דרך ארץ

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See also: דרך־ארץ

Hebrew

Alternative forms

Etymology

From דֶּרֶךְ (dérech, “way of”) +‎ אֶרֶץ (érets, “land”); that is, "the manner of earthlings" or "the manner of locals".

Noun

דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ • (dérech érets) f (no plural forms, no construct forms)

  1. manners, etiquette; moral norms or customs
    • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Kiddushin 1:10:
      וְכָל שֶׁאֵינוֹ לֹא בַמִּקְרָא וְלֹא בַמִּשְׁנָה וְלֹא בְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ אֵינוֹ מִן הַיִּשּׁוּב׃
      Vekhól she'einó lo vaMikrá veló vaMishná veló vedérekh érets einó min hayishúv.
      And all who are not involved with Bible, nor with Oral Law, nor with moral norms are not civilized.
    • 1549, Obadiah of Bertinoro, ברטנורא על המשנה, chapter 4 of Kiddushin:
      וְלֹא בְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ — שֶׁאֵין מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ בְּנַחַת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת׃
      Veló vedérekh érets – she'éin masa'ó umatanó benákhat im habriyót.
      Nor with moral norms - one who does not conduct dealings honestly with others.
  2. (archaic) employment, occupation
    • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Avot 2:2:
      יָפֶה תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה עִם דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁיְּגִיעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם מְשַׁכַּחַת עָוֺן׃
      Yafé talmúd Torá im dérekh érets, sheyegi'át shneihém mishakákhat avón.
      Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation; for the exertion of both of them causes sin to be forgotten.
    • 1549, Obadiah of Bertinoro, ברטנורא על המשנה, chapter 2 of Pirkei Avot:
      דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ — מְלָאכָה אוֹ סְחוֹרָה׃
      Dérekh érets – melakhá o skhorá.
      A worldly occupation – labor or goods.
  3. (archaic) sexuality
    • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 100a:
      הָיִינוּ לְמִידִין […] דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ מִתַּרְנְגוֹל שֶׁמְּפַיֵּס וְאַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹעֵל.
      Hayínu lemidín dérekh érets mitarnegól shemefayés ve'akhár kakh bo'él.
      We would learn sexuality from the rooster who appeases and then mates.

Descendants

  • → Yiddish: דרך־ארץ (derkherets)

Further reading

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