Joan, The phrase “koaH gavra” is Aramaic, describing pouring water from each hand onto the other for ritual rinsing. The phrase “gavra raba,” for a great man, is also Aramaic. Here two idioms overlap in a novel usage.
Therefore I see the closing word as the Aramaic verb ka-atu, the conventional prefix with the verb “they come.” Something like: Resplendent as the radiant stars coming from the power of the hand of a great man. If you don’t like my reading, you can give me the bird, so to speak. Clifford Miller JTSA Library From: owner-heb-n...@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu [mailto:owner-heb-n...@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu] On Behalf Of Biella, Joan Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 3:00 PM To: 'heb-naco@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu'; 'Joseph Galron-Goldschlaeger' Subject: 'Avodat ha-kodesh Dear Friends, I am cataloging an edition of Azulai's 'Avodat ha-kodesh, which contains seven works that seem to be called, together, "kokhve lekhet." The statement of responsibility says these seven works are ככוכבים מאירים ומזהירים מכח גברא רבא קאתו I think I get all that until we come to the pelican. קאת = "pelican" in Aramaic, right?. What do we have here, a "man of great pelican"? "A man, great his pelican"? I have a feeling we're dealing with something like חסיד in Hebrew, but what, exactly? Please enlighten me. Thank you. Joan