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April 2023
posted on 04.10.2023

The Hebrew word for heaven is shamayim (shamaiyim). It's a dual-form noun, which is unusual. It refers both to the physical sky and to the spiritual realm where God dwells. In Jewish tradition, there are seven levels of heaven, each with distinct characteristics. The word appears in the very first verse of the Torah: Bereshit bara Elohim et ha-shamayim ve'et ha-aretz ("In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth").

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