Esau despised (bazeh) the birthright (Gen. 25:34); and, for a man who sins with intent … that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised (bazeh) the word of the Lord, and has broken his commandment. (Num. 15:31)
The word for “despised” is bazeh. Odd, isn’t it? Is it just coincidental that these same three letters, bazeh, form a compound word, “in this”?
Is it a homograph, a word that is spelled the same as another word but has a different meaning? Can “in this” mean the same as “despised”?
Here are the other examples of bazeh in the Torah (all meaning “in this place”):
1: There was no harlot in this place [this phrase is repeated in this episode]
2: And Joseph said to his father, They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place [Egypt]
3: And he [Moses, before ascending Sinai] said to the elders, Wait in this place for us
4: [Bilaam to the messengers] tarry you also in this place this night, that I may know what the Lord will say further to me.
5: And Balaq brought Bil῾am to the top of Pe῾or, … And Bil῾am said to Balaq, Build me in this place seven altars
6: And it was in the morning that Balak took Bilam and he brought him up to the heights of Baal …And Bilam said to Balak: Build me in this place seven altars.
See something in common with the above? In every single case bazeh, “in this place” refers to a place that is lower. Here are those examples, explained:
1: There was no harlot – any place even suspected of having a harlot, is definitionally lower.
2: my sons, whom God has given me – Egypt, focused on the natural world. is a lower place than Canaan (in the Torah, one goes down to Egypt and up to Canaan).
3: [Moses] said to the elders, Wait – The elders remain in the camp, while Moses ascends Sinai.
4: [Bilaam] “tarry you also” – The men wait in his house, while Bilaam consults with G-d
5 and 6 refer to pagan idols Peor and Baal – certainly a lower level than Bilaam talking with G-d.
Isn’t this a consistent pattern? It also fits with Esau’s priorities: he puts his appetite as a higher priority than his birthright. So, too, the man who willfully sins puts his desires above those of G-d.
There you have it: The same three letters that form seemingly-different words, nevertheless share the same broad meaning!
If this is so, does it suggest that even apparent homographs, words that are spelled the same, are actually linked in meaning?