having trouble seeing the print? גַּלְגַּל Deadline tomorrow for Level 2 intensive! Jerusalem, evenings . Tel Aviv, afternoons jerusalem.ulpan.com . tlv.ulpan.com Last week in the middle of introducing a song, I decided to upgrade my weekly radio show, “Israeli Music – Decoded,” from merely cultural introductions and translation of Hebrew songs to a proper Hebrew…
having trouble seeing the print? סַכּוּ”ם Deadline today for Level 2 intensive! Jerusalem, evenings . Tel Aviv, afternoons jerusalem.ulpan.com . tlv.ulpan.com This one’s for Dolly. Silverware, flatware, cutlery, tableware… in English each has its own connotations, but the bottom line is that they all get the job done. They also are all made up –…
having trouble seeing the print? שִׁטְחִי, שִׁטְחִית Learn Hebrew through Israeli music. Tune in to my show Wednesdays at 12pm Israel time. Only at www.rustymike.com Yesterday I introduced the Hebrew word for flat – שָׁטוּח (shah-TOO-ahkh), which derives from the root ש.ט.ח (sh.t.kh) meaning spread out. Another related word is that for superficial – something that remains on…
having trouble seeing the print? שָׁטוּחַ, שְׁטוּחָה Learn Hebrew through Israeli music. Tune in to my show Wednesdays at 12pm Israel time. Only at www.rustymike.com In English, we talk about the disputed territories in Judea and Samaria. In Hebrew, territories are called שְׁטָחִים (sheh-tah-KHEEM), while one territory is called a שֶׁטַח (SHEH-tahkh). This is also the term used…
בְּהַצְלָחָה! How to go about wishing someone well varies from language to language and from culture to culture. In English, we say good luck – wishing the person good fortune, that the stars line up for them, that they find a four-leaf clover. In Hebrew, we say בְּהַצְלָחָה – literally, with success. A variation of…
having trouble seeing the print? לִצְלוֹעַ Our Hebrew class starts Sunday! 10 spots available per course. Sign up now! In the Torah portion to be read tomorrow by Jews the world over, יַעֲקֹב (yah-ah-KOHV) – Jacob – takes his family across מַעֲבַר יַבֹּק (mah-ah-VAHR yah-BOHK) – the Yabok pass – back into the land of his forefathers….
having trouble seeing the print? צְפִירָה Our Hebrew class starts Sunday! 10 spots available per course. Sign up now! A couple of hours ago, residents of Jerusalem may have been taken by surprise by the sound of a city-wide siren. This was a test. In any case, the Hebrew word for the sound of a siren is…
having trouble seeing the print? מְהַבְהֵב Our Hebrew class starts Sunday! 10 spots available per course. Sign up now! P.S. from yesterday’s dose As a post-script to yesterday’s entry on worshiping, the Aramaic root ס.ג.ד (s.g.d) meaning to bow down appears in other Semitic languages as well, most notably in Arabic word for Mosque – مسجد (MAHS-jid)…
having trouble seeing the print? לִסְגּוֹד, לַעֲבוֹד Our Hebrew class starts Sunday! 10 spots available per course. Sign up now! English is made up of two primary linguistic influences: Germanic and French/Latin roots. In each of the examples below, the first word is the simple, Germanic one, while the second word is a more polished…
having trouble seeing the print? שְׁעוֹת הַפְּנַאי Conversational Hebrew class starts Sunday! 10 spots available per course. Sign up now! I think it’s safe to say that everyone (even workaholics, deep down) likes free time to do as they please. While free time, as in time not booked with other things, is זְמַן חָפְשִׁי (zeh-MAHN khohf-SHEE), free…
having trouble seeing the print? לִכְפּוֹת Conversational Hebrew class starts Sunday! 10 spots available per course. Sign up now! This issue is such a hot, loaded topic in Israel and among Jews (and people of other religions) everywhere that I’m having trouble formulating what to write, lest I step on someone’s toes. כיפות What’s…