how to say “superstition” in Hebrew

Conversation based on this Dose of Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מחטא-1.m4a” /]מְחַטֵּא You may recognize the three-letter root of the word disinfectant – מחטא[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מחטא-1.m4a” /] – as that of the word for sin – חטא[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מחטא-2.m4a” /] as well as of the active-simple verb to sin – לחטוא[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מחטא-3.m4a” /].   To illustrate the latter word, here’s a Biblical verse: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מחטא-4.m4a” /]כי אין צדיק בארץ אשר יעשה…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחזק-1.m4a” /]לְהִתְחַזֵּק If you’ve got some basic Hebrew under your belt, you may know the word for strong – חזק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחזק-2.m4a” /]. For example (in the feminine): [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחזק-3.m4a” /]יש פה רוח חזקה מאוד. There’s a very strong wind here. חזק, a three-letter word, functions as a root, produces several other words such as להחזיק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתחזק-5.m4a” /]…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/פשטות-1.m4a” /]פַּשְׁטוּת The other day we saw the word פשוט[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/פשטות-2.m4a” /] – simple. In today’s culture of big data and instant gratification, simplicity has become a sought-after virtue. The Hebrew word for it is פשטות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/פשטות-1.m4a” /]. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/פשטות-3.m4a” /]איך הפשטות חסרה לנו בחיי היום-יום! How missing is simplicity from our day-to-day life!…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/הערה-#.m4a” /]הֶעָרָה The Hebrew word for a comment is הערה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/הערה-#.m4a” /], as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/הערה-#.m4a” /]שאלות? הערות? Questions? Comments? הערה is related to the word להתעורר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/הערה-#.m4a” /] – to wake up: they both come from the root ע.ו.ר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/הערה-#.m4a” /], which means rouse, awaken. When we comment, we awaken the listener’s attention to something. To comment (also…