cheshbon hanefesh

noun

a Jewish practice before the High Holidays where a person takes time to reflect on their character and actions.

OriginHebrew חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nouncheshbon hanefesh (uncountable)

alternative cheshbon nefesh

  1. Judaismuncountablea Jewish practice before the High Holidays where a person takes time to reflect on their character and actions.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
cheshbon nefesh

Origin

  1. Hebrewחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ“accounting of the soul”
  2. Englishcheshbon hanefesh

Borrowed from Hebrew חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ (kheshbón hanéfesh, “accounting of the soul”)

More words from Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

cheshbon hanefesh. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheshbon%20hanefesh

MLA

“cheshbon hanefesh.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheshbon%20hanefesh. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cheshbon hanefesh,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheshbon%20hanefesh.

Source: cheshbon hanefesh on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.