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Hebrew Word of the Day

אַהֲבַת נֶֶפשׁ

Meaning: Deep love, profound love

Translit: a•ha•vat ne•fesh

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As we celebrate Thanksgiving, the lovely when families are gathered along with close friends and guests, when the spirit of this special holiday is filling us with relaxation and with sentiments of joy and love, we’ll introduce in this coming month words and phrases that concur with these fine sentiments of kindness, joy and love as we received requests to present such words for some time.

In the next few days we’ll present expressions of love and endearment that we use today alongside biblical expressions.

Today’s expression is a•ha•vat ne•fesh, soul-deep love. A•ha•vat is the construct state of ‘a•ha•va’, love. ‘Ne•fesh’ means ‘soul’. This beautiful biblical expression expresses the deepest level of love where one loves another being from the depth of his/her soul and as the following verse shows, to an extent equal to loving his/her own soul.

Old Testament example of ‘a•ha•vat ne•fesh’:

‘And Jonathan made David swear again, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul’

I Samuel 20:17

New Testament example of ‘a•ha•vat ne•fesh’: When Jesus warns people from idolatry he calls them ‘beloved of my soul’ and not what the English translation below offers:

‘Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry’

1 Corinthians 10:14

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, the lovely when families are gathered along with close friends and guests, when the spirit of this special holiday is filling us with relaxation and with sentiments of joy and love, we’ll introduce in this coming month words and phrases that concur with these fine sentiments of kindness, joy and love as we received requests to present such words for some time.

In the next few days we’ll present expressions of love and endearment that we use today alongside biblical expressions.

Today’s expression is a•ha•vat ne•fesh, soul-deep love. A•ha•vat is the construct state of ‘a•ha•va’, love. ‘Ne•fesh’ means ‘soul’. This beautiful biblical expression expresses the deepest level of love where one loves another being from the depth of his/her soul and as the following verse shows, to an extent equal to loving his/her own soul.

Old Testament example of ‘a•ha•vat ne•fesh’:

‘And Jonathan made David swear again, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul’

I Samuel 20:17

New Testament example of ‘a•ha•vat ne•fesh’: When Jesus warns people from idolatry he calls them ‘beloved of my soul’ and not what the English translation below offers:

‘Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry’

1 Corinthians 10:14