Jastrow: שׁוּר III

שׁוּר III m. (b. h.; שרר) 1) wall, fortification, stronghold. Gen. R. s. 98 (ref. to שׁוֹר, Gen. XLIX, 6; v. Targ. O. a. Y. 1) עקרתון שׁוּרָן של גרים you have uprooted the stronghold (reliance) of proselytes (by dealing faithlessly with the Shechemites); בשביל … עקרתם שורן וכ׳ in order to gratify your passion, you have uprooted &c. —2) protected habitation, civilized condition (cmp. יִשּׁוּב), opp. מדבר. Ex. R. s. 24 (play on מדבר שור, Ex. XV, 22) עד שלא יצאו … נעשה העולם ש׳ before Israel went out of Egypt, the world was a desert (lawless); when they went forth, the world became civilized; עד שלא קיבלו … ש׳ before Israel received the Law, the world was a desert; when they received it, the world became &c.