Learning a new word can expand a person’s vocabulary, opening a crack in a curtain against a midday sun.
Some words do more than that. They cast open the curtains of the mind.
Timshel is an ancient Hebrew word whose meaning has vexed translators since it appeared alongside Cain and Abel in the original text of Genesis. It is changed to “thou shalt” in some versions of the Bible. In others, it is “thou do.” The great American writer John Steinbeck used the correct translation of “timshel” as a major symbol in “East of Eden,” the novel he considered his magnum opus.
“Thou mayest.”
Unlike the word “shalt,” which infers a command, and “do,” which obviates choice, “mayest” allows for the ability of free will. In the Bible story, God does not order Cain to conquer sin, nor does he promise him that he will. The word “timshel,” when translated as “thou mayest,” blesses Cain with the ability to choose whether to conquer sin.
Lee, a Chinese servant in “East of Eden,” phrases it best: “[I]f ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’ That makes a man great and that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win.”
Timshel never has more relevance than it does during the college years. It is often the first time in a young person’s life when he or she is free to make choices without parental interference. The first of those choices are school and major, but other important decisions follow. Do I go to class today? Are these friends good for me? What clubs or organizations do I join, if any?
They tell you in high school that your SAT scores, behaviors and grades will shape your future—and they’re right, to an extent. But your decisions in college have a clear and noticeable effect on your life after graduation.
Just ask Cory Hebert. He got involved in Student Government and the Residence Hall Association during his time at USF St. Petersburg. Work on campus translated to future opportunities, as Hebert now serves as a field
manager for Florida Congressman
Alan West.
Or, closer to the folks who wrote these articles, ask Keeley Sheehan. She was last year’s editor of The Crow’s Nest. After earning her master’s degree from the school’s journalism program, she was offered a job at the venerable Tampa Bay Times.
This isn’t a column to tell you not to screw up in college. We’re not trying to make you feel bad or goad you into doing something other than what interests you.
We’re suggesting that on Sept. 5, on Get On Board Day, when dozens of opportunities are literally lined up on campus for your perusal, take a minute to consider your options.
And then you may choose.
rlaforme@mail.usf.edu
