Moses our Teacher's Cow
Question
Why is the beetle called Moses our Teacher's Cow by that name?
Answer
Hello and blessings,
To be exact, the Hebrew name of the beetle is "Moshit Hashva", after the seven spots on its red body.
For some reason, the popular nickname "Moses our Teacher's Cow" became attached to it. This nickname is later, and its source is in Yiddish, where it was called: ""Moyshe-Rabeynes-ferdעלע" (ferdעלע - 'little horse, pony'), and on that basis Bialik called it in Hebrew the little horse of Moses our Teacher. Apparently the names given to it in the languages of Europe reflect this, such as 'God's Cow' in Russian, 'Mary beetle'
With blessings,
Daniel Bles
