להתבייש Israelis are big on hospitality. I think it’s a Jewish-mother thing. So that when you go to visit a relative, a friend, an acquaintance… you’re likely to get served lots of snacks and a hearty meal, and be asked to take more – אַל תִּתְבַיֵּש (ahl teet-bah-YESH), they would say…
עיסוי A friend of mine, Avi Dzik, is a professional massage therapist. He just gave me a nice, soothing rub in honor of my birthday. Many Hebrew speakers transliterate the English into מַסָאז’ (mah-SAHZH – the apostrophe is supposed to go next to the ז – Blogger doesn’t quite know how to handle this). However,…
לברר לְבָרֵר (le-vah-REHR) goes beyond the English usage of to clarify. In Hebrew, this word is also used to mean to make sure or to find out – such as in, תְּבָרְרִי מָתַי הַסֶּרֶט (te-vah-reh-REE mah-TAH-ee hah-SEH-reht) – Find out (speaking to a female) when the movie is. The root of the word is ב.ר.ר – the…
להתאוורר Perhaps you know the Hebrew word for air – אָוִיר (ah-VEER). Note the connection between the Hebrew and English words – they’re both from the Greek aer, as in aerodynamics. If I’m at a party in Jerusalem and want to get a breath of fresh air, I excuse myself, saying, אֲנִי צָרִיךְ קְצַת…
Classes begin today with Ulpan La-Inyan Level 2 at AACI Jerusalem and Levels 1, 3 and 5 at AACI Central (Tel Aviv) begin today. Level 4 begins tomorrow in Jerusalem. Level 1 in Jerusalem was cancelled, but suddenly we’re getting more interest, so we might open up the class over the next few days….
להשתתף The English word attend, historically, has to do with noticing – paying attention. That’s the word used to indicate presence, as in, I plan to attend the play, or, I plan to be present at the play. The Hebrew word used to express this type of presence is לְהִשְׁתַּתֵּף (le-heesh-tah-TEHF), which means, literally, to…
נחיתה for a larger font… No, not the landing at the top of the staircase… I’m talking about the landing of a plane at an airport… or, for that matter, the landing of a bird on the roof. The Hebrew word is נְחִיתָה (ne-khee-TAH). It comes from the root נ.ח.ת (n.kh.t). The verb to land is לִנְחוֹת (leen-KHOHT),…
Ulpan La-Inyan Midsummer Courses… …start this Sunday, July 25. The course lasts for six weeks; class meets 4-5 times a week for an hour or an hour and a quarter, depending on the level. We’ve got all the levels (1-5) offered in Jerusalem, and Levels 1, 3 and 5 offered in Tel Aviv – both at the local…
תשתית If you’d prefer a larger font… Perhaps you know the word for basis or foundation, in the more abstract sense: יְסוֹד (yeh-SOHD). There’s another word, however, for the foundation or infrastructure of a house, a city, a state, etc: תַּשְׁתִּית (tahsh-TEET), such that Israel’s Ministry of Infrastructure(s) is מִשְׂרַד הַתַּשְׁתִּיוֹת (mees-RAHD hah-tahsh-tee-YOHT). Over…
להתאבל If you’re familiar with Rabbinic law and literature, you probably know the word for mourner – אָבֵל/אָבֵלָה (ah-VEHL – m; ah-veh-LAH – f), as well as the word for mourning: אָבֵלוּת (ah-veh-LOOT). Here’s how to say to mourn: לְהִתְאַבֵּל (le-heet-ah-BEHL). Why this word today? I wish אבלות on no one….
Ulpan La-Inyan Midsummer Courses… …start next Sunday, July 25. The course lasts for six weeks; class meets 4-5 times a week for an hour or an hour and a quarter, depending on the level. We’ve got all the levels (1-5) offered in Jerusalem, and Levels 1, 3 and 5 offered in Tel Aviv…