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סִבֹּלֶת Those who have spent at least six months in Israel almost certainly know the term for be patient!סַבְלָנוּת (sahv-lah-NOOT) – literally, patience. The root, ס.ב.ל (s.b.l) means ability to take on burden. In the Modern word סוֹבְלָוּת (sohv-lah-NOOT), the root is used to mean tolerance for others.

Another Modern-Hebrew word that invokes the root ס.ב.ל is סִבֹּלֶת (see-BOH-let) –stamina or endurance. For example, לַשַּׂחְיָנִית הַזֹּאת יֵשׁ סיבולת גְּבוֹהָהthis (female) swimmer has high endurance (lah-sahkh-yah-NEET hah-ZOHT yesh see-BOH-let gheh-voh-HAH).

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Do not confuse the word סיבולת with the word for a stalk of grain or an ear of cornשִׁבֹּלֶת (shee-BOH-let). In Biblical times, this confusion apparently spawned a war (see Judges 12:6).

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Ami Steinberger is founder and director of Ulpan La-Inyan.