Word Prompt – MITZVOT – David Curwin

Mitzvot are “the commandments.” While the mitzvot originated at Sinai, according to the prophet Yeshayahu (2:3), “Torah will come from Tzion.” Perhaps appropriately, the word “Tzion” in turn may come from the root “tzivah,” meaning “command.”

As noted, “mitzvah” and “tzivah” both come from the root tz-v-h. It means “to command, order.” An associated meaning of the root might also be “to place upright, stand up.” This relationship can be found in the phrase in Tehillim (33:9) – “He commanded [“tzivah”] and it stood.”

This sense of tz-v-h may be the origin of the word “tziyun,” meaning “monument, landmark.” The stones were set up to stand as a roadmark.

But what about the similarly spelled “Tzion?” There are many theories as to its origin. Some say it comes from a root meaning “dry” (since Jerusalem is on the border of the Judean desert.) Others say that Tzion is named for the wild cats (“tziyim”) that were present there. Or maybe it comes from a root meaning “protect, shield,” which would refer to the fortress of Tzion, perhaps the one captured by King David in Shmuel II 5:7.

Yet one last theory (actually the first offered in the dictionary, I checked), says that Tzion is cognate with “tziyun” meaning “to stand up, set up.” While this source doesn’t go into further details, I presume this relates to the establishment of that fortress.

So now when you think of mitzvot, you can think of Tzion as well!