Keruv-Cherub
Much debate exists about hte shape and nature of the Cherubs mentioned in the Bible. They were fetured on the ark, the tabernacle and the temple. However comentators and scholars have debated what they were, and witht he findings made in time we have a better picture of what they might have looke like.The Talmud Sukkah 5b describes the cherubs as children stating "What is the derivation of cherub?- R. Abbahu said, ‘Like a child’, for in Babylon they call a child Rabia."
The word כרוב-Keruv/cherub is a an unclear word which we are not sure how to define. The talmud tries to connect a madrash about he shape of the cherubs (who according to it were children like) to a common word used in Aramaic for child. There have been several possible linguistic ideas about this word, which all have been rejected:
1. The letters ר and כ have switched places and it actually is the word רכב Rakahv- to ride. This idea fits the very common depiction of gods riding on wind creatures.
2. Aramaic for "to plough" which relates the word to the ploughing of the ox. This relates to some images of ox like cherubs found in the ancient world.
3. Arabic- to be generous and kind.
4. The כ should be replaced by a ק to create the word קרב Qarav- to draw near, meaning those who are close to God.
The prevailing opinion now days is that the word is related to the Akkadian noun Karabu-knee, and the verb Karibu- to serve. Meaning these are servants of God who stand between man and God and present the prayers of man before Him.
