Questions tagged [hebrew]
Questions pertaining to the Hebrew language, as related to Judaism. See the help center: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic
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Interchangeable usage of Hebrew letters (such as Beis and Vav, etc.)
I don't know if there is another post about this issue, but forgive me if there is.
Here is my question. I recently read somewhere that there are letters that can be interchanged for various reasons....
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Resources to improve my Hebrew to learn Halachic works?
My Hebrew is solid - I am able to get around Israel. When I learn works of Halacha (Aruch HaShulchan, Mishna Berura, Kitzur) I am not able to follow due to not knowing words and acronyms. What is a ...
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Roshei Teivos in Kli Yekar
עד עלות חמ"ס
What does חמ"ס stand for? If it's just the word 'violence', why the ''?
Context:
ויבא עמלק וילחם עם ישראל ברפידים. בילקוט מסיק שעמלק דומה לזבוב כו', משל למלך שהקיף כרם כו', ...
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What is the meaning of this painting?
I am in possession of this mysterious painting with Hebrew characters, but I do not know what words mean. I suspect that they may provide a clue to what is being represented in each of the painted ...
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What is the true definition of tirtzach? [duplicate]
In Hebrew, the word tirtzach is normally translated to mean murder. In English, murder means unlawful premeditated killing. But if this is the definition of tirtzach, then the commandment lo tirtzach ...
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What's "chelek Eloak mimaal"?
I have frequently heard the human (or only the Jewish?) soul referred to as "חלק אלוק ממעל", literally "portion/section/piece/allotment of God (from) above".
What does this mean?
Who's the first to ...
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Whence "בחזקת בשרי"?
Besides the main categories of meat, dairy, and pareve (non-meat, non-dairy) foods, two special subcategories of pareve foods are relevant to halacha (e.g. Yore Dea 93): pareve food cooked using clean ...
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Connection between Loshon Hakodesh and other languages
I remember finding seforim saying
All languages are really just a distortion of Loshon HaKodesh
It's as if Loshon Hakodesh is in gallus (exile) within those other languages. When we identify how a ...
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Information about some Kabbalah authors
There is a sentence on Wikipedia about Kabbalah, but unfortunately, there are no sources for it, and I would like to know the sources (if they exist).
The sentence says:
"Among the problems ...
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Is ב״ה Baruch HaShem or Bezrat HaShem?
Is ב״ה Baruch HaShem or Bezrat HaShem?
Why did The Rebbe begin every letter with it?
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What's the name of gallery tombs in Hebrew: Kok, kokim?
In this article in the jewishencyclopedia it mentions some tomb galleries:
These galleries, or niches, which were called "kok" (plural, "kokim") by the Rabbis.
I want to know how ...
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Is the Yemenite pronunciation of Hebrew closest to correct? [duplicate]
Is the Yemenite pronunciation of Hebrew closest to correct? If so, would that mean that we should use the Yemenite pronunciation when davening or leining the Torah?
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BeH, BSD, iyH - source?
Many have the practice both in speech and in writing to mention Gd or heavenly help with the use of the expressions be’ezrat hashem, im yirtzeh hashem or biseyata dishmaya.
What is the source for ...
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Use of definite article (ה) in יהי רצון ... מצות התלוים
The paragraph after the ברכה (b'racha) of ציצת (tzitzis) ends with the expression " וְתַרְיַ"ג מִצְות הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ".
My question is why does the word "התלוים" start with "ה"? It appears like ...
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Praying in English or Hebrew
I have searched and don’t think this is a duplicate and want to explain why this question is different from this one.
In the above linked question, the answer clearly states that it’s best to daven in ...
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Why are the Niqqud different for the name of God sometimes? [duplicate]
Through my research of the Tanakh, I have observed that the tetragrammaton appears with varying niqqud in different locations. Additionally, I have noted that the niqqud used may differ but produce a ...
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Is there a connection between פסח (Pesach) and פה (peh / mouth)?
Is there a connection between פסח (Pesach) and פה (peh / mouth)? They sound similar. Plus, we are commanded to do lots of symbolic eating on the holiday. Has it been written about or discussed? ...
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Biblical Hebrew Textbooks Written in Voweled Hebrew
The title may be a bit confusing; what I'm looking for is a Hebrew Grammar textbook (preferably biblical Hebrew, but modern is fine too) that is completelly written in Hebrew but its ment for non-...
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How is בריא connected to ברא?
IIRC, the word ברא applies exclusively to God's process of creation throughout the scriptures (see ברא on Sefaria).
The word בריא is used to denote health (actually fat in cattle, like "...
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Where is a free online copy of the Torah with the "correct" number of letters in it?
First off, my intention is to create a pretty decent replica of the Hebrew text close to the formatting of the Sefer Torah or a Tikkun, for personal documentation purposes. My question though is 2-...
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Leshabeichacha and loseis/latet shevach
Towards the beginning of the נוסח אשכנז version of davening, in the section beginning לעולם יהא אדם ירא שמים, we say as follows:
לפיכך אנחנו חייבים להודות לך ולשבחך ולפארך ולברך ולקדש ולתת שבח ...
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Number of dead after the Golden calf
When we get a count in the Torah it is in an exact form (either literal or metaphorical) for example the tribe of Reuven had 46,500 members. An exception to this rule would seem after the golden calf, ...
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Happiness of Purim
In Israel, many people wish each other Purim Sameach - have a happy Purim. Yet it seems those from chu"l wish Simchas Purim which translates as 'happiness of Purim. It would seem that purim ...
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Should Genesis 1:4 say that the light "was" or "is" good?
As a non-Jew who has very little knowledge of Hebrew, I'm curious as to the following:
Is the Hebrew text clear on this, one way or the other?
If so, which is it?
If not, are there any Jewish ...
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מַלְאַךְ ה׳—“the angel of GOD” or “an angel”
In various places the Torah refers to מַלְאַךְ ה׳; e.g., twice in Bereishis 22. Mechon Mamre’s JPS translation renders this as “the angel of the LORD”, but is the definite article implicit in this ...
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Drashos based on the doubled verb
In Menachos 17b, the gemara explains a drasha:
ור"א א"כ לכתוב רחמנא אם האכל האכל א"נ אם יאכל יאכל מאי האכל יאכל שמעת
מינה תרתי
And what would Rabbi Eliezer respond? He would say that ...
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What's the name of this poem in Danya Ruttenberg's "Surprised by God"?
The introduction to Rabbi Ruttenberg's book features an English translation of a Hebrew poem she is singing at the beginning of a Shabbat service. The translation seems to be unique to the book, and ...
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What color is Yarok?
Yarok ירוק in modern Hebrew means green. What color does it refer to in Mishnaic Hebrew? I have heard that it refers to yellow and not green because the Mishna in Sukkah (on 34b) discusses a citron ...
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What does ממנ”פ mean?
I've seen the acronym ממנ”פ in multiple places but I am not sure what it means.
קיצורים וראשי תיבות בעברית indicates that it means ממערכת נשימה פנימית but I am not sure if that is correct.
Here are ...
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Preparation for Bar Mitzvah involved rote learning of pronunciation -- why is/was this?
I would not be surprised if this has changed but afaik, kids prepared for Bat or Bar Mitzvah by memorizing sounds without learning mean whatsoever -- I wasted years of afternoons reciting, an attempt ...
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Meaning of ודו"ק
It is fairly common to find the abbreviation ודו"ק at the end of a complex explanation of a Torah thought (Maharsha, for example, famously does this very often). Roughly, it means: "I didn't explain ...
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Nature of the stone in Psalm 118:22
https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/118-22.htm
I often hear in church the quotes from the following psalm used in the Christian new testament. But in translation 'chief cornerstone' strikes me as a very ...
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Is there a book / document that explains the proper use of kamatz katan in the Torah?
I am a Ba'al Kri'ah. I am quite confused regarding the rules of "kamatz katan". Another Ba'al Kri'ah explained that a kamatz katan occurs when a kamatz is used in a word (usually a verb) ...
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Problems with the Hebrew text in Job 26:12-13?
Proposed correction of the Hebrew text
I know a professor of religious sciences who saw problems with Job 26:12-13 considering it a hapax, especially in the following verse.
ברוחו שמים שפרה By his ...
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What is the Mishnah in Yadiyim talking about when it says writing in "Ashrit" defiles hands ? "catuv Evri" (The ancient script) does not defile?
Does anyone understand this Mishnah?
The Mishnah in Yadiyim 4:5 says writing in "Ashrit" defiles hands but writing in the "catuv Evri" (ancient Hebrew) does not defile , why and ...
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Difference between meaning of Elohim and Elohe [closed]
What is the difference in meaning between Elohim and Elohe?
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Language of midrash?
What Hebrew did Louis Ginzberg learn to translate the midrashim? In his famous book, is there a dictionary for midrashic words and a midrashic grammar, or is modern Hebrew enough?
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What is the difference between the different Hebrew words for sin? [duplicate]
What is the difference between transgression, iniquity, and sin?
Exodus 34:7:
נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה
In the Sefaria translation:
forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin
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Are there examples of "language transformations" in Hebrew grammar that significantly alter the apparent meaning of a text?
In a discussion on this site, a knowledgeable friend pointed out in comments how there are "many, many language transformations broadly associated with Hebrew grammar", such as "...
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What's the difference between פקד and זכר? [duplicate]
וה' פקד את שרה
Would it be the same if the word זכר was used?
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What software to use to write a multi-section sefer?
What software is available that allows Hebrew and English and multiple sections? i.e. the main section and then a footnote/pirush (section #2) on that, and then a 3rd section which footnotes items ...
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What does פ׳ ב׳ פ׳ stand for in the context of prayer (specifically related to prayer #8 of the Amidah)?
In the Siddur I am using (Siddurenu, The Prayer Book Press, 1961), there is a supplemental prayer directly below prayer #8 of the Amida (on page 56) that prays for healing of specific individuals. (It ...
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Torah commentaries in modern Hebrew
I’m not sure if such thing exists, but I wonder if there are books which contain classical (if it has modern ones, also fine, but not necessarily) Torah commentaries in Modern Hebrew? What I mean is: ...
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What is the original meaning of the word "hevel"?
I am not religious myself, but lately I have found myself somewhat attracted to Ecclesiastes. Reading about it, I am fascinated about what seems to be endless meanings and interpretations of the word ...
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Are there any corrections one might suggest to this table of different Hebrew pronounciations? [closed]
Sound
Modern Israeli (Based on Sephardic pronounciation)
Ashkenazi Chabad (inc. other non-Oberland / Unterland Chassidim.
Ashkenazi Chassidic (Oberlander, Unterlander and Galitzer, e.g. Satmar)
...
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What is the meaning behind the word "House" when we call the Jews "The House of Israel"?
The House of Israel is a phrase which gets repeated often but I never get many people explaining the small details behind the name.
The Jewish people are called the "House" of Israel. Is there a ...
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Why is the word for afternoon (צהריים) plural? [closed]
Why is the word for afternoon (צהריים) plural but morning (בוקר) and evening (ערב) are singular?
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Best way to learn Hebrew to read Torah [closed]
I didn't have the opportunity growing up to learn Hebrew. My goal is to be able to sight-read the Hebrew in Torah. I have taken several classes in grammar and syntax, and my vocabulary is moderate. ...
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What Hebrew language Mishna do you recommend?
I like Koren Publishing, and I noticed they have Bartenura and Kav V'Naki edition. I want to practice my Hebrew. I like a clean visual design, but also portability. What should I purchase? Any ...
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Catholic interested in learning about Judaism ✡️ & learning Hebrew to better understand the difference between the Bible & the Torah 🙏
I don’t know much about the Jewish Faith. During my younger years I attended Catholic School until 10th grade. Recently I have become stronger Spiritually, I’ve always had a strong curiousity about ...
