Hameitim

Hameitim is a Hebrew term meaning "the dead." Written with the definite article as ha-meitim, it is a plural noun that refers to deceased people in both biblical and modern Hebrew usage. The word derives from the Hebrew root mwt, “to die.”

In ancient and classical texts, ha-meitim appears as a generic designation for those who have died and is used in discussions of death, mourning, and the afterlife. It also plays a role in Jewish eschatological concepts, most notably in Techiyat HaMeitim, the Resurrection of the Dead, a topic treated in rabbinic literature and reflected in various liturgical and theological discussions about the end of days.

In contemporary Hebrew, ha-meitim functions as a normal noun for “the dead.” It is used in journalism, history, and literature whenever reference is made to deceased individuals as a group. In religious practice, memorial prayers such as Yizkor and the recitation of Kaddish for the dead are associated with honoring and praying for those who have died, with ha-meitim serving as the general referent to the deceased.

The term also appears in cultural contexts, where its themes of death and memory are invoked in titles and artistic works. While Techiyat HaMeitim remains a doctrinal topic with varying emphasis across Jewish denominations, ha-meitim itself remains a standard linguistic term for “the dead.”

See also: Techiyat HaMeitim, Kaddish, Yizkor.