דרך ארץ

Hebrew

Alternative forms

• ד״א (abbreviation)

Etymology

דֶּרֶךְ (dérech, “way of”) + אֶרֶץ (érets, “land”); that is, "the manner of earthlings" or "the manner of locals".

Noun

דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ • (dérech érets) f (no plural forms, no construct forms)

1. manners, etiquette; moral norms or customs
   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Kiddushin 1:10:

     וְכָל שֶׁאֵינוֹ לֹא בַמִּקְרָא וְלֹא בַמִּשְׁנָה וְלֹא בְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ אֵינוֹ מִן הַיִּשּׁוּב:

     V'khol she'einó lo va'miqrá v'lo va'mishnáh v'lo v'dérekh érets einó min ha'yishúv.

     And all who are not involved with Bible, nor with Oral Law, nor with moral norms are not civilized.

     Commentary of Obadiah of Bertinoro:

     .וְלֹא בְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ — שֶׁאֵין מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ בְּנַחַת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת

     Nor with moral norms - one who does not conduct dealings honestly with others.

     V'lo v'dérekh érets – she'ein masa'ó u'matanó b'náḥat im ha'briyot.

2. (archaic) employment, occupation
   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Avot 2:2:

     .יָפֶה תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה עִם דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁיְּגִיעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם מְשַׁכַּחַת עָוֹן.

     Yafé talmúd toráh im dérekh érets, she'y'gi'at sh'neihem mishakaḥat avon.

     Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation; for the exertion of both of them causes sin to be forgotten.

     Commentary of Obadiah of Bertinoro:

     .דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ — מְלָאכָה אוֹ סְחוֹרָה

     Dérekh érets – m'lakhá o s'ḥorá.

     A worldly occupation – labor or goods.

3. (archaic) sexuality
   • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 100a:

     הָיִינוּ לְמִידִין... דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ מִתַּרְנְגוֹל שֶׁמְּפַיֵּס וְאַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹעֵל.

     Hayyínu l'midin... dérekh érets mi'tarnagól she'mfayyés v'aḥár kakh bo'él.

     We would learn... sexuality from the rooster who appeases and then mates.

Further reading

• דרך ארץ on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he