ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 95999 - Translation - Tombstone


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Tombstone
Approval Date: 11/14/2021 12:29 PM
Family Surname:
Country: Lithuania

Click the picture to enlarge

I would appreciate a translation of this tombstone's inscription. I am particularly interested in the abbreviation that is found just before the Hebrew date.

Response

11/14/2021 1:11 PM

Here lies

a simple and upright man

and one who feared G-d, Mr. YAAKOV

son of Reb Reuven

Moshe Egoz, he passed away

2 Cheshvan 5685

May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.

===========================================
'Reb' is an honorific; it does not mean rabbi.

I have transcribed the words as they appear on the stone. To be clear: his name was Yaakov, his father was Reuven Moshe; presumably Egoz is the family name.

The 2nd of Cheshvan, 5685, began at sunset on October 29th, 1924, and ended at sunset on the 30th.

Abbreviations abound on tombstones, and sometimes present the greatest challenges. The abbreviation immediately before the date of death is a common one: nun-fay, representing the word Niftar (or, in the case of a woman, Nifterah), meaning he/she passed away.

11/17/2021 8:21 AM

איש תם וישר
A note on the word תם: We try to get into the mindset of whoever composed the wording to be engraved on their loved-one's tombstone. Which of the several meanings for the word "tam" was their intention? Logically, a person wouldn't summarize a departed loved one to have been a "simple" person. We therefore move on to the "other" Hebrew-English dictionary translations of the word "tam" to see which fits: complete, wholesome, integrity, pious, innocent. The abbreviation that follows on this stone, וי"א – and feared G-d, tells that the person was “pious,” and this would be the most fitting translation, thus – [A] pious and upright man

ViewMate Posting VM 95999

Submitted by Roy Ogus

Learn more about our organizational leadership, mission, and values. There are numerous opportunities to get involved yourself!

Search millions of records from around the globe, including more than 4 million records related to the Holocaust, and more than 4.2 million burial records. Records are continually added each month - check back often for new information!

Discover your ancestral town, explore geographic/regional based sections of the JewishGen site (Research Divisions), and explore what daily life was like for your ancestors - and what we can learn from them today.

Enhance your research with online classes and dozens of helpful articles. University students can apply for the Bennett & Robin Greenspan L'dor V'dor Legacy Program, and those "out of school" can help preserve Jewish Heritage in Poland with unique study & volunteer experiences.

Connect with tens of thousands of other JewishGen members via the Family Finder, Discussion Group, Facebook Group, and ViewMate. It's a great way to share success, ask questions, and stay informed of the happenings throughout the Jewish genealogical community.

The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. If you are in a position to do so, please consider a contribution today - your support will make a difference!

ViewMate Posting VM 95999

Submitted by Roy Ogus