בית מקדש
beit mikdash
The Hebrew word for temple is בית מקדש (beit mikdash).
בית מקדש is a term used for a place holding a religious presence. It specifically refers to historical sanctuaries, such as those in Jerusalem. When you are talking about the specific ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, you use the form בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ to include the definite article.
Meaning: place holding a religious presence (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of beit, meaning house and mikdash, meaning sanctuary or holy place.
Which one should you use?
While בית מקדש refers to a place of divine presence or a specific historical temple, the term בית כנסת is the standard word for a modern synagogue (house of assembly).
How do you pronounce it?
beit mikdash
Did you know?
- Modern Hebrew uses the word בית to mean 'byte' in computing, using the word for 'house' as a phonetic bridge to the English term.
- The word מקדש is derived from a root that means 'to make holy', meaning the temple is literally a 'place of making holy'.
- The word בית is used as a building block for dozens of other institutional terms in Hebrew, such as those for courts and schools, far beyond its meaning as a residential home.
Examples in context
- הם בונים בית מקדש חדש.hem bonim beit mikdash chadash.They are building a new temple.
- הם חולמים על בית מקדש מפואר.hem cholmim al beit mikdash mefo'ar.They dream of a magnificent temple.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing history in a library.
- רוטם Rotemעידו, אתה יודע איפה עמד בית מקדש?Ido, ata yodei eifo amad beit mikdash?Ido, do you know where the temple stood?
- עידו Idoכן, הוא עמד על הר המוריה.Ken, hu amad al har ha-moriya.Yes, it stood on Mount Moriah.
- רוטם Rotemזה נשמע כמו מקום מאוד מיוחד.Ze nishma kemo makom me'od meyuhad.That sounds like a very special place.
- עידו Idoזה בהחלט היה מקום קדוש.Ze be-hechlet haya makom kadosh.It certainly was a holy place.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries בית, מקדש, CC BY-SA 4.0.
