שִׁלּוּחִים

# שִׁלּוּחִים (shil.lu.ach): Parting Gifts in Ancient Israel The Hebrew term *shilluachim* denotes a "parting gift"—a present given at the moment of departure or separation. The word appears only three times in the biblical text, suggesting it represented a specific cultural practice rather than an everyday transaction. Its limited occurrence indicates that this type of gift-giving had particular significance in certain contexts, though the lexicon data provided does not specify which situations called for such gestures. The practice of presenting *shilluachim* likely functioned as a formal or ceremonial acknowledgment of parting, marking the conclusion of a relationship, journey, or period of cohabitation. The deliberate nature of such gifts—distinguished by their own Hebrew term rather than being called by a generic word for "gift"—suggests they carried social or relational weight in ancient Israelite culture. Without access to the specific biblical passages where this word appears, we cannot determine whether these gifts were obligatory, voluntary, or associated with particular social roles or relationships, but the existence of a dedicated term underscores that parting gifts were understood as a meaningful cultural practice worthy of linguistic distinction.