etz chaim

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Pronunciations

etz chaim (eits CHAH-yeem) listen

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Definitions

  • n. Tree of life.

  • n. The wooden or ivory polls to which the Torah scrolls are attached.

Example Sentences

  • "It is an Etz Chaim to them who hold fast to it and all of its supporters are happy." (Proverbs)

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Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew

Etymology

  • עץ חיים

      • Who Uses This

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

      Regions

      • North America
      • Great Britain
      • South Africa

      Dictionaries

      • The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).

      Alternative Spellings

      etz hayim, ets chayim, atzai chayim, atsai chayim

Notes

  • The Torah is often characterized as the "Tree of Life." This is also the name of a popular edition/translation/commentary of the Tanakh published by the Conservative movement.

    Plural atzei chayim.

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