nephesh
1
9.9
A Hebrew word in the Bible for the life and inner self of a person or animal
- noun
- /ˈnɛfɛʃ/
- Literature
:
nefesh
- According to Hebrew tradition, each person's nephesh embodies their inner self and spirit.
Examples
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The concept of nephesh refers to the vital force that distinguishes the living from the inanimate.
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Throughout the Bible, human life is defined as nephesh, or one who breathes.
Academic text (1997) -
In fact, Tremelius says the central Jewish principle here is pikuak nephesh, the saving of life.
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In the Bible, the term nephesh is often used to describe the essence of life within a living being.
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word nephesh is a Hebrew word that originally meant 'breath' or 'life', so it came to mean the inner self or 'soul', the living force that makes a person alive.