About SERVICE

Hebrew Name

עֲבוֹדָה

English Name

SERVICE

Phonetic Spelling

AH-VO-DAH

What does SERVICE mean?

Depending on the context, the word avodah can mean either “work” or “service.”

וַיִּקַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעׇבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשׇׁמְרָֽהּ׃
Hashem took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it.
va-YI-kakh a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM et ha-a-DAM va-ya-ni-KHE-hu b'-gan E-den l'-ov-DAH u-l'-shom-RAH
Genesis 2:15

שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ כׇּֿל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒׃
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
she-SHET ya-MIM ta-a-VOD v'-a-see-TA kol m'-la-KHE-te-KHA
Exodus 20:9

Description about SERVICE

Depending on the context, the word avodah can mean either “work” or “service.” In Hebrew, worshiping God is called avodat Hashem and implies serving God through one’s actions and choices. One who serves God is known as an eved Hashem, which means, literally, “a slave of God.” The Israelites in Egypt were forced to be avadim (slaves) to the Egyptians but, upon being freed, became “slaves” to God. Slavery to God, however, is a blessing, for it is only by giving ourselves to God that we can truly be free. This “slavery” entails being tasked with the important mission of bringing knowledge of God and His word to the world. The religious rituals performed thousands of years ago by the priests and Levites in the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem were also referred to as avodah. The two meanings of the word avodah, “working” and “serving,” are closely related. For it is through our physical work that we serve God and bring Him honor. When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, He placed Adam there l’ovdah (Genesis 2:15). This is the verb form of the word avodah, teaching Adam that he was created to both work and serve and that true service of God is accomplished through the sanctification of one’s work. This is a great lesson for all of us. By infusing our everyday work life with awareness of God, with thoughts about God, and with desire to connect to God, we will fulfill our purpose of serving God in every moment of our lives.

Attribute of SERVICE

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