Nephesh

{{short description|Hebrew word for aspects of sentience}}

{{Other uses|Nefesh (disambiguation)}}

{{distinguish|Living creatures (Bible)}}

Nephesh ({{Script/Hebrew|נֶ֫פֶשׁ}} nép̄eš), also spelled nefesh, is a Biblical Hebrew word which occurs in the Hebrew Bible. The word refers to the aspects of sentience, and human beings and other animals are both described as being nephesh.[http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5315.htm biblehub.com, Nephesh][http://www.ecclesia.org/truth/nephesh.html ecclesia.org, Nephesh] Not all living organisms are referred to as Nefesh, arthropods ("bugs") and plants, for example, are not described in the Bible as nephesh. The primary meaning of the term {{Script/Hebrew|נפש}} is 'the breath of life' instinct in the nostrils of all living beings, and by extension 'life', 'person' or 'very self'. There English corresponding term to nephesh is the (Christian) 'soul', which has very similar connotations, and is customarily used to translate it. Robert Alter, Genesis, W. W. Norton & CO, 1996 PP.XXIX-XXX One view is that nephesh relates to sentient being without the idea of life and that, rather than having a nephesh, a sentient creation of God is a nephesh. In {{Bibleverse|Genesis|2:7|HE}}, the text is not that Adam was given a nephesh but that Adam "became a living nephesh." Nephesh when put with another word can detail aspects related to the concept of nephesh; with {{Script/Hebrew|רוּחַ}} rûach (“breath”, “wind,” or "spirit") it describes a part of mankind that is immaterial, like one's mind, emotions, will, intellect, personality, and conscience, as in {{Bibleverse|Job|7:11|HE}}.[https://www.studylight.org/language-studies/hebrew-thoughts/index.cgi?a=601 studylight.org, nephesh][https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=h5315 blueletterbible.org, Lexicon: Strong's H5315 - nephesh]