Jewish Word Meaning Help Needed

JuniperPress

Does anyone know the translation of the word or name Yehovit? The only source I can find is ...
When God does speak to Israel, we immediately face a curiosity in the text, for the word God begins with is strange – The introduction of God to the people is with the word: “I am” but using a rare four letter root “Anochi” instead of the more usual word “Ani”. The Talmud has a beautiful explanation for why God is using such a strange word to introduce God to the people:- Rabbi Yochanan explains that this word must be an acronym for Ana Nafshi Ketovit Yehovit – which means “I wrote My very soul and gave it to you” or “I am giving you My soul in writing” (Shabbat 105a).

Is it the word soul? Does anyone have any insight or guesses on this? Thanks :)
 

ficbot

-it is a suffix for female names. The first part of that word has the same root as a name of G-d that we don't say out loud. So, the meaning might be something like 'little G-d.'
 

Nemia

Nefesh is soul - nafshi means "my soul".
 

JuniperPress

Hi Nemia,

Thanks for you reply. I'm sort of familiar with the various other words for different aspects of the sould - nefesh, ruach and neshamah but was curious about yehovit. I didn't know the possessive for nefesh either so thanks for your post :) I sort of wish I had learned hebrew when I was younger. And spanish. lol
 

Zephyros

What section in the Bible is being discussed in the quote? In many places context is key above all else to understand a given word.
 

JuniperPress

zephyros, this is it in context - Ana Nafshi Ketovit Yehovit
 

copperbird

Yehovit is probably from the root YHB - to give. ie. not same spelling as the name of god. It's spelled with a bet, not a vav.

(Does that make sense? There are two different letters in hebrew that can be read as the consonant 'v')/)
 

gregory

I am in no way knowledgeable here - but google takes me to this, on the subject of the 10 Commandments:
Anochi is an acronym for Ana Nafshi Ketovit Yehovit. Simply translated: I Myself wrote [these words and] gave [them to you]. But on closer inspection the actual translation is far more intriguing: I wrote down My very Soul and gave it to you. Or more poetically: My Soul is inscribed in these words that I gave you.
Or on another site:
Rabbi Yochanan explains that this word must be an acronym for Ana Nafshi Ketovit Yehovit – which means “I wrote My very soul and gave it to you” or “I am giving you My soul in writing” (Shabbat 105a).
 

JuniperPress

I am in no way knowledgeable here - but google takes me to this, on the subject of the 10 Commandments: Or on another site:

Thanks gregory, yes I came across that too which I was I was wondering about the translation of 'soul' there. I guess there is no clear cut answer (like most of the time:p)