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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fremdsprachen
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022
Discover Hebrew with the world's most straightforward guide to one of the world's most beautiful languages. Shalom! Are you ready to dive into an ancient-yet-modern and rich language full of nuance? Then open up Hebrew For Dummies and get started learning your way around Hebrew by immersing yourself in its sounds and rhythms. You'll start with the basics--like simple grammar and the Hebrew alphabet--before you move onto commonly used phrases and small-talk. This book gets you used to the more unfamiliar sounds of the Hebrew language--like gutturals--that English speakers aren't used to seeing. It will also help you: * Recognize what Hebrew has in common with English (and what it doesn't) * Learn to read from right to left, get a handle on the basics of Hebrew grammar, and pick up your first few phrases * Discover commonly used expressions that help you get around, shop, eat, and have fun Complete with online resources that help you pick up Hebrew by listening to real speakers have actual conversations, Hebrew For Dummies is the perfect companion to help you work your way towards Hebrew fluency!
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Hebrew For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
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Copyright © 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022932609
ISBN: 978-1-119-86202-4 (pbk); 978-1-119-86203-1 (ebk); 978-1-119-86204-8 (ebk)
Hebrew For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Hebrew For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Getting Started with Hebrew
Chapter 1: You Already Know Some Hebrew
Taking Stock of What’s Familiar
Speaking Hebrew Like a Native
Counting in Hebrew
Recognizing Tips to Help You Read Hebrew
Chapter 2: The Nitty-Gritty: Basic Hebrew Grammar
Making Sense of Hebrew Syntax
Recognizing Parts of Speech
Understanding Gender and Number
Chapter 3: Shalom, Shalom!: Meeting and Greeting
Greeting and Saying Goodbye
Making Grand Introductions
Getting Better Acquainted
Extending and Responding to Invitations
Asking Questions: The Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How
Part 2: Hebrew in Action
Chapter 4: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk
Shootin’ the Breeze
Talking About Yourself and Your Family
Chatting About the Weather
Six Days You Shall Labor: Talking About Work
Getting Addresses, Phone Numbers, Email, and Instagram/Twitter handles
Chapter 5: Eat! Eat! You’re So Thin!
Jewish Love Means Never Having to Say “I’m Hungry”
Getting Down to Business: Food, Glorious Food!
Matching Adjectives and Nouns
Taking Your Grocery List to the Market
Going Out for a Bite
Chapter 6: Going Shopping
Exploring Places to Shop
Selecting the Perfect Outfit
Styling Your Clothes around the Seasons
Color Me Beautiful
The Israeli Fashion Scene
Getting More (and Less) Than You Bargained For
Chapter 7: Having Fun Hebrew Style
Counting the Hours and Minutes
Discovering the Days in a Week
Catching Some Culture
The Israeli Music Scene
The Animals Went on the Ark Two by Two: Visiting the Zoo!
Spicing Up Your Sentences with Adverbs
Chapter 8: Enjoying Your Free Time: Hobbies, Sports, and Other Fun Activities
Chatting About Your Hobbies
Playing and Watching Sports
Venturing Outdoors for Some Fun
Boogieing Till You Drop
Chapter 9: Talking on the Phone
Dialing Up the Basics
Asking for People and Getting the Message
Making Arrangements over the Phone
Talking About the Past: How Was Your Shabbat?
Chapter 10: At the Office and Around the House
Finding Your Way Around Your Job
Working from Home
Hanging Out at Home
Residing in an Apartment
Commanding People: Do As I Say
Part 3: Hebrew on the Go
Chapter 11: Planning and Taking a Trip
Choosing Your Final Destination (And When You Want to Go)
Coming and Going: Knowing Where You Are
Discussing the Future: Verb Forms and Popular Expressions
Finding the Hotel That’s Right for You
Checking In: Names, Addresses and Room Numbers
Checking Out and Paying the Bill
Staying at an Airbnb
Making Sure You Don’t Get Lost
Giving and Understanding Directions For Lost Souls
Keeping North, South, East, and West Straight
Chapter 12: Getting Around: Flying, Driving, and Riding
Getting Through the Airport
Renting a Vehicle and a Phone to Go with It
Navigating Public Transportation
Being Early or Late
Chapter 13: Money, Money, Money
Going to the Bank
Changing Money
Flowing with the Currency
Using Credit Cards
Using Electronic and Digital Currency
Directing Your Objects
Chapter 14: Handling Emergencies
Tackling Your Uncooperative Car
Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News
Getting Help After You’ve Been Robbed
Part 4: Diving Deeper into Hebrew Life
Chapter 15: An Introduction to Israel
Discovering Multicultural Israel
Touring Israeli Cities and Towns
Starting at the Beginning: A Brief History Lesson
Chapter 16: War and Peace
The Big Bang
War
Paths to Peace
Environmental Cooperation May Be the Key
Part 5: Sacred Hebrew
Chapter 17: Let's Get Biblical
Figuring Out the Word Order in Biblical Hebrew
Emphasizing When God Really Meant It
Wishing, Intending, and Prohibiting
Deciphering One-Word Wonders
Counting Down the Greatest Biblical Hits
Chapter 18: Like a Prayer
Blessing: The Basics
Spiritually Speaking: Figuring Your Way around the Prayer Book
Making Prayer Meaningful
Chapter 19: Sacred Time, Sacred Space
Going to a Synagogue
Checking Out Holy Words for Holy Days
All My Life’s a Circle: Jewish Life-Cycle Events
Part 6: The Part of Tens
Chapter 20: Ten Books on Hebrew You Just Gotta Have
Hebrew Roots. Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World
Hebrew: The Eternal Language
The Tongue of the Prophets: The Life Story of Eliezer Ben Yehuda
The Hebrew Alphabet: A Mystical Journey
Hebrew Talk: 101 Hebrew Roots And The Stories They Tell
Aleph-Bet Yoga: Embodying the Hebrew Letters for Physical and Spiritual Well-Being
The Word: The Dictionary that Reveals the Hebrew Source of English
How the Hebrew Language Grew
The Story of Hebrew
Poems of Jerusalem and Love Poems
Chapter 21: Ten Favorite Hebrew Expressions
Mazal Tov
B’Karov Etzlehḥ
Titchadesh
B’Teavon
B’Ezrat HaShem
Yishar Koahḥ
Dash
Nu
Kol HaKavod
L’Ḥaim
Chapter 22: Ten Great Israeli Phrases
Mah Pitom
Yesh G’vul L’Chol Ta’alul
Pa’am Shlishit Glidah
Im K’var, Az K’var
B’Shum Panim VaOfen Lo
Stam
Betahḥ
Ḥ
aval Al HaZ’man
Ḥ
azak V’Amatz
Yehiyeh Tov
Appendix A: Verb Tables
Appendix B: Hebrew–English Mini-Dictionary
English–Hebrew Mini-Dictionary
Appendix C: Answer Key
Chapter 1: You Already Know Some Hebrew
Chapter 2: The Nitty Gritty: Basic Hebrew Grammar
Chapter 3: Shalom, Shalom! Meeting and Greeting
Chapter 4: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk
Chapter 5: Eat! Eat! You’re So Thin!
Chapter 6: Going Shopping
Chapter 7: Having Fun Hebrew Style
Chapter 8: Enjoying Your Free Time: Hobbies, Sports, and Other Fun Activities
Chapter 9: Talking on the Phone
Chapter 10: At the Office and Around the House
Chapter 11: Planning and Taking a Trip
Chapter 12: Getting Around: Flying, Driving, and Riding
Chapter 13: Money, Money, Money
Chapter 14: Handling Emergencies
Chapter 17: Let’s Get Biblical
Chapter 18: Like a Prayer
Chapter 19: Sacred Time, Sacred Space
Index
About the Author
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 1
TABLE 1-1 Counting from 1 to 10
TABLE 1-2 Counting from 11 to 19
TABLE 1-3 Counting Multiples of 10
TABLE 1-4 Counting from 21 to 29
TABLE 1-5 The Hebrew Alphabet
TABLE 1-6 The Long Vowels
TABLE 1-7 The Short Vowels
Chapter 2
TABLE 2-1 Identifying Some Common Nouns
TABLE 2-2 Personal Pronouns Used as Subjects
TABLE 2-3 Personal Pronouns Used as Objects
TABLE 2-4 Stand-Alone Possessive Pronouns
TABLE 2-5 Male and Female Pronomial Suffixes
TABLE 2-6 Nonbinary Pronominal Suffixes
TABLE 2-7 Exploring Some Common Adjectives
TABLE 2-8 Some Common Present-Tense Verbs
TABLE 2-9 Common Adverbs
TABLE 2-10 Hebrew Prepositions
Chapter 3
TABLE 3-1 Words to Describe How You Feel
Chapter 4
TABLE 4-1 All in the Family
TABLE 4-2 Calling in the Professionals
Chapter 7
TABLE 7-1 Conjugating
לִהְיוֹת
(...
TABLE 7-2 Animals You May See at a Zoo
Chapter 8
TABLE 8-1 Common Soccer Terms
TABLE 8-2 Common Basketball Terms
TABLE 8-3 Common Baseball Terms
TABLE 8-4 Other Popular Sports
TABLE 8-5 Popular Outdoor Activities
Chapter 9
TABLE 9-1 Verb Suffixes
Chapter 11
TABLE 11-1 Rattling Off the Months
TABLE 11-2 Names of Countries
TABLE 11-3 Common Hotel Amenities
TABLE 11-4 Information to Know When You Check into a Hotel
TABLE 11-5 Looking for Locations
TABLE 11-6 Giving and Understanding Directions
Chapter 13
TABLE 13-1 Looking at Hebrew Prepositions
Chapter 14
TABLE 14-1 Helpful Words to Use with a Mechanic
TABLE 14-2 Body Parts
Chapter 17
TABLE 17-1 Checking Out Biblical Word Order
TABLE 17-2 Looking at Biblical Verbs
List of Illustrations
Chapter 15
FIGURE 15-1: The expulsion of the Jews.
FIGURE 15-2: The Pale of Settlement.
FIGURE 15-3: The Middle East under Ottoman control.
FIGURE 15-4: Israel in 1948.
Guide
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Appendix A: Verb Tables
Appendix B: Hebrew–English Mini-Dictionary
Appendix C: Answer Key
Index
About the Author
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Introduction
Hebrew is an incredible language. If you’re picking up this book, I'm guessing that you have at least a passing interest in the subject, which thrills me because I think that Hebrew is an amazing, fascinating, and beautiful language. It’s the only language in the history of the world to go from a deep freeze to a fully thawed, living, spoken language again. When you speak Hebrew, you’re part of that amazing linguistic history. Whether you’re interested in Hebrew because you want to communicate with your Israeli cousins, want to brush up on the subject so you can understand prayers and other sacred Jewish literature better, or want to impress your Jewish in-laws, Hebrew For Dummies can help.
About This Book
This book is a great place to start regardless of your motivation for picking up or dusting off your Hebrew skills. It won’t make you fluent overnight (though wouldn’t that be nice?) or turn you into a Biblical scholar, but Hebrew For Dummies can give you a solid foundation in both conversational Hebrew and the Hebrew of prayer, sacred texts, and holidays. As if that’s not enough, I also share with you my love of things Jewish and the delightful, sometimes quirky culture of the modern State of Israel, where the largest group of Hebrew speakers resides today. But if you aren’t planning on taking a trip to the Middle East, don’t worry: Hebrew is alive and well all over the world. You can find plenty of opportunities to practice your language skills. (If you’re not sure where to turn, I have you covered with some tips on where you can find Hebrew speakers and Hebrew sources right here in North America.) בְּהַצְלָחָה! (beh-hahtz-lah-ḥah; Good luck! Much success to you!)
This book is only the beginning — but I hope it’s a good one! You can pick up a language only through exposure and repetition, so go online and listen to the audio files for this book again and again. Be sure to practice, practice, and (you knew it was coming) practice. Go to places where you hear Hebrew and speak Hebrew in your home and workplace. Teach your favorite Hebrew words and expressions to everyone you know. Before you know it, Hebrew will creep into your mind, soul, and heart, and you’ll speak it day and night!
Here are a couple of conventions that I use in this book for your reading pleasure:
For this second edition, we’re proud to include the Hebrew letters for each word (with vowels), along with the pronunciation (how to say the word) and translation (what the word means in English). In the pronunciations, the stressed syllables are italicized.
Because Hebrew language is often gender-specific (with masculine and feminine nouns, verb forms, and so on; see
Chapter 2
for an explanation of gender), I’ve included the following abbreviations wherever necessary:
Masculine singular (MS)
Feminine singular (FS)
Nonbinary singular (NB)
Masculine plural (MP)
Feminine plural (FP)
To help you develop your language skills, For Dummies language books include
Talkin’ the Talk dialogues:
Here’s where you get to see Hebrew in action. These relatively short, real-life dialogues use the vocabulary and grammatical concepts that I introduce in the book.
Words to Know blackboards:
Here’s where you can find the key words and phrases I introduce. It’s all here: the word as it’s written in Hebrew, the proh-nun-see-aye-shun, and the translation.
Fun & Games activities:
I’m a teacher; I just can’t help myself. So, at the end of each chapter, I include some fun little exercises to help reinforce your newly acquired Hebrew.
Foolish Assumptions
My father taught me never to assume anything. He even had a little ditty about assumptions that I won’t repeat here. But my editor said that I had to come up with some assumptions about you, the reader. So here they are:
You know no Hebrew — or if you learned Hebrew in religious school, you don’t remember a word of it.
You’re not looking for a book that will make you fluent in Hebrew; you just want to know some words, phrases, and sentence constructions so that you can communicate basic information in Hebrew.
You don’t want to have to memorize long lists of vocabulary words or a bunch of boring grammar rules.
You’re inexplicably drawn to all yellow-and-black books.
You want to have fun and pick up some Hebrew at the same time.
Do any descriptions sound like you? Well, good. I bet you’re in good company.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is organized into six parts plus an appendix. The six parts are broken down into chapters. I’ve organized the chapters around active topics — things you want to do (like go to a bank, go to a restaurant, or go to a synagogue). Each chapter gives you the lowdown on the Hebrew you need to know to get by while doing that activity. And, though I know that you don’t want to be bogged down by grammar rules, I sneak a grammatical tidbit or two into each chapter. Don’t worry: I make these brief excursions as quick and painless as possible.
Part 1: Getting Started
This part of the book starts with the basics. I introduce you to the Hebrew letters and vowels and give you some basic Hebrew vocabulary. I explain how I represent the Hebrew sounds in English letters (so you don’t have to crack your teeth reading the Hebrew, although I encourage you to try). In Part 1, I also give you a basic grounding in Hebrew grammar.
Part 2: Hebrew in Action
Here’s where I really get going. In these chapters, I give you basic Hebrew vocabulary to start using in your daily life — when you rise up, when you lie down, in your home, and when you walk (to quote from an important Hebrew prayer). Part 2 gives you the words to meet and greet, flirt and work, eat and drink, and shop ’til you drop. I also give you vocabulary to use when you go out for a night on the town and when you talk about it on the phone the next day. And I give you all the words you need when you’re hanging out at home and cleaning up your place after you’ve made a mess.
Part 3: Hebrew on the Go
Here’s where I start to get practical. I cover dealing with money, going to the bank, asking directions, getting around using various forms of transportation (funny thing — I don’t mention camels; oh well), and hitting the road for a trip. So, if travel bug has paid you a visit, take a look at Part 3. I give you the words and phrases you need for planning the trip. And I also give you some vocabulary for handling — God forbid — an emergency.
Part 4: Israeli Life
When you travel to Israel or converse with Israelis about Israeli life, you’ll need a specialized vocabulary. In these chapters, I’ve got you covered. You’ll learn the names of some Israeli cities and towns, Israel’s diverse religious, cultural and ethnic groups, and how to talk about Israel’s history, conflicts and quest for peace. There’s even a bit of Arabic in these chapters, too.
Part 5: Sacred Hebrew
Where would Hebrew be without Judaism? In this part, I present the sacred side of the Hebrew language. I tell you all about blessings, prayers, and Jewish holidays.
Part 6: The Part of Tens
What would a For Dummies book be without one of these? I’ll put my top ten lists up against anyone’s. In this section, I give you ten Israeli sayings so you can sound like a real צַבָּר (tzah-bahr; native Israeli), plus the top-ten Hebrew sayings heard in the Jewish Diaspora (that’s everywhere outside of the Land of Israel). I also give you a list of some great reads about the wonderful, wild, and wacky world of Hebrew. It’s all here.
Appendixes
Here’s all the nuts and bolts. The cogs that make Hebrew run — verb tables and a Hebrew-English/English-Hebrew dictionary. And it doesn’t stop there. I put the answers to the Fun & Games activities (which you find at the end of each chapter) here too. This is the place to go when you want some information, and you want it fast.
Icons Used in This Book
Sometimes, I want to point out something that’s especially important or interesting: a grammatical concept, something to remember, a tip to help you with your Hebrew skills, or a bit of insider insight into the wonderful world of Jewish culture. In these cases, I use the following icons, which you can find in the margins.
This icon accompanies helpful tips for picking up the Hebrew language.
Think of this icon as that string around your finger that reminds you of all the little things you’ve gotta do but tend to forget. This icon flags important concepts that you have to keep in mind while you study Hebrew. You know what they say: God is in the details.
This little guy is by far my favorite icon. When you see this icon, you know that I’ve taken the opportunity to cram in all sorts of interesting information about the Jewish world — religious and secular — in Israel and the Jewish Diaspora (lands outside Israel).
Ah, grammar. Can’t live with it; can’t live without it. This icon alerts you to instances where I point out the quirks of the Hebrew language and all those grammar rules that underlie the language’s structure.
The website associated with this book gives you the opportunity to hear Hebrew in action. The site features audio files of native Hebrew speakers bringing to life some of the dialogues from the pages of this book. I bet you’ll be amazed by how beautiful Hebrew can sound. Check it out at: www.dummies.com/go/hebrewfd2e.
I really tried to make this foray into Hebrew as painless as possible for you, but every now and then, I felt the need to explain things in technical terms. Don’t worry — you can skip the paragraphs marked with this icon and still get all the Hebrew you need for basic conversation.
Beyond the Book
In addition to what you’re reading right now, this book comes with a free, access-anywhere Cheat Sheet containing tips and techniques for learning Hebrew faster. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to https://www.dummies.com and type Hebrew For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the search box.
Where to Go from Here
First, the good news: You don’t have to read this entire book. In fact, you don’t have to read any of it. (But if that’s the case, you probably wouldn’t have bought it.) Anyway, here’s my point: This book is organized so that you can read only the chapters that interest you and skip the rest. At no point in the text do I assume that you’ve read any of my scintillating writing in other chapters or sections, and I won’t get insulted if you want to read only certain chapters.
If you’re interested in the religious stuff, by all means, go straight to chapters 17, 18, and 19. But if you’re interested in the day-to-day stuff, or if you just want to know how to ask that cute Israeli out on a date, Chapter 3 may be your cup of tea. Take a look at the table of contents and turn to the chapter that most interests you. Go ahead and do it! Read this book out of order. Skip chapters. I won’t tell anyone. In fact, I’ll never know.
All right, all right, I do have to add a few exceptions to the read-anything-you-want rule. You’ll probably want to read Chapter 1, which gives you an overview of the book. And if you’re a grammar geek, you’ll looooove Chapter 2. If you aren’t a grammar geek (most people despise the stuff, and I can’t say that I blame them), you may want to look at Chapter 2 anyway. Here’s a tip from someone who knows: After you understand the basics of Hebrew grammar, picking up the rest of the language is a cakewalk. So, consider checking out Chapter 2.
Part 1
Getting Started with Hebrew
IN THIS PART …
See the links between Hebrew and English.
Master the basics of Hebrew grammar.
Say “Hello” — and “Goodbye”.
Chapter 1
You Already Know Some Hebrew
IN THIS CHAPTER
Identifying English-sounding words in Hebrew
Recalling Hebrew sayings and words
Figuring out English words that come from Hebrew
Counting in Hebrew
Eyeing the Hebrew alphabet
!בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא (Bah-rooh Hah-Bah!; Welcome to Hebrew!) In studying Hebrew, you’re joining millions of other Hebrew speakers around the world. Its two centers are Israel (of course) and North America, which is home to many Hebrew newspapers, Hebrew-speaking camps and schools, and institutions. You’re also speaking the Bible’s original language and one of the most ancient languages still spoken today. Furthermore, you’re speaking the only language in the history of the world known to have undergone a revival, returning fully to being a spoken language after hundreds — perhaps even 2,000 — years of being relegated to correspondence, literature, and the sacred world of prayer and the Bible.
Hebrew was once almost exclusively a holy language — a language of prayers and ritual, of the Bible and other sacred texts, and a language above the humdrum of the everyday. That’s no longer true. The same ancient and holy tongue is now the language of sunbathing on the beach, eating dinner, going to the doctor, and carrying out the myriad events of everyday life.
All languages are portals — openings to culture and friendship, literature, and ideas. Discover any one of these portals, and a whole new world opens up to you. Discover Hebrew, and a whole Jewish and Israeli world is yours.
Taking Stock of What’s Familiar
If you’ve ever been to a synagogue or had a bit of Jewish education, you probably know a little Hebrew already. But even if you’ve never walked through a synagogue’s door or studied anything Jewish, you probably still know some Hebrew words. You’ve probably heard the word amen, for example. That word is Hebrew! Amen comes from a word meaning “faith” or “belief,” and people usually say it at the end of a prayer. And the word Hallelujah? Hebrew again! The word literally means “Praise God.” Even the word alphabet derives from the Hebrew words for the first two letters of its alphabet, aleph and bet. (To see what the Hebrew alphabet looks like, check out “Recognizing Tips to Help You Read Hebrew” later in this chapter.)
You may have heard other Jewish words, of course, such as שלעפּ (shlehp; to drag or pull) and קְוֶעְהְהָשׁ (kvehtsh; to complain), which are actually Yiddish (the language of the Jews of Eastern Europe combining Old High German, Hebrew, and other languages) and are part of the Israeli vernacular today. You may never have thought about other words that have Hebrew roots. Did you know that cinnamon is a derivative of the Hebrew word קִנָּמוֹן (kee-nah-mohn), which appears in the biblical book The Song of Songs? The English word dilute may derive from the Hebrew word דַּל (dahl), which means “weak” or “thin” and first appears in the biblical book of Genesis.
Some people claim that Hebrew is the mother of all languages. No matter what its history or origin, Hebrew, a language that has its origins in the Fertile Crescent, has crept into North American spoken English. This process works in reverse, too, as many English words and phrases have crept into the Hebrew language. Interestingly enough, although you as an English speaker may identify some words as English, some of them derive from Italian and French, which shows the universality of certain words. But if you say the following words with an Israeli accent, you’re speaking Hebrew!
Hamburger
Macaroni
Pizza
Cafe
Radio
Internet
Telephone
Incidentally, The Academy for Hebrew Language, the institute responsible for creating Modern Hebrew words, created an authentic Hebrew word for the telephone. The academy called the telephone a שָׂח-רָחוֹק (sahch-rah-chohk), which put together the words for conversation and long distance. So, telephone translated as “long-distance conversation.” Pretty clever, huh? This word didn’t stick with the Israeli public, however, so הֵלֵפוֹן (telephone) it is.
INTRODUCING THE ACADEMY FOR HEBREW LANGUAGE
Hebrew, the language of the Bible, is spoken today in Israel and around the world as a modern language. The question, of course, is where all these modern words come from? Who decides? The answer is הָאָקָדֶמְיָה לַלָּשׁוֹן הָעִבְרִית, (ha-ah-kah-dee-mee-yah la-lh-shon hah-eev-reett; The Academy for Hebrew Language), an institute founded in Israel in 1953 to oversee the language’s development and to create new words as the need arose in a manner consistent with Hebrew’s historical development. So, although Hebrew is an ancient biblical language, new words needed to be developed, such as high tech (תַּעֲשִׂיָּהעָלִית; tah-ah see-yat ee-leet) and start-up company (חֶבְרַת הֶזְנֵק; hehv-raht hehz-nehk), surfboard (גַּלְשָׁן; gahl-shan), jet lag (יַעֶפֶת; yah-eh-feht), and even — when you’ve had a few too many — hangover (חֲמַרְמֹרֶת; ḥah-mahr-moh-reht).
Other timely words include נְגִישׁוּת (neh-shee-goot; affordability), חֲרִיגָנוּת (ḥahr- ree-gahn-oot; exceptionalism), נְתוּנֵי עָתֵק (nee-too-nee ah-tahk; big data), תַּג הַקְבָּצָה (tahg-hahk -bahk-tzah; hashtag), הַעֲלָמַת זֶהוּת (heet-ahm-aht zah-hoot; anonymization), עִילוּת (ee-loot; gentrification), אַחֲוָה (ah-vah; solidarity), and ְ תַּצלוּם מָסָךְ (tahtz-loom mahḥ screen shot).
The Israeli public doesn’t accept all the words the academy invents, of course, although the academy’s decisions are binding for government documents and the official Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Israelis aren’t above taking matters into their own hands and creating words of their own. In the 1990s, Motorola Israel Corporation introduced wireless phones, coining the new word פֶּלֶא-פוֹן pela-phone (meaning “wonder phone).” You can find out more about the academy at: https://hebrew-academy.org.il/. Here’s a great video on the Academy (it’s in Hebrew, but there are English subtitles); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY62gLh10CM You can even check out their Facebook page and “like” it at www.facebook.com/AcademyOfTheHebrewLanguage.
Speaking Hebrew Like a Native
When speaking a foreign language, you want to sound as authentic as possible. Use the tips in the following sections to start. The most important parts of sounding like a native are persistence and practice — and then some more practice! Listen to the dialogues from this book (available online) as much as possible. Spend as much time listening to Hebrew spoken by native speakers as you can.
Memorizing vocabulary and certain stock phrases and repeating them to yourself until you can say them at quite a clip is also helpful. In no time at all, you may fool people into thinking that you speak Hebrew fluently — or close to fluently, anyway.
Stressing out (not)
The first tip I give you has to do with the way syllables are stressed. In American English, we often stress or place emphasis on the first syllable in each word, as in “When speaking a foreign language … .” But Hebrew often places the emphasis on the last syllable. So, if you were speaking that previous phrase with an Israeli accent, you’d place your emphasis on the last syllable: “When speaking a foreign language … .”
GESTURING LIKE THE BEST OF THEM
Gestures provide the flourishing touch to help you seem like a native speaker. Use the following gestures when you‘re speaking in Israel:
Holding one hand at about shoulder level with the palm upright and all the fingers cupped together in the center means ! רֶגַע (reh-gah; wait a minute).When you want to catch a cab, point your index finger down at the ground, indicating that you want the cab to stop where you’re pointing.In Israel, the American thumbs-up sign has traditionally been seen as an unfriendly gesture that means you’re בְּרֹגֶז (broh-gehz; mad or pissed off at someone).
Interestingly, an ad campaign in Israel once encouraged kids to make a thumbs-up sign to drivers when they’re crossing the street, with the drivers returning the thumbs-up as an indication that they see the children and will let them cross without running them over. So, thumbs-up is taking on a positive connotation!
Getting out the gutturals
The second piece of advice I’ll give you has to do with certain Hebrew letters that are pronounced at the back of the throat. Use these tips to pronounce them:
ע (eye-
yeen
): This letter makes a barely audible guttural sound in the back of the throat. For practical purposes, this letter is nearly a silent syllable.
כ (
ḥ
ahf
): This letter makes a sound you don’t hear in English. It’s a hard H sound, like the one you make when you clear your throat. In this book it is written as an
ḥ
.
ח (
ḥ
eht
): This letter makes a strong throaty H sound. In this book, this syllable is written as
ḥ
.
ר (
raysh
): Traditionally this letter makes an R sound as in
round
. To sound like a native, roll this syllable like a Spanish R, and try to produce the sound from the back of your throat.
Find out about the rest of the Hebrew alphabet in “Recognizing Tips to Help You Read Hebrew” later in this chapter.
A PEOPLE DISPERSED, A LANGUAGE INTACT
Hebrew served as the vernacular during the ancient Jewish commonwealth until it was conquered by the Romans in 70 CE (Common Era). Then Jews fanned out across the globe to Asia, Africa, and Europe. Even though they were dispersed, the Jewish people continued to practice their religion (Judaism) and remained literate in their language (Hebrew).
Hebrew continued to be the language of prayer, study, and correspondence for Jewish people. Gradually, Jews adopted the languages of their host countries as their spoken language. They mixed Hebrew with their host countries’ languages, giving rise to new Jewish languages such as Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, and Yiddish.
In the 1800s, a movement began to revive Hebrew as a spoken language. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda championed the cause and moved to אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (eh-rehtz yees-rah-ehl; the Land of Israel) to revive Hebrew, writing the first Modern Hebrew dictionary. Today, Hebrew is one of the two official languages in Israel (Arabic being the other) and is a living, spoken language for millions of Israelis and other Hebrew speakers across the globe.
Opening your mouth to say “Ah!”
Third, watch the pronunciation of your vowels. When pronouncing the ah sound, pronounce that vowel fully. Open your mouth wide and say “Ah” as though you were at the doctor’s office. Hebrew doesn’t have a short i sound (like the vowel sound in sit), so any time you see an i, remember to make it a long sound, like the ee in Whoopee! In Hebrew, oh sounds are long, as in over.
Hebrew is a Mediterranean language, and as such, it has a certain nasal quality. More so than in English — but actually a lot like in French — you use your nasal cavity when making sounds. Here’s a less-technical tip: When speaking Hebrew, try to fake a French accent. At the very least, your Hebrew will sound better than it does with an American accent!
Counting in Hebrew
Learning how to count is fundamental to the study of any language. Hebrew divides words into masculine and feminine genders (see Chapter 2), and numbers are no different; they have masculine and feminine forms. You may feel a little confused, but don’t worry! Table 1-1 gives you the cardinal numbers (the numbers you use for counting) from 1 to 10. When you want to count without counting objects, use the feminine form. See “Counting objects” later in this chapter to find out how to incorporate gender into numbers.
TABLE 1-1 Counting from 1 to 10
Number
Masculine
Feminine
1
אֶחָד (eh-ḥad)
אַחַת (ah-ḥat)
2
שְׁנַיִם (shnah-eem)
שְׁתַּיִם (shta-yim)
3
שְׁלוֹשָׁה (shloh-sha)
h שָׁלוֹשׁ (sha-lohsh)
4
אַרְבָּעָה (ahr-bah-ah)
אַרְבַּע (ahr-bah)
5
חֲמִשָּׁה (ḥah-mee-shah)
חָמֵשׁ (ḥah-mesh)
6
שִׁשָּׁה (shee-shah)
שֵׁישׁ (shesh)
7
שִׂבַּע (sheev-ah)
שֶׁבַע (she-vah)
8
שְׁמוֹנָה (shmoh-nah)
שְׁמוֹנֶה (shmoh-neh)
9
תִּשְׁעָה (teesh-ah)
תֵּשַׁע (tey-sha)
10
עֲשָׂרָה (ah-sah-rah)
r עֶשֶׂר (eh-sehr)
Counting objects
The gender of the number you use when you want to count something depends on the gender of the noun you’re counting. (Sound confusing? Don’t worry. You can do it.) Counting objects in Hebrew is easy. Just remember to do the following things:
Figure out the gender of the noun you’re counting.
If you want to talk about one book, first you must figure out whether the noun
book
is masculine or feminine. (It’s masculine.) So, when you count books, you need to use the masculine form of the number.
Place the number appropriately before or after the noun.
For the number 1, you place the number after the noun. So rather than saying “one book,” you say, “book one” (סֵפֶר אֶחָד;
seh
-fehr eh-
chad
). But after you get to the number two, place the number before the noun. In Hebrew, the plural of
סֵפֶר
is
סְפָרִים
(sfah-
reem; books
). So, to say “two books,” you say שְׁנֵי סְפָרִים (
shnay
sfah-
reem
); for “three books,” say שְׁלוֹשָׁה סְפָרִים (shloh-
shah
sfah-
reem
); for “four books,” say אַרְבָּעָה סְפָרִים (ahr-bah-
ah
sfah-
reem
); and so on.
The number 2 in Hebrew is an exception. When you’re specifying two of something, say “two boys” (יְלָדִים; yuh-lah-deem) or “two girls” (יְלָדוֹת; yuh-lah-doht), and drop the last syllable (im) of the number 2. So, you get יְלָדִים (two boys) and שְׁתֵּי יְלָדוֹת (two girls). Drop the im regardless of the noun you’re counting.
Counting higher
To form the numbers 11–19, place the second number in front of the 10. In the masculine form, for example, 11 is אַחַד עָשָׂר. In the feminine form, 11 is אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה (ah-chaht es-reh). Table 1-2 shows the numbers 11–19.
Use the appropriate gender for the 10 and the additional number that makes up the compound number.
The multiples of ten (10, 20, 30, and so on) are easy because these numbers are gender-neutral. Table 1-3 shows the multiples of 10.
TABLE 1-2 Counting from 11 to 19
Number
Masculine
Feminine
11
אַחַד עָשָׂר (eh-ḥad ah-sahr)
אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה (ah-ḥaht ehs-reh)
12
שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר (shnehym ah-sahr)
שְׁתַּיִם עֶשְׂרֵה (shtehym ehs-reh)
13
שָׁלוֹשׁ עָשָׂר (shloh-sha ah-sahr)
שְׁלוֹשָׁה עֶשְׂרֵה (shlosh-ehsreh)
14
ַ אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר (ahr-bah-ah ah-sahr)
אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה (ahr-bah es-reh)
15
חֲמִשָּׁה עֶשֶׂר (ḥah-mee-shah ah-sahr)
חָמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה (ḥah-mesh es-reh)
16
שִׁשָּׁה עֶשֶׂר (shee-shah ah-sahr)
שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲשָׂרָה (shehsh ehs-reh)
17
שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר (sheev-ah ah-sahr)
שְׁבַע עֲשָׂרָה (shvah es-reh)
18
שְׁמוֹנָה עֶשֶׂר (shmoh-nah ah-sahr)
שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה (shmoh-neh ehs-reh)
19
ש תִּשְׁעָה עָשָׂר (teesh-ah ah-sahr)
תְּשַּׁע עֶשְׂרֵה (tshah-esreh)
TABLE 1-3 Counting Multiples of 10
Number
Hebrew
Pronunciation
20
עֶשְׂרִים
ehs-reem
30
שְׁלוֹשִׁים
shloh-sheem
40
אַרְבָּעִים
ahr-bah-eem
50
חֲמִשִּׁים
ḥah-mee-sheem
60
שִׁשִּׁים
shee-sheem
70
שִׁבְעִים
sheev-eem
80
שְׁמוֹנִים
shmoh-neem
90
תִּשְׁעִים
teesh-eem
If you want to say something like “21” or “47,” however, you have to pay attention to gender again. (See Table 1-4.) The pattern for making these numbers is to state the number in the tens, such as עֶשְׂרִים (ehs-reem; 20) and then add the word for and (וְ’; veh), followed by the single number, such as אֶחָד (eh-chad; one). So, 21 would be עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד (ehs-reem veh-eh-chad).
TABLE 1-4 Counting from 21 to 29
Number
Masculine
Feminine
21
עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד (ehs-reem veh-eh-ḥahd)
עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת (ehs-reem veh-ah-ḥat)
22
עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם (ehs-reem oosh-nah-yim)
עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם (ehs-reem ush-tah-yeem)
23
עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלוֹשָׁה (ehs-reem oosh-loh-sah)
עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ (ehs-reem veh-shah-lohsh)
24
עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה (ehs-reem veh-ahr-bah-ah)
עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע (ehs-reem veh-ahr-bah)
25
עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה (ehs-reem vah-ḥah-mee-shah)
עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ (ehs-reem veh-ḥah-mesh)
26
עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׂבַּע (ehs-reem veh-sheev- ah)
עֶשְׂרִים וְשֵׁשׁ (ehs-reem veh-shehsh)
27
עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁבְעָה (ehs-reem veh-sheev- ah)
עֶשְׂרִים וְשֶׁבַע (ehs-reem veh-sheh-vah)
28
עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה (ehs-reem ush-moh-nah)
עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה (ehs-reem ush-moh-neh)
29
עֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה (ehs-reem veh-teesh-ah)
עֶשְׂרִים וְתֵשַׁע (ehs-reem veh-the-sha)
If you can count to 30, you can count to a million! For all the numbers, you follow the same pattern as in Table 1-4. First, state the number that’s the multiple of 10 (20, 30, 40, and so on); then add וְ (veh; and) plus the single digit: שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד (shloh-sheem veh-eh-ḥahd; 31), אַרְבָּעִים וְאֶחָד (ahr-bah-eem veh-eh-chahd; 41), and so on.
To count by hundreds, first say the feminine number of the quantity of hundreds, such as four (אַרְבַּע), and then add the word for hundreds (מֵאוֹת). This pattern continues until a thousand:
100
מֵאָה
may-ah
200
מָאתַיִם
mah-tah-yeem
300
שְׁלוֹשׁ מֵאוֹת
shlohsh-meh-oht
To count by thousands, first you say the feminine number of the quantity of thousands and then follow it with the word for thousands, אֲלָפִי (ah-lah-feem). This pattern continues to 1 million. The Hebrew word for 1,000 is אֶלֶף (eh-lehf), and the word for 2,000 is אַלְפַּיִם (ahl-pah-yeem):
1,000
אֶלֶף
eh-lehf
2,000
אַלְפַּיִם
ahl-pah-eem
3,000
שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים
shloh-sheht ah-lah-feem
10,000
עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים
ah-seh-reht ah-lah-feem
1,000,000
מִלְיוֹן
meel-yohn
Several chapters in this book give you an opportunity to practice using numbers. Check out Chapter 9 to find out how to ask for and give phone numbers. Also see Chapter 14, which is all about money. Don’t you love counting money?
Recognizing Tips to Help You Read Hebrew
Hebrew is no ordinary language. Quite the contrary. Hebrew dates back more than 3,500 years to antiquity, and the Hebrew alphabet is quite possibly the first alphabet known to humankind. Hebrew was the language of King David and King Solomon, and the Bible’s original language. Furthermore, ancient people called the Phoenicians based their alphabet on the Hebrew alphabet. The Greeks based their alphabet on the Phoenicians’ letters. And the Latin letters you’re reading right now are derived from the Greeks’ letters! So, although the Hebrew language may look a little different, only four degrees separate it from what you’re used to.
In Jewish circles, using the terms CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before the Common Era) instead of the terms AD (Anno Domini, or year of our Lord) and B. (Before Christ) is customary. In Hebrew, you say לִפְנֵי הַסְּפִירָה (leef-nahy hah-sfee-rah; before the counting) and אַחֲרֵי הַסְּפִירָה (ah-chah-ray hah-sfee-rah; after the counting). 2021/22 is 5782, dated from the time of Creation, placed at 3761 BCE.
Figuring out the Hebrew alphabet’s shapes, sounds, and stories
The Hebrew alphabet is one of the oldest alphabets still in use today. Even though the letters look different from the Latin characters that comprise the English alphabet, don’t be intimidated! Just spend some time memorizing the shapes and sounds of these Hebrew letters and reading Hebrew will be easier!
Like many ancient alphabets, the Hebrew alphabet is written from right to left. Hebrew consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants. Vowels aren’t written within the consonant letters; rather, they’re written in the form of dots and dashes below the consonant letters. For a more complete discussion of Hebrew vowels, see “Those dots and dashes they call vowels” later in this chapter.
The pronunciation I provide in this book is the Sephardic (Mediterranean) pronunciation, which is spoken in Israel today. Ashkenazi (European) pronunciation differs slightly; the vowels, for example, have different pronunciations, and a few consonants are different as well. I use Sephardic pronunciation in this book.
Deciphering the consonant letters
Table 1-5 shows the Hebrew letters and their sounds.
TABLE 1-5 The Hebrew Alphabet
Name of the Letter
Pronunciation
Hebrew Character
The Sound It Makes
Aleph
ah-lehf
א
Makes no sound.
Bet
beht
בּ
Makes a B sound as in boat.
Vet
veht
ב
Makes a V sound as in veterinarian.
Gimmel
gee-mehl
ג
Makes a G sound as in girl.
Dalet
dah-leht
ד
Makes a D sound as in door.
Hey
hey
ה
Makes a soft H sound as in hello.
Vav
vahv
ו
Also makes a V sound as in veterinarian. (Don’t ask me why.)
Zayin
zah-een
ז
Makes a Z sound as in zipper.
Chet
ḥeht
ח
Makes a strong guttural H”sound. In this book, this letter is represented as ḥ.
Tet
teht
ה
Makes a T sound as in teaspoon.
Yod
yohd
י
Makes a Y sound at the beginning of a word, as in young. This letter also behaves like a vowel at times. I discuss it in “Those dots and dashes they call vowels” later in this chapter.
Kaf
kahf
כּ
Makes a K sound as in kite.
Khaf
khahf
כ
Makes a strong guttural H sound. This letter is represented in this book as kh.
Lamed
lah-mehd
ל
Makes an L sound as in lemon.
Mem
mehm
מ
Makes an M sound as in mouse.
Nun
noon
נ
Makes an N sound as in no. (And you thought only Catholics had nuns.)
Samekh
sah-mehḥ
ס
Makes an S sound as in soda.
Ayin
ah-yeen
ע
Makes a barely audible guttural sound in the back of the throat. (For practical purposes, as most non-native speakers can’t make this sound, this letter is a silent letter. You pronounce the vowels that are placed below it, but the letter itself doesn’t make a sound.)
Pey
pay
פּ
Makes a P sound as in popsicle.
Fey
fay
פ
Makes an F sound as in fish.
Tzadi
tzah-dee
צ
Makes a hard Tz sound as in pizza. In this book, I represent it as tz.
Kof
kohf
ק
Makes a K sound as in Kansas.
Reish
raysh
ר
Makes an R sound as in round. This letter is actually a guttural letter. Roll it like a Spanish R and pronounce it from the back of the throat.
Shin
sheen
שׁ
(Not Charlie’s brother or Martin’s long-lost son.) When the dot is on the right side of the letter, it makes a Sh sound. as in show. In this book, I represent it as sh.
Sin
seen
שׂ
When the dot is on the left side of the letter, it makes an S sound as in Sam.
Tav
tahv
ת
Makes a T sound as in toe.
Those dots and dashes they call vowels
Originally, Hebrew had no vowels. Vowels, in the form of dots and lines below the consonants, were added to Hebrew writing in the seventh century CE. Before then, people read without vowels. Even today, most books, magazines, and newspapers in Modern Hebrew — not to mention the Torah scroll — are written without vowels.
Modern Hebrew has both long and short vowels. As a general rule, a long vowel can make up one syllable, but a short vowel needs either another vowel or a שָׁוְא (shuh-vah; two vertical dots below a consonant) to form a syllable. For more on the שָׁוְא, see “Introducing the Shvah” later in this chapter.
As I mentioned earlier, vowels are divided into long and short vowels. This categorization doesn’t have to do with their pronunciation but with the fact that long vowels are usually in open syllables — syllables that end with a vowel — and short vowels are usually in closed syllables — syllables that end with a consonant. The long vowel חִירִיק מָלֵא (Chirik Maleh), however, holds its sound longer than the corresponding short vowel חָרִיק חַסֵּר (hirek haser). Table 1-6 shows the long vowels.
TABLE 1-6 The Long Vowels
Name of the Vowel
Pronunciation
In Hebrew
The Sound It Makes
Hirik Maleh
ḥee-reek mah-leh
iאִי
Makes an Ee sound as in see
Holam
ḥoh-lahm
אֹ
Makes an O sound as in more
Kamatz Gadol
kah-mahtz
אָ
Makes an Ah sound as in saw
Shuruk
shoo-rook
אוּ
Makes an Oo sound as in mood
Tzere
tzay-reh
אֵ
Makes an A sound as in cape
Vav Cholam
vahv ḥoh-lahm
אוֹ
Makes an O sound as in snow
Note: In this table, I used the letter א (aleph) so you could see how the vowels look when they’re attached to a consanant. (The vowels are the little squiggles and dots around the א.) Unlike in English, Hebrew vowels can never be written alone; they’re always attached to a consonant.
Table 1-7 shows the short vowels.
TABLE 1-7 The Short Vowels
Name of the Vowel
Pronunciation
In Hebrew
The Sound It Makes
Herik Haser
ḥee-reekḥah-sehr
אִ
Makes an Ee sound as in see
Kamatz Katan
kah-mahtz kah-tahn
אׇ
Makes an O sound as in more
Kubutz
koo-bootz
אֻ
Makes an Oo sound as in mood
Patach
pah-tahḥ
אַ
Makes an Ah sound as in saw
Segol
seh-gohl
אֶ
Makes an Eh sound as in end
Note: In this table, I used the letter א (aleph) so you could see how the vowels look when they’re attached to a consanant. (The vowels are the little squiggles and dots around the א.)
Sometimes, the Kamatz Patah, Kamatz Katan, or the Segol is paired with a Shvah. This pairing doesn’t change the pronunciation.
The Kamatz Katan looks identical to the Kamatz. If you see something that looks like a Kamatz at the beginning of a word followed by a Shvah or between two Shvah, it's probably a Kamatz Katan and should be pronounced O.
Introducing the Shvah
The Shvah looks like a colon (:), and you find it below letters. Hebrew actually has three types of Shvahs (but they all look the same):
Shvah Na (sh
vah nah
), which opens a syllable
Shvah Nach (sh
vah nah
ḥ
), which closes a syllable
Shvah Merahef (sh
vah
mehr-rah-
ḥ
ehf
), known as the
flying shvah
, which results from two Shvah Nas being next to each other in a word
The Shvahs don’t make their own sound but are essentially placeholders for the consonant above them. The Shvah Naḥ, however, holds the sound a little bit longer. You can tell a Shvah Naḥ because it usually comes in the middle or at the end of a word. A Shvah Na is at the beginning of a word or syllable
Doing it with a Dagesh
The little dot that you see in the middle of letters is called a Dagesh. Most of the time, this dot doesn’t change the pronunciation of the consonant except for three letters. I discuss this point later in this section.
Hebrew has two types of D’geshim (duh-gehsh-eem; the plural form of Dagesh):
Dagesh Kal (dah-
gehsh kahl
)
:
Appears at the beginning of all words and at the beginning of all syllables in the following letters:
בּ
(Bet),
גּ
(Gimmel),
דּ
(Dalet),
כּ
(Kaf),
פּ
(Pey), and
תּ
(Tav).
Dagesh
ḥ
azak (
dah
-gehsh
ḥ
ah-zahk
)
:
Appears after the word
the
, which in Hebrew is a prefix consisting of the letter Hey and the vowel Patach below it.
Don’t get too hung up on this distinction, because all D’geshim look the same!
Sometimes in Hebrew, a letter acts like a weak letter, such as a ה (Hey) or a נ (Nun), and disappears in the course of verb conjugation. (By “weak letter,” I mean that it sometimes drops out during conjugation.) When a weak letter disappears, a Dagesh Chazak appears in the letter that comes after the dropped letter. Also, certain word patterns called Mishkalim (meesh-kah-leem), in which all the words belong to a certain category (such as professions, colors, and physical challenges), have a Dagesh in one of the letters. Words that describe physical challenges, such as blindness and deafness, for example, always take a Dagesh ḥazak in the middle letter of the word.
HEBREW AS THE HOLY TONGUE — DON’T BITE IT
Judaism has always regarded Hebrew as a sacred language. Hebrew is often referred to as לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (le-shohn hah-koh-desh; the Holy Tongue), and even the Hebrew word for letter, אוֹת (oht), means “sign” or “wonder.” In fact, during the period of Hebrew’s revival as a spoken language, some people objected, saying that Hebrew was simply too sacred for saying things like “Take out the garbage.”
Also, all Hebrew letters have numeric value. A particular form of Jewish numerology called גִּמַּהְרִיָּה (gee-meht-ree-yah) plays on the words’ numeric values. Both the Hebrew word for wine (יַיִן;yah-yeen) and secret (סוֹד;sohd) have the same numerical value. The Talmud has a saying, “When the wine goes in, secrets come out!” Other Jewish sacred writings claim that the Hebrew letters are the manifestation of divine energy patterns and even that the universe’s DNA is composed of Hebrew letters.
A 13th-century mystic, Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, created a form of Jewish meditation, similar to yoga, based on the Hebraic forms. And a 16th-century mystic, Rabbi Isaac Luria, developed another form of meditation based on visualizing the Hebrew letters.
Are you totally confused yet? What difference does adding a Dagesh make? In the Sephardic pronunciation that Israelis and most Hebrew speakers today use, adding a Dagesh almost never makes a difference in pronunciation. But in a few cases, when a Dagesh is placed within a letter (always a consonant), it changes the way you pronounce that consonant. When you add a Dagesh to the letter ו (Vet), for example, the V sound becomes a B sound, and you pronounce the letter like bet. When you pair a Dagesh with the letter ḥaf, the ḥ sound becomes a K sound, so the sound of that letter becomes kaf. Finally, the letter פ (Fey) with a Dagesh becomes a פּ (Peh).
Reading and writing from right to left
Hebrew, like other ancient Semitic languages (such as Acadian, Samarian, Ugaritic, and Arabic), is written from right to left. Why? Is there a preponderance of lefties in the region? No!
Maybe you’ve read the Bible, in particular the part where Moses comes down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments in hand. And if you haven’t read the Bible, perhaps you’ve seen the Mel Brooks film version in History of the World: Part 1. When Moses came down from the mountain, what was he holding? A copy of an email from the Almighty? A scroll of papyrus? No. He was holding two stone tablets! You may ask, “Well, how did the Ten Commandments get on the stone tablets? Did Moses have a special pen or something?”
