how to say “fate” in Hebrew

ByAmi Steinberger

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/גורל-#.m4a” /]גּוֹרָל

Today we use the word גורל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/גורל-#.m4a” /] to mean destiny or fate. But the original meaning of the word was lot as in a lottery, the way the Land of Israel was divided among the tribes of Israel:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/גורל-#.m4a” /]אֶל אֲשֶׁר-יֵצֵא לוֹ שָׁמָּה הַגּוֹרָל, לוֹ יִהְיֶה (במדבר ל”ג, נ”ד)

Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. (Numbers 33:54)

But since a lot is left to chance, it’s only natural that גורל would mean fate as well (a lottery today – also a raffle – is הגרלה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/גורל-#.m4a” /]).

Here’s an example of גורל in Modern Hebrew:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/גורל-#.m4a” /]הגורל הביא אותנו הנה.

Fate (literally, the fate) brought us here.

 

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