June 26, 2026 Categories: Ktzat Ivrit
In Hebrew: 'Make Someone Happy'
לְשַׂמֵּחַ
- Psalm 104. Jews all over the world read that psalm Sunday and Monday in honor of רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, the "head" of the (Jewish) month. Today's dose comes from that spellbinding poem.
There's to be happy - לִשְׂמוֹחַ, an active-simple פָּעַל verb.
For example:
ֹשָׂמַחְתִּי לִרְאוֹת אֹתו.
I was happy to see him.
, an active-intensive פִּעֵל verb.
An example from תהילים ק"ד:
וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח לְבַב אֱנוֹשׁ
and wine gladdens the heart of man
מִצְוָה לְשַׂמֵּחַ חָתָן וְכַלָּה.
It's a mitzvah to make a bride and groom happy.
