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# balm

«balm» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **a thick, oily cream or ointment that soothes, heals or…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a balm, balms; balm — uncountable); lip balm

### meaning for a pupil

1) A balm is a thick, oily cream or ointment that soothes, heals or protects the skin. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#m1)

2) A balm is anything that comforts or calms you, as in «Music was a balm to her». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#m2)

3) Balm can also be a sweet-smelling herb, such as lemon balm, used to make teas. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In Genesis this is a sweet-smelling resin from Gilead that was traded as a spice and used as medicine. Interpretation: Gilead's balm later became a symbol of healing in the Bible, and here it is part of the caravan that takes Joseph down to Egypt. In the primary lessons: In everyday life and health: lip balm stops lips cracking in cold or windy weather; balms soothe dry skin, bites and small sores. In stories it is used for comfort and healing, sometimes in old magical tales. Lemon balm is also a herb.

### examples

- And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and ladanum, going to carry it down to Egypt. (Torah GEN.37.25, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x1)
- Is there no balm in Gilead? (Prophets JER.8.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x2)
- Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed, wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. (Prophets JER.51.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x3)
- Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt; in vain dost thou use many medicines; there is no cure for thee. (Prophets JER.46.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x4)
- Put on lip balm so your lips don't crack. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x5)
- Grandma rubbed balm on my itchy bite. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x6)
- The cool breeze was a balm after the hot day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x7)
- This balm smells of mint. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x8)
- Lemon balm grows in our herb garden. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x9)
- His kind words were a balm to her sadness. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/#x10)

### note

The l is silent: «balm» sounds like «bahm». Do not confuse with «bomb» or with «palm» (of the hand or a tree). Adjective: balmy («a balmy evening» = warm and pleasant).

### In the corpora

- [Is there no balm in Gilead?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JER.263/)
- [Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed, wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JER.1385/)
- [Cold wind and dry heating take water from the skin; licking your lips makes them more chapped, and lip balm helps.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/medicine/15-eczema-and-other-skin-troubles/11/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «balm» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/balm/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.