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having trouble seeing the print? נְשׁוֹת הַכֹּתֶל   The Women of the Wall have been making the news on a monthly basis (at the opening or head of the (Jewish) month – רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ) for the past while.   Their official Hebrew name, a direct translation, is נְשׁוֹת הַכֹּתֶל       Now, the phrase נשות הכותל (where כותלrefers to…

  having trouble seeing the print? מוֹנִית שֵׁרוּת       I’m in Tel Aviv’s adjacent city פֶּתַח תִּקְוָה  , waiting for bus number 66. In the meantime, a shuttle taxi – intended to compete with the bus – pulls up. I get excited, but just to be sure, I ask the driver whether he will be dropping…

  having trouble seeing the print? שֵׁרוּתִים, בֵּית שִׁמּוּשׁ, חֲדַר נוֹחִיּוּת       As an American, I grew up first going to the bathroom, and then to the restroom. The following symbol I first encountered in Israel.       Turns out that WC (water closet) is the international symbol for the place where people relieve themselves… well,…

  having trouble seeing the print? מַצִּיל     Since the Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world discusses the responsibility people have towards others, here’s a dose about lifeguards. We saw a few weeks ago that the word for to save or to rescue in Hebrew is לְהַצִּיל  . Its root is נ.צ.ל (n.ts.l),…

  having trouble seeing the print? לִשְׁתּוֹל       Last week I wrote about the Hebrew word for to plant – לִנְטוֹעַ  . I’d like to make a couple of corrections and additions to that dose.   1. ט”ו בשבט   (Tu Bishvat) takes place on the 15th of Shevat, not the 16th.   2. לנטוע   means to…

having trouble seeing the print? לִנְטוֹעַ     I will be taking a few days off next week, so there will be a lapse in Your Daily Dose of Hebrew.     Here’s an entry about vacation.    Today is ט”וּ בִּשְׁבָט  , the 15th of the Jewish month of Shevat, the new year for trees.    This “new…

  having trouble seeing the print? הֶקְשֵׁר       Knowing or not knowing the context in which an idea or image is put forth makes a big difference.   The Hebrew word for context is הֶקְשֵׁר  . Its root is ק.שׁ.ר (k.sh.r) meaning connection.   For example:   כְּשֶׁמּוֹצִיאִים פְּרָט מֵחוּץ לְהֶקְשֵׁרוֹ, מַפְסִידִים אֶת הַתְּמוּנָה הַגְּדוֹלָה. When…

  having trouble seeing the print? מַצַּב רוּחַ       Sometimes I feel like singing. And sometimes I don’t. I bet you’re the same way.   The Hebrew term for mood is מַצַּב רוּחַ   – literally, state of spirit or situation of spirit.       The quality of the מצב רוח can often be determined by context, even…