This source sheet examines two of sets of names of connected people in Torah and the relatedness of the names in each set. Relatedness is based on similarity of the letters composing them. What might relatedness of names signify (if anything)? Are there more sets of related names? Please feel free to add your thoughts!
1. First Set of Names
The first set of names of connected people consists of Joseph (יוסף) and his wife. Their Egyptian names are צפנת פענח and אסנת, respectively.
(לז) וַיִּיטַ֥ב הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־עֲבָדָֽיו׃ (לח) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו הֲנִמְצָ֣א כָזֶ֔ה אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹקִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃ (לט) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַחֲרֵ֨י הוֹדִ֧יעַ אֱלֹקִ֛ים אוֹתְךָ֖ אֶת־כׇּל־זֹ֑את אֵין־נָב֥וֹן וְחָכָ֖ם כָּמֽוֹךָ׃ (מ) אַתָּה֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה עַל־בֵּיתִ֔י וְעַל־פִּ֖יךָ יִשַּׁ֣ק כׇּל־עַמִּ֑י רַ֥ק הַכִּסֵּ֖א אֶגְדַּ֥ל מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ (מא) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף רְאֵה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי אֹֽתְךָ֔ עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (מב) וַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ׃ (מג) וַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אַבְרֵ֑ךְ וְנָת֣וֹן אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (מד) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲנִ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבִלְעָדֶ֗יךָ לֹֽא־יָרִ֨ים אִ֧ישׁ אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְאֶת־רַגְל֖וֹ בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (מה) וַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֣ה שֵׁם־יוֹסֵף֮ צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵ֒חַ֒ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אֶת־אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע*(בספרי תימן פּֽוֹטִיפֶ֛רַע בתיבה אחת) כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(37) The plan pleased Pharaoh and all his courtiers. (38) And Pharaoh said to his courtiers, “Could we find another like him—a man with the divine spirit?” (39) So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is none so discerning and wise as you. (40) You shall be in charge of my court, and by your command shall all my people be directed;*be directed Others “order themselves” or “pay homage”; meaning of Heb. yishshaq uncertain. only with respect to the throne shall I be superior to you.” (41) Pharaoh further said to Joseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Egypt.” (42) And removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. (43) He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command, and they cried before him, “Abrek!”*Abrek Others “Bow the knee,” as though from Heb. barakh “to kneel”; perhaps from an Egyptian word of unknown meaning. Thus he placed him over all the land of Egypt. (44) Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; yet without you, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” (45) Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah;*Zaphenath-paneah Egyptian for “God speaks; he lives,” or “creator of life.” and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt.—
All three name words--אסנת and צפנת פענח--are related through some interesting shared attributes:
- Each of the three name words has four letters that are all different with no final letters (ך, ם, ן, ף, ץ).
- נ is always the third letter.
- One of ת and ח is always the last letter. ת and ח belong to the same letter group because of their nearly identical form. Letters in the same group are considered interchangeable, with only one per name word.
- One of פ and ס is always a first or second letter. פ and ס belong to the same letter group because of their similarity of shape; that is, פ can be "easily bent" into ס, and the reverse process as well. They too are interchangeable.
- One of ע ,צ, and א is always a first or second letter. ע ,צ, and א belong to the same letter group by similarity; each can be "easily transformed" into any of the others through a limited number of steps. For instance, rotating the base of צ about 90 degrees counterclockwise results in א. They are interchangeable.
Based on the letter groups {ס, פ} and {א, ע, צ}, צפנת and אסנת are the "same" name, and פענח is close to both, differing only by a reversal of the first two letters (i.e., it is an anagram).
To summarize, all three name words--אסנת and צפנת פענח--are related by being composed of letters from the following four letter groups (one from each): {ח, ת} ;{נ} ;{ס, פ} ;{א, ע, צ}.
Is there any meaning or significance to the similarity of these name words?
2. Second Set of Names
The second set of names consists of four people who are all connected to Moses (משה): פרעה, שפרה, פועה, צפרה.
(ח) וַיָּ֥קׇם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָ֖שׁ עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע אֶת־יוֹסֵֽף׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־עַמּ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֗ה עַ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (י) הָ֥בָה נִֽתְחַכְּמָ֖ה ל֑וֹ פֶּן־יִרְבֶּ֗ה וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־תִקְרֶ֤אנָה מִלְחָמָה֙ וְנוֹסַ֤ף גַּם־הוּא֙ עַל־שֹׂ֣נְאֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַם־בָּ֖נוּ וְעָלָ֥ה מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יא) וַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ עָלָיו֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן עַנֹּת֖וֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיִּ֜בֶן עָרֵ֤י מִסְכְּנוֹת֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה אֶת־פִּתֹ֖ם וְאֶת־רַעַמְסֵֽס׃ (יב) וְכַאֲשֶׁר֙ יְעַנּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כֵּ֥ן יִרְבֶּ֖ה וְכֵ֣ן יִפְרֹ֑ץ וַיָּקֻ֕צוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (יג) וַיַּעֲבִ֧דוּ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ (יד) וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכׇל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כׇּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה׃
(8) A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. (9) And he said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. (10) Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.”*rise from the ground Meaning perhaps from their wretched condition, cf. Hos. 2.2; or “gain ascendancy over the country.” Others “get them up out of the land.” (11) So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor; and they built garrison cities*garrison cities Others “store cities.” for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses. (12) But the more they were oppressed, the more they increased and spread out, so that the [Egyptians] came to dread the Israelites. (13) The Egyptians ruthlessly imposed upon the Israelites (14) the various labors that they made them perform. Ruthlessly*the various labors that they made them perform. Ruthlessly Brought up from the end of the verse for clarity. they made life bitter for them with harsh labor at mortar and bricks and with all sorts of tasks in the field. (15) The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,
(טו) וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לַהֲרֹ֣ג אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבְרַ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עַֽל־הַבְּאֵֽר׃ (טז) וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנ֑וֹת וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה וַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶֽן׃ (יז) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָרֹעִ֖ים וַיְגָרְשׁ֑וּם וַיָּ֤קׇם מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָֽם׃ (יח) וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה אֶל־רְעוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א הַיּֽוֹם׃ (יט) וַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י הִצִּילָ֖נוּ מִיַּ֣ד הָרֹעִ֑ים וְגַם־דָּלֹ֤ה דָלָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָ֖יו וְאַיּ֑וֹ לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ קִרְאֶ֥ן ל֖וֹ וְיֹ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם׃ (כא) וַיּ֥וֹאֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃ (כב) וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גֵּרְשֹׁ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נׇכְרִיָּֽה׃ {פ}
(15) When Pharaoh learned of the matter, he sought to kill Moses; but Moses fled from Pharaoh. He arrived*arrived Lit. “sat” or “settled.” in the land of Midian, and sat down beside a well. (16) Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock; (17) but shepherds came and drove them off. Moses rose to their defense, and he watered their flock. (18) When they returned to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come back so soon today?” (19) They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock.” (20) He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why did you leave the man? Ask him in to break bread.” (21) Moses consented to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah as wife. (22) She bore a son whom he named Gershom,*Gershom Associated with ger sham, “a stranger there.” for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”
All four name words--פרעה, שפרה, פועה, צפרה--are related through some interesting shared attributes:
- Each has four letters that are all different with no final letters (ך, ם, ן, ף, ץ).
- ה is always the last letter.
- פ is always a first or second letter.
- One of ר and ו is always a second or third letter. ר and ו are sufficiently similar to belong to the same letter group; that is, ר can be "easily compressed" into ו, and the reverse process as well. They are interchangeable.
- One of צ ,ש, and ע is always a first or third letter. More precisely, ש and צ are always a first letter, and ע is always a third letter. צ ,ש, and ע belong to the same letter group because each can be "easily transformed" into any of the others through a limited number of steps. For instance, one transformation involves צ (via its upper right branch) being bent into ע and then that ע (via its base) being stretched, bent, and reversed into ש. They are interchangeable.
Based on the letter group {ו, ר}, פרעה and פועה are the "same", differing by only their second letter. Based on the letter group {ע, צ, ש}, שפרה and צפרה are the "same", differing by only their first letter. These pairs are also anagrams of each other.
To summarize, all four names--פרעה, שפרה, פועה, צפרה--are related by being composed of letters from the following four letter groups (one from each): {ה} ;{ע, צ, ש} ;{ו, ר} ;{פ}.
Is there any meaning or significance to the similarity of these names?
3. Are These Two Sets of Names Related?
The two sets of names and their letter groups from above are the following:
- אסנת and צפנת פענח from {ח, ת} ,{נ} ,{ס, פ} ,{א, ע, צ}; and
- פרעה, שפרה, פועה, צפרה from {ה} ,{ע, צ, ש} ,{ו, ר} ,{פ}.
Based on letter similarities, the two sets of letter groups can be merged into one set of augmented letter groups: {ה, ח, ת} ,{ו, נ, ר} ,{ס, פ} ,{א, ע, צ, ש}. Letters within each group can be "easily transformed" into any other group letter.
These names are anagrams of each other, including some that are the "same". Do these similarities make these name sets related, or part of one larger set? The total number of letters is 13, which is most of the 22 letters of the aleph-bet (excluding final letters). Perhaps not.
It is interesting to note that for each name set, the single male name appears before the female name(s) in the Torah text.
What does all of this mean or signify, if anything?
4. Does Moshe (משה) Fit into These Name Sets?
It is interesting to consider the name משה when spelled מנשה after Judges 18:30 (see below). It becomes a four-letter name, with ה as the final letter. All but the first letter belong to established letter groups, and its beginning מ belongs (by similarity) to the letter group {ס, פ}. In fact, there seems to be a "logical" progression of spelling here based on the letter group {ו, נ, ר}: מנשה, מושה, משה.
In some sense, מנשה belongs in both name sets: the first because מנשה is the first son of צפנת פענח (i.e., יוסף); and the second because מנשה is (or encodes) משה, to whom the other people in the set are connected. However, it arguably has much stronger affinity for the second set: מנשה is an anagram of the names in both sets, and it is the "same" as פועה and פרעה.
This results in a new set of augmented letter groups: {ה, ח, ת} ,{ו, נ, ר} ,{מ, ס, פ} ,{א, ע, צ, ש}.
(ל) וַיָּקִ֧ימוּ לָהֶ֛ם בְּנֵי־דָ֖ן אֶת־הַפָּ֑סֶל וִ֠יהוֹנָתָ֠ן בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁ֨ם בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה ה֣וּא וּבָנָ֗יו הָי֤וּ כֹהֲנִים֙ לְשֵׁ֣בֶט הַדָּנִ֔י עַד־י֖וֹם גְּל֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(30) The Danites set up the sculptured image for themselves; and Jonathan son of Gershom son of Manasseh,eManasseh Heb. מנשה with נ suspended, indicating an earlier reading “Moses”; cf. Exod. 2.22. and his descendants, served as priests to the Danite tribe until the land went into exile.
5. Do Other Names Fit into These Name Sets?
The similarity of מנשה to names in both sets and the connectedness of מנשה to people in both sets point to other people to consider including.
His siblings Miriam (מרים) and Aaron (אהרן) could join him in the second set. While their names have four letters, their spelling does not conform to the established similarities in that name set. They do not end in ה, do have a final letter, and do have "repeated" letters (as shown next). מרים has two "new" letters that belong (by similarity) to established letter groups: ם in {מ, ס, פ}; and י in {ו, נ, ר}. However, it has "repeated" letters (ם and מ in same letter group) and ends in a final letter (ם). אהרן has one "new" letter that belongs (by similarity) into an established letter group: ן in {ו, נ, ר}. However, it has repeated letters (ן and ר) and ends in a final letter (ן).
Their addition to the second set would result in a new set of augmented letter groups:
{ה, ח, ת} ,{ו, י, נ, ן, ר} ,{מ, ם, ס, פ} ,{א, ע, צ, ש}.
6. How Far Can Name Similarity Be Taken?
If the addition of מרים and אהרן to the second set seems like a stretch, adding אפרים, the younger brother of מנשה, and יוסף (i.e., צפנת פענח), the father of מנשה, to the first set might be more of a stretch. While their letters belong to established letter groups, their spelling deviates even more from the established similarities in that name set (e.g., not four-lettered, not ending in ת or ה, ending in a final letter, and/or containing "repeated" letters).