Verse of the Day
Yashaʿyahu 5:20–23 (Isaiah)
Woe to those who call Raʿ Tub and Tub Raʿ, who put darkness for Aur and Aur for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are Khakam in their own eyes and understanding in their own sight. Woe to those mighty at drinking wine and men of strength at mixing strong drink, who declare the Rashaʿ Tsadaq because of a bribe and remove the Tsadaqah of the Tsadaq from him.
Meaning
Raʿ רע · R-ʿ-ʿ · Raʿ
Evil, bad, harmful; wrong in nature or in effect.
Tub טוב · T-W-B · Tub
Good, goodness, what is beneficial. Yatab is to do good.
Aur אור · A-W-R · Aur
Light.
Khakam חכמה · Kh-K-M · Khak-mah
Wisdom, skill for living rightly. Khakam is the wise one.
Rashaʿ רשע · R-Sh-ʿ · Ra-shaʿ
The wicked one, the guilty, the one in the wrong. Rashaʿim are the wicked.
Tsadaq צדקה · Ts-D-Q · Tsa-da-qah
Righteousness and right conduct; being in the right and doing right. Tsadaq is the righteous one.
Question answered: Can people redefine Raʿ as Tub by calling it good? No. Reversing the categories is condemned.