Re: greetings- off topic, but current, more

[Jonathan Zimet <jdz...>]

Your point on the relationship between the words Chagigah and Chag is 
interesting.  But 2 things:
1.    I'd think Hagigah derives from Hag, rather than vice versa.  (Was the 
former word used in Tnach or just Talmud -- if the latter, then definitely 
derived).   Of course Purim and Hanukah didn't have Hagigot since they were 
not Torah derived.
         Your Chagigah point carries more force in contrasting RH and YK-- 
which were Torah based.  Not just for that reason, I think, but generally 
only the 3 Regalim were "Chagim" (among the biblical ones, at least), and 
not RH and YK.
2.    More important to this discussion is the actual customs/usage (many 
things come miles from their origins).    I think Hanukah is prevalently 
called a Chag (which makes sense since it started as a belated Sukkot -- 
whence the 8 days and the Hallel-- see EJ, I think, and other 
sources).   Purim is also generally referred to as a Chag, I think.   An 
argument can be made for Atzmaut -- being new, this can't be definitive, 
but find out what most people (esp in Israel) do.   By contrast, people 
don't call RH or YK Chagim.
         Of course, you are all correct in not taking offense or correcting 
people who say chag sameach to any of these (as opposed to Tisha B'Av, 
which someone who really didn't understand that day, once said.  ;-?  )
         This being the 13th of Tishri, I'm on safe ground in wishing you a
         Chag Sameach,
         Jonathan

At 08:36 AM 9/19/02 -0400, you wrote:
>on 9/19/02 7:59 AM, jonathan gordon at jbgordon (at) cloud9(dot)net wrote:
>
> > there must be a talmudic
> > ruling here, but i wonder what it is. of ocurse, it is not mentlich or
> > gemutlich to correct a jew who wishes me a chag sameach, so i have always
> > kept this thought to myself, until now. any thoughts out there?
> > jonathan gordon
>
>I can't speak to Talmudic rulings on the subject, but the lack of a 
>Chagigah sacrifice in the Temple, whence we derive the word Chag, renders 
>Purim and Chanukah not Chagim. When I point this out to people, I am told 
>I am being a prig. I admit that is probably true. It is good to be 
>accurate, but Jonathan Gordon is correct. It is better to gracefully 
>accept warm greetings, however they come.
>Jordan Hirsch

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