יראת שמים

Hebrew

Etymology

From יִרְאַת (yir'át, “fear of, awe of”) +‎ שָׁמַיִם (shamáyim, “Heaven, Heavens”). See Fear of God for a more detailed definition.

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jiʁ(ʔ)at ʃaˈmajim/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jiʁˈas ʃɔˈmajəm/

Noun

יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם • (yir'át shamáyim) f

1. (religion) fear of the Heavens, Fear of God. A sense of fear or awe directed at a deity (most commonly with monotheistic connotations)

   Synonym: יראת אדני (yir'át adonai)

   • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot 62b:

     כׇּל הַיּוֹדֵעַ בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁהִיא יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם וְאֵינוֹ פּוֹקְדָהּ

     kol hayodé'a b'ishtó shehi yir'át shamáyim v'enó pokdáh

     Whoever knows that his wife fears Heaven and she desires him