having trouble seeing the print? מֵעִיק Bananagrams in Hebrew! …with a special discount for Ulpan La-Inyan enthusiasts (enter code “ULI” to get the discount). I like to publish entries on words and phrases that have a positive or neutral bent. Nevertheless, sometimes we need to express ourselves with terms that are less…
having trouble seeing the print? מַשְׁקוֹף The Torah portion to be read tomorrow by Jews the world over tells of the Exodus from Egypt – יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם (yeh-tsee-AHT meets-RAH-yeem). One of the best-known symbols of the Exodus is the animal blood smeared on the doorposts of the Israelite homes, meant (in my understanding) as…
having trouble seeing the print? לְהִזָּכֵר Like to get started speaking Hebrew? our 3-week Level 1 course starts VERY SOON in Raanana and on Feb 19 in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv If you know some basic Hebrew, you likely know the word לִזְכּוֹר (leez-KOHR) – to remember. In fact, even if you don’t know any…
having trouble seeing the print? מַעֲרֶכֶת הַחִסּוּן check out Ulpan La-Inyan’s winter course offerings It’s winter for most of us, and we’re aware that it’s time to shift into high gear with strengthening our immune systems. In Biblical and early Rabbinic times, however, people didn’t know of such physiological systems, so there…
having trouble seeing the print? פְּתִיתֵי שֶׁלֶג Check out Ulpan La-Inyan’s winter course offerings While some predict snow tonight in Jerusalem, others say they’re just crying wolf. What’s for sure, snowflakes have been seen in Jerusalem’s surrounding areas. A flake – whether made of snow, bran, or pasta such as the featured to the…
having trouble seeing the print? לִפְרוֹט Class starts January 29th! Check out Ulpan La-Inyan’s winter course offerings now also in Ramat Beit Shemesh! Truth is, the expression לָתֵת עֹדֶף (lah-TET OH-def) – to give change – does exist. But when asking for change for a bank note or a more valuable coin, the verb…
having trouble seeing the print? עֹדֶף Class starts January 29th! Check out Ulpan La-Inyan’s winter course offerings now also in Ramat Beit Shemesh! This Biblical Hebrew word means excess or surplus – in Modern Hebrew, its main meaning is change in the form of coins or that which one receives after paying too much…
having trouble seeing the print? שְׁאֵרִיוֹת Class starts January 29th! Check out Ulpan La-Inyan’s winter course offerings! It’s Monday night in Israel. Some of us are still eating leftovers from שַׁבָּת (Shabbat). The Hebrew word for leftovers is שְׁאֵרִיוֹת (sheh-eh-ree-YOHT), from the root שׁ.א.ר (sh.a.r), remaining. The singular version is שְׁאֵרִית (sheh-eh-REET), a…
having trouble seeing the print? שַׁיִט Class starts January 29th! Check out Ulpan La-Inyan’s winter course offerings! Yesterday a tragedy took place off the coast of Italy, where a cruise ship sank, killing at least five people and possibly many more. The Hebrew word for cruise is שַׁיִט (SHAH-yeet). Its root is…
having trouble seeing the print? אֲפִיָּה Class starts January 29th! Check out Ulpan La-Inyan’s winter course offerings! I just made a pot of delicious rice with raisins and pine nuts for שַׁבָּת – Shabbat. It came out pretty good, if I do say so myself. That’s בִּשּׁוּל (bee-SHOOL) – cooking, the abstract noun of…
מַבְרִיק The Hebrew word for lightning – or a sparkle of light – is בָּרָק (bah-RAHK). It’s also the name of a hero in סֵפֶר שׁוֹפְטִים (SEH-fehr shoh-feh-TEEM) – the Book of Judges – as well as the current American president. Something shining in such a way as to describe it as brilliant is called, in Hebrew, מַבְרִיק (mahv-REEK) – an adjective deriving from the active-causative הפעיל form. A couple…