Ḥ-R-R means free, owing labor to no master. In the ancient world freedom was a legal condition you could see in a person's life, and the Gospels set it beside slavery and taxes. In John 8 that freedom comes from the Son and from the truth.
| Form | Pattern | Transliteration | Script | Standard | Qala rendering |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ḥire | adjective, m. pl. | ḥiʾre | חארא ܚܺܐܪܶܐ | free | free, set free (Mt 17:26; Jn 8:33, 36) |
| ḥerruta | abstract noun | ḥerrutā | חארותא ܚܺܐܪܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ | freedom, liberty | (not in the Gospels) |
| ḥarta | noun, f. | ḥartā | חרתא ܚܰܪܬ݂ܳܐ | end; at last | the end (21×, e.g. Mt 24:13); see note below |
A note on ḥarta. The glossary files ḥarta, "the end," under these letters: "But the one who holds out to the end, he will live" (Matthew 24:13, lḥartā). Most dictionaries derive it from a neighboring root meaning "to be behind, last," so it only looks like the freedom family.
The Gospels use the adjective ḥire, free, and the Pael verb ḥarrar, to set free (nḥarrarkun, "will set you free," John 8:32, 36).
Name one habit or grievance that has a hold on you. For one hour, act as though it has no claim on you, then say ḥire, free.