hagigah means A sacrificial offering at one of the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles). It carries an Arena rating of 1472, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, hagigah ranks #129 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #951 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words, #1,561 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #2,236 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say.
hagigah is pronounced /xɑːɡiːˈɡɑː/.
Why “hagigah” is a great word
A voluntary, festive sacrifice offered by pilgrims ascending to the Temple in Jerusalem during the three major festivals. Its name is borrowed from Hebrew חֲגִיגָה (ḥagiga, 'celebration, pilgrimage, festival offering'), derived from the root ח־ג־ג (ḥ-g-g, 'celebrate, make a pilgrimage'), cognate with Arabic حَجّ (ḥajj, 'pilgrimage'). Unlike the general term *korban* for all ritual sacrifices or the obligatory *paschal lamb*, the hagigah was an offering of joyful surplus. It is the scent of roasting meat mingling with Temple incense, the weight of a flawless animal carried up the pilgrim road, and the sound of Levitical song rising above a crowded court—a tangible, chosen communion that turned mere duty into the heart's fullest celebration.
Etymology
Borrowed from Hebrew חֲגִיגָה (ḥagiga, “celebration, pilgrimage, festival offering”), derived from the root ח־ג־ג (ḥ-g-g, “celebrate, make a pilgrimage”). Cognate to Arabic حَجّ (ḥajj, “pilgrimage”).
noun
- A sacrificial offering at one of the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles).
- The tractate from the Talmud that deals with these offerings.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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