.