Questions tagged [hebrew]
Questions pertaining to the Hebrew language, as related to Judaism. See the help center: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic
704
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Help with two Yehudah Ya'aleh responsa
there are two Yehudah Ya'aleh responsa on the same topic (Orach Chaim no 35 and no 37) and each has a passage that I'm struggling to work out what it means.
In number 35:
שמספר את זקנו ע"י משיחה ...
0
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1answer
54 views
The Nikud of the word תמות in the sentence תמות נפשי עם פלישתים
In the Tanach, Shoftim טז Pasuk ל:
וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְשׁוֹן, תָּמוֹת נַפְשִׁי עִם-פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וַיֵּט בְּכֹחַ, וַיִּפֹּל הַבַּיִת עַל-הַסְּרָנִים וְעַל-כָּל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ; וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים, ...
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0answers
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How is מְצַוְּךָ pronounced? [duplicate]
A simple question for the users here. I have just started learning how to read Hebrew to read the Scriptures so I am finding difficult words for me. I am confused about the וְּ in it.
Thanks
Andy
2
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0answers
125 views
Does ehad mean “one” or “first” when used together with “rishon”?
How should ehad be translated in this phrase and why?
וְשַׂ֣ר׀ מַלְכ֣וּת פָּרַ֗ס עֹמֵ֤ד לְנֶגְדִּי֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וְאֶחָ֣ד י֔וֹם וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִֽיכָאֵ֗ל אַחַ֛ד הַשָּׂרִ֥ים הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים בָּ֣א לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי ...
2
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0answers
45 views
Where can I find how many roots the author needs to compose for each book of the Tenach
For example: I am reading now the book of Joshua in Hebrew. It looks to me quite simple language. The author uses often the same terms. Poetry and wisdom-litterature is much more complex. My ...
1
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1answer
45 views
Translating וידבר using BDB Lexicon and Gesenius' Grammar
Context
I am practicing my biblical Hebrew by translating the weekly Parshah. As resources, I have the Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB) Lexicon (coded with Strong's concordance numbers) and Gesenius' ...
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1answer
584 views
Why is sleep spelled with an aleph in Tehillim 127?
In Tehillim 127:2, the author spells the word for sleep as שנא:
Source: Wikisource
I found this unusual, as the word is usually spelled שנה in Tanach (Tehillim 90:5, Mishlei 6:4, and Mishlei 20:13). ...
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1answer
70 views
What does “mazik the rabim” mean?
The Va’ad HaRabbonim of Greater Cleveland has issued a statement about the COVID-19 virus that contains the following paragraph:
Additionally, anyone who was exposed to someone who tested positive ...
2
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1answer
244 views
What or is there a difference in Adonai and Adonoy?
I have just started learning Hebrew and I found a transliteration for the after meal blessing which includes Adonai and Adonoy; what is the difference between the two?
“Baruch ha-gever asher yivtach ...
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67 views
What is a 'potential convert' called in hebrew/yiddish?
I know that a convert is called a ger tzedek. While a righteous non-Jew/goy is called a goy tzedek. From what I have found so far online, most just say/use "potential convert" when referring to ...
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0answers
64 views
Is there any research available for the original 'Hebrew' 3rd & 5th month names?
I'm looking at a question that was posted here 7 years ago about the original name of the months.
First-Temple-Era names of the Hebrew months?
There is mention of a possible month called, "Tzach."...
0
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2answers
96 views
How does “Israel” mean to struggle with G-d?
How does "Israel" mean to struggle with G-d? https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/israel-means-to-struggle-with-god/
This is what I could find in the Hebrew text:
בראשית לב כט
וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא ...
3
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1answer
167 views
What is the difference between Vayomer and Vayomar?
In Chumash, sometimes it says vayomer, but other times it says vayomar. What is the difference? Don't they both just mean "he said"?
2
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2answers
166 views
What is the etymology of the name Jesse?
I can find multiple possible etymologies for the name Jesse/יִשַׁי Yishai:
"King"
"Wealth/Abundance"
"G-d's gift"
"G-d Exists" [From יש Yesh ("there is&...
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0answers
60 views
קָמָץ vs. קָמַץ in Ashkenazi pronunciation
All Ashkenazi readers/minhagim/etc. I've seen call this vowel קָמַץ, while there is considerable variation on whether the second syllables of the other vowel names (except for סֶגּוֹל, though there is ...
3
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2answers
382 views
Is a gentile permitted to learn the original Hebrew of the Torah?
I've been reading the Divine Code by Rabbi Moshe Weiner and came across this in Part I 5:2 note. 91
"...(1) It is also prohibited for a Jew to teach Torah to gentiles in the canonised Hebrew or ...
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1answer
60 views
Is “covet” in the tenth Commandment more than a mental attitude? [duplicate]
In halacha - Stoning of homosexuals - Mi Yodeya, mbloch recently said:
In a nutshell, the Torah is not so concerned and doesn't judge how people feel or what their desires are. It prohibits actions ...
2
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0answers
73 views
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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2answers
53 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
64 views
What's the Literal translation of these basic words?
What do the words Mishnayos, Gemara, & Torah literally mean?
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1answer
99 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 ...
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1answer
75 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 curses ...
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2answers
87 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
73 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
60 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 ...
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2answers
208 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
59 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....
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0answers
72 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 ...
4
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0answers
93 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
52 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
146 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)?
2
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0answers
1k 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 ...
5
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0answers
125 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
352 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
83 views
2
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1answer
122 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
66 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?
2
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1answer
444 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 ...
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2answers
123 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
88 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
260 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 ...
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2answers
587 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
60 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
41 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
114 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]; ...
1
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0answers
31 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
99 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
63 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
127 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 ...
