  | אֵם | eym |
In the original pictographic script, the first letter is a picture of an ox. As the ox is strong, the letter also has the meaning of strong. The second letter represents water. The two letters give us the meaning of "strong water." The Hebrews made glue by boiling animal skins in water. As the skin broke down, a sticky thick liquid formed at the surface of the water. This thick liquid was removed and used as a binding agent-"strong water". This is the Hebrew word meaning "mother", the one who "binds" the family together.