how to say “to dare to speak up” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/לפצות-פה-#.m4a” /]לִפְצוֹת פֶּה
This dramatic expression comes straight from the Bible, where the ground opens up its mouth to swallow up dissidents:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/לפצות-פה-#.m4a” /]וּפָצְתָה הָאֲדָמָה אֶת פִּיהָ וּבָלְעָה אֹתָם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם. (במדבר ט”ז, ל’)
The earth shall open its mouth and swallow them and all their belongings. (Numbers 16:30)
Over time, לפצות פה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/לפצות-פה-#.m4a” /] – literally, to crack open mouth – came to mean to dare to speak up, often in the negative sense of speaking intrusively or obnoxiously, but also in the sense of speaking up when it’s scary to do so – or not speaking up.
For example:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/לפצות-פה-#.m4a” /]הסטודנטים לא פצו פה מרוב פחד מהמרצה.
The students did not open their mouths due to fear (from the greatness of fear) from the lecturer.
לפצות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/לפצות-פה-#.m4a” /] is a פעל verb.
