Posted by Navah on Jul 22, 2024 in Hebrew Study
The Hebrew word satan has total of 27 occurrences in the Tanach, but only twice in the Torah: in Num 22:22 and Num 22:32, wherein it refers to an angel of the Most High who stood as an adversary against the evil prophet for profit Bil’am. Hence, the plain meaning of the Hebrew word שָׂטָן satan is one who opposes or stands against (see Num 22:32). We read, But the displeasure of Elohim burned because he went, and the Messenger of the Eternal placed himself in the way as an...
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Posted by Navah on Jul 14, 2024 in Hebrew Study
Biblical Hebrew is a small language compared to English which along with the borrowed words, and scientific, medical and legal terms borrowed from Greek and Roman languages is estimated to have about two and a half million words. The number of attested Hebrew words however is 8198, of which some 2000 are words that occur only once in the Hebrew Scripture. That makes Hebrew indeed a very small language. Yet, Hebrew as the tongue of the Creation, has words that are full of...
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Posted by Navah on Jul 7, 2024 in Hebrew Study
The Creator of the universe knows that there is no other animal that chews the cud and is unclean except three, and that there is no other animal that has split hoofs and is unclean except the swine. For whatever reason, the Eternal has listed swine last in the list of the four animals that are not food. But this animal is no less unkosher, than any other prohibited animals listed in Leviticus 11. Yet, this animal has come to typify everything that is repugnant for the...
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Posted by Navah on Jun 9, 2024 in Hebrew Study
It is the object of this work to explain the Hebrew text of Leviticus 26 and expose a certain alteration in the KJV translation which significantly changes the messages of the Torah. But it is only possible to explore this issue once we know what the Hebrew text indeed reads, and once we understand the meaning of its words and know its grammar. In the following, therefore, we would like to posit another way to render the Hebrew text, specifically in reference to the Hebrew...
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Posted by Navah on Jun 5, 2024 in Hebrew Study
Chapter 26 of Leviticus is summary of the statutes, ordinances, and laws which the Eternal gave the children of Israel at Mount Sinai, before they would start their journey to the Promised Land at the hand of Mosheh. It follows the laws in the preceding chapter that regulate how the Land to receive its due rest in the Sabbatical and Jubilee years. Verses 32 and 33 of Leviticus 26, to which we now turn in our Hebrew study, state that the land the Eternal would make desolate...
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Posted by Navah on May 26, 2024 in Hebrew Study
Leviticus 23:24 refers to the first day of the seventh month as Shabbaton, a memorial day which is to be proclaimed with a blast of a horn, hence, the Day of Trumpets. But in the rabbinic literature, this day is called by the misnomer “Rosh HaShanah”, which literally means in Hebrew “Head of the year” or “New Year”, even though Exodus 12 clearly designates the beginning of the year in the spring, the time of the Exodus from Egypt, not in autumn. For the purpose of the...
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Posted by Navah on Apr 27, 2024 in Hebrew Study
In this Hebrew study we will learn four Hebrew words for “seed”, “son”, “to remember”, and “covenant” and how they relate to each other. In the following, we would like to posit another way to look at these Hebrew words, specifically in reference to the Covenant the Eternal made with the patriarch Avraham. We will begin with the Hebrew word for “seed”: Zera. Zera: Seed The Hebrew word זֶרַע zera, literally means seed and is...
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Posted by Navah on Feb 5, 2024 in Hebrew Study
The word mazal is often translated as “luck” or “fortune” as in the phrase מזל טוב mazal tov or mazel tov with the meaning of “good luck” or “good fortune”. As such, mazal tov is similar in usage to the word “Congratulations!” According to this translation, the phrase mazal tov or mazel tov is seen as good luck, something that happens by chance. But is this the intention of the phrase? For there is no such a thing as good or...
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Posted by Navah on Sep 16, 2023 in Hebrew Study
It may come as a big surprise to many but even though the Torah of YHVH is full of laws, there is no Hebrew word that means “obey”. Instead, the Torah uses the word Hebrew shema. Another surprise is that nowhere in the Torah we are told to keep all laws. What do we mean by that? It is the object of this work of Hebrew study to explain the Hebrew words for “hear” and “guard”, as we will interpret their literal translations and meanings not distinctly explained by...
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Posted by Navah on Aug 7, 2023 in Hebrew Study
In the following, it will be beneficial for the reader to learn not only the grammar of the Hebrew word vav, “and”, but also some facts about Hebrew language and more, as we will go deeper in our study. We will try to show that the question of learning Hebrew words and grammar is far from being trivial and hope to provide a more interesting approach to Hebrew study for the reader. Biblical Hebrew is a small language but large in meaning. The number of attested...
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Posted by Navah on Mar 26, 2023 in Hebrew Study
The Hebrew word גּוֹי goy is often translated as “nation” or “gentile”. By extension goy means also a heathen, a pagan. The first time the word goy appears in the Hebrew Scripture, is in Genesis 10:5 to refer to the peoples who were separated into their lands, according to their languages and clans. Thus, Genesis 10 has become the cornerstone moment in the human history when the people were divided into nations, and every tribe is called a nation by...
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Posted by Navah on Feb 25, 2023 in Hebrew Study, The Origin
The scientists said to God, “We can create man, as you did”. God said, “Really? Can you create a man from the dust of the earth?” They said, “Yes, we can. We have genetic engineering, cloning, artificial intelligence to imitate and duplicate life”. “Let Me see it!”, said God. They took dust from the earth and … “No, no. Not from My dust”, said God. While we are waiting for the scientists to create their own dust,...
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