אשם

Hebrew

Root
א־שׁ־ם (ʾ-sh-m)

Pronunciation

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Adjective

אָשֵׁם • (ashém) (feminine אֲשֵׁמָה, masculine plural אֲשֵׁמִים, feminine plural אֲשֵׁמוֹת)

1. Guilty, responsible (for a crime, a misdeed, a result, etc.).

   נמצא אשם ברצח ― nimtsa ashém barétsakh ― found guilty of the murder

   אני מרגישה אשמה במה שקרה. ― aní margishá ashemá b'má shekará. ― I feel guilty about what happened.

Noun

אָשָׁם • (ashám) m

1. Guilt.
   • Tanach, Numbers 5:7, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת חַטָּאתָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַחֲמִישִׁתוֹ יֹסֵף עָלָיו וְנָתַן לַאֲשֶׁר אָשַׁם לוֹ

     then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty.

2. A guilt offering.
   • Tanach, Leviticus 5:18, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וְהֵבִיא אַיִל תָּמִים מִן הַצֹּאן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ לְאָשָׁם אֶל הַכֹּהֵן וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן עַל שִׁגְגָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר שָׁגָג וְהוּא לֹא יָדַע וְנִסְלַח לוֹ

     And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy valuation, for a guilt-offering, unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the error which he committed, though he knew it not, and he shall be forgiven.

Verb

אָשַׁם • (ashám) (pa'al construction)

1. To be guilty
   • Tanach, Numbers 5:7, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶת חַטָּאתָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וַחֲמִישִׁתוֹ יֹסֵף עָלָיו וְנָתַן לַאֲשֶׁר אָשַׁם לוֹ

     then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty.