[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/rather.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/) / rather [← R](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/R/) # rather «rather» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **quite or a little, like «rather cold»** — 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 adverb (rather); in phrases (would rather, rather than) ### meaning for a pupil 1) Rather means quite or a little, like «rather cold». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#m1) 2) «Would rather» means would prefer: «I'd rather walk». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#m2) 3) «Rather than» means instead of. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#m3) 4) «Or rather» is used to correct yourself and say something more exactly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#m4) ### sense in the lessons In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the Psalms and Proverbs it means "in preference to" or "more than". Wisdom is chosen rather than gold. A wicked person loves falsehood rather than righteousness, and Job's soul chooses death rather than pain. Interpretation: The tradition reads Proverbs as teaching that wisdom is worth more than silver and gold. The words about choosing between good and evil are taken as the test of a person's heart. In the primary lessons: In everyday talk, children say what they would rather do when choosing. In stories, rather is a softer way to say quite or very («It was rather dark»). In maths word problems, «rather than» shows a choice or a change. Phrases: would rather, I'd rather not, rather than, or rather, rather a lot. ### examples - SY 2:1, 3:1, so it is interesting that in this verse the tongue is rather portrayed as one of two binary poles. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x1) - However, this is grammatically peculiar, as immot is usually only the construct plural of אֵם em 'mother', whose absolute plural is rather אִמָּהוֹת immahot. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x2) - The meaning for the SY is: God did not make things by themselves, individually, but rather, He made all things in relationship to all other things. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x3) - Thou lovest evil more than good; falsehood rather than speaking righteousness. (Writings PSA.52.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x4) - Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. (Writings PRO.8.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x5) - So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than these my bones. (Writings JOB.7.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x6) - It's rather cold today, so take a coat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x7) - I'd rather have pizza than pasta. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x8) - Would you rather swim or cycle? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x9) - She chose to walk rather than take the bus. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x10) - I'd rather not talk about it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x11) - He was rather tired after the match. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x12) - The test was rather easy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x13) - We left at six, or rather a bit after six. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x14) - ‘Happy!’ cried he; ‘say rather unhappy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/#x15) ### note «Would rather» is followed by the base verb: «I'd rather go», not «I'd rather to go». «Rather» is British-sounding when it means quite; Americans often say «pretty». «Would you rather…?» is a popular question game. ### In the corpora - [For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/HOS.80/) - [Thou lovest evil more than good; falsehood rather than speaking righteousness.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.867/) - [Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.213/) - [How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.459/) - [Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.488/) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every meaning and example of «rather» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/rather/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.