How did the Pale of Settlement get its name?

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The Pale of Settlement was a part of the Russian Empire within which the empire's Jewish families were allowed to live.

History

The empress Catherine the Great established the Pale of Settlement in 1791. The Russian authorities wanted to limit the area of their realm where Jews could live and work, and lessen the economic role of Jewish merchants and workers.

Area

The Pale of Settlement covered what is now central Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, and Ukraine. It also covered parts of western Russia. Within the pale, some cities were banned to Jewish inhabitants.

Borders

The name of this region came from its "pale," or eastern boundary. The word pale comes from the Latin palus or "stake," an object used by the Romans to mark out boundaries. The pale referred to the frontier between Jewish and non-Jewish regions of the Russian empire.

Exceptions

Certain classes of Jewish people were allowed to live outside the pale. This included skilled artisans, scholars, and soldiers.

Modern Use

The Jewish pale of settlement ended with the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917. The term survives in an English phrase that indicates someone who has gone too far in words or deeds, and is said to be "beyond the pale."

Source:

JewishVirtualLibrary.com: The Pale of Settlement

JewishEncyclopedia.com: Pale of Settlemen

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How did the Pale of Settlement get its name?

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