bond of life

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Pronunciations

bond of life (bahnd uhv LYEF) listen

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Definitions

  • n. Common translation of the Hebrew "tzror ha-hayim," referring to a transcendent realm where the souls of righteous are kept in safekeeping.

  • n. Part of a phrase often inscribed on headstones or said in reference to the dead, meaning "may their soul be bound in the bond of eternal life."

Example Sentences

  • "May his soul find peace in Gan Eden and be bound up in the bond of life."

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Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • English

Etymology

  • צרור החיים

      • Who Uses This

      • Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education

      Regions

      • North America

      Dictionaries

      • None

Notes

  • The phrase "tzror ha-hayim" is found in 1 Samuel 25:29: "And though man be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling." Tzror, a pocket or bag for safekeeping, is variously translated as "bundle" or "bond."

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