Questions tagged [hebrew]
Questions pertaining to the Hebrew language, as related to Judaism. See the help center: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic
639
questions
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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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1answer
23 views
Explanation of the Term “פירוד הלבבות”
I looked up the term "פירוד הלבבות" and it comes out literally as "separation of hearts". What is the interpretation of this term in Yiddishkeit generally? Thanks in advance.
0
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1answer
59 views
What's the Literal translation of these basic words?
What do the words Mishnayos, Gemara, & Torah literally mean?
1
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1answer
61 views
Is the English “YHWH” a valid equivalent to the Tetragrammaton?
What is the halachic stance on the Tetragrammaton transliterated into English as YHWH or Yawheh or Jehovah? Is it accurate to use the English letters YHWH as the Hebrew equivalent? We see this ...
0
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1answer
68 views
What is the Chidush that Parashat Hamelech is read off the Torah scroll in Hebrew?
ואלו נאמרין בלשון הקודש: מקרא ביכורים, וחליצה, ... ברכת כהנים,... ופרשת המלך... (Sotah 32a)
these are recited only in the sacred tongue, Hebrew: Bikkurim and Chalitzah and the blessings and ...
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2answers
66 views
Is “breath of life” in Genesis 2:7 is the same as spirit?
Does this mean that God breathed his spirit into Adam giving him life.
1
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1answer
62 views
In the Al Cheit prayer, do we say bagalui or b'galui?
In the Al Cheit prayer, is it
Al cheit shechatanu l'fanecha bagalui uvasater
or is it
Al cheit shechatanu l'fanecha b'galui uvasater
I get about the same number of hits whichever of the two ...
4
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0answers
56 views
Does Pharaoh's daughter speak Hebrew in Exodus 2:10 or is the book of Exodus simply translating what she said in Egyptian into Hebrew? [duplicate]
Exodus 2:10 says: "And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said: ‘Because I drew him out of the water.’" Is the text ...
1
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2answers
179 views
Alternative spelling for El*him
According to Wikipedia, the spelling for El*him is aleph-lamed-he-yud-mem
But in a book I found the following spelling:
(This is from the first line at p.171 at https://archive.org/details/...
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1answer
57 views
Why the first ה in יהודה?
וַתַּהַר עוֹד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר הַפַּעַם אוֹדֶה אֶת־ה' עַל־כֵּן קָרְאָה שְׁמוֹ יְהוּדָה וַתַּעֲמֹד מִלֶּדֶת׃
She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This time I will praise the LORD....
3
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0answers
61 views
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 ...
2
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0answers
58 views
Does Hebrew allow for this conception of the pronunciation of the “Tetragammaton”?
Disclaimer: I know no Hebrew.
I'm trying to find out if the Hebrew argument that this article makes concerning the pronunciation of the divine Name is cogent or not. As an outsider they seem to know ...
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0answers
42 views
List of Hebrew Words in Aleph-Beis Order? [closed]
To help me study Chumash, where can I find a downloadable list of most commonly used Hebrew shorashim in Aleph-Beis Order? (Rav Hirsch dictionary is phenomenal but I'm not going to retype the whole ...
3
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1answer
120 views
Connection Between Liver & Honor?
Seeing that lashon hakodesh allows for analyzing the connection between similar rooted words, what is the connection between liver (כבד) and honor (כבוד)?
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0answers
16 views
What is the true definition of the word Kadosh in Hebrew? [duplicate]
This question may be simple but I was curious if we have a true definition for it.
People talk about living in a (Kadosh) or holy way. The word gets used a lot but I don't necessarily think I've ...
4
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0answers
74 views
Why did Rashi choose Hebrew over Aramaic?
Rashi chose a form of Medieval Hebrew to write his commentaries, which facilitates the life of many students, as the Aramaic content in his writing is very low compared to the Gemara or contemporary ...
1
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3answers
295 views
Talmudic concept of a sensitive individual--“istus?”
There is a Talmudic term I've heard mentioned in passing but have not been able to locate. It relates to the concept of a person who is especially sensitive to physical discomfort in situations such ...
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2answers
76 views
2
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1answer
96 views
Why is the word for silver in Torah the same word for money? [closed]
Is there a reason why the Hebrew word for silver is the same word for money in Hebrew?
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1answer
54 views
Does Maharal, Maharsha or Zohar discuss the concept of how שָׁלוֹם, שְׁלֵמוּת, שָׁלֵם are associated with one another?
Rav Shimon Schwab writes that the word שָׁלוֹם is related to שְׁלֵמוּת, completion, שָׁלֵם, perfection (on Iyov, page 67)
Does anyone know if the Maharal, Maharsha or Zohar say such a concept?
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0answers
63 views
Is there math in Torah?
I have watched a nice movie back in the day that deals with numbers.
In one of the scenes. A Jewish man comes to The Mathematician and tells about how the Hebrew uses the same "letters" as letters ...
0
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2answers
118 views
Where do the words יְרִידַת הַדּוֹרוֹת come from?
There is a term in Judaism called יְרִידַת הַדּוֹרוֹת, the diminishing spiritual level of subsequent generations.
Where do the words יְרִידַת הַדּוֹרוֹת originate from? Is it posuk, mishna or gemara ...
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1answer
52 views
Origin of the word dati (דָּתִי) [duplicate]
Is there any Talmudic sources that claim the origin of the Hebrew word “dati” (דָּתִי) comes from the Avestan word daena?
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2answers
182 views
What is the meaning of Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 12:5 when it uses the Hebrew phrase “כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת ה'”?
In Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 12:5, Rambam quotes Isaiah 11:9 using the phrase:
כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת ה' כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים
This is commonly translated as, That the earth ...
3
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1answer
89 views
Hebrew Letters and corresponding body parts
When I was a little child, I remember being taught that each of the Hebrew letters had a corresponding body part. I am sure I learned what they were at the time, but I've long forgotten most of them.
...
1
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1answer
50 views
Are Jews obligated to learn/speak Hebrew? [duplicate]
Presuming a Jew wants to observe the laws of their religion, are they obligated to learn and speak Hebrew? Or is it sufficient if they read a translation of the Torah into their local language?
1
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2answers
39 views
What do these phrases mean, “come as one” and “teach a precedent”?
What do these phrases mean, "come as one" and "teach a precedent"?
I think "come as one" means, they "are both the same" (?), but I am not sure this is the meaning of this in the phrase quoted below.
...
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0answers
62 views
Who is a boor בור? [closed]
The Talmud frequently calls an individual a "boor". Two examples:
It has been reported: If one has learned Tanach and Mishnah but not Talmud, Rabbi Eleazar says he is an ignoramus [am ha-aretz]; ...
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0answers
23 views
The World As Known to The Hebrews (Sons of Japhet, Ham and Shem) [duplicate]
Would you be so kind and tell me how accurate this map is? Especially, I'd like to know views from Rabbis. I also appreciate other views.
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0answers
30 views
Personal Attributes, Influence and Importance of Japhet Among Noah's Sons [closed]
Would you be so kind and provide brief, yet details information about personal attributes, influence and importance of Japhet, commonly agreed among Jews and also Hebrews, perhaps if possible by ...
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1answer
35 views
Difference in Hebrew of Rabbis [closed]
We can see that some rabbis have different way of writing sefarim. For example, Rav Kook's writing, people say that his Hebrew is very much different and we need a teacher for his books.
Why do ...
2
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2answers
83 views
Root of the word פרעה
The Hebrew word פרעה (Pharaoh) is probably directly derived from (a phonetic way to pronounce) the Egyptian word.
But it reminded me of the Hebrew root פרע as seen in Exodus 32:25 which is actually ...
6
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1answer
53 views
The difference between ארון and תיבה in the Torah
I'm a little confused here: in contemporary Hebrew the difference is simple - a box that opens on the side [and has a door] is called a cabinet (ארון) while a box that opens on the top is called a box ...
5
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1answer
91 views
Mikraos Gedolos set of the entire Tanakh?
I will start by saying that I know nothing and must admit I was raised Christian. I had some curiosity as to why Christians are Christian when our guy that we are supposed to imitate and be like told ...
6
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1answer
164 views
Are there any recordings of the Tanakh read or chanted according to reconstructed Ancient Hebrew pronunciation?
I'm looking for audio recordings of the Tanakh, but without modern or Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciations - rather an attempt to recreate what Ancient (and Archaic) Hebrew actually sounded like.
I'm also ...
2
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2answers
62 views
Dealing with translation differences when reading in English
As I learn more Hebrew, I still daven and read things like Tehillim in English for the most part.
Many sources casually say that English is as good as Hebrew when you daven/read alone.
However, what ...
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1answer
47 views
Why does the Hebrew word for father have א on the end of אבא? [closed]
I am currently learning Hebrew and I'm confused over the word father (Aba).
Why does the Hebrew word for father have א on the end of אבא if you can use Niqqud?
Also, are you supposed to spell father ...
2
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0answers
40 views
Clarification on Ben Ezra's cancellation of the idea of grammatical gender
To continue the topic of "genders in Hebrew" I stumbled upon Torah Temima's commentary on the Posuk "דרך ילכו בה" and his citation of Ben Ezra:
"את הדרך ילכו בה.
[מכאן דדרך לשון נקבה] כטמדלא כתיב ...
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1answer
78 views
Why the Hebrew word for “fathers” - אבות ends in “ות” as feminine?
To continue the "gender in Hebrew" questions (like "meaning-of-grammatical-gender-in-hebrew-for-inanimate-objects)".
What can be more masculine than the fathers, and still, the Torah uses the ...
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0answers
64 views
Common language and the language of the Scripture used in 1st century BCE?
I read from the internet where most articles say:
A. The common language used by the Jews around 1st century BCE to (at least) the beginning of 1st century CE was Greek and the Scripture they use is ...
2
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1answer
53 views
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 ...
0
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1answer
81 views
Why 1/6th - שתות in the Mishna is in Aramaic?
It appears suspicious to me, that an Aramaic word Shtut is used everywhere in the Hebrew text of the Mishnah, like in:
"שׁוּם הַדַּיָּנִין שֶׁפִּחֲתוּ שְׁתוּת אוֹ הוֹסִיפוּ שְׁתוּת..." (Ksubos 11)
...
2
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0answers
55 views
Minhag Hebrew Pronunciation each letter
Is the pronunciation of the Hebrew letters a minhag or is the pronunciation of each individual letter each an individual minhag itself?
For example would the pronunciation of the letter dalet be one ...
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1answer
126 views
Why plural form? [closed]
I have started watching to the show Shtisel and I couldn’t help notice that sometimes the characters talk between them using the plural forms, even when directed to a single person.
For example, on ...
5
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2answers
131 views
what does the first word of shemot 8:7 mean?
Sh'mot 8:7:
וְסָרוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים, מִמְּךָ וּמִבָּתֶּיךָ, וּמֵעֲבָדֶיךָ, וּמֵעַמֶּךָ: רַק בַּיְאֹר, תִּשָּׁאַרְנָה.
Artscroll says it means "depart", implying the frogs will hop away. A few p'...
2
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1answer
76 views
Why “your hand” is spelled ידכה instead of ידך?
In שמות יג:טז:
"וְהָיָה לְאוֹת עַל־יָדְכָה וּלְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְהוָה מִמִּצְרָיִם׃"
the word ידכה is used. Why is it not spelled ידך?
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1answer
48 views
Is there no word for objects/'things' in Hebrew aside from referring to things as 'words'?
I read the following passage and wonder about the first couple of sentences, which are pretty practical and I wonder if they're 'empirically' true. In common Hebrew language, how are 'things' referred ...
2
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1answer
99 views
Dagesh lene in קדּשנו
When we say the blessing on commandments, such as Tefillin, there is a dagesh in the דּ of קדּשנו.
From what I have learnt a dagesh lene occurs when the בגד כפת starts a syllable and is not preceded ...
4
votes
2answers
94 views
First usage of golem to refer to a man-made humanoid
There's a famous folk tale that the Maharal created a golem, some sort of human shaped creature. The tale has it that he created it using practical Kabbalah.
The gemarra even describes amoraim ...
0
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1answer
124 views
Why does the verb PaGA (פגע) mean both to intercede and to arrive?
What is the explanation why the Hebrew verb PaGA ( = פגע ) means both to intercede and to arrive?
We see this, for example, in the Chabad Rashi translation and commentary of both Genesis 28:11 "And ...
