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wholeness, completeness

The word she•le•moot, wholeness, is a modern noun that is based on the biblical root ‘sha•lem’ meaning complete, whole. Many English translations of the Bible use the word ‘perfect’ for ‘sha•lem’ instead of the more accurate word ‘whole.’ ‘I beseech you, O Lord,...

sick, ill

The word cho•le is a masculine adjective that comes from the biblical root Ch.L.H. The feminine form is cho•la. Every verb and many nouns in Hebrew come from a core root. The biblical verb ‘to become sick,’ la•cha•lot, is more rare but appears in the Bible at least...

I appreciate you

A•ni means “I,” ma•a•rich means “appreciate,” and ot•cha means “you” (for male) and o•tach is “you” (for female). The root word is e•rech (value). Although you don’t hear this expression too often in Israel, it is a...

prayer, to pray

The word te•fi•la comes from the biblical root “P.L.L.” Every verb and many nouns in Hebrew come from a core root. The verb “to pray,” le•hit•pa•lel, clearly shows the connection to the root letters: “Now when Solomon finished praying,...

teamwork

The word a•vo•dat comes from a biblical origin. It is derived from the word a•vo•da. The word a•vo•dat is the construct form and it means: “the work of…” It has exactly the same two meanings in both biblical and modern Hebrew: 1. work (labor), and 2. service...

cheerful heart, good hearted

This expression has two meanings: one literal (good heart or good hearted), and the other (cheerful or happy heart). The order of the words may be switched, and it is still the same expression and valid in both ways. The first expression, ‘lev tov’ (in...