Questions tagged [language]
Questions pertaining to language.
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Sanhedrin power do redefine Hebrew language concepts (left and right)
The Torah forbids us from straying from Sanhedrin's rulings left or right (Deut 17.11). Left and right are abstract linguistic concepts that reflect certain social conventions. Needless to say, the ...
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Word switching from plural to singular when it is many?
In Shir HaShirim (5:11), Rashi writes:
"רְבָבוֹת הַרְבֵּה קְרוּיִין רְבָבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ":
Many myriads are called ‘רְבָבָה’, as it is stated, “...
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Why can’t we say Halleluyah?
We are allowed to say names like Yirmiyah and Azariah which have Hashem’s name, why is it considered saying Hashem’s name in vain to say Halleluyah? (obviously not when it’s part of davening).
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What is Palifit mean in the Rabeinu Gershom on Baba Basrah 2a?
BH
What does it mean Palifit it this Rabeinu Gershom in Daf B amud Alef in Bava Basra?
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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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Do gittin have to be written in Hebrew
According to Halacha, do gittin (divorce documents) have to be written in Hebrew? Or can they be written in other languages and be valid? If it can’t be any language, is it still valid if written in ...
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What language should you pray in, if not Hebrew?
If someone were multilingual but could not speak Hebrew, what language would it be preferable for them to pray in? For example, someone who can speak English, Spanish, and Korean only. This is ...
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Aramaic dictionary online [duplicate]
I'm looking for a good easy to use online aramaic dictionary that is free to use.
Anyone know of one?
Aside from jastrow and cal
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Seeking examples of epistrophe in Tanach
While epistrophe can include repetition of a word (or expression) in successive phrases or clauses I am seeking to identify the use of this literary technique in consecutive verses. Two examples to ...
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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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Seeking copy of Torah in Ktav Ivri (Paleo-Hebrew)
Is there a copy of the Torah in Ktav Ivri (Paleo-Hebrew)?
If so, is there a copy online? If not, where might I find it in print?
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Slavic People are called K'nan in jewish sources
Why is the slavic languages or people reffered to as Cannanim in Jewish sources? Who is the first to do this?
See for instance Minchas Yehuda in Mechokekei Yehuda explaining Rashi on Devarim 3:9 Here.
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Why can't the malachim understand Aramaic?
Why can't the malachim understand Aramaic?
Does it have anything to do with the fact that it was the lingua franca of the jewish demographic of that time period?
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Jewish languages
Why haven't Jews had a consistent language throughout history? What was wrong with Lashon Hakodesh (besides for learning the local language)? We adopted Aramaic with a mixture of LHK and local ...
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Would Jews speak Lashon Hakodesh by default?
If my memory serves me correctly, I read in the sefer Daas Torah some while back that if one doesn't teach a [Jewish?] child a language it will start talking Lashon Hakodesh on its own accord. Is ...
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What is the earliest use of the term tzaddik? How far back does the concept go?
According to this website, there is a claim that "It is part of our glorious tradition going back thousands of years to seek a blessing from a Tzaddik for a sick relative (see Talmud Bava Basra ...
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Is there any symbolism associated with Hebrew being written right to left?
I am interested to know if there is any religious meaning associated with Lashon HaKodesh being written from right to left as opposed to left to right
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Why does רש"י sometimes say "בגמרא מפרש", and sometimes say "בגמרא מפרש טעמא"?
For example, Rashi on Mishnah on Bava Kama Daf 27a:
ושברה פטור - בגמרא מפרש טעמא
'בעל החבית חייב - מפרש בגמ
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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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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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Does Changing "Beitza" to "Beiah" Really Acoomplish Anything?
There are legitimate sources that talk about calling masechet "Beitza" by the name "Beiah" because the Hebrew word "beitza" can also refer to a testicle. See answers here ...
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שַׁדַּי, shaday
What is/are any widely accepted Jewish interpretations of the 40+ instances of שַׁדַּי, shaday in the scriptures? I've seen conflicting definitions/etymologies in the Christian world. Some (the ...
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Why did Hashem confuse the tongues of the tower-builders, rather than set them at enmity with each other?
Shalom.
I have tonight been grappling with a challenge to emunah posed by historical linguistics - i.e. the fact that new languages develop naturally, through the separation, or the divisions between, ...
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Meaning of the roshei teivot והיע"ב אכי"ר [closed]
The second part of the reshei tevot והיע"ב אכי"ר is of course amen kein yehi ratzon "so it may be His will", but I do not know the first part, היע"ב. Any thoughts would be ...
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Usage of אמר מר and גופא [duplicate]
The Gemora sometimes wants to discuss a side point from a previous text. It will introduce this as אמר מר or גופא for example the first page of Brachos says: אֲמַר מָר: ״מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים ...
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Why does the Gemara reference R' Yaakov in an odd way?
In Sotah 46a, it says the following:
אָמַר לְהוּ הַהוּא מֵרַבָנָן ור׳ יַעֲקבֹ שְמֵיהּ לְדִידִי מְפָרְשָא לִי מִינֵּיהּ דְרַבִי יוֹחָנָן מְשִיכַת עוֹל לְרָחְבוֹ טֶפַח
One of the rabbis said to them, ...
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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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Is every word of a translation as important as every word of the original Hebrew?
This question came up during a discussion about Hebrew vs translated texts and I'm curious what the answer or consensus is.
We're taught that every single word and letter is specific and used for a ...
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Rashi on Devarim 6:8 - Why does the Torah use a foreign language?
In Devarim 6:8 Rashi says, והיו לטטפת בין עיניך: אלו תפילין שבראש ועל שם מנין פרשיותיהם נקראו טטפת. טט בכתפי שתים, פת באפריקי שתים:
Rashi's English translation is:
and they shall be for ornaments ...
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Is טיית a language?
Rav Hai Ga'on's commentary to Keilim 14:3 reads:
הקנטר של בנאי. פי' כמין מטה ושבט של ברזל שהוא לבנאים לחתור בו הכותל ושמו בטיית בורסין
What do the last three words mean? I assume it's a reference to ...
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English Words in Tosfot?
Posting for someone else:
Rashi occasionally provides Old French words in his commentary to help understand certain terms or concepts. Who is the earliest author to have done the same with (Old) ...
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Is Historical (or narrative) Present Used in Tanakh?
In the beginning of ויצא, the first couple of verses are written in past tense but Yaakov's dream is in present tense. I assumed that a possible explanation for this is that the Torah is using the ...
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When, how and why did עשרת הדברים turn into עשרת הדברות?
God clearly spoke of עשרת הדברים in the Torah (Exodus.34.28, see also Deut.4.13) or 10.4):
וַיְהִי־שָׁם עִם־ה'אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה... וַיִּכְתֹּב עַל־הַלֻּחֹת אֵת דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית ...
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יחד one, sole, only, set apart?
Genesis 22:2 says:
Take now thy son, thine ben yachid (only son) Yitzchak, whom thou lovest.
Literally it says your son, your ‘individual, only, sole’, whom you love, Yitzchak (אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־...
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Father Son what do these terms imply?
I'm not so much interested to who or what these words refer to in these verses, but
what I would like to know, however, is what the terms 'father' and 'son' mean when used in the Tenach when it’s not ...
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Can the definitive article, הַ וְ, be used in demonyms found in the Talmud?
Does the Talmud use the definitive article, הַ וְ, in demonyms?
For example, in English we can say both, "David the New Yorker" and "David of New York", the first form using the ...
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Bar Enash a designation of an authoritative representative of another?
Daniel 7:13. In that prophetic verse, Daniel declares that he sees one like a son of (mortal) man coming with clouds to the Ancient of Days to be presented before Him.
The expression ‘like a son of ...
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What does the word 'Fakhert' mean in yiddish? [closed]
It pops up in a bunch of shiurim but I can't seem to find a definition online.
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What do the words בֶּאֱמֶת אָמְרוּ teach us in the Mishna?
Mishna Shabbat 1:3:
לֹא יֵצֵא הַחַיָּט בְּמַחְטוֹ סָמוּךְ לַחֲשֵׁכָה, שֶׁמָּא יִשְׁכַּח וְיֵצֵא. וְלֹא הַלַּבְלָר בְּקֻלְמוֹסוֹ. וְלֹא יְפַלֶּה אֶת כֵּלָיו, וְלֹא יִקְרָא לְאוֹר הַנֵּר. בֶּאֱמֶת ...
user17319
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What is the difference between "גזרה רעה" "גזרה קשה"
Is there a difference between the concept of the Hebrew words of "גזרה רעה" an evil decree versus a "גזרה קשה" a difficult decree? See Machzor Rosh HaShana on the annulment of ...
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English prayers, mix in hebrew?
Some prayers can be said in any language, and many people use the English translation in siddurim to daven directly, the question is is one allowed to mix in both hebrew and English when first ...
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Why is Aramaic "tlasah" used for wine in ketoret, where spices are counted in Hebrew "shlasha"?
In Talmud Keritot 6a, read in the siddur, it states,
קילופה שלשה וקנמון תשעה בורית כרשינה תשעה קבין יין קפריסין סאין תלתא קבין תלתא
Why is the Hebrew שלשה used for "three" (hin) in ...
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Why Hebrew wasn't the spoken language in the Gemara times?
Why was Hebrew NOT the spoken language of the Jewish people after the Mishna? And why was a scholarly text, which was created for individuals who also obviously understood Hebrew, written in Aramaic?
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Why this common greeting: Tzom kal?
Tzom kal (easy fast) is a common greeting before the 9th of Av, but why? It runs counter to the adage, "No pain, no gain". The no pain adage seems similar to L'fum tzaara agra – according ...
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What is the difference between 'a minori ad majus' and 'a majori ad minus'
Good afternoon,
I'm attempting to understand the "Thirty-Two Rules of Elezer B. Jose Ha-Gelili" and have come to the 5th rule and have a question;
1. Summary of Problem
In reading the ...
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How can we say the Torah uses words of later-day languages? [duplicate]
My friend told me how the word das, which we use to mean halacha or religion, like k'das Moshe veYisroel, is actually a Persian word. If this is true, then how can commentators explain the word ...
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How many taamim/cantillation/trop marks are there?
I know there are different nusachot, but is there a maximal amount?
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Aramaic in a baraisa
I always understood a major difference between a mishna/baraisa and the text of the gemarra is the former is in Rabbinic Hebrew and the latter is in Aramaic.
The other day I chanced upon a gemarra in ...
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Sacred vs Holy: why the same word in Hebrew?
English and other languages (e.g., Russian & Greek) distinguish between "holy" ("святой", "άγιος") and "sacred" ("священный", "ιερός").
...
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