RACA (REḲA):

By: Crawford Howell Toy, Jacob Zallel Lauterbach

Noun formed from the adjective "reḳ" (="empty"), and applied to a person without education and devoid of morals (comp. Judges xi. 3). The noun occurs several times in the Talmud; e.g., Ta'an. 20b; Ber. 22a. 33b; Giṭ. 58a; B. B. 75a; Pesiḳ. R. 28 (ed. Friedmann, p. 54a). The plural "reḳaya" is found in Ecclesiastes Rabbah. "Raca" occurs also in the New Testament (Matt. v. 22), where it is equivalent to an expression of contempt.

T. J. Z. L.