[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/פרסה-#.m4a” /]פַּרְסָה In English, we call it a u-turn, since the trajectory of the turn is shaped like the letter U. In Hebrew, it’s a פרסה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/פרסה-#.m4a” /] – a horse’s hoof, or more precisely, the metal attached to the hoof, a horseshoe. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/פרסה-#.m4a” /]פספסנו את הפנייה – צריך לעשות פרסה. We…
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/תהיה-בקשר-#.m4a” /]תִּהְיֶה בְּקֶשֶׁר You’ve just had a good chat with an old friend. As you’re about to part, you want to express your desire to continue being close, not letting time and distance get in the way of your relationship. You might say in English be in touch or stay in touch. In Hebrew you’d say…
having trouble seeing the print? מַצִּיל Since the Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world discusses the responsibility people have towards others, here’s a dose about lifeguards. We saw a few weeks ago that the word for to save or to rescue in Hebrew is לְהַצִּיל . Its root is נ.צ.ל (n.ts.l),…
עצם The עֶצֶם (EH-tsem) means bone, but it also means essence. The 70s and 80s rock group that brought us the popular Bar-Mitzvah dance song, “Yo Ya,” also have a song called “פֹּה קָבוּר הַכֶּלֶב” (poh kah-VOOR hah-KEH-lev) – “This is Where the Dog is Buried.” I bring you this song because …
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לביבות-1.m4a” /]לְבִיבוֹת My Israeli grandmother makes the best potato latkes. But she doesn’t call them latkes – she calls them לביבות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לביבות-1.m4a” /]. The word לביבה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לביבות-2.m4a” /] originates in the illicit Biblical story of Amnon and Tamar (שמואל ב’, פרק י”ג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לביבות-3.m4a” /] – II Samuel, Chapter 13), where the incestuous brother asks…
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ילודה-#.m4a” /]יְלוּדָה The Hebrew word for child is ילד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ילודה-#.m4a” /], so it should come as no surprise that the word for birthrate is ילודה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ילודה-#.m4a” /]. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ילודה-#.m4a” /]בניגוד למדינות אחרות במערב, הילודה בישראל ממשיכה לגדול. In contrast to other countries in the West, the birthrate in Israel continues to grow. You…