Morning: the first part of the day. Possible root in Proto Indo-European mer-, “to blink, twinkle.” An appropriate reference to the dawn (or to pre-coffee humans). What about boker? Boker appears in the very first chapter of Tanach in its plain meaning. But Hebrew speakers may wonder about boKER, i.e., “cowboy,” from bakar, livestock. What’s the connection? The root BKR means to split. The morning splits night and day. Livestock pull plows, splitting the earth. This lends itself to its meaning in Vayikra (13:26, 27:33) telling the kohen: lo yevaker, you shall not examine or investigate. This then is likely the origin of bikur cholim: not visiting the sick, but to check on them, investigate, inquire after their care.
Does BKR ever mean “to visit”? Tanach experts and shalosh seudos singers alike will recall: achat sha’alti me’et Hashem… le’chazot b’noam Hashem u’levaker b’heichalo (Tehillim 27:4). Could it mean to visit Hashem’s house? Rashi quotes two linguists on l’vaker: either the sense of morning (to visit early) or the sense of investigate (the Temple). Nearly every parsha offers both possibilities. And translations, stuck with one option or the other, are split (check yours!).
As for me? I like the thought that English mornings may twinkle, but Jewish mornings are filled with inquiry and discernment.
