From: Wored Area: MagickNet To: Dave Mcclanahan 8 Feb 95 23:05:00 Subject: Sabbat UpdReq Greetings! The reference I used was "Dictionary of Word Origins", Arcade Publishing. I will give the full `definition' from the book here. "sabbath [OE] - The sabbath is etymologically the day of `rest.' The word comes ultimately from Hebrew shabbath, a derivative of shabath `rest'. English acquired it via Greek sabbaton and Latin sabbatum. The modern use of the derived sabbatical [16] for a `period away from normal duties,' first recorded in the 19th century, evolved from its original application to the one year in seven when, according to ancient Jewish law, land had to be left fallow. French samedi `Saturday' comes from the same source. >sabbatical" Since you brought it up, I decided to check Websters. Here is Websters `definition'. "Sabbath \`sab-eth\ n (ME sabat, fr. OF & OE, fr. L sabbatum, fr. Gk sabbaton, fr. Heb shabbath, lit., rest) {bef. 12c} 1 a: the seventh day of the week observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening as a day of rest and worship by Jews and some Christians b: Sunday observed among Christians as a day of rest and worship 2: a time of rest" However, that is Sabbath, and not Sabbat, so I decided to look at Websters definition of `Sabbat' to see the correspondence (maybe the two word were not related? I wasn't sure) So here is Websters definition of `Sabbat'. "Sabbat \`sab-et, sa-`ba\ n. *often cap* [F, lit., sabbath, fr. L sabbatum] (1652) : a midnight assembly of diabolists (as witches and sorcerers) held esp. in medieval and Renaissance times to renew allegiance to the devil through mystic rites and orgies" Can you beleive that definition of Sabbat?!?! I looked to see when the hell this Websters was published. 1990. I will be going to the bookstore to see if Websters has updated its definition. Wiccans TODAY do not celebrate Sabbats "to renew allegiance to the devil through mystic rites and orgies", (nor did the Indo-European `Wiccans' of ancient times, either!!!). was irritated by this ignorant referal to Witches so I looked up the word `Witch' in this 1990 Webster I've been using and won't bother to even type the definition. It's hard to believe this was publishedd in 1990 (Webstersinth Collegiate Dictionary). It only has the `archaic' definition of Witch from the good ol' Witch-hunt era! Anyway, I do know that Saturday (the `original' "day of rest", if these books are to be believed) does mean `Saturns Day'. Maybe when words were being translated from one language to the next way back when, Sabbath did equate to Saturday but I don't know. Could you give me your point of reference? I don't trust the books I'm using after reading the definition of `Witch' and `Sabbat', although the `Dictionary of Word Origins', seems reliable (especially compared to my Websters). Thanks. Aho! Wored 201434369420143436942014343694201434369420143436942014343694718 From: Wored Area: MagickNet To: Dave Mcclanahan 8 Feb 95 23:09:00 Subject: Sabbat UpdReq Sorry! Gotcha. One of the Webster relations is Sabbath as Saturday as the `day of rest' that is practiced by Christians and Jewish folks. Sorry, my mistake by using that correspondence. Wored 201434369420143436942014343694201434369420143436942014343694718 From: Gaia Area: MagickNet To: WORED 10 Feb 95 02:31:00 Subject: Sabbat UpdReq Re: "Sabbat" My understanding is that it comes from the Babylonian "sabbatu" which referred to a woman's menstrual days that were "set apart" from other days, during which she would retire to a kind of "moon lodge." (From an essay entitled, "From Sacred Blood to the Curse, and Beyond" in "The Politics of Women's Spirituality" ed. Charlene Spretnak.) PS - I have been thoroughly enjoying both yours and Adrienne's posts in Wicca. You guys are amazing....I've saved bunches of (both) your stuff to disk and hard copied into my files....Keep posting, please! I'd love to connect more.... Gaia ... "Ah, to be Jung-ed again." ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 201434369420143436942014343694201434369420143436942014343694718