Noach 11:9 · unit 1

TT #84 · Parashas Noach · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 11:9

The Complete Passuk

עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל כִּי־שָׁ֛ם בָּלַ֥ל יְהֹוָ֖ה שְׂפַ֣ת כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּמִשָּׁם֙ הֱפִיצָ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה עַל־פְּנֵ֖י כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Hashem confused the language of the whole earth, and from there Hashem scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Chabad.org — 11:9

Source Citation

Torah Temimah notes the identification of Babel with Borsif (for get validity).

Sefaria — Yoma 10a

E-Daf image — Yoma 10a (size=3)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
קָרָא שְׁמָהּ בָּבֶל — בָּבֶל הִיא בּוּרְסִיף; לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִנַּהּ? לְגִטֵּי נָשִׁים.

English: “Its name was called Babel” — Babel is Borsif; what is the practical difference? For bills of divorce (if one writes one name or the other the get remains valid).

Type of Learning

Custom (halakhic identification of place names).

What Is Learned

Babel and Borsif are treated as interchangeable names for purposes of the location written in a get.