Your Daily Dose of Hebrew

  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? 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 –…

  having trouble seeing the print? נִצְחִי     Check out our spring courses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh   There are a few ways of saying forever in Hebrew. One is לְעוֹלָם (leh-oh-LAHM), employing the original Biblical meaning of the word עולם (oh-LAHM) – eternity. In Modern Hebrew (as well as in late Biblical Hebrew), עולם means world….

  having trouble seeing the print? מֻמְלָץ     Check out our spring courses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana, Efrat and Ramat Beit Shemesh Yesterday we had the word for recommendation – הַמְלָצָה (hahm-lah-TSAH). This is the noun form of the active-causative הפעיל verb to recommend – לְהַמְלִיץ (leh-hahm-LEETS). Today I’d like to introduce the word for recommended – מֻמְלָץ…