כָּל־זָכָ֥ר בַּכֹּהֲנִ֖ים יֹאכַ֣ל אֹתָ֑הּ קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִֽוא׃
(Leviticus 6:22)
Every male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- כָּל־ – “every”Adjective meaning “all” or “every.” A versatile Hebrew word used to describe the totality of a group. The little dash (־) is a maqqef, which links it closely to the next word.
- זָכָ֥ר – “male”Noun. This tells us the rule is specifically about males. Combined with כָּל־, we get: “every male.”
- בַּכֹּהֲנִ֖ים – “among the priests”This is the preposition בְּ (“in” or “among”) combined with הַ (“the”) and כֹּהֲנִים (“priests”). The vowel under the בּ changes to a sound (בַּ) because it’s followed by a guttural letter כּ.
- יֹאכַ֣ל – “he may eat”Verb, imperfect form (suggests ongoing or potential action). From the root אָכַל, meaning “to eat.” This form is third person masculine singular, but in Biblical Hebrew, it can also function as general permission—“may eat.”
- אֹתָ֑הּ – “it”This is a direct object marker (אֵת) with the suffix ָהּ (“her/it”). Hebrew doesn’t always need a word for “it,” but here it uses this word to emphasize that a specific thing may be eaten—likely a portion of a sacrificial offering.
- קֹ֥דֶשׁ – “holy”Noun meaning “holiness” or “something set apart.” This is the first part of a common Hebrew phrase.
- קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים – “of holies”Another noun, plural form of קֹדֶשׁ. Together with the previous word, we get a phrase: קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים — “most holy.” This doubling is a Hebrew way to show something is super holy.
- הִֽוא – “it is”Pronoun. Feminine singular (“she/it”), used here to refer to the offering portion. Hebrew often uses feminine grammar for things like offerings.
Word Order and Sentence Flow
Let’s look at how the Hebrew sentence flows:
→ כָּל־זָכָר בַּכֹּהֲנִים — “Every male among the priests”
→ יֹאכַל אֹתָהּ — “may eat it”
→ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הִוא — “it is most holy”
Hebrew often begins with the subject or front-loads key qualifiers. In this verse, the rule is clearly framed: who may do what, and why it matters.
Visual Guide: Sacred Access Explained
| Hebrew Phrase | Plain English | Role in the Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| כָּל־זָכָר | Every male | Defines who |
| בַּכֹּהֲנִים | among the priests | Narrows the group |
| יֹאכַל אֹתָהּ | may eat it | Permitted action |
| קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים | most holy | Describes its status |
| הִוא | it is | Linking the holiness |
Brick by Brick: Building Hebrew Understanding
“It might look strange now, but every word you just learned is another brick in your Hebrew foundation!”
You’ve just followed a Torah command—in Hebrew! You learned how Hebrew shows who is allowed, how it uses verbs that express possibility, and how repetition like קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים turns something into a superlative.
With just eight words, you saw Hebrew’s power: structure, law, and reverence—all in one sacred breath. And you’re reading it with your own eyes.
Keep going—you’re learning the language of holiness.
