Day 56 of 75 · Parables and teaching
M-Y-ʾ
mayya: water
מיא
ܡܝܐ
The feel
Mayya is water. The word is plural in form and has no singular. In the Gospels it is physical water, drawn from wells, poured for washing, walked on, and used for immersion. It appears 52 times.
The root family
| Form | Pattern | Transliteration | Script | Standard | Qala rendering |
|---|
| mayya | noun, plural in form (no singular) | mayyā | מיא ܡܝܐ | water | water · the water (52 occurrences) |
In the Gospels this root appears only as a noun, and other verbs, such as drink (day 60) and immerse, do the acting.
In his voice
Matthew 14:29
"Come," he said. So Peter climbed down from the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Yeshua.
ʿal mayya, "on the waters." The noun is plural. Yeshua walks on the water, and for a few steps Peter does too.
Matthew 3:11
I immerse you in water for turning around. But one stronger than I am is coming after me, and I'm not worthy to carry his sandals. He will immerse you in the Sacred Breath and in fire.
b-mayya, "in water." The Immerser says that he immerses in water. The one coming after him will immerse in the Sacred Breath and in fire.
Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, and that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "See to it yourselves."
shqal mayya, "he took water." Pilate uses water to make a public show of his innocence.
Practice
Pour a glass of water and hold it for a moment, paying attention to its weight and cold. Say mayya, water, aloud, then drink it slowly.
Connections