Do axes have a symbolic meaning in Tanakh or Jewish mythology?

I was asked by someone i assume to be Jewish to "Axe him a question!"

Now this sound like a joke, but i assure you it is NOT.

It is of course a reference to the pronunciation but i am SURE it has other meanings.

I was told to consult a rabbi or a parson for that.

Thank you for your time.

I rephrased my question. I should have re-read that before posting. Sorry.

closed as off-topic by Shmuel Brin, user4523, Y     e     z, Bruce James, Shokhet Nov 13 '14 at 0:31


  • "Questions about the Hebrew language or about history or news of the Jewish people, Jewish individuals, or the State of Israel, except as related to Judaism, are off-topic. If this question does relate to Judaism, please edit it to indicate how." – Shmuel Brin, Community, Y     e     z, Bruce James, Shokhet

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    Please edit your question so that the post body includes and expands on what you have in the title, including an explanation of why you suspect that axes may have a symbolic meaning in these contexts. – Isaac Moses Nov 12 '14 at 21:34
  • Note too that if you have a specific hebrew word you are interested in you should specify as an "axe" can mean various things (eg. hatchet, cleaver, knife) – Double AA Nov 12 '14 at 21:45
  • That is the problem, i am not a Jew, i don't speak Hebrew so i have absolutely no idea. I know the question is odd but it IS important for me. My only guess is it relates to the "occult" side of Judaism. – user7395 Nov 12 '14 at 21:48
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    I strongly suspect that at least by point at which you were told to consult a rabbi or parson, your interlocutor was pulling your leg. – Isaac Moses Nov 12 '14 at 22:12
  • @user7395. As a New Yawker, we most certainly axe questions. Off hand, the axe, I think, don't hold me to this, may have some significance in right-wing ideology. As far as religion, it has meaning in paganism. I may be thinking of a hammer though. – JJLL Nov 13 '14 at 0:04

The only place in the Torah where the Hebrew word for "axe" appears is in Deut. 19:5. The paragraph is regarding someone who unintentionally killed someone. Such a person is told to flee to a city of refuge where the "blood avenger" is not permitted to kill him. (Without delving into details, this is one of the few situations where the Torah allows intentionally killing another - assuming that the unintentional killer is NOT in the city of refuge.)

One of the examples of unintentional killing described is if a person chops a tree and the steel head of the axe flew off and killed someone.

I don't see any "symbolic" meaning in describing the axe, either here or anywhere else in Tana"ch. Thus, I surmise that "axing a question" is merely a mispronunciation of the word "ask". It's become, IMO an acceptable and tolerated phrase, when I think it should be politely corrected. I can't say how it originated, but, IMO, it seems to be said, mainly, by less-educated people.

  • Your answer is interesting, thank you. Though the question was asked by someone who is QUITE educated. – user7395 Nov 12 '14 at 22:14
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    @user7395 In that case heesh was probably making a joke. – sabbahillel Nov 12 '14 at 22:57
  • also IMO, it's not "accepted and tolerated" where actual English is spoken.... unless it's the same folks who think this is how someone can actually convert to Judaism: funnyordie.com/videos/442461f144/the-converted-jew – Gary Nov 12 '14 at 23:11

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