More than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse/ the cow wants to suckle more than the calf to nuzzle/ the teacher is more anxious to teach than the pupil to learn

The site is still under construction and has not yet been proofread. There may be errors or inconsistencies in the vocalization, illustrations, and similar elements. We apologize for the inconvenience.
We would be happy if you report to us any errors or anything that needs improvement. 🙏🙏

More than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse/ the cow wants to suckle more than the calf to nuzzle/ the teacher is more anxious to teach than the pupil to learn

Figuratively: the urge to give is stronger than the urge to receive. Also: an expression emphasizing a person's desire to give to another more than the other needs.

("Five matters Rabbi Akiva commanded Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai when he was imprisoned in jail. He said to him: Rabbi, teach me Torah. He said: I will not teach you. He said to him: If you do not teach me, I will tell my father Yohai and he will hand you over to the kingdom. He said to him: My son, more than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse. He said to him: And who is in danger? Why, the calf is in danger. He said to him: If you seek to be hanged, hang yourself from a great tree; and when you teach your son, teach him from a corrected book" — Pesachim 112a, and likewise: "I understood the splendor of Your thoughts / and I grew weary of bearing the yoke of Your loves / and my heart, in the chain of Your longing, gave life to my soul / more than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse" — Isaac ibn Sahula; they said he was in Ashdod.)

Translation

Expression (Hebrew)

יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁהָעֵגֶל רוֹצֶה לִינֹק הֲפָרָה רוֹצָה לְהָנִיק

Definition (Hebrew)

בְּהַשְׁאָלָה: תְּחוּשַׁת הַנְּתִינָה יוֹתֵר חֲזָקָה מֵהָרָצוֹן לְקַבֵּל. אוֹ: בִּטּוּי הַמַּדְגִּישׁ אֶת רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם לְהַעֲנִיק לָאַחֵר יוֹתֵר מִמָּה שֶׁהָאַחֵר זָקוּק לוֹ.

("חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים צִוָּה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אֶת רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי כְּשֶׁהָיָה חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִין. אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, לַמְּדֵנִי תּוֹרָה. אָמַר: אֵינִי מְלַמְּדֵךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: אִם אֵין אַתָּה מְלַמְּדֵנִי- אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְיוֹחַי אַבָּא וּמוֹסֶרְךָ לַמַּלְכוּת. אָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶׁהָעֵגֶל רוֹצֶה לִינַק פָּרָה רוֹצֶה לְהָנִיק. אָמַר לוֹ: וּמִי בְּסַכָּנָה? וַהֲלֹא עֵגֶל בְּסַכָּנָה. אָמַר לוֹ: אִם בַּקָּשַׁת לֵחָנֵק- הִתָּלֵה בְּאִילָן גָּדוֹל, וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה מְלַמֵּד אֶת בִּנְךָ- לְמַדְהוֹ בְּסֵפֶר מֻגָּהּ"- פְּסָחִים קיב ע"א, וְכֵן:"הֲבִינוֹתִי הוֹד מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ/ וְנִלְאֵיתִי נְשׂוּא עֹל אַהֲבוֹתֶיךָ/ וְלִבִּי בַּעֲנָק חִשְׁקֵךְ נַפְשִׁי הֶעֱנִיק/ יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁהָעֵגֶל רוֹצֶה לִינֹק הַפָּרָה רוֹצֶה לְהֵינִיק"- יִצְחָק אֶבֶן סַהִילָה/ אָמְרוּ כִּי הָיָה בְּאַשְׁדּוֹד)

Keyword

Share

Search Expression

    Click a letter below to find expressions that start with that letter.

    Might Interest You