Questions tagged [language]
Questions pertaining to language.
273
questions
-4
votes
0
answers
33
views
Is English and grammar and punctuation chukos goyim, and is it good for Yidden to have their own dialect? [closed]
Like the question says.
And it may be compared to Ladino and Yiddish. There's already Jenglish, Jewish English, like schmooze and sch- prefixing words for mockery, and ending a statement with the ...
2
votes
2
answers
586
views
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?
1
vote
0
answers
90
views
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.
...
2
votes
0
answers
45
views
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?
2
votes
1
answer
92
views
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 ...
2
votes
1
answer
116
views
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 ...
0
votes
1
answer
63
views
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 ...
5
votes
2
answers
451
views
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
2
votes
0
answers
69
views
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
1
vote
0
answers
50
views
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 ...
1
vote
1
answer
120
views
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?
1
vote
0
answers
100
views
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 ...
1
vote
2
answers
110
views
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 ...
3
votes
2
answers
65
views
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, ...
-1
votes
1
answer
102
views
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 ...
1
vote
0
answers
32
views
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 ...
2
votes
0
answers
55
views
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, ...
0
votes
1
answer
92
views
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 "...
1
vote
0
answers
42
views
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 ...
1
vote
0
answers
90
views
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 ...
2
votes
0
answers
77
views
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 ...
4
votes
1
answer
174
views
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) ...
0
votes
0
answers
44
views
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 ...
4
votes
0
answers
54
views
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 ...
2
votes
3
answers
127
views
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־...
1
vote
2
answers
145
views
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 ...
0
votes
1
answer
95
views
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 ...
0
votes
1
answer
104
views
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 ...
0
votes
1
answer
206
views
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.
4
votes
1
answer
215
views
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 ...
2
votes
0
answers
54
views
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 ...
6
votes
2
answers
180
views
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 ...
4
votes
1
answer
79
views
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 ...
2
votes
3
answers
258
views
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?
...
0
votes
1
answer
318
views
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 ...
1
vote
0
answers
580
views
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 ...
0
votes
0
answers
136
views
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 ...
2
votes
2
answers
246
views
How many taamim/cantillation/trop marks are there?
I know there are different nusachot, but is there a maximal amount?
8
votes
1
answer
384
views
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 ...
0
votes
1
answer
208
views
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").
...
0
votes
1
answer
50
views
Does אנא ever connote thanking?
Does anyone know of an instance where אנא is interpreted as thanking as opposed to a plea or request?
0
votes
3
answers
105
views
How often does the word "truth" appear n the Torah? [closed]
I am interested in knowing how often the word "truth" or "emet appears in the Torah
2
votes
0
answers
113
views
Evolution of the Term "Ger"
According to Plaut ("The Torah a Modern Commentary", Revised Edition, p. 530) the term "ger" has changed over time.
Ger was the term applied to resident non-Israelites who could ...
2
votes
0
answers
101
views
Origin of the use of "G-d"
I'm wondering about the earliest uses of the abbreviation "G-d". Obviously, it's used as an extension to avoiding saying Hashem's name in vain, but was this practice common from the ...
2
votes
1
answer
141
views
Is there any particular halachic reason why the Maccabean Martyrs would insist on speaking Hebrew?
I was reading 2 Maccabees chapter 7,
7 After the first brother died in this manner, they led forward the
second one with mockery. They ripped off the skin of his head along
with the hair and demanded,...
2
votes
0
answers
64
views
What is the root/deeper meaning of ממילא? [closed]
I am trying to understand what the word means and what its root is. How it comes to translate into "automatically" or "by itself", etc. What words is it related to? What is the ...
1
vote
1
answer
100
views
How do you spell maila? [closed]
I've looked in the Jewish Languages dictionary and other places but I can't find anyone who gives a Hebrew spelling of the word maila, meaning positive quality, opposite of חסרון. I'm guessing that ...
1
vote
0
answers
92
views
What is this text over the door?
I'm adding this post for Albert, who posted this in Biblical Hermeneutics. His question:
Hi i got some people rent a house, and they put this signs which i think is hebrew on the top of the entry ...
3
votes
0
answers
155
views
Is there any evidence of a Jewish demon named Khoyzek?
The Yiddish term khoyzek refers a "mockery" of something else. According to Dov Sadan (cited here) this word derives from Khoyzek a demon in Jewish folklore. I looked high and low and could ...
1
vote
1
answer
75
views
What are the sources that the soul possesses the knowledge of a language?
@AvrohomYitzchok asked me this question to support the assertions for another question: "why-dont-newborns-speak-outright.
What are the sources that the knowledge of a language is a quality of ...