The Comprehensive Book

Alef-zayin-nun

’Ozen is the hearing ear. On the lobe of Aaron’s ear (Exodus 29:20) and or a piece of an ear (Amos 3:12) refer to the cartilage of the ear.

An extension of this [meaning] is to prick up [the ears] in order to hear an utterance, as in listen [ha-’azenah] (Genesis 4:23). Of him who made his words heard to the community [it is said:] He made [them] heard [’izen] and studied (Ecclesiastes 12:9). This is the same as the Arabic phrase ādhana al-mu’adhdhin [the muezzin made the announcement], which is derived from ’udhn [ear]. The aim of one who speaks in the presence of people is to make them hear him. It is said in this sense: He spoke in the ears of the people [see Deuteronomy 32:44], hear my voice, [listen (ha-’azenah) to my speech] (Genesis 4:23). [ . . . ]

’Aznot-tabor [Joshua 19:34; a place-name, lit., ears of Tabor]—it means the cartilage.

When handles are made for vessels, they are called ’ozen [ear] because their [shape] is similar to an ear. [Examples are:] one who takes out rope, as much as is required for making a handle [’ozen] for a basket [m. Shabbat 8:2]; if the outer side of a vessel contracted uncleanness from a liquid, its handles are clean [m. Kelim, 25:6]; the Torah was like a basket without handles. Solomon came and made handles for it [b. Eruvin 21b]. All handles are similar to ears. For this reason, scripture said: he who takes a dog by the ears (Proverbs 26:17), as if they were handles.

’Azen with an /a/ vowel on the alef means “weapon,” as in: With your weapons [’azenekha] you shall have a trowel (Deuteronomy 23:14). Its primary form is zayin [weapon], as in “and implements of war [zayinah]” [b. Avodah Zarah 25b], “now take your weapon [zayinakh]” [Targum Onkelos to Genesis 27:3]. The alef [in ’azen] is superfluous in the same way as it is in ’ezro‘a [arm] (Jeremiah 32:21) [spelled with an alef at the beginning instead of the usual spelling, zero‘a] and in its canals will become foul [he-’ezniḥu] (Isaiah 19:6) [instead of hizniḥu]. We explained this in the introduction. Al-Khalīl [an important eighth-century Muslim grammarian from Basra, Iraq, also known as al-Farāhīdī] said that in the Arabic language, ’azan is a weapon similar to spears and spearheads.

Take note that the Arabs derived in their language the word mīzān [scales] from wazn [weight]. In our language it is moznayim [scales], but the same etymology does not apply.