Questions tagged [language]
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Is anyone aware of a good Dictionary/Lexicon style book to help expand a person's Hebrew/Yeshivish vocabulary?
I was curious if a good book existed which broke down common phrases or words related to religious practice and observance. Say a dictionary but it defines common phrases in observance.
Example:
Mi ...
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1answer
87 views
Do we have a religious obligation to “unify” the Hebrew dialects?
Let me start by saying that this question is not a criticism of any one community or their dialect. I'm asking this question from the mindset of there being possible religious obligations to use the ...
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0answers
38 views
Distinction between Samekh and Sin in the Yemenite tradition [closed]
As far as I know, in the Yemenite tradition there is a distinct sound for all consonants for the exception of Samakh and Sin. In the Wikipedia, it says that both sin and samakh are pronounced ...
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1answer
45 views
Why do people respond “Gam L'mar”?
During this past Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur, whenever I wished someone Shanah Tovah or (G'mar) Chatimah Tovah s/he responded Gam L'mar.
I don't recall having heard that before this year. Doesn't ...
2
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0answers
21 views
מלא יד - full hand, meaning?
I've a question about the combination of words מלא יד as shown in verses like Shemot 29:35, 32:29, Vayikra 8:33, Bamidbar 3:3, 1 Divrei HaYamim 29:5, 2 Divrei HaYamim 6:4, 6:15, 13:9, 29:31 etc...
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2answers
51 views
Words for ‘a teaching’; d’var Torah, shiur, drash etc
Could someone explain me the differences or nuances between a shiur, d’var Torah, drash (and drashah) as they all seem to refer to ‘a teaching’.
P.s. is there something in their roots which defines ...
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1answer
61 views
best Hebrew-English Tanakh in printed form, interlinear if possible?
I've been using the Artscroll Interlinear series to read the Torah and it's helping me make a lot of progress in finally learning Tanakh Hebrew. But outside of the five scrolls and the psalms, ...
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2answers
46 views
ענה how to define
I would like to know how to define the root word ענה, what actual meanings are given to this root and what is the common denomitor?
[I’ve found this root in different verses, so I don’t want to ...
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1answer
59 views
Explain the Use of “Zachur Latov”
Frequently, when we refer to Eliyahu (Elijah the prophet), the term זכור לטוב ("Remembered for good things") is used. I vaguely recall seeing the Talmud use this term for someone else, but I don't ...
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0answers
49 views
Source for galuta d'galuta גלותא דגלותא?
I so clearly remember from my days of Talmud study the phrase גלותא דגלותא, meaning a place that was REALLY far away, seriously in exile, "deep diaspora", totally removed from eretz yisrael. Maybe it ...
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0answers
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You shall not have any other gods
In Exodus 20:3 the words lo yihyeh ( לֹא יִהְיֶה־לְךָ) are often translated as: 'you shall not have'. The base word is היה (hayah) meaning "to exist." Which reminded me of the Adon Olam phrase: 'V'hu ...
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1answer
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Why does Hillel's teachings change to Aramaic in Ethics of the Fathers?
In Ethics of the Fathers chapter 1 (Mishna 11-13) three sayings are said in Hillel's name. Two are in Hebrew while one (Mishna 12) is in Aramaic. The rest of the chapter is all in Hebrew. Why the ...
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0answers
26 views
The fourth generation Numbers 23:10
Numbers/Bamidbar 23:10 reads: et roba Yisrael - אֶת־רֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל
I noticed roba is connected with ribea רִבֵּעַ meaning great-grandson, but refers to the fourth generation. The previous words ...
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0answers
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Rashi, Tosfot - Dialects
Is there a name for the dialect of Hebrew/Aramaic that Rashi and Tosfot use? Have there been any articles and/or books published on how to systematically approach Rashi and the Baalei Tosfot's ...
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1answer
59 views
Bil’am cursing terminology - א.ר.ר, ק.ב.ב and ק.ל.ל
Within the story of Balak and Bil’am I noticed a shift in words for curse and cursing.
In Numbers 22:6 Balak asks Bil’am to curse him the Israelites ארה-לי, of which the root seems to be ארר. Numbers ...
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1answer
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הם (heym) vs. המה (heyma)
Why does the Torah use the word המה - HEYMA - in these 19 psukim (20 times) instead of the more common and simple form הם - HEYM ?
בראשית ו ד
בראשית ז יד
בראשית מב לה
בראשית מד ג
שמות יט יג
שמות ...
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0answers
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Unknown La'az in Teshuvot Rashi
In the Elfenbein (1943) edition of Teshuvot Rashi, in the teshuvot from Rashi to the rabbis of Auxerre ('סימן ג), Rashi writes "לשון דמות צלם" is "אאמיינדליי" in la'az. Elfenbein writes in his ...
6
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1answer
81 views
הָהֵ֔ם and הָאֵ֑לֶּה difference
I am an English speaking non-Jew but am studying the Hebrew Scriptures and need help in Hebrew language for my studies.
It is quite a simple question but it will help me very much.
What is the ...
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0answers
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Hebrew word “return” in Zechariah
Forgive me, I don't know any Hebrew, nor am I technical enough to write the actual Hebrew letters in this post.
In Zechariah 1:16 and 8:3 God says (as translated in English) "I am returned to ...
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3answers
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Chanting Haftarah in English
Must/should the Haftarah be chanted in Hebrew? Can it be chanted in another language such as English in English-speaking countries, Spanish in Spanish-speaking countries, etc.?
4
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2answers
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What is the difference between the roots א-מ-ן and ב-ט-ח? Between Emunah and Bitachon?
Both of the א-מ-ן and ב-ט-ח roots are used to imply some level of trust in G-d; i.e., faith in Him.
Bereshit 15:6 opens:
"And he believed (aman) in the LORD"
2 Melachim 18:5:
"He trusted (...
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0answers
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What is the most effective way to translate non-Hebrew translations found in Rabbinic literature?
Non-Hebrew translations are often included by our Sages when attempting to clarify words or concepts.
There are myriad examples in RaSh"I (Shemot 5:7) and Hizquni (Wayiqra 11:16). For relatively ...
2
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1answer
52 views
Russian original of Baad Kodesh?
I would like to find the Russian original of one of the presumably very few chasidic works written in that language. The work in question is בד קדש, addressed by the Miteler Rebbe, Rav Dovber of ...
2
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1answer
84 views
Why is twilight called “Bein Hashmashot”?
Inspired by this question, I'm curious why halachic literature calls twilight בין השמשות, which means, literally, "between the two suns"? The sun has set, and there is just one sun, anyway. What do ...
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1answer
414 views
Is the letter Aleph (א) also a word that means “to teach, inculcate”?
This Aish article about the meaning of the word "Adam" states the following:
The letter aleph is also a word which means to teach or inculcate. It similarly indicates leadership, as implied by ...
2
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1answer
48 views
“Ben Ha'arbayim” vs. “Ben Hashmashot”
There seem to be two terms used to mean "twilight".
The Torah uses the term בן הערבים as in the time for the Mincha and Pesach offerings.
Talmudic literature uses the term בן השמשות
I know that ...
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0answers
23 views
How did the word Shiur acquire its meaning of lesson? [duplicate]
I found out that the word שִׁעוּר/שיעור means measure or amount, and from here it derives it's meaning of rate, frequency and occurance. But how come this word also carries the meaning of lesson/...
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1answer
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Explain assignment of “joy” terms in Shalosh Regalim Amidah
In the opening paragraph of the Shalosh Regalim Amidah's middle section the phrasing is:
... מועדים לשמחה, חגים וזמנים לששון
This M.Y. answer explains the difference in meaning between שמחה and ...
2
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0answers
54 views
Usage of final nun with kamatz
Frequently, in Tanac"h, the 3rd person female plural uses an end nun with a kamatz ןָ rather than nun-heh נָה.
Is there any reasoning of preference of one usage vs. the other?
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0answers
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Different roots applied to the same verse of 2 Samuel 11:24
2 Samuel 11:24 (Westminster Leningrad Codex) reads:
[וַיֹּרְאוּ כ] (וַיֹּר֨וּ ק) [הַמֹּורְאִים כ] (הַמֹּורִ֤ים ק)
Two of these come from the root (ק) ירה while the other two come from the root (...
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0answers
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Why does Echad mi Yodeia switch languages in middle?
Why does echad mi yodeia switch from hebrew (eg. אֶחָד מִי יוֹדֵעַ? אֶחָד אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ: אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ.) to arameic (eg. שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי שַׁבָּתָא), back to hebrew (eg. ...
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0answers
22 views
What is the source for saying tizku l'mitzvot? [duplicate]
It seems common these days to get the response "tizku l'mitzvot" for doing a mitzvah, usually a chesed for someone. Where did this response originate from and has anyone seen a discussion or source to ...
1
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1answer
96 views
Difference in suffix regards the word Shabat
Looking at the words שבת שבתון (ex. Vayikra 23:24) and שבתות (ex. Vayikra 23:15) and there root שבת what do endings ון- and ות- indicate here? What do these suffixes mean/indicate?
P.s. Are there ...
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0answers
25 views
Differences and similarities between פרס and פרש
I wondered what the differences and similarities of the roots פרס and פרש are?
I noticed that both roots are used in Jeremiah 16:7 and Lamentations 4:4 for the 'deviding or sharing' of bread.
Any ...
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3answers
169 views
What does בי in בירבי mean?
The word בירבי "the son of Rabbi..." appears many times in the acrostics of piyyutim (e.g. El'azar the Kalir signs his name אלעזר בירבי קליר, e.g. in the יוצר beginning אומן בשמעו).
(I have seen it ...
3
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2answers
105 views
'עם' & 'את' based words in the story of Lot and Avram
I don't know the exact sources but I remembered some commentaries from the Malbim and Vilna Gaon which point out a difference between 'את'-based words and 'עם'-based words (both translated to mean '...
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1answer
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Grammatical determination of Zochreinu (as in זָכְרֵנוּ לְחַיִּים)
Can someone please help me determine the form of the word זָכְרֵנוּ as it appears in the Amida in the Ten Days of Repentance. Looking at the translation I was guessing it to be the imperative plural ...
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1answer
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Who went with whom? Lot and Avram
Genesis 12:4 reads: Vayelech Avram... Avram went according as HaShem had sproken to him, vayelech Lot ito, and Lot went with him. But the next verse reads: Vayikach Avram.. et Lot, and Avram took Lot, ...
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0answers
46 views
Orah, Or and Torah
I found this on the Aish website:
The accurate meaning of “Torah” is twofold. Firstly it comes from the word “הוֹרָה,” which means teaching. More precisely it means “teaching with direction,” i.e. ...
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1answer
53 views
Where does the word תורתי and different aplliable roots learn us?
(From the pealim.com website)
The word להורות comes from ירה and gives הורה (past tense, 3rd person, masculine singular; "he/it taught", or as a imperative 2nd person, masculine, singular: "[to a ...
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1answer
50 views
Two roots applied to the same verses
I was looking up the word להורות on the pealim.com website, from the root ירה. And it gave all kinds of conjugations. But it also gave some related words one of those was: הוראה. Both seem to have to ...
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How come Torah does not have a distinctive word for “wife”?
[Edited] In Bereshit, Torah says the woman will be called Isha, that comes from Ish and is parallel to Ish. Later, Torah says Adam gave to אשתו a new name Chava. Now אשתו appears (out of nowhere) as "...
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4answers
348 views
What is the difference between a takana and a gezera?
What is the difference between a takana and a gezera in both definition and application?
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0answers
30 views
Moadim a time to witness?
The word Moadim (מועדים), Moadei (מועדי) or singular Mo'ed (מועד) is most often translated as a appointed (fixed) time (or season).
From the visual look of it these words seem to have a connection ...
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1answer
48 views
Why is the mitzvah called “Shiluach haken”? [duplicate]
Why is the mitzvah of sending away the mother bird before taking the young called שילוח הקן (Shiluach haken; "sending the nest")? It's not the nest you send away; it's the mother bird. I would have ...
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1answer
70 views
How do the Rabbis rationalize Hebrew as being a divine language given from Hashem when we also believe Aramaic to be a sister language?
This is one of those issues that has always bugged me.
Hebrew and Aramaic are both languages found within the Torah/Tanakh. If Hebrew is a divine language and given to us from Hashem as his word, why ...
1
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1answer
32 views
“You cannot take a word out of a song”?
Rabbi Ari Neuwirth in Parashat Nitzavim: Why a Song? says that Torah is called Shirah (Song) in our parsha because no mitzvos can be taken out and none can be added to our perfect Torah.
There is a ...
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4answers
286 views
Why the Sanhedrin has a greek name?
This bothers me since a long time. The biggest Jewish halachic authority, arguably, the peak of the Torah world which can be ever imagined, which has its most basic definitions in the Chumash (70 ...
2
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2answers
69 views
Why the double language of “all his creations that he created”
The first blessing of birkat hamazon concludes with the statement that God prepares sustenance for "all of his creations that he created". What is the explanation for this double, redundant sounding ...
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0answers
61 views
אלי and עלי what's the difference?
Could someone explain the difference between (2 Samuel 15:4 for example) עלי and אלי (Ezra 9:4 for example)? what's the difference
They both refer to 'my' or 'me' because of the yod suffix right?
...
