Perush
/pəˈruːʃ/noun
A Hebrew term meaning an explanation, interpretation, or commentary, especially of a Jewish text.
Did you know?Perush is closely connected with the Hebrew root פרשׁ, whose semantic range includes both “to explain” and “to separate,” suggesting interpretation as the act of distinguishing hidden meaning from the surface text.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*p-r-š
“A reconstructed root associated with separating, distinguishing, or making something clear”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
פָּרַשׁ (parash)
“To make distinct, explain, or clarify; the precise relationship among the root’s senses is historically complex”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Hebrew
פֵּרוּשׁ (perush)
“Explanation, interpretation, or commentary”
Medieval Jewish scholarship
Hebrew
perush
“A written or spoken explanation of a biblical, rabbinic, or philosophical text”
Modern English
English
perush
“A specialized Judaic loanword for a commentary or interpretation”