Red – אֲדוֹם (adom)
כַּלָּנִית
Transcription: kalanit
Translation: Crown Anemone
Part of speech: Noun, feminine
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נוּרִית
Transcription: Nurit
Translation: Turban Buttercup, Scarlet crowfoot
Part of speech: Noun, feminine
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פָּרָג
Transcription: parag
Translation: Papaver
Part of speech: Noun, masculine
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An Israeli fairy tale about the sisters in red:
Once upon a time there lived a handsome prince. When the time came for the prince to find himself a wife, his father, the king, sent invitations to all the pretty maidens of his kingdom to come to a ball to meet the prince. Hundreds of young women decided to try their luck, including the three lovely sisters: Kalanit, Nurit, and Parag.
Each sister went by herself to by a dress for the ball. On the day of the event, they all got dressed separately and when they met at the doorway they realized that they wear the exact same red dress. How could the Prince distinguish between the three sisters in red?
After the tears, they found a solution: each of them would add a rather unique accessory to her red dress.
Kalanit added a white scarf around her neck. Nurit added a green belt, decorated her dress with glitters and put on glossy lipstick. And Parag wore a black beaded necklace and earrings.
With the upgraded look they entered the hall and seized the prince's heart within minutes. The three sisters also fell in love with the handsome prince, and each wanted him for herself.
What should they do? The king found a unique solution for the unique situation: the Prince would marry the three sisters, on condition that once a year, every year, he will dedicate a period of time with each one separately.
The Prince in love quickly agreed, and asked the sisters to continue to wear their special accessories to avoid unnecessary confusion and shame.
Since then, every year, Kalanit is the first to bloom, with a white scarf around the stamens, Nurit with the bright shiny leaves and the typically green sepals enclosing the petals in the form of a belt, is the second to appear, and last, just around Passover, Parag appears with dark circles on the petals.
And what do the prince and princesses do the rest of the year? They rest and prepare themselves for their season.
Orange – כָּתוֹם (katom)
טוֹפַח
Transcription: tofax
Translation: Lathyrus
Part of speech: Noun, masculine
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Yellow – צָהוֹב (tsahov)
חַרְצִית
Transcription: xartsit
Translation: Chrysanthemum
Part of speech: Noun, feminine
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Origin of the name: Xaruts (חָרוּץ) is a synonym of gold as it appears in the book of Proverb (16:16):
קְנֹה-חָכְמָה--מַה-טּוֹב מֵחָרוּץ; וּקְנוֹת בִּינָה, נִבְחָר מִכָּסֶף.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! yea,
to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.
חַרְצִית and חָרוּץ share the same root: חר"צ and hence Xartsit means a golden flower. Its Latin name “Chrysanthemum” shares the same root as the Hebrew language root.
Green - יָרוֹק (yarok)
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קִיקָיוֹן
Transcription: kikayon
Translation: Castor oil plant; Palma Christi
Part of speech: Noun, masculine
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The book of Jonah (יוֹנָה) concludes with a lesson that God teaches Jonah about mercy using the Kikayon. Towards the end of the story God decided not to destroy the city of Nineveh despite their numerous sins, because the people of Nineveh turned from their evil way. Jonah was displeased with God’s decision and made himself a shelter in the desert and sat under it to see what would happen to the city. God arranged that a Kikayon plant should grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and Jonah was delighted with the fast-growing shade-giving plant. At dawn the next day, God arranged that worms should attack the plant and it withered. When the sun rose, God arranged that there should be a scorching east wind and the sun beat down so hard on Jonah's head that he became very angry with God for destroying the Kikayon to the point that he begged for death. God answer Jonah: "You are only upset about a Kikayon plant which cost you no labor, which you did not grow, which sprouted in a night and has perished in a night. And am I not to feel sorry for Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, to say nothing of all the animals?"
Blue – כָּחוֹל (kaxol)
מַרְגָנִית הַשָּׂדֶה
Transcription: marganit hasade
Translation: Scarlet pimpernel; Poor man's weatherglass
Part of speech: Noun, feminine
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Purple – סָגוֹל (Sagol)
מַקּוֹר הַחֲסִידָה
Transcription: makor haxasida
Translation: Stork's bill, Erodium
Part of speech: Noun, masculine (construct state)
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