Passing Phrase - www.learnhebrew.org.il

Medushan Oneg

Literally: Fat with pleasure
Idiomatically: Very Content

Although a bit flowery/poetic and not much in use today, this phrase is a gem. In its modern meaning, "deshen" is fertilizer. To paraphrase a famous quote from Apocalypse now "I love the smell of fertilizer in the morning." Actually, in the Bible there are two meanings of "deshen": one refers to the ashes from the sacrifices (Leviticus 6:3) the other (forgetting about cholesterol) is something fat/rich (Psalms 63:6) as in a rich field. Today Deshen also refers to anything we use to fertilize (fatten) our fields. Isaiah uses the phrase (55:2) to denote a soul that is very satisfied.

אחריי שנים של קשיים עם בנו, היה אביו מדושן עונג כאשר ראה אותו מחזיק את תעודת הבגרות בגאווה

"Acharei shanim shel kesha'yim im beno, haya aviv medushan oneg Ka'asher ra'ah otto machzik et teudat habagrut bega'ava."

After years of difficulties, seeing his son hold his graduation certificate with pride made his father very content.

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