ל.מ.ד
l-m-d — to learn; (intensive) to teach
ל.מ.ד (lamad) means learn in the simple binyan and teach in the intensive — the same root gives Hebrew student, teacher and Talmud.
Modern HebrewBiblical HebrewAramaic
The word family
Every word below is built on ל.מ.ד. Same three letters, different vowels and prefixes.
לָמַדlamadPa'al
learned, studied
לִמֵּדlimedPi'el
taught
The doubled middle letter is the entire difference between learning and teaching.
מְלַמֵּדmelamedPi'el present
teacher (traditional, of children)
תַּלְמִידtalmidתַּקְטִיל noun
student, disciple
תַּלְמוּדtalmudnoun
study, learning; the Talmud
Literally just "study". The book is named after the activity.
לִימּוּדlimudPi'el verbal noun
study, a subject of study
מְלוּמָּדmelumadPu'al participle
learned, erudite
What I tell students about this root
ל.מ.ד is the cleanest demonstration of what the Pi'el binyan actually does. It is often described as "intensive", but here it is causative in effect: to Pi'el someone is to make them lamad. Same three letters, one doubled consonant, and you have moved to the other side of the desk.