And Eskimos have how many words for snow?

[rhu]

In today's Times, Margaret Atwood asserts:

In Aramaic, the language that Jesus himself spoke, the word for “debt” and the word for “sin” are the same.

Um, no. The word for "obligation" is "chovah", and it can apply just as well to a financial obligation such as the one incurred by a debt as to an obligation to receive punishment imposed by either a temporal court or the heavenly court.

Yes, we talk about someone being "chayyav" if they have committed a transgression, but it doesn't mean "sin", it means "subject to punishment."

And we also talk about, for example, "Who has a chovah?" when we're getting ready to start a prayer service and we're trying to find out if any member has an obligation to lead services (because he's a mourner).

So, sorry, Ms. Atwood, nice idea, but not accurate.