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Hebrew Word of the Day

נָא לְהַכִּיר... בִּתִּי

Meaning: Let me introduce my daughter

Translit: na le•ha•kir... bi•ti

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As we approach Thanksgiving, 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.

Today we’ll learn the word daughter and how to introduce our own daughter to others.

The Hebrew word for ‘daughter’ is ‘bat’. It sounds exactly as ‘but’, however because of the transliteration rules, ‘a’ stands for the sound ‘ah’ as in the words: ‘mama’ and ‘papa’.

Unlike father and mother, daughter ‘bat’ is the same word both in modern and biblical Hebrew. The word ‘bi•ti’, my daughter, is the word ‘bat’ connected to the pronominal suffix ‘ee’ (or ‘i’) which means my. Therefore ‘bi•ti’ means ‘my daughter’. Note that this possession word receives a sound change and is ‘bi•ti’ and not ‘ba•ti’.

Old Testament example of ‘bi•ti’:

‘And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of trouble to me; for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back’.

Judges 11:35

New Testament example of ‘bi•ti’:

‘But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.’.

Matthew 9:22

Note: just like in English, the word daughter is also a term of endearment and not necessarily a reference to a biological offspring.

‘Na le•ha•kir’ literally means ‘please meet’, and after saying this you pause, present your daughter before the people who are present, and then say: ‘bi•ti’, ‘my daughter’.

The reply to this, and to any other introduction is: ‘na•eem me•od’, ‘nice to meet you’.

As we approach Thanksgiving, 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.

Today we’ll learn the word daughter and how to introduce our own daughter to others.

The Hebrew word for ‘daughter’ is ‘bat’. It sounds exactly as ‘but’, however because of the transliteration rules, ‘a’ stands for the sound ‘ah’ as in the words: ‘mama’ and ‘papa’.

Unlike father and mother, daughter ‘bat’ is the same word both in modern and biblical Hebrew. The word ‘bi•ti’, my daughter, is the word ‘bat’ connected to the pronominal suffix ‘ee’ (or ‘i’) which means my. Therefore ‘bi•ti’ means ‘my daughter’. Note that this possession word receives a sound change and is ‘bi•ti’ and not ‘ba•ti’.

Old Testament example of ‘bi•ti’:

‘And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of trouble to me; for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back’.

Judges 11:35

New Testament example of ‘bi•ti’:

‘But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.’.

Matthew 9:22

Note: just like in English, the word daughter is also a term of endearment and not necessarily a reference to a biological offspring.

‘Na le•ha•kir’ literally means ‘please meet’, and after saying this you pause, present your daughter before the people who are present, and then say: ‘bi•ti’, ‘my daughter’.

The reply to this, and to any other introduction is: ‘na•eem me•od’, ‘nice to meet you’.