אֵם

“Mother” in Hebrew is Em (אֵם), pronounced “EHM.” Em is one of the most universal words across human languages — 'mama,' 'mom,' 'em,' 'ima' all share the same basic sounds, rooted in the first sounds a baby makes. The informal form 'Ima' (אִמָּא) is used in modern Hebrew. Em also means 'origin' or 'source,' as in a 'mother city.'

Em (אֵם) means “Mother” in Biblical Hebrew. Em appears over 220 times in the Hebrew Bible. It describes biological mothers (Genesis 3:20), metaphorical motherhood (Deborah as 'a mother in Israel,' Judges 5:7), and even cities ('mother city' or metropolis). God uses maternal imagery in Isaiah 49:15 and 66:13.

Em is pronounced “EHM.” The word comes from the Hebrew root א-ם.

Yes, remarkably. Isaiah 66:13 says, 'As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.' Isaiah 49:15 asks, 'Can a mother forget her nursing child?' — implying that even if she could, God would not forget His people. The Hebrew word for mercy (rachamim) comes from 'rechem' (womb). God's character includes powerful maternal qualities of nurture, comfort, and fierce protective love.

Ima (אִמָּא) is the informal, affectionate form of em — like 'Mom' or 'Mama.' In modern Israel, children call their mothers 'Ima.' The word carries warmth, intimacy, and tenderness. While 'em' appears in the Bible, 'Ima' is the everyday term of endearment used in Israeli homes today.

Proverbs 31:10-31 describes the 'eshet chayil' (woman of valor) — a wife and mother whose worth exceeds rubies. She is entrepreneurial, wise, strong, generous, and fearless. In Jewish tradition, husbands sing this passage to their wives every Friday evening at the Shabbat table. It is not an impossible standard but a celebration of the real, multifaceted strength of a godly woman and mother.