Blog

Hebrew In Israel |Danel and Daniel- Ezekiel 14 – Learn Torah

Admin No Comments

I was going over the book of Yechezkel (Ezekiel) today and I have always wanted to share the following thing.  In chapter 14 there are three people mentioned:  Noach, Iyov (Job), and Daniel.  When we think about it, all three are righteous men who lived in the past but one of them is not who we think he is.  Daniel is not the famous Daniel from the book with the same title but another person with the same name.

Hebrew In Israel | Ink – Learn Hebrew Online

No Comments
The Hebrew word for Ink-דיו-Dyo is a common word which appears in several Semitic languages.  One opinion (Lambedin) argues that it is actually derived from an Egyptian word “rith” which is argued to be the original for of Dyo which should be Ryo.  This is argued based on the physical resemblance between the Hebrew letters ד-ר which many do confuse.

Hebrew In Israel | Gifts and Offerings – Learn Torah

No Comments

An interesting thing about Biblical Hebrew is the specific use of words.  We are mostly exposed to the limited vernacular of Hebrew and the multiple meanings words may have.  However, in some cases we actually have specific words which are distinguishable in meaning from others. 

Hebrew In Israel | Keruv-Cherub – Learn Torah

Admin 2 comments

What Are They?

Much debate exists about the shape and nature of the Cherubs mentioned in the Bible.  They were featured on the ark, the tabernacle and the temple.  However, commentators and scholars have debated what they were, and with the findings made in time, we have a better picture of what they might have looked like.  The Talmud Sukkah 5b describes the cherubs as children, stating “What is the derivation of cherub?- R. Abbahu said, ‘Like a child’, for in Babylon they call a child Rabia.”  This interpretation has led to many artistic depictions of childlike cherubs.  However, this depiction is misleading and does not belong to the artistic world of the Bible and the ancient near east.  To find the correct meaning of the word we must look at the linguistic possibilities which exist. 

Hebrew In Israel | Be A Real Man-Gever and Gibor – Learn Torah

No Comments
There is an old saying in Jewish sources:
איזהו גיבור? הכובש את יצרו
Eyzhe Hu Gibor? Hakovesh Et Ytsro
Who is a hero? He who overcomes his will.

Hebrew In Israel | Place a Heart- Ancient Idiom – Learn Torah

No Comments
An ancient idiomatic expression found also in Hebrew is
לשים לב
Lasim Lev
“To place the heart”

Hebrew In Israel | Aramaic and Hebrew in contact #3: Consonant Changes – Learn Torah

No Comments

 

In this article I want to demonstrate the changes which happen between related languages.  I will use the word for snow to do this.
Oral Torah, Talmud, Mishna,

Hebrew In Israel | Oral Torah Excerpt – Learn Torah

One comments

This is an excerpt from the first episode of my Oral Torah series on Talking Torah Round Table with Jeff Gilbert, explaining what the Israelites understood that other nations did not.

Hebrew In Israel | Aramaic and Hebrew in Contact: Shabbat the Queen? – Learn Torah

No Comments

Very commonly people refer to Shabbat as a “Queen” and the famous song “Lekha Dodi” uses the female imagery under the word “Bride”.  However, the word “Queen” is probably a mistake, and is based on a mishearing when words sound the same.  We also find in our case an attempt to reconcile two different parts of the Talmudic text which are the origins of this word formulation.

Hebrew In Israel | The Declaration of Cyrus – Learn Torah

Admin No Comments

 

Ezra chapter one presents to the reader a text in which Cyrus, king of Persia, gave the Jews of his kingdom the right to return to Jerusalem, and revive the worship of the God of Israel and the city:
“Thus said, Cyrus king of Persia – for all the kingdoms of the earth, has given me the YHWH God of heaven; and He commanded me to to build for Him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judea”.
This statement raised with scholars a number of questions:

Join My Group Bible Class TODAY!

The class is done in a virtual class room with multiple participants. We meet on Sundays at 11:45am US eastern, or 6:45pm Israel time. You do not need to know Hebrew for this class, and you also receive a recording of the classes every month. For the link and how to join, click the More Info Button to email us.