PILEGESH Meaning and
Definition
-
The word "pilegesh" is a Hebrew term that refers to a practice which was prevalent in ancient Jewish society. It is a word derived from the Hebrew root "palag," meaning 'to divide,' and is often translated as "concubine" or "secondary wife" in English.
In biblical times, a pilegesh was a woman who was in a lower marital status compared to a wife but held a recognized position within a household. Unlike a traditional wife, who would enter into a formal marriage contract and have certain legal rights and social standing, a pilegesh was not part of a formal marriage agreement. Instead, she typically entered into an informal relationship with a man, often because he could not afford to support an additional full-fledged wife. As a pilegesh, she would be granted some rights and protections under Jewish law, such as inheritance rights, but she would not enjoy the same status as a wife.
The practice of having a pilegesh has largely diminished over time and is not commonplace in contemporary Jewish society. It is important to note that the concept of a pilegesh has been subject to varying interpretations and cultural contexts, and it holds different connotations within different Jewish communities. In modern times, the term "pilegesh" is more commonly used in Jewish legal, historical, and anthropological discussions to refer to this ancient practice.
Etymology of PILEGESH
The word "pilegesh" is of Hebrew origin. In Hebrew, the word is פִּילֶגֶשׁ (pilegesh), which can be traced back to an ancient Semitic root, "PLG" (פ.ל.ג), meaning "division" or "portion". The word "pilegesh" itself is derived from the Hebrew root "PLG" with the addition of the suffix "-esh".
