pikuach nefesh

noun

The religious commandment to save human life, which overrides most commandments.

OriginHebrew פיקוח נפש →
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Meanings

nounpikuach nefesh (uncountable)
  1. JudaismuncountableThe religious commandment to save human life, which overrides most commandments.

    After the massacre of 1,145 men, women, and children on October 7ᵗʰ, can anyone dare to say that the war against Hamas is not a matter of pikuaḥ nefesh?!

    2024, David Golinkin, “Does Jewish Law Require Yeshivah Students To Be Drafted At Age 18?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 66

Origin

  1. Hebrewפיקוח נפש
  2. Englishpikuach nefesh

Borrowed from Hebrew פיקוח נפש

More words from Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pikuach nefesh. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pikuach%20nefesh

MLA

“pikuach nefesh.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pikuach%20nefesh. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pikuach nefesh,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pikuach%20nefesh.

Source: pikuach nefesh on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.