How to Say "Blasphemy" in Hebrew

חילול הקודש

chilul hakodesh

The Hebrew word for blasphemy is חילול הקודש (chilul hakodesh).

חילול הקודש is used to describe irreverence toward something sacred.

Meaning: irreverence toward something sacred (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of the word חילול, meaning desecration or profanation and הקודש, meaning the holiness or the sacred.

chilul hakodesh

The word חילול can refer to both the act of desecrating something sacred and the act of playing the flute.
The concept of חילול השם is a closely related phrase that specifically means 'desecrating the Name', which often refers to a Jew behaving badly in front of non-Jews.
In modern Israeli culture, the phrase חילול הקודש is often used hyperbolically to describe any major disappointment or a 'sacrilege' in a secular context, such as ruining a classic recipe.

חילול הקודש זה פשע ללא קורבן.
Blasphemy is a victimless crime.
This sentence is useful for illustrating the concept of blasphemy as a victimless crime using חילול הקודש.
Tatoeba #8900204 by shekitten, translation #3249475 by shekitten
הוא חש שזה חילול הקודש.
hu khash she-ze khilul ha-kodesh.
He felt that it was blasphemy.
מדובר על חילול הקודש בבית המקדש.
medubar al khilul ha-kodesh be-veit ha-mikdash.
It is about blasphemy in the Holy Temple.

Two friends are discussing a controversial piece of art in a museum.

איתי Itay

רוטם, את לא חושבת שזה חילול הקודש?
Rotem, at lo choshevet she-ze chilul ha-kodesh?
Rotem, don't you think this is blasphemy?
רוטם Rotem

איתי, אני חושבת שזו רק אמנות.
Itay, ani choshevet she-zo rak omanut.
Itay, I think it is just art.
איתי Itay

אבל זה פוגע בדברים מקודשים מאוד.
Aval ze pogea be-dvarim mkudashim me'od.
But it hurts things that are very sacred.
רוטם Rotem

לכל אחד יש זכות להביע את דעתו.
Le-chol echad yesh zchut le-habia et da'ato.
Everyone has the right to express their opinion.

Sources

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