Goy!

When did the word "goy" become an insult?

Abraham is told he will be the father of a "goy gadol."

Israel is supposed to be a "goy kadosh."

Goy means "nation."

Nothing derogatory about that.

So why do some Jews use the term to put others - Jew and non-Jew alike - to shame?

There is a perfectly good word for a non-Jew.

It's specific.

It's neither complimentary nor insulting.

Nokar (no care) - absolutely neutral.

Not "goy" and not "ger" which is interpreted either as resident (from the same shorish/root as gar/reside) or the noun, "convert," the latter usually (hopefully always) in conjunction with "tzdek" - righteous.

Hebrew has perfectly good words for non-Jews and new Jews - although it must be said that pointing a finger at someone and mentioning that he or she is a "ger" ("georet") - tzdek or otherwise - is forbidden. Once a convert comes dripping from the mikveh, he or she is a Jew and, unless the convert elects to open the issue, it is forbidden to bring up the matter for fear is might cause the new Jew discomfort. (Unfortunately, too many Jews-by-birth don't know that.)

Next time we find ourselves muttering that "so-and-so is behaving like a goy" we should stop and think - which goy? Goy kadosh? We would do well to strive to be members of a "goy kadosh."

We - Jews - are far from being a "goy gadol" so the only thing we can aspire to be - at least until we are a "goy gadol" - is a "goy kadosh," a holy nation or, better, a nation of holy people.

We can start on that journey by no longer using the term "goy" as a derogatory term.

If we can use the word as it appears in the Torah we might be on our way to becoming a "goy kadosh" and who knows, if we can become a nation of holy people - a light unto the nations, the task for which we were chosen - perhaps the other part of the promise, to be a "goy gadol" will come to pass.

Hebrew is a sparse language with, compared to English, few words.

Granted many of the words are used in many contexts - ger as temporary resident (although "toshav" is better) and ger as convert (a person who has come to live with us and as one of us). But we do have words that are appropriate; they should be used as the Torah intended.

With Rosh haShanah behind us and Yom Kippor before us, let us be worthy to be a member of a goy kadosh.

yohanon