Pintele Yid, often translated as "Jewish spark", is a Yiddish phrase describing the notion that every Jewish person has an essential core of Jewishness within them, even if they are assimilated or are unaware of their Jewishness.[1] Jewish converts may also be described as having a pintele Yid that led them to Judaism.[2] The term is most commonly used by Ashkenazim and Orthodox Jews.[3]
Etymology
editPintele is a diminutive Yiddish word for "little point" and Yid is a term for a Jewish person, so pintele Yid can be translated literally as "the little point of a Jew".[4] The Hebrew language equivalent of the term is "Nitzotz HaYehudi".[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Krakow wont be the same without its pintele Yid". The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ "Rabbi Refoel Levitt, the go-to guy for Orthodox conversion". Intermountain Jewish News. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ "Pintele Yid". Jewish English Lexicon. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ "An Essential Point". The Forward. 25 November 2006. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ "HaNer Tamid in Parashat Tzav". Sefaria. Retrieved 2023-04-29.