| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The construct noun yirat {יִרְאַת | yirʾāṯ} “fear (of)” links to the divine name Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yəhōwāh}, establishing reverence as the subject. Reshit {רֵאשִׁית | rē’šîṯ} “beginning” in absolute form highlights da‘at {דַּעַת | dā‘āṯ} “knowledge” as foundational. The paired nouns chokmāh {חָכְמָה | ḥāḵmāh} “wisdom” and musar {וּמוּסָר | ū-mûsār} “instruction” set up what ʼəwīlîm {אֱוִילִים | ʼəwīlīm} “fools” reject, with bāzû {בָּזוּ | bāzû} “they despise” concluding the antithesis. English preserves the Hebrew emphasis on priority and contrast. |