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having trouble seeing the print? לְהִשְׁתָּעֵל listen and repeat If you’re like me and you’ve got a cough that is taking its sweet time to go way, raise your hand. The Hebrew word for to cough is לְהִשְׁתָּעֵל listen and repeat, a reflexive-intensive verb of the root שׁ.ע.ל (sh.a.l) meaning depth and hollowness – when we cough, we exhale…
having trouble seeing the print? חִנּוּךְ, הַשְׂכָּלָה listen and repeat In English, we might talk about grammar-school education, high-school education and a college education, but we use only one noun – education – and add an adjective to get more specific about the level. Hebrew, however, uses two distinct words for two levels of education: חִנּוּךְ listen and repeat refers to education received…
having trouble seeing the print? חָי בְּסֶרֶט listen and repeat Conversational Hebrew Classes Starting Soon… REGISTER NOW! Philosophers and fashion gurus alike argue over whether art imitates life, or whether life imitates art. Regardless of the majority, there certainly are people who model their lives after the movies, to a greater or lesser extent. Often…
having trouble seeing the print? מִפְגָּשׁ listen and repeat Conversational Hebrew Starting Soon… Also in Modiin! REGISTER NOW! See review material at the end of today’s dose! Last week we defined the Hebrew word מִפְגָּשׁ listen and repeat as referring to an informal meeting or a gathering of friends. There’s another, more dramatic meaning to the word: encounter. …
having trouble seeing the print? צַוָּאר listen and repeat Conversational Hebrew Starting Soon… REGISTER NOW! In the Torah portion to be read this week by Jews around the world, the Hebrew word for neck – צַוָּאר listen and repeat – appears prominently, especially in Midrashic interpretations of the Biblical text. Now, צוואר is a masculine noun,…
having trouble seeing the print? שָׁלִיחַ listen and repeat Conversational Hebrew Starting Soon… Also in Modiin! REGISTER NOW! For those of you who have been to Chabad houses in various parts of the world, or have contacted the Jewish Agency or Nefesh B’Nefesh about making aliyah, the word שָׁלִיחַ listen and repeat – emissary – may ring a bell. …
having trouble seeing the print? עָצוּב, עֲצוּבָה listen and repeat The Hebrew word for sad is עצוב listen and repeat in the masculine and עצובה listen and repeat in the feminine. For example: כְּשֶׁאֲנִי קוֹרֵא עַל טַיְפוּן הַייאֶן, אֲנִי מַרְגִּישׁ עָצוּב. As I read about Typhoon Haiyan, I feel sad. listen עצוב comes from…
having trouble seeing the print? מַעֲבַר גְּבוּל listen and repeat Mid-Fall Hebrew Courses Register Now! The Biblical Jacob crossed the Jordan River with his family and belongings, just as today people cross that river between the countries Israel and Jordan. The Hebrew term for border crossing is מַעֲבַר גְּבוּל listen and repeat. A מַעֲבָר listen…
having trouble seeing the print? וָרֹד, וְרֻדָּה listen and repeat Mid-Fall Hebrew Courses Starting Soon! Register Now! See review material at the end of today’s dose! In the Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world, Jacob has a vision of עַתֻּדִים… וּבְרֻדִּים listen – billy goats… (and) speckled….
וֶרֶד, שׁוֹשַׁנָּה Modern Hebrew has two words for rose: וֶרֶד and שׁוֹשַנָּה. Both are also names given to Israeli baby girls (שושנה is the original Hebrew for the English name Susanna), though not as often today as in previous generations. While ורד first appears in the later Mishnaic Hebrew, שושנה first appears in Biblical Hebrew…
having trouble seeing the print? פְּגִישָׁה, מִפְגָּשׁ, אָסֵפָה, יְשִׁיבָה listen and repeat Mid-Fall Hebrew Courses Starting Soon! Register Now! As you can tell from the title, there are many words in Hebrew for meeting. Here’s a digest for you. פגישה The most common word for meeting is פְּגִישָׁה listen and repeat. It comes from…