having trouble seeing the print? מֶרְכָּז רְפוּאִי Check out our spring courses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh A center is a מֶרְכָּז (mehr-KAHZ). For example, the greater Tel Aviv metropolis is considered מֶרְכַּז הָאָרֶץ (mehr-KAHZ hah-AH-rets) – the center of the country. The root of מרכז is ר.כ.ז (r.k.z) meaning concentration. The practice of…
medical center having trouble seeing the print? טֶבַח The root is ט.ב.ח (t.b.kh), just like that of the word for kitchen – מִטְבָּח (meet-BAHKH). And it makes sense – a מטבח is historically the place where butchering took place. Toulouse. אוֹצָר הַתּוֹרָה (oh-TSAHR hah-toh-RAH) – The Treasure of the Torah. Sweet innocent children and adults…
having trouble seeing the print? עַצְמִי Check out our spring courses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh The Hebrew word עֶצֶם (EH-tsem) means, literally, bone. In Biblical Hebrew, the word עַצְמִי (ahts-MEE) means only my bone or my bones. It is used figuratively in the expression עַצְמִי וּבְשָׂרִי (ahts-MEE oo-veh-sah-REE) – literally, my bone and my flesh – equivalent…
having trouble seeing the print? אוֹפְּטִימָלִי, מֵיטָבִי Check out our spring coursesin Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh The word meaning optimal you’re most likely to hear in Spoken Hebrew is אוֹפְּטִימָלִי (ohp-tee-MAH-lee). But the Israeli media is control of much of public opinion as well as public language, and today I saw an article in a major…
having trouble seeing the print? קִיצוֹנִי Check out our spring coursesin Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh The Hebrew word for edge or tip is קָצֶה (kah-TZEH). This word figures prominently in the Tabernacle blueprints spelled out in the Torah portions to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world. Two edges are שְׁנֵי קְצָוֹת (she-NEH-ee keh-tsah-VOHT). In Biblical…
having trouble seeing the print? מְגַמַּת הִתְקָרְרוּת Check out our spring coursesin Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh Jerusalem saw snow less than two weeks ago. Then it got warm enough to walk around in tee-shirts and sandals. But it’s getting cold again. A cooling trend is a מְגַמַּת הִתְקָרְרוּת (meh-gah-MAHT heet-kah-reh-ROOT). The word מְגַמָּה (meh-gah-MAH), one that…
having trouble seeing the print? לְיָרֵט Check out our spring courses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh This one’s for Ruti… and for our heroes in southern Israel, civilian and military. This word means to intercept as well as to shoot down: לְיָרֵט (leh-yah-RET). It’s an active-intensive פיעל verb, of the Biblical-Hebrew root י.ר.ט (y.r.t), which means thwart. Interception of rockets…
having trouble seeing the print? לְפַנּוֹת אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן Check out our spring courses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh לְפַנּוֹת means to clear off. For example, I might say, אֲנִי מְפַנֶּה לִי אֶת הַבֹּקֶר כְּדֵי לִנְסוֹעַ עִם דָּנִית לַיָּם (ah-NEE meh-fah-NEH lee et hah-BOH-kehr keh-DEH-ee leen-SOH-ah eem dah-NEET lah-YAHM) – I’m clearing (for myself) the morning in order…
having trouble seeing the print? לְהָזִיז אֶת הַשָּׁעוֹן Check out our spring courses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh Daylight savings time started today in the United States. The Hebrew expression for to move the clock is the same as the English: לְהָזִיז אֶת הַשָּׁעוֹן (leh-hah-ZEEZ et hah-shah-OHN). To move, as in, “I’m moving from one spot on…
having trouble seeing the print? לְהִתְפַּכֵּחַ Check out our spring coursesin Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh For those celebrating Purim outside of Jerusalem, this word is relevant. For those where I’m at… well, we’re not quite ready for it. To become sober is the reflexive-intensive התפעל verb, לְהִתְפַּכֵּח (leh-heet-pah-KEH-ahkh). Its root, פ.כ.ח (p.k.kh), from Aramaic, is nearly identical…
having trouble seeing the print? גָּמוּר, מַסְטוּל This one’s for Ilana in NYC. While some refrain from excessive celebration on פּוּרִים (poo-REEM), others… just go for it. Once they’ve done so, many of them find themselves passed out on the couch. One might point to him and say, הוּא גָּמוּר לְגַמְרֵי (hoo gah-MOOR leh-GAHM-reh –…