Aramaic Word of Wisdom for May 22, 2025

ܪܚܡܐ (raḥ·mā) — “Compassion, Tender Love”

Root: ܪ–ܚ–ܡ (R–Ḥ–M)This deeply emotive Semitic root appears across Aramaic, Hebrew (ר–ח–ם), and Arabic (ر–ح–م), rooted in the concept of womb-love—an instinctive, covenantal, and maternal kind of compassion. In Aramaic, ܪܚܡܐ (raḥmā) conveys visceral mercy—a gut-level stirring toward another’s pain.

Morphological Note:

·       Its verb form ܪܚܡ (raḥem) means “to have compassion,” especially divine mercy.

Cognate Insight:

·       Hebrew רַחֲמִים (raḥamim) — mercies, a plural emphasizing intensity and abundance.

·       Arabic رَحْمَة (raḥma) — divine mercy, also related to رَحِم (raḥim), womb.

Peshitta Verse:

ܐܒܘܟܘܢ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ ܪܚܡܢܐ ܗܘ“Your Father in Heaven is compassionate.”— Luke 6:36, Peshitta

Linguistic Insight: Aramaic compassion is not distant or abstract. ܪܚܡܐ is love from the womb—a symbol of life-giving, surrounding care. It implies more than pity; it is a covenantal embrace of presence. It is the divine leaning toward humanity, and the mirror we are called to become.

Reflection:Today, embody raḥmā—not as an emotion but as a divine disposition. Let your compassion be tangible, responsive, and full of womb-deep strength. When we live in ܪܚܡܐ, we echo the very mercy that formed us.