Kvod Harav,
Beitar is spelled with two "Tuffs" in the Yerushalymi, for example taanis Perek 4 Halacha 5.
The Oz Vehadar shinue nuschaos on the side mentions it as its notriken for Bais Tar.
Not sure what this means, could you please clarify?
Yasher Koach
Ari Stern
The word "Beitar" has a Dagesh in the Taf, which grammatically is a sign that there was another dormant letter there (e.g., Yisachar spelled with one Sin is actually Yisaschar in the Torah). Thus, the spelling of the Yerushalmi is the original way to spell the word and hints at the fact that it was once "Beit Tar" or "Beit Tir." This is exactly like the name of the Arab village "Battir" established on the ruins of old Beitar.
There are a number of references to "Beit Tar." The Midrash (Shir ha'Shirim Rabah 2) describes the punishment to Nochrim for what they did in Beit Tar and then talks about the destruction of Beitar, which proves that this was the original name. Tana d'Vei Eliyahu, chapter 28, also describes Beitar as Beit Tar, so it seems that this was the original name.
Yoel Domb
Yasher Koach! What does Tar or Tir mean? The house of ......?
I found a source stating that in ancient Hebrew this means "the place of the blade" which connects with the more modern Hebrew word, Ta'ar. I don't know what the association to a blade is regarding Beitar, possibly it was a place where sharp weapons were produced.
Yoel Domb
I looked in Tana D'bei Eliyahu, but didn't manage to find Beitar, where in chapter 28 was it? thank you
My Tana d'Vei Eliyahu is the Ish Shalom edition (based on a manuscript from 1073), and in other editions it appears in chapter 30, and it says "Beitar" and not "Beit Tar," but this is a valid way of writing which is mentioned in early writings.
Yoel Domb
I spoke to someone who suggested that perhaps Tar is from the Shoresh of Lossur es Haaretz to tour the land, but he really was not sure.