Questions tagged [hebrew]
Questions pertaining to the Hebrew language, as related to Judaism. See the help center: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic
47 questions from the last 365 days
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Why do the Sages often believe that the word רוב mean "majority," when it clearly means "a lot"?
It seems clear that the word רוב in biblical Hebrew means "a large amount." For example, Bereshit 48:16
וְיִדְגּוּ לָרֹב בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ may they teem into multitudes in the midst of the ...
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Why Does עלה Mean 'Page'?
I have seen numerous sages refer to a page as עלה. Yet the normative way to refer to a page is עמוד or דף. What is the etymology of this usage?
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What is the pronunciation of these nikkud?
I am trying to learn Hebrew pronunciation by reading Rashi's commentary on the Torah. However, the Torah’s text in this version of the book has a lot of Nikkud which I cannot find an explanation. ...
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Question about Binyanim – Hebrew linguistics [closed]
I've looked into lots of linguistic works and found discussion of the 7 Binyanim (verb patterns) in much of modern Hebrew linguistics and even going back before. Obviously verbs in Tanakh (and all of ...
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Are these two words synonymous? [closed]
Are these two words always, never or sometimes synonymous?
כשיבואו
לכשיבואו
- 131
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Sepharadic Daf Yomi speaker?
I'm looking for a playlist of Daf Yomi from a Sepharadic speaker; I have trouble understanding Ashkanazi Hebrew and I don't want to get my words mixed up.
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Is there a dagesh in the kuf of קמנו?
I have seen different versions of the second-last posuk in Tehillim 20: ואנחנו קמנו ונתעודד. Some have the kuf with a dagesh (קַּמְנוּ). Others have the kuf without a dagesh (קַמְנוּ). The Minchas ...
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What does the name of Amalek mean?
I know there are various etymological methods that scientists use to say "we don't really know where this word comes from" but I'm wondering about what Jewish methods we can apply to ...
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Torah term for putting others first?
Pretty self-explanatory. Is there any Torah term or phrase that refers to the ethical act of "Putting Others First"?
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Was the world really created by the Hebrew letters?
There’s a somewhat-famous Kabbalistic concept, recorded first in the Sefer Yetzirah, that Hashem created the world by using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Assuming Hebrew indeed evolved from an ...
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Masorah parva hapax legomenon
Is there a complete listing of hapax legomenon in the Masorah parva in the Hebrew Old Testament as indicated by the hebrew letter ל with a small dot over it?
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What is the correct definition of the Hebrew מין?
In relation to this question that I have asked. What is the correct English translation or equivalent of the Hebrew word מין?
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What do the literal meanings of "Af al pi" and "Af al gav" have to do with the actual meanings?
As far as I can tell, אף על פי/ Af Al Pi would literally translate to "nose on (my) mouth". Similarly, אף על גב/ Af Al Gav would literally translate to "nose on back". In actuality,...
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Which script was the Torah given in at Sinai? [duplicate]
Background
Sifrei Torah today are written in kethav Ashurith, the Aramaic square script:
But this script is newer than "Paleo Hebrew"/Phonecian script, and historians say that the square ...
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What is the (biblical) origin of the root עלם
I’m learning Hebrew, and with the Hitpa'el verbs, like להתחתן (to marry) or להתפלל (to pray), I can often learn new nouns by testing the root, such as חתונה (wedding) or תפילה (prayer). Recently, I ...
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Meaning of "Av Harachamim"
Time-sensitive question (today is 29 Elul..!)
Artscroll translates the phrase "Av Harachamim" as "father of mercy".
What does this mean exactly? How can G-d be the Father of a ...
- 1,014
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Why is the translation of selah so obscure?
The word 'selah' appears numerous times in Tehillim and Tefillah.
אַשְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי בֵיתֶךָ עוֹד יְהַלְלוּךָ סֶּלָה
וְכל הַחַיִּים יודוּךָ סֶּלָה וִיהַלְלוּ וִיבָרְכוּ אֶת שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדול בֶּאֱמֶת ...
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Why does Sfas Emes start his commentary on Parshat Noach by saying he doesn't know it? Is the translation faulty?
Sfas Emes begins his commentary on Parshat Noach, according to Sefaria, by saying "I do not properly remember." All the other Parshas begin with some variation of "B'H". Why does ...
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What does ציר"ו stand for?
The Chida's Bris Olam (Sefer Chasidim 315), quoted by the Kaf Hachaim Palagi (21:9), uses an acronym ציר"ו - what does that stand for?
וענין זה כשיעמיק האדם בו תסמר שערות בשרו ויהי ציר"ו ...
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Differences in nikkud between Ashkenazi Hebrew (or Yiddish?) and "Standard" Hebrew words
I have an interest in Judaism through the prism of Yiddish (specially Hasidic) culture. I'm more proficient in Yiddish but I'm slowly absorbing a bit of Hebrew. Looking through texts edited by Hasidic ...
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Does anyone have this paragraph from the Be'er HaGolah in English or Spanish?
Does anyone have the Be'er HaGolah on Shulchan Arukh in English or Spanish? Only looking for the paragraph below:
Be'er HaGolah on Shulchan Arukh, Choshen Mishpat 348
ה) וכ"כ הרמב"ם בפי"...
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2
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What is the Halacha if I pronounced הוליכך with a patach under the כ instead of a shva?
I realize that this question may be quite specific but this is something that I am genuinely concerned about and I am beating myself up for it.
I leined this Mincha on Shabbat. In the leining, I think ...
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דרך Segol or kometz under ד
In Parshas Balak (probably other places too), the word “דרך" is usually vocalized as ״דֶרֶך״; but at least once, it’s vocalized as ״דָרֶך״ with a kometz. Why?
Also, sometimes Bilaam and Balak ...
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Are the words Shema and shemiras / shomer related?
Shalom.
Apologies for a beginner’s question - I am but a goy.
I’ve been trying to understand whether shemiras halashon / shemiras einayim / shemiras hanefesh are related to listening - to HKBH.
Is ...
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Signature of Rav Ovadia Hedaya
Rav Ovadia Hedaya ends a number of teshuvos in Yaskil Avdi with the letters וצוי״מ ומי״נ כיר׳א - what is the meaning of this abbreviation?
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Why do some Siddurim say mitzvot tluyim ba instead of tluyot?
In the part between Borchi Nafshi and the Tallis blessing there is a kavona part that ends with mitzvot tluyim ba in some siddurim.
I first thought this was a mere typo but I've now seen it in quite a ...
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Chassidish (accent) recordings of prayer
Where can one find recordings of prayers (e.g Sheme and Ashrei) said in chassidish style lashon hakodesh. YouTube isn’t great for it.
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How can we understand the timeline of the Tower of Babel? [closed]
I'm not finding a coherent explanation of the ENTIRE timing issue of the Tower of Babel. That I'm seeing the issue talked about so little baffles me, as the basic math from a plain reading doesn't ...
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How לִקַּטְתְּ should be read
When reading Meghilath Ruth, How should I read the word לִקַּטְתְּ in 2:19?
Should I attempt to pronounce the ט separately from the תּ (which, as far as I know, isn’t possible without an awkward-...
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Body part associations with letters [duplicate]
I was curious, since I meditate by first focusing on each of my body parts to help calm myself, if there is designated corresponding letters for each part. I figured this would further deepen my ...
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Babylonian pronunciation for Talmud Bavli?
Did certain traits of the Babylonian Masoretic pronunciation, also apply to the aramaic of the Talmud Bavli?
For example, in Tanakh, according to the most common tradition, ו is pronounced [v], like ...
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How could the words עשב בשדך run together?
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 61:20 states:
One should put a gap between a word whose beginning [letter] is like
the end [letter] of its predecessor, for example: "b'chol l'vav'kha",
"al ...
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What’s the difference between “לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר” and “מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד” in Tehilim?
Tehilim 110 for example begins with “l’David mizmor”, while 108 starts with “mizmor l’David”. Is there a difference in meaning? Does one denote authorship and the other does not?
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What is function of בו?
A grammar question
הן עבדי אתמך בו בחירי רצתה נפשי נתתי רוחי עליו משפט לגוים יוציא
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall ...
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What does the superscription עַל־מוּת לַבֵּן in Tehilim 9 mean?
Tehilim 9 begins like so:
לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל־מוּת לַבֵּן מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃
It contains the unfamiliar words עַל־מוּת לַבֵּן in the opening. What does this phrase mean?
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Question on distinguishing similar words: שׂכל ,בין ,חכם ,ידע
How does one distinguish between שׂכל, בין, חכם, ידע?
And their respective nouns: שֶׂכֶל, בִּינָה, חָכְמָה, מַדָע, דַּעַת
When comparing the lexicons Dictionary of Classical Hebrew and HALOT I see ...
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What is the "language of Canaan" in Yeshayahu 19:18?
Isaiah 19:18 says
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֡וּא יִהְיוּ֩ חָמֵ֨שׁ עָרִ֜ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם
מְדַבְּרוֹת֙ שְׂפַ֣ת כְּנַ֔עַן
What is שְׂפַ֣ת כְּנַ֔עַן in this context? Why does Yeshayahu identify the language ...
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How would rabbinic law be derived from a Sefer Torah written in another language?
Much of rabbinic law derives from the hebrew Torah's unique spelling (eg plene vs deficient) and wording (eg "את" to include) etc.
Rashbam writes that he will explain the Torah literally as ...
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What’s up with the translations of Genesis 49:22?
In Genesis 49 when Jacob blesses his sons the blessing he gives to Joseph is usually rendered (in most translations) as something similar to:
“Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, ...
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Shiurim with transcription
Occasionally, I encountered difficulties comprehending the intricate nuances of certain accents, resulting in the partial loss of content. As of late, I have been perusing episodes presented by Rabbi ...
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Yemeni manuscripts about the Hebrew expression - in Mishneh Torah Hilchot Avodah Zarah 9:4 - translated as "idolaters"
I am an Italian Noahide.
in Mishneh Torah Hilchot-Avodah Zarah 9:4-, Rambam states that Christians are idolaters.
Now, in various editions of the work, including the one available on the Chabad ...
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In Genesis 22:14, which is more accurate: Yehova Yireh or Adonai Yireh? Are they the same or not? The Hebrew is יהוה. What does it mean?
In Genesis 22:14, Abraham calls the place "Yehova [יהוה] Yireh, which I always understood as “God will provide”.
But is it really “Adonai [יהוה] Yireh” which your site has “On God's mountain he ...
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Was ancient Hebrew (Lashon Hakodesh) a language humans conversed in?
Was there a time in Jewish history when Hebrew (Lashon Hakodesh) was spoken?
Was it only spoken by the ancient Hebrews and not the surrounding nations? If so how would said nations refer to their &...
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R. Shlomo Klonitsky-Kline's dictionary of synonyms and homonyms
According to the Hebrew Wikipedia article on R. Shlomo Klonitsky-Kline it is said that he composed a dictionary of Hebrew synonyms and homonyms titled מלון דקדוקי (CMIIW, all of them related to Torah ...
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If we know for certain that certain types of Hebrew pronunciation aren't correct to the biblical standard, why still use them? [duplicate]
This question may be controversial but it isn't meant as an insult to any specific community. In fact, it kind of targets everyone if the hypothesis is correct. It speaks to the reality of the exile ...
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2
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201
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Online Hebrew Lexicon for learning Tanakh
Shalom, it is my goal to significantly improve my Hebrew this year.
It was recommended to me that an online Hebrew Lexicon, which allows you to analyze each word of Tanakh, including grammar, ...
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Is there an online source for clipped verb forms?
It is wonderful to have pealim.com to look up verb forms, but as far as I know, it does not include clipped forms. Is there any online source that allows looking up clipped forms, or at least a site ...
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