[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/lightning.html) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The Judaism dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/) / lightning [← L](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/L/) # lightning «lightning» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **The bright flash of light in the sky during a storm, made…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it. ### part of speech noun (lightning — uncountable; a flash/bolt of lightning) ### meaning for a pupil 1) The bright flash of light in the sky during a storm, made by a huge spark of electricity between clouds or between a cloud and the ground. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#m1) 2) Very fast: «as quick as lightning», «lightning speed». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#m2) ### sense in the lessons In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: At Mount Sinai lightnings and thunder came with the giving of the Torah, showing God's power and awe. Interpretation: Sefer Yetzirah compares the ten sefirot to a flash of lightning, which runs back and forth, and so they come and go swiftly and their end cannot be seen. In the primary lessons: In science: lightning is static electricity; it heats the air so fast that the air bangs — that sound is thunder; light travels faster than sound, so you see lightning before you hear thunder. Count seconds between flash and bang and divide by 3 for about kilometres away (by 5 for miles). In safety: when thunder roars, go indoors; avoid tall trees, open fields, water and metal; lightning can strike the same place twice. Phrases: a flash of lightning, a bolt of lightning, struck by lightning, thunder and lightning, lightning fast. ### examples - And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. (Torah EXO.20.18, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x1) - Many Kabalists have shown how the Ten Sephiruth are symbolized by the zig-zag lightning flash. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x2) - The Ten ineffable Sephiroth have the appearance of the Lightning flash", their origin is unseen and no end is perceived. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x3) - His lightnings lighted up the world; the earth saw, and trembled. (Writings PSA.97.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x4) - And He sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. (Prophets 2SA.22.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x5) - Cast forth lightning, and scatter them; send out Thine arrows, and discomfit them. (Writings PSA.144.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x6) - We saw lightning over the hills. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x7) - Lightning comes before thunder because light is faster than sound. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x8) - The tree was struck by lightning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x9) - Go inside when you hear thunder. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x10) - Don't stand under a tall tree during lightning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x11) - She ran as quick as lightning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x12) - I counted 6 seconds after the flash, so the storm was about 2 km away. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x13) - Thunder and lightning scared the dog. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x14) - Gleams of lightning shot forth from them. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/#x15) ### note No e: «lightning», not «lightening» (lightening means making lighter). Uncountable: «a flash of lightning», not «a lightning». Myth: lightning never strikes twice — false; tall buildings are struck many times. In maths: seconds ÷ 3 ≈ kilometres away; seconds ÷ 5 ≈ miles. ### In the corpora - [And He sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/2SA.674/) - [And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/EZK.14/) - [And He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.225/) - [The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.1324/) - [His lightnings lighted up the world; the earth saw, and trembled.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.1728/) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every meaning and example of «lightning» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/lightning/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.