Author: Ami Steinberger

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-1.mp3″ /]אֶזְרָח וָתִיק On buses throughout Israel you’ll find placards stating: מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָּקוּם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-2.mp3″ /] stand up in the presence of the aged This phrase taken right out of the Bible uses the word שֵׂיבָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אזרח-ותיק-3.mp3″ /], referring specifically to hair that has gone white, and generally to those who typically bear white…

בְּוַדַּאי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בוודאי-1.mp3″ /] The most literal Hebrew translation for the English certainly is בְּוַדַּאי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בוודאי-1.mp3″ /] or simply וַדַּאי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בוודאי-2.mp3″ /], as in: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בוודאי-3.mp3″ /]זֶה בּוַדַּאי לֹא הַמָּקוֹם לְעִשּׁוּן. This is certainly not the place for smoking. Though these words are borrowed from Aramaic, it seems to me likely that their root is the…

לְהִתְמַסֵּר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתמסר-1.mp3″ /] Some causes are worthy of total dedication – מְסִירוּת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתמסר-2.mp3″ /]. To devote oneself is לְהִתְמַסֵּר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתמסר-1.mp3″ /]. This word invokes the root מ.ס.ר (m.s.r) meaning passing along and plugs it into the reflexive-intensive verb form, so that the word might be said to mean to pass oneself towards something. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/להתמסר-3.mp3″ /]הוּא הִתְמַסֵּר…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep. Flashcards Game Test [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-2.mp3″ /]שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם, וְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ נָעִים! Shabbat Shalom, and have a nice weekend!

מַשּׂוּאָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/משואה-1.mp3″ /] The Israeli national days of commemoration opened tonight with יוֹם הַשּׁוֹאָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/משואה-2.mp3″ /] – Holocaust (Memorial) Day, and torches are being used to raise awareness through ceremony. The Hebrew word for torch (the kind that burns) is מַשּׂוּאָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/משואה-1.mp3″ /]. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/משואה-3.mp3″ /]הָעֶרֶב הִתְקַיֵּם טֶקֶס הַדְלַקַת הַמַּשֹּוּאוֹת בְּיָד וָשֵׁם, וּבַשָּׁבוּעַ הַבָּא יִתְקַיֵּם הַטֶּקֶס בְּהַר הֶרְצֶל….

מֻמְחִיּוּת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מומחיות-1.mp3″ /] While the Hebrew word for intern (someone on their way to becoming an expert) is מִתְמַחֶה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מומחיות-2.mp3″ /] when referring to a male and מִתְמַחָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מומחיות-3.mp3″ /] when referring to a female, the word for expert is מֻמְחֶה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מומחיות-4.mp3″ /] for a male and מֻמְחִית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מומחיות-5.mp3″ /] for a female. The root of both is מ.ח.ה (m.kh.h). Likewise, expertise is מֻמְחִיּוּת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מומחיות-1.mp3″ /]….

מְיֻתָּר לוֹמַר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מיותר-לומר-1.mp3″ /]  If meant literally, needless to say wouldn’t be said at all – after all, there’s no need to say it. The emotional content in the expression makes up for its logical lack of… well, necessity. Hebrew’s expression for this is מְיֻתָּר לוֹמַר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מיותר-לומר-1.mp3″ /] – literally, it’s extra or unnecessary to say. You might also hear מְיֻתָּר…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/רפואה-משלימה-1.mp3″ /]רְפוּאָה מַשְׁלִימָה The English term that groups together acupuncture, homeopathy, energy healing and other fields is alternative medicine, as these practices are said to provide an alternative to scientifically-based medicine. Another less common English term is complementary medicine, denoting practices that are meant to go hand in hand with modern doctoring. Hebrew prefers this term, translating it as רְפוּאָה…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/כנראה-1.mp3″ /]כַּנִּרְאֶה People in Israel have gone back to school and work. Apparently, Passover is over. The Hebrew word for apparently is כַּנִּרְאֶה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/כנראה-1.mp3″ /] – literally, as appears or as is seen. It is also used to mean it looks as if or it’s likely that. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/כנראה-2.mp3″ /]כַּנִּרְאֶה שֶׁהֵם יָבֹאוּ לְבַקֵּר בַּשָּׁבוּעַ הַבָּא. It looks like they’ll come…

חֹמֶר לְשִׁנּוּן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/review-1.mp3″ /] Review Material Can’t read Hebrew yet? You spent time on your Hebrew this week. Use these review materials to make it yours to keep. Flashcards Game Test I’m taking a vacation for the holiday, so this will be the last dose of Hebrew until April 12. In the meantime… [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/חג-פסח-שמח.mp3″…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לחפש-בנרות-1.mp3″ /]לְחַפֵּשׂ בַּנֵּרוֹת Earlier this week we saw a Hebrew expression invoking an entire Biblical experience to say really, really dark – חֹשֶׁךְ מִצְרַיִם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לחפש-בנרות-2.mp3″ /]. Here’s another vivid term, this time for to search meticulously – לְחַפֵּשׂ בַּנֵּרוֹת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לחפש-בנרות-1.mp3″ /], literally to search by candlelight or with (the) candles. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/לחפש-בנרות-3.mp3″ /]כְּדֵי…