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סיפורן של מילים
ד"ר גבי שטרית:כתב
Phrases:
קיץ מחנה- Summer camp
קיץ בגד- Summer clothes
קיץ בית- Summer house
קיץ גידולי- Summer crops
חופשי יום- Day off
Key Words:
קיץ-Summer
חופש, דרור- Freedom
פגרה- Vacation
חידוש-Renewal
משמעות-Meaning
ארמית-Aramaic
שפה-Language
מקבילה-Parallel
מגדיר, הגדרה-Definition
מעון-Home
מרגוע-Relaxation
שחרור- Free
עונה-Season
חובה-Duty
Where do you think we got the word קייטנהor קיץthat we say throughout the ( קיץsummer)? Is
there a connection between the words קיץand ?קייטנה
The word קייטנהsounds like the word קיט- and also קיץ.
The word קיץand קיטare sister words- קיץis a Hebrew word and קיט- from the word קייטא-
which means summer ( )קיץin Aramaic. There is a saying in Aramaic: מדקייטא קשים דקייטא שלהי.
"The end of summer is harder than the summer itself."
In modern Hebrew we have taken words from the Aramaic language, but gave them a משמעות
מיוחדת- a special meaning, or meaning that is slightly different from the meaning of the word in
Hebrew. For example, the word כורסאis the Aramaic ( מקבילהparallel) of the word ( כסאchair) in
Hebrew.
This is how the word קיט, was given a renewed meaning, חידוש
as summer relaxation, and also as relaxation in general. Avraham Even Shoshan, who made
“( החדש המילוןThe New Dictionary”) popular around fifty years ago, still writes that קייטנהis a
קיץ מעון, (a summer home), a מרגוע מקוםa place of relaxation. However, in newer dictionaries,
the ( הגדרהdefinition) of this word teaches us that קייטנהis a framework for children’s activities
during vacation days, mainly during the summer vacation, but there are also of course קייטנות
( חורףwinter).
In honor of הקיץ חופשת, summer vacation, let’s look at other words that are connected to קיץ:
חופש, חופשה, ( פגרהvacations). The concept of חופשis translated in dictionaries as חירות,
freedom.
In common speech, these words became mixed up and today we say חופשinstead of חופשה. For
example, “I requested חופשin order to finish my work.” הקיץ חופשת, the summer vacation for
schoolchildren (in the months of July and August) is called ( הגדול החופשthe Big Vacation).
However, חופשהis really a time of שחרור, freedom, from work, from studies, or מסוימת חובה,
regular duties or responsibilities.
Some say that חופשהis פגרה, and that the root of the word פגרהis also Aramaic. In the Talmud in
Masechet Shabbat, it is said: “ רבנן ביה דמפגרי יומא,” which means a day during which the rabbis
were free, a day off. This is a vacation during a set time from season to season, עונה, that is given
to someone who works or studies. For Example: there is school vacation, court recess, the
summer break in the Knesset, and more.
עברית
מספר שיחה2
Amount of Time: 4-5 דקות
Dictionary Definition: The ancient, historical language of the Jews, the language in which
traditional holy texts were written, and a nickname for Aramaic, the language spoken by Jews
during the period of the Tanaim and Amoraim (the rabbis who wrote the Mishnah and the
Talmud).
Phrases:
חציה מעבר- Crossing line
תעבורה כלי- Traffic tools that help drivers on the road
אורח עובר- One who comes and goes- Traveler
העולם מן עבר- Dies
Key Words:
מצווה לקיים-Do a mitzvah
נולד-Born
דעה-Opinion
מקור-Source
נכד-Grandson
מצור-Siege
להפחיד-Scare
מגביר-Increases
נרדפת מילה-Synonym
לשון, שפה-Language
העיכול לפני המזון את ללוש- Knead the food before digestion
מוח-Brain
עבר-Beyond
Why is our language called ?עבריתMany people ask me this. The answer, לעברים עברית, is
written in the Talmud in Masechet Megilah, where it also says, “Greek for Greeks.” That is to
say, לעברים עבריתmeans that one who speaks Hebrew should read Megilat Esther (read on Purim)
in Hebrew, in order המצווה את לקיים.
Still confused by this answer? Rashi explains it: עבריתis the language of those הנהר עבר- beyond
the river. This explanation comes from the place in which Avraham נולד, he was from beyond the
Euphrates River.
According to another דעה, the מקורof the term עבריcomes from the name of Noah’s נכדin the
Torah: ( עברEver). The ( עבריHebrew) nation was already mentioned at the time of the Tanakh
(Bible), so what was their language called? When Ravshakeh the messenger of the king of Ashur
comes to put a מצורon the people of Jerusalem, אותם להפחידthe leaders of the people ask him to
speak Aramaic, not “( יהודיתJewish” language), so the rest of the people would not understand
and become afraid, but Ravshakeh just raised, מגבירhis voice: “ יהודית גדול בקול ויקראHe called
out in יהודיתin a loud voice.” If this is accurate, the language of the Hebrews in the Tanakh was
called “יהודית.” From the Middle Ages and on, this language has been known as עברית, Hebrew.
Words that are used as נרדפת מילהto עבריתare לשוןand שפה. What is the connection between
לשוןand שפהwhich are parts of the body (the tongue and lips), to language that we speak?
There is a connection! לשוןthat is in our mouth, the tongue, comes from the root word לוש, and
from this we understand that just as the tongue’s job is העיכול לפני המזון את ללוש, so too does לשון
as language "knead" the thoughts that come from the מוחinto words.
דוד ומגן העברי בית האלף סוד- The Secret of the Alef Bet and the Magen David
The דוד מגןis the shape that is found on the Israeli flag, and that is very special to all Jews.
Look! Inside this wonderful shape, which is made up of two triangles (or two pyramids if you
wish), you can see every letter of the Alef Bet! Take a look:
פזמון:
I think and I write
In עבריתwithout difficulty,
I love to love you
In exquisite עברית.
It’s a wonderful language,
There will be no other for me,
But at night, at night,
I dream in Spanish.
Dictionary Definition: The organ in the mouth that works to determine taste, aids in eating and
digestion, and helps in speaking.
Phrases:
בעין עין- To see eye to eye, to agree with someone
אחת רגל על- In short
עין תחת עין- This for that (the consequence matches the action)
הקודש לשון- A nickname for the Hebrew language
הרע לשון- Gossip or slander
נקייה לשון- Nice and polite language (“clean” language)
נהור סגי לשון- The opposite of what someone says
רכה לשון- Polite language
Key Words:
מגופה- Body
כיסוי- Cover
מסתיר- Hide
Internal- פנימיות
רוחנית- Spiritual
אצבעות פרקי- Knuckles
עזרה- Help
כוח- Power
להשפיע- Influence
נובע מעיין- Flowing Spring
מזינה- Sustaining
המשקל שיווי מרכז- Equilibrium Center
איזון- Balance
לשון
What is the connection between לשוןand שפהwhich are parts of the body (the tongue and lips),
to language that we speak?
There is a connection! לשוןthat is in our mouth, the tongue, comes from the root word לוש, and
from this we understand that just as the tongue’s job is העיכול לפני המזון את ללוש, so too does לשון
as language knead the words and sentences that come from the מוח.
גוף
Coming from מגופה, in order words כיסוי. The גוףis the material that covers and מסתירthe פנימיות
רוחניתof a person.
יד
It’s number value is 14 (in Gematria: yod=10 and dalet=4), which represents the fourteen פרקי
אצבעות. When we need עזרה, we use two hands. That is to say, the word כוחis equivalent to 28
פרקים, twice the number value of יד.
עין
The job of the עיןis להשפיע, influence, our brains and thoughts. עיןcomes from מעייןthat נובע
(flows) ( ומשפיעinfluences).
אוזן
The אוזןalso ( מזינהsustains) a person’s brain through information that surrounds us. It’s well
known that the המשקל שיווי מרכזis located in the אוזן, which is related to the word ( איזוןand
מאזניים, or scale).
שלום
מספר שיחה4
Amount of Time: 3-4 דקות
Dictionary Definition:
Rest, שלווה, quiet, the opposite of war, the greeting between two people.
Phrases:
עליכם שלום- A greeting between two people-literally, peace be upon you
אמת שלום- A stable peace
בית שלום- Keeping peace in the family
שלום דרישת- To ask after the well-being of someone
שלום ועידת- A gathering for the purpose of making a peace agreement
שלום שבת- A greeting between friends on Shabbat
שלום רודף- Someone who tries to make peace between people- literally, a pursuer of peace
Key Words:
שלווה- Peace
Fixed -קבוע
ידידות- Friendship
יסוד, בסיס-Basis
שלמות-Integrity
ונפשית גופנית-Physical and Mental
בטחון- Security
תקינים יחסים- Normal Relations
הקשרים- Contexts
ניגוד- Conflict
מלחמה- War
כבולים צירופים- Bound Phrases
ניבים- Idioms
ברכה- Greeting
פרידה- When we leave someone
נכרי- Foreign
The word שלוםis one of the foundational words in Hebrew. The root ש.ל.מ. teaches us about it’s
most basic meaning ()בסיסית- a situation of שלמות: שלמותthat is both ונפשית גופנית, that is ביטחון,
that is תקינים יחסיםbetween people, between nations, and more.
In the Tanakh the word appears in many הקשרים, all of which reflect this basic notion.
In modern Hebrew, the main meaning of the word שלוםis the opposite of war.
The source of this meaning is in the Tanakh, such as “ ”שלום ועת מלימה עת לשנא ועת לאהב עתA time
to love, a time to hate, a time for war, and a time for שלום, peace. Ecclesiasties (Kohelet) 3:8.
The word שלוםin modern Hebrew comes mainly in כבולים צירופיםand in ניבים.
Today, we often use the word שלוםas a ברכה, usually when we meet someone and leave- פרידה.
A story was told of Rabban Yochana ben Zakkai בשוק נכרי ואפילו מעולם שלום אדם הקדימו שלאHe
would always greet another person first, even a gentile in the marketplace. (Talmud Bavli
Brachot 17a).
Even today, when we ask שלומך מה, one can answer, טוב שלומיor טוב לא שלומי. In the Tanakh,
the structure of this question was different, as was the answer. Joseph asked his brothers, השלום
?הזקן אביכםIs your father, the old man, well? They answered, לאבינו לעבדך שלום- our father is
well.
We separate שלוםinto different greetings: אליכם שלום, peace be upon you, שלום היו, be at peace,
לשלום לכוgo in peace, לשלום צאתכם, depart in peace.
Key Words:
שפה- Language
זאת למרות- In spite of this
עצמך על תשמרי- Take care
תפוזים- Oranges
צעידה- Marching
להתפלל- Pray
שיבוש- Word corruption
ההכתרה נאום- Inauguration Speech
The words עצמך על תשמריor ( עצמכם על תשמרוtake care of yourself) used to be said by anyone
close to me.
“How, exactly, can I take care of myself?” I asked one of these greeters. I figured she did not
mean that I should start eating three תפוזיםa day, or to go on a צעידהfor an hour.
“You are right,” she answered. There is nothing you can do, just להתפלל. In other words, pray
that God takes care of you. “טוב, יאללה, ”ביי“ ”בייAnd the conversation was over.
This idea is exactly what the words ביי יאללהmean.
The word יאללהis actually two separate words joined together: יא- אללה. In simple Hebrew, “הו
אלוקים.” (“Oh, God.”)
The word בייjust comes from the English word “goodbye.” “Goodbye” is simply a שיבושof the
phrase “God be with you.” In the 16th century, people began shortening this phrase to “God
b.w.y.” After many more שיבושים, the phrase turned into “goodbye” as we know it today.
So, עצמכם על תשמרו. Or, טוב, אלוקים הו, אתכם יהיה שהאלוקים- Good, Oh God, may God be with
you! Amen!
On One Foot אחת רגל על
When we leave someone, we say to them in three different languages: טוב, ביי יאללה
Key Words:
פנים- Face
מקוצר- Abbreviated
מקבילה- Parallel
ליפול- To fall
Satisfaction-רצון שביעות
מתוק- Sweet
בהשאלה- Figuratively
הנאה- Pleasure
חשיש- Cannabis
משימה- Task
היגיון- Reason
בזבוז- Waste
חוויה- Experience
אחלה
This word means good, excellent, a word of רצון שביעות. In Arabic, אחלהmeans very מתוק.
When understood בהשאלה, it means "good," "wonderful."
אכבר
It means “the greatest,” and there are many phrases in Hebrew that use this word. For example,
( גבר אכברa great man), and of course, the saying “( ”אכבר אללהוAllah, or God, is the greatest).
כיף
This word means both הנאהand חשישin Arabic.
סבבה
This word means great or excellent in Arabic. In Hebrew in recent years, there has been a shift in
usage of this word: In the past סבבהwas used to describe רצון שביעותwith something. Now, we
often use the word when talking about an unpleasant משימה. For example, “Honey, could you
please wash the dishes?” “סבבה.”
The saying אגוזים סבבהis similar to “”טופי יופי- a silly way of saying that everything is good.
ז”חבל
This is a shortened version of the phrase “ ”הזמן על חבלwhich is said when someone wants to
explain why there is no היגיוןfor בזבוזof time.
Today, the saying has another function as well. Rather than take the time to describe in detail
how incredible a חוויהwas, simply, say “הזמן על חבל.” In the past, people responded to questions
with “הכיפאק על,” “אחלה,” etc. but now, that answer is “הזמן על חבל.”
פיצוץ
This word has its origins in the army, meaning explosion. It’s meaning in slang is "wonderful,"
"excellent."
שבת
מספר שיחה7
Amount of time: 5-6 דקות
Phrases:
בראשית שבת-The first Shabbat after the holiday of Sukkot during which the first parasha in the
Torah, Breisheet, is read
הגדול שבת- The Shabbat before the holiday of Pesach
נחמו שבת- The Shabbat after Tisha B’Av
חזון שבת- The Shabbat before Tisha B’Av
זכור שבת- The Shabbat before Purim
שלום שבת- Traditional Shabbat greeting
Key Words:
שביתה- Strike
שבתאי כוכב- The planet Saturn
אלים- Idols
שמש- Sun
ירח- Moon
הרעם אל- God of thunder
העולם בריאת- Creation of the world
מבוסס- Based
סידורי מספר- Serial Number
תכלית- Purpose
מרכזי- Central
Why don’t the other days of the Hebrew week have names except for ( ?שבתThe other days of
the week are just called by their numbers; ראשון יום, Sunday, is the first day of the week.)
What is the meaning of the word “”?שבת
What is the connection between the word “ ”שבתand the word “( ”שביתהmeaning strike)?
What is the connection between the word “ ”שבתand “( ”שבתי הכוכבthe planet Saturn)?
Did you know that the word “ ”שבתexists in many other languages?
Italians, Serbs, and Slovakians call the last day of the week “Sabato.”
In Russian, it is called “Subota”
In Hungarian, it is called “Szombat”
In German, it is called “Zamstag”
In French, it is called “Samedi”
In Christianity, the names of the days of the week are related to the names of stars and “אלים,”
and our English names reflect this as well:
Sunday is, ראשון יום, or השמש יום
Monday is שני יום, or הירח יום
Tuesday is שלישי יום, named after the Norse god Tyr
Wednesday is רביעי יום, named after the Anglo-Saxon god Odin (or Wodin)
Thursday is חמישי יום, named after הרעם אל, Thor, the Norse god of thunder
Friday is שישי יום, named after Freya, a goddess of love
Shabbat in Judaism:
In the Torah, שבתwas the day on which God finished creating the world, and שבת, took a break,
from working. This is how we get the name of the day, Shabbat. In Judaism, this day became the
weekly day of rest: צבאם וכל והארץ השמים ויכלו. עשה אשר מלאכתו מכל השביעי ביום אלהים ויכל, וישבות
עשה אשר מלאכתו מכל השביעי ביום. אותו ויקדש השביעי יום את אלהים ויברך, מלאכתו מכל שבת בו כי, ברא אשר
לעשות אלהים.” (And the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. God
finished creating the Shabbat day and all of God’s other word. Then God rested on the seventh
day from all of the work that God had done. God blessed theseventh day and made it holy,
because it was on this day that God stopped working and creating.)
In Hebrew, the names of the days of the week סידוריים מספרי על מבוססof each of those days in
the week, except for the seventh day- we do not call it השביעי יוםbut שבת. Why do you think that
is? One reason can be found in a midrash told about a man named Shamai HaZaken. Every
beautiful thing he found during the week he would save especially for Shabbat. This sends a
clear message to us: שבתis השבוע תכלית. This is the day on which people should not work but
rest, and learn. The names of the other days of the week (or lack of names) help show us how
important שבתis as a מרכזי יום, the central day of the entire week. The Romans connected this
day to the god Saturn, who is called שבתאיin Hebrew. In English, “Saturday” is “Saturn’s Day.”
All over Europe and America, Saturday (along with Sunday) is a day of rest.
(תיאום )ישיבת
מספר שיחה8
Amount of time: 3-4 דקות
Dictionary Definition: ( הקבלהparallel), the arrangement of one thing so that it matches with
another thing- to coordinate
Phrases:
תיאום ישיבת- Coordination Meeting
סיימים תאומים- Siamese twins
רגליים אין לשקר- A lie has no legs
Key Words:
הקבלה- Parallel
יתאים- Adjustment
סיימים תאומים- Siamese twins
בכיר- Senior
תאומים- Twins
התאמה- Fit
לתאם- Coordinate
אחידה זהות- Unified Identity
תקין- Proper
שורש- Root
אותיות שיכול- Anagram
אמת- Truth
יציב בסיס- Strong base
What does the הנהלהdo almost every morning? What is the connection between סיימים תאומים
and a ?תיאום ישיבת
All of the בכירstaff of the camp meet every morning for a meeting that we call a תיאום ישיבת.
What words in עבריתdo you recognize that are similar to ?תיאוםWhat is the connection between
תאומיםand ?תיאום ישיבת
In עבריתthere are many words like it: תאומים, התאמה, מתאים, לתאם. All of these words have a
connection to the שורשmade of the letters ת.א.מ.
When we do something that fits with something else, that is a הקבלה.
The word that best explains this idea is תאומים. This word describes two siblings who were born
at the same time. In other words, they are connected with each other. They each have a הקבלה, a
connection.
When תאומיםare born with their bodies connected they are called סיאמים תאומים, and they share
a אחידה זהות.
From here, when we have תיאום ישיבותevery day in camp, we are coordinating and adjusting
( )מתאימיםschedules, projects, and ideas so that there will not be any confusion, and so that
everything at camp can run smoothly and be organized.
We meet in order לתאםeverything between us.
When someone does something that is not תקיןwe say that this is “מתאים לא,” or not appropriate.
We do not think the same way about that matter. There is no התאמהbetween us, we think
differently.
חודש ראש
מספר שיחה9
Key Words:
שימושית-Useful
ירח- Moon
נרדפות מילים- Synonyms
חידוש- Renewal
חלק- Part
מתכנן- Plan
כוונות- Intentions
סעודה- Meal
התקדש- Sanctified
(ת)חגיגי- Festive
ירח מולד- New Moon
תואר שמות- Adjectives
תבואה- Grain
מוגש- Served
Developing the conversation- השיחה מהלך
וחדיש חדש
These are two similar תואר שמות, one that is old and one that is new: חדש, (from the Torah),
represents something that did not exist before, was not used before, or something new that you
own. חדיש, (from modern Hebrew), describes something that is modern, a style that we did not
have before now. Now, can you tell the difference between a telephone that is חדשversus a
telephone that is ?חדיש
ספורט
מספר שיחה10
Amount of Time: 3-4 דקות
Key Words:
המציא- Invented
יציאה- Exit
העיר לשערי מחוץ אל יציאה- Outside the gates of the city
עתיקה- Old
ומתפתח הולך- Is developing
סיבולת- Endurance
פולחן-Cult
בריאים- Healthy
סיסמה- Slogan
לצעירים שייך העולם- The world belongs to young people
הגופניות פעילויות- Physical activities
התעמלות- Gymnastics
These words all sound the same! From where did we take this word in the first place? המציא מי
?ספורטWhat is the connection between ספורטand the holiday of חנוכהand the Maccabees?
The origin of the word sport is the Latin word “desperate” which means לשערי מחוץ אל יציאה
( העירoutside the gates of the city). In Ancient Greece, the mother of modern sport, physical
activities were very important. Since then, ( ומפתח הולך ספורטis developing). There is another
opinion that says that the word comes from the Latin word “support,” which means endurance,
סיבולת. Some say that the origin of the word “sport” is the Greek city-state Sparta, because there
sport was considered like a פולחן, a cult. Spartans believed that people needed to be בריאיםand
beautiful. Their סיסמהwas: לצעירים שייך העולם.
In Hebrew, all הגופניות פעילויותare called התעמלות, from the root ע.מ.ל, meaning work. Surely,
when we exercise the different parts of our body, they are working hard.
זמריה
מספר שיחה11
Amount of Time: 3-4 דקות
Key Words:
מ מורכבת- Consists of
להעשיר- Enrich
סיומת- Suffix
אוסף- Collection
לחתוך, לקצץ- To cut
ובנפשינו בגופינו והשליליים הרעים הענפים- The bad and negative branches of our bodies and souls
What word do you see repeated in the verses below from our ?תפילות
בתודה נזמרה
(We will sing in thanks)
Answer: the word זמרwhich means song, or שיר, and its verb לזמרwhich means to sing, לשיר.
What do we do during a ?זמריהDuring a זמריה, we sing!
The word מורכבת זמריהfrom: זמר+יה. This is one of the ways להעשירthe Hebrew language: we
take a noun and add a special סיומת. For example, the suffix יהcan mean:
The סיומת- יהin the word זמריהrepresents an אוסףof songs by the different עדותat camp. Each
עדהsings a special song.
Here’s a hint: One of the 39 ( מלאכותthe types of work we are not supposed to do on Shabbat) is
לזמר, like לחתוך, לקצץ. So what is the connection between לזמר, to sing, and לזמר, to cut?
Rav Kook said that songs are very important and can help us. When we sing, we cut all of the
ובנפשינו בגופינו והשליליים הרעים הענפים, The bad and negative branches of our bodies and souls.
מחזמר
מספר שיחה12
Amount of Time: 5-6 דקות
Key Words:
זוכרים- Remember
מרשים- Impressive
הצגה- Show
קרנף- Rhinoceros
רכבל- Cable railway
כדורגל- Soccer
מגדלור- Lighthouse
מראה- Appearance
התגלות- Revelation
מחזאי- Playwright
לחזות- Visualize
בכוכבים חוזה-Astrologer
What do we זוכריםmost about camp many years later? What is the thing that is most מרשיםand
amazing over the course of the summer? Of course, the play that each עדהdoes is the most fun
part of the summer!
But how did we get the word ?מחזמרDo you recognize any other words in Hebrew that are a
combination of two nouns? This word is made up of the two nouns מחזה+ זמר, what we also call
a הצגה.
This is another way to enrich the Hebrew language. Here are more examples of words that are
combinations of two nouns:
We already talked about the word ;זמרwhat about the word ?מחזהThe word מחזהcan mean a
מראה, a picture. This word is found many times in the Tanakh, such as here in Genesis
(Breisheet): “( ”במחזה אברהם אל דבר ’ה דבר היהThe word of God came to Abraham in a vision.) In
other words, Abraham has a התגלותof God in a מחזה, a מראה.
What do we call someone who writes a ?מחזהA !מחזאי
From this word, we also get the verb לחזות, such as in Psalm 27:” ( ”בהיכלו ולבקר ’ה בנועם לחזותTo
look at God’s beauty and to visit God’s temple.). Or, in the עמידהevery day: “בשובך עינינו ותחזינה
( ”לציוןMay our eyes see Your return to Zion). We also have the saying “בכוכבים חוזה.”
ריקודיה
מספר שיחה13
Amount of Time: 5-6 דקות
Phrases:
משהו של החליל לפי לרקוד- Dance to the tune of something
חתונות שתי על לרקוד- Dance at two weddings
Key Words:
ריקוד- Dance
וחלילה חס- Heaven forbid
חלילה חוזר-Back again
מציגה- Displays
אוסף- Collection
במחול יוצא- Dance out
נרדפת מילה- Synonym
בכרמים מחוללות- Dancing in the vineyards
השידוכים יום- Matchmaking Day
מקיף- Goes around
במחזוריות- Cycle
ושלום חס- God forbid
What is another word that you know for ?ריקודWhat is the connection between ריקודand חס
וחלילהand ?חלילה לחזורWhat is the connection between ריקודand Yom Kippur?
We’ve already discussed זמריהand מחזמר, but we also love לרקוד, and at camp there are many
times that we dance. We also have a special evening in which each עדהcan ;ריקוד מציגהwe call
this ריקודיה.
We’re already talked about the suffix יה. We said that it can represent an אוסףof something. Just
as we have an אוסףof songs that we call זמריה, we also have an אוסףof dances that we call
ריקודיה.
The word ריקודmeans to move, במחול לצאת, to jump for joy.
From this, we get the saying: משהו של החליל לפי לרקוד. In other words, to carry something out
according to one’s own understanding. (To march to your own beat)
We also have the saying: חתונות שתי על לרקוד, or to do two things at once.
In Hebrew, we have a נרדפת מילהfor ;ריקודthat word is מחול. We have written in the Mishnah
(Taanit 4:8): Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: There were no days as good for the Jews as the
15th of Av or Yom Kippur, because on those days, the young women of Israel would go out in
borrowed white garments so as not to embarrass those who did not have much. All of the
garments needed to be dipped (in the Mikvah). And the daughters of Jerusalem would go out
and בכרמים מחוללות.
If ריקודis the same as מחול, then ( רקדןdancer) is the same as מחולל. As it is written in the Torah,
ובמחולות בתופים אחריה הנשים כל ותצאנה בידה התוף את אהרון אחות הנביאה מרים ותקח.” (And Miriam the
prophet, the sister of Aaron, took the drum in her hand and all of the women came out after her
with drums and dance.)
This is what we call האהבה יום, the day of love, השידוכים יום. The daughters of Israel go out to the
vineyards and there they would dance and meet young men.
The meaning of וחלילה חוזרis to return again and again, something מקיףand comes back to its
starting point. חלילהis linked with the word מחולor ריקוד, and מחולליםis the same as רוקדים. The
concept of going in a circle is the link between them. The מחוללdances in a circle, and the חלילה
is the return of something over and over to its starting point, just like a circle.
The process of מחזוריות, the repeating of something in a cycle, is described in the Mishnah as
חלילה חוזר.
There is a new saying, וחלילה חס, that combines the idea of חלילהfrom the Tanakh and ושלום חס
from the Talmud. Today, we say וחלילה חס. In the Middle Ages, people would say: וחס חלילה.
Today, we have similar sayings that come from many different time periods: חלילהfrom the
Tanakh, ושלום חסfrom the Talmud, וחס חלילהfrom the Middle Ages, and וחלילה חסfrom our
time. None are linked in their origin to חלילה חוזר.
תמוז ז’י
מספר שיחה14
Amount of Time: 5-6 דקות
Key Words:
צמים- Fast
מקור- Source
העברי השנה לוח- Hebrew calendar
בבל גלות- Babylonian Exile
אליל- Idol
הפריון אל- God of fertility
חום- Heat
נמוך מחום שניתכת מתכת- Low heat melts metal
נמסות- Melting
סרטן- Crab
הכוכבים מערכת- Constellation
המתרבים המים סרטני- Multiplying water crabs
צרות- Troubles
ירושלים על המצור החל- Began the siege of Jerusalem
אבלות מנהגי- Mourning customs
הברית לוחות נשברו- Tablets (of the commandments) were broken
המצרים בין- Between the bridges
Who knows the origin of the word ?תמוזWhy do we צמיםon ?תמוז ז”יHow much time is there
between תמוז ז”יand ?באב תשעהWhat do we call these days between the two fasts?
The מקורof the name of the month is like that of all of the other names of the months השני בלוח
העברי: they all originated בבל בגלות. The name “ ”תמוזis mentioned in the Tanakh as the name of
the Babylonian אליל: the הפריון אל. This אלילis mentioned in the book of Ezekiel (8:14): “ויבא
התמוז את מבכות ישבות הנשים שם והנה הצפונה אל אשר ’ה בית שער פתח אל אתי.” (Then He brought me to
the opening of the gate of God’s house in the north, and behold, there were women sitting and
crying for Tammuz.) The origin of the name, according to the commentators discussing this
verse, is an aramaic word that means חום. This god would use heat to do his work, and his eyes,
which would נמוך בחום שניתכת ממתכת, were portrayed as נמסות, so that it looked like the statues
of him were crying. This name was given to the month in the middle of the summer, to
symbolize the heat of the summer.
The name תמוזis also the Arabic and Turkish name for the month of July, on the Gregorian
Calendar.
The astrological sign of the month is סרטן, because of the כוכבים מערכתthat looks like a סרטןthat
can be seen in the sky during this month, and also because of המתרבים המים סרטניduring this
month.
The month of תמוזis very important in העברי השנה לוח, because it was during this month that the
people of Israel experienced many צרותthroughout history.
The date תמוז ז”י, when ירושלים על המצור הכל, was established by the rabbis as a fast day that
begins השבועות שלושת, the three weeks between תמוז ז”יand באב תשעה, when the Temple was
destroyed in Jerusalem.
These three weeks are called “ ”המצרים ביןbecause of a verse in ( איכהLamentations 1:3): “גלתה
מעני יהודה, המצרים בין השיגוה רודפיה כל מנח מצאה ולא בגויים ישבה היא עבודה ומרב.” (Judah has gone into
exile because of affliction and great slavery. She dwells among the nations and finds no rest. All
of her pursuers overtook her between the bridges.)
During this period, many Jewish communities adopted the custom of observing אבלות מנהגיon
this day.
There are five things that the rabbis described happening on תמוז ז”יand five on באב תשעה:
On תמוז ז”י: the תמידsacrifice was discontinued, הברית לוחות נשברו, the city was breached,
Apastimos burned the Torah, and an idol was put up in the hall of the Temple.
On באב תשעה: Our ancestors were told that they would not enter the land of Israel, the first
Temple was destroyed, the second Temple was destroyed, Beitar was captured, and the city of
Jerusalem was destroyed.
As it says in Mishnah Taanit 4:6: “( ”בשמחה ממעטין אב משנכנסWhen Av starts, we decrease our
happiness)
טבת ’י = ידע
באב תשעה = תדע
כיפור יום = כי
(אסתר תענית) אדר ג”י = גר כי
(גדליה צום) תשרי ’ג = גר
תמוז ז”י = זרעך יהיה
אב חודש
מספר שיחה15
Amount of Time: 5-6 דקות
Dictionary Definition: The fifth month of the biblical calendar. The month in which, according
to tradition, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.
Key Words:
אביב- Spring
קנים, סוף קני- Reeds
לקצור- To harvest
אש- Fire
היבולים חודש- Month of harvest
המזבח שעל המערכה לצורך עצים חתכו- Cut trees for the altar campaign
חושפים- Exposes
פורענות- Calamity
אבלות- Mourning
שיא- Peak
חורבן- Destruction
אריה- Lion
גאולה- Redemption
ממעטים- Reduce
מקפידים- Careful
אקרוסטיכון- Acrostic
What important word does the word אבremind you of? What is the connection between אבאand
the month of ?אבWhat is the connection between אבand ?אביבThe month of אבis the fifth
month of the year beginning with ניסן, the first month of the year in the time of the first Temple.
The name of the month, just like the names of the other months, comes from בבל גלות, the
Babylonian exile. It’s root is from the Akkadian word “abo,” or קנים. In Babylonian, the meaning
of the word is אש. This month is called אבbecause of the great heat that we feel at this time of
year. Others say that the name comes from “abo sarni” which means היבולים חודש. During this
month, it was customary הקנים את לקצורfor different needs. In the Temple, the month of אב
marked the end of the time in which, according to the Babylonian Talmud (Bava Batra 121a)
they המזבח שעל המערכה לצורך עצים חתכו.
The word גלות, or exile, is one of the most important words in the history of the Jewish people.
This was the event during which the people had to leave the land of Israel for other lands that did
not belong to them, lands in which they did not choose to live. The word גלותusually refers to
the land to which the Jews were exiled, or to the land from which they were expelled. The phrase
יהודה גלות, for example, refers to the exile of the people of Judah, who were expelled to live in
Babylonia by the Babylonians.
The root of the word גלותis ג.ל.ה, and from it we get the similar word גולה, or diaspora. From this
root we recognize other words, such as ( גלויrevealed), ( תגליתdiscover), and more. What is the
connection between these words and the people who went into ?גלותOne who goes into גלותis
someone whom others חושפיםfrom his or her place of origin, from his or her land.
When we talk about something that is long and boring, we say: ( הגלות כאורך ארוךas long as the
exile).
The month of אבis also called ( אב מנחםAv of Consolation) because many believe that this is a
month of ואבלות פורענותon the Hebrew calendar, that came to שיאwith the חורבןof the Temple
on באב תשעה. There is an aggadah in the Talmud that tells that the Mashiach will be born during
the month of אבand his name will be ( מנחםMenachem).
According to Jewish tradition, the astrological sign of this month is an אריה. This sign is
connected with the blessing of Bilam: ( ”יתנשא וכארי יקום כלביא עם הןThey are a nation that rises
up like a lion.) That is to say, despite the decrees and troubles that they faced, the nation will rise
up from the חורבןto גאולה.
The rabbis said in the Mishnah (Taanit 26:2): “( ”בשמחה ממעטין אב משנכנסWhen the month of Av
comes in, we reduce our happiness), because the days of this month are days of mourning for the
destruction of the Temple. Therefore, we do not make celebratory feasts, eat meat, or drink wine.
Sephardic Jews are מקפידיםonly for the week of באב תשעה, from after the end of חזון שבתuntil
after באב תשעה.
In the Shulchan Aruch, there is a trick to remember all of the important Jewish holidays,
beginning with Pesach. It goes according to the language of ( ש”ב ת”אThe first and last letters
match up, 2nd and 2nd from last, and so on).
Word Key:
נבואית תמונה- Prophetic picture
ולהתבונן להסתכל- To observe
חוזה- Prophet
מפורסמים- Famous
המדינה הקמת- Establishment of the (Jewish) state
מחזה- Play
מחזאי- Playwright
חזיון- Vision
חזות- Outlook
אוויר מזג- Weather
חזאי- Forecaster
נחמו- Comfort
סדרה- Series
חזון שבת
The שבתbefore באב תשעהis called “Shabta Deporanuta” and also חזון שבת, named after the הפטרה
that begins with the words: “( ”אמוץ בן ישעיהו חזוןThe vision of Isaiah son of Amotz)
A חזוןis a נבואית תמונה, a prophecy that the world will become a better place. The word חזון
comes from the root ח.ז.ה. The meaning of the word לחזותmeans ולהתבונן להסתכל. A person who
is a חוזהgenerally refers to someone who can see the future, things that a normal person would
not be able to see. A person who looks at the stars for signs of prophecy is called a “חוזה
בכוכבים.” Benjamin Ze’ev (Theodore) Herzl wrote the book “( ”היהודים מדינתThe Jewish State)
more than 120 years ago, and in it he spoke of a state that would one day belong to the Jews.
When we speak of the prophets of Israel, many מפורסמים חזונותcome to mind: “”הימים אחרית חזות
(The vision of the end of days) was the prophecy of Isaiah which predicted the days in which
there would be peace all over the world. “( ”היבשות העצמות חזוןThe vision of the dry bones) was
the prophecy of Ezekiel which spoke of the dead coming back to life. The prophecy of Herzl and
his fellow dreamers about ישראל מדינת הקמתis called “( ”הציוני החזוןThe Zionist Vision).
There are other words that come from the root ח.ז.ה. When we to go the theater, we see a מחזה,
and the person who wrote it is called a מחזאי. A show that we both see and hear is called a חזיון.
The way things seem to us: people, homes, and more about our lives, is called חזות, or outlook.
When we want to know what the אוויר מזגwill be, to know what kind of clothing to wear, we
listen to ( האוויר מזג תחזיתthe weather forecast) on the television or radio, to hear what the חזאי
says. The חזאי, just like the חוזה, predicts something; he predicts האוויר מזג.
נחמו שבת
There is another important שבתduring the month of אב, called נחמו שבת. This is the first שבתafter
באב תשעה. This שבתalso gets its name from the first words of its הפטרה, in which Isaiah tells the
people “( ”עמי נחמו נחמוBe comforted, my people). After this שבת, we begin to read a סדרהof
seven הפטרותof ( נחמהcomfort) that lead up to השנה ראש. These שבתותare known as “שבעה
( ”דנחמתאthe seven of comfort).
אבאאבאבאבאבלאבבבאב
Hint: It is connected with the month of אב.
(הורים )יום
מספר שיחה17
Amount of Time: 4-5 דקות
Key Words:
הוראה- Teaching
המוריה הר- Mount Moriah
כיוון- Direction
התפקיד- Role
הוקם- Established
להראות- To show
מור- Myrrh
יראה- Fear
Developing the conversation- השיחה מהלך
In your opinion, what is the relationship between: הורים, הוראה, מורים, ?המוריה הר
They all come from the same root in עברית: the letters י.ר.ה. which means כיוון, way, and indeed,
the תפקידof הוריםis להורות, to instruct, להראותthe correct way, just like a ( מורהteacher) and הר
המוריה, upon which the Temple הוקם.
The rabbis suggested many explanations for the name “”מוריה:
-From the language of הוראה- It was from המוריה הרthat הוראהto the people of Israel.
-From the language of מור- It was from this mountain that sacrifices were offered, and the
incense rose.
-From the language of יראה- This mountain evokes (’ה יראתthe fear of God)
(דואר )יום
מספר שיחה18
Amount of Time: 4-5 דקות
Dictionary Definition: A way of sending letters, telegrams, and packages all over the world
Phrases:
אוויר דואר- Air mail
רשום דואר- Certified mail
דואר תא- PO box
דואר יונת- Carrier pigeon
אלקטרוני דואר- E-mail
Key Words:
כדור- Ball
דוור- Mailman
מדורה- Campfire
להעביר- Transfer
משלוח- Shipping
חבילה- Package
הסתובב- Turned
קדם בימי- In ancient times
הודעה- Message
מעגל, עגול-Round
דור- Generation
דירה- Apartment
The Arabic saying באלאק דירis related to our word דוארas well. Just as we explained that דורand
דירהare related to הסתובבand going around, when we say באלאק דירwe mean to say to be
careful, change your focus and attention, and turn to go in the right direction.
באב טו
מספר שיחה19
Dictionary Definition: A holiday that was established in Israel during the time of the Second
Temple, during which the young women of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards.
Key Words:
שנאה- Hatred
פיוס- Reconciliation
הדים- Echoes
שאולין לבן בכלי יוצאות- Go out in borrowed white clothing
לביש- To cause shame
בכרמים (רוקדות) מחוללות- Dancing in the vineyards
זוג בני למצוא- Find partners
בציר- Vintage
המדינה הקמת- Establishment of the (Jewish) state
הוא החילוני בציבור המסורתיים אירועים- It is traditional events in the secular public
זמר מופעי- Performances
אימצה- Adopted
ופנויות פנויים- Singles
חתונות- Weddings
In your opinion, what is the meaning of the word ( אהבהlove)? ?שנאהWhat is the connection
between Yom Kippur and ?באב טו
The fifteenth day of אבis celebrated in the fifth month (according to the biblical calendar). The
month of אבis filled with mourning, until we get to באב טוwhich is a day of happiness and love.
In Israel, באב טוis celebrated as a day of אהבהand פיוס. The הדיםof this holiday can be found in
the Tanakh in the book of ( שופטיםJudges). In the Mishnah, as the end of Tractate Taanit the day
is described:
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said, “There were no days as great in Israel as באב טוand יום
הכפורים. On these days, the young women of Jerusalem שאולין לבן בכלי יוצאות, in order not לביש
anyone who did not have their own. And the young women of Jerusalem went out and מחוללות
)בכרמים (רוקדות.”
On this holiday, the young women of Jerusalem would wear white clothing and go out to dance
in the vineyards in order זוג בני למצוא.
From the Tanakh, it’s clear that this holiday is mentioned as related to כרמיםand to בציר. The
holiday of באב טוcomes at the time of ( הענבים בצירgrape harvest), between July and September.
The connection between כרמיםand אהבהcan be found in the book ( השירים שירSong of Songs).
In modern Israel, after המדינה הקמת, we have come back to this holiday, and call it וולנטיין יום
(Valentine’s Day). One of the הוא החילוני בציבור המסורתיים אירועיםan evening of love ()אהבה ליל
on the beach of the ( כינרתSea of Galilee). There are זמר מופעיfor anyone who attends. In recent
years, the religious community אימצהthis day, and there are many gatherings of ופנויות פנוייםas
well as many חתונותall over the country on באב טו.
ושנאה אהבה
מספר שיחה20
Dictionary Definition: אהבה- A strong feeling of connectedness and being drawn to another
person. שנאה- The opposite of אהבה.
Phrases of אהבה:
אפלטונית אהבה- Platonic love
עצמית אהבה- Egoism, loving yourself
הבריות אהבת- Love for other people
בצע אהבת- Love of money
Phrases of שנאה:
חמס שנאת- Hatred of cruelty
חינם שנאת- Hate for no reason
מוות שנאת- Strong hatred
עולם שנאת- Everlasting hatred
Key Words:
דמיון- Similarity
התאהבות- Falling in love
אחווה- Brotherhood
הצרפתית המהפכה של העקרונות שלושת- The three principles of the French Revolution
חירות, שוויון, אחווה- Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
“”לוחמים אחוות- “Brotherhood of Warriors”
אנטישמיות- Antisemitism
קוצני שיח היה הסנה- The bush was a thorny bush
עוקץ- Sting
This is a great opportunity to explain the origin of the word אהבה. Let’s look at the word אהבהin
different languages:
בעברית אהבה
Hub in Arabic
Love in English
Amour en Francais
Amore in Italien
Amor in Espanol
Shalik in Swedish
We see that there is a דמיוןbetween many of the the languages, such as French, Italian, and
Spanish, which are all Latin-based languages. The origin of the word “love” is related to לב, or
heart. When we were kids, we drew לבבות, hearts, and wrote “love” in English.
In עברית, the origin of the word אהבהis from “”הב, or to give something. What is אהבהthen in
this case? Is it just the desire to receive something from another person? No! “”כמוך לרעך ואהבת
(love your neighbor as yourself)- just as I enjoy receiving something from another person, so too
do I want to give him/her, because someone else is happy to receive something from me.
In English, there is one word that distinguishes between “to love” and “to fall in love.” It seems
that it is not a coincidence that this extra word, to fall, is exactly what happens in התאהבות. We
fall when we love and are loved.
אחווה
The word אחווהmeans friendship, closeness between people. המהפכה של העקרונות שלושת
הצרפתיתare: חירות, שוויון, אחווה. The word אחווהcomes from the word אח, which teaches the
idea that the connection between people is similar to that between siblings.
The saying “ ”לוחמים אחוותemphasizes the special relationship between people who go to war
together and find themselves in tough situations.
שנאה
What is the origin of the word ?שנאה
The Talmud (in Tractate Shabbat Chapter 9) explains the source of אנטישמיותthrough a play on
words: God gave the Torah to the Jews on ( סיני הרMount Sinai), and סיניand שנאהsound similar.
Because the Torah was given at סיני, there is שנאהin the world against Jews. As the Gemara
explains, “ ( ”לעולם שנאה ירדה מכאן כיfrom here, hatred descended on the world).
There are some who say that שנאהcomes from the ( באש הבוער סנהthe burning bush). שיח היה הסנה
קוצניthat Moses saw. From here, we understand that someone who שונאis someone who עוקץ
someone else, just like the קוץon the סנה.
Who is a ( חברfriend)? One who מתחבר, helps you to connect with others.
And the ( ידידfriend)? He is someone who gives you יד+ ;ידwhen you combine them you get the
number value 28 (each =יד14). The number 28 also represents ( כחstrength). This teaches us that
our friends, our ידידות, have כח.
העצמאות יום
מספר שיחה21
Dictionary Definition: The national holiday of the State of Israel that recognizes that day on
which the state was declared.
Key Words:
עצמאות- Independence
עצם- Bone
חוגגים- Celebrating
הזדמנות- Opportunity
ב תלוי להיות לא- Not be dependent on
עצמו בכוחות שמתפקד מי- Functions on its own
תלותי- Dependent
עצמו- Itself
עצמי בטחון- Self-confidence
עצמיים רחמים- Self- pity
עצמי שירות- Self-service
עצמי כבוד- Self-respect
אופקיים פסים עשר שלושה- Thirteen horizontal stripes
כוכבים חמישים ובו כחול מלבן- Blue rectangle with fifty stars
מסמלים- Symbolize
המקוריות המושבות עשרה שלוש- The thirteen original colonies
מרדו- Rebelled
Key Words:
שעשועים- Amusement
שעה- Contact, Cleared
מנחה- Offering
פנאי- Leisure
לב תשומת כפליים- Twice as much attention
מקדישים- Devote
שוועה- Prayer
שעה
According to your opinion, how did we get the word “ ?”שעהIs there a connection between this
word and ( שעוןclock)? We sing: “( ”שעשועים ילד אם אפרים לי יקיר הבןIs my son Efraim dear? Is he
a delightful child?). We say in the Amidah: “”ישראל לעמך שעה. We sing on Shabbat: “שוועת שעה
”עמי בני. What is the relationship between שעהand שעוןas well as ?שעשועים
Our story begins with one of the first stories in the Tanakh, when God received the מנחהfrom
Hevel (Abel), “שעה לא מנחתו ואל קין ואל.” This means that God did not accept Cain’s offering. God
did not שעה, wasn’t open to him, wasn’t פנאיto him. In other words, when I have fun with
someone, I have שעה, I am ( פנויopen), I have פנאי. If שעהmeans פנה, to face someone, then
שעשועיםis twice the פנאי, and לב תשומת כפליים.
On Shabbat we are open, פנויים, just as the writer of יקרא דרורwrote: “( ”עמי בני שוועת שעהTake
heed of the cry of my people), turn to accept the prayers of the people of Israel. Just as You paid
attention to the מנחהof Abel, just as You accepted this offering and received it, so too should
You accept my prayer.
A child whom we love a lot and to whom we מקדישיםa lot of time, is a child of שעשועים. Just as
Jeremiah said, God loves the people of Israel, who is for God a שעשועים ילד, a child that God
מקדיש, to whom God devotes a lot of time and love.
In the time of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, a clock was called “( ”השעות מוריinstructor of the hours). He
invented the word שעון. A שעוןshows us why we שועהand give attention to things. It is the
teacher of our time.
הזמן מילות
מספר שיחה23
Key Words:
למשש- Feel
במדויק אותו להגדיר- To precisely define
העברית השפה של היוצרים- The creators of the Hebrew language
ושינוי תנועה- Movement and change
התחדשות- Renewal
תנועה- Movement
במקרה- Unintentionally
השנייה החלוקה- Second division
שאל- Borrowed
קטן- Growing smaller
חידק- Germ
עצמי כבוד- Self-respect
The word זמןcomes from two words: ?מן זהIt’s impossible למששit and במדויק אותו להגדיר.
The העברית השפה של היוצריםunderstood that זמןis a process of changes. If there is no change
and everything remains static, and yesterday is no different from tomorrow, it’s as if there is no
זמן. It seems that all words related to זמןhave meanings related to ושינוי תנועה:
שעה
As we saw earlier, it comes from the concept of ( פנייהopenness), תנועה.
חודש
From renewal, התחדשות
ירח
Comes from רוח, wind, another type of תנועה
שנה
Comes from שינוי
שנייה
It repeats itself constantly, it changes and comes back again
שנייה
The word שנייהin עבריתis a “second” in English. Many people may ask: is it במקרהthat there is
one word both in Hebrew and in English that has the same two meanings? שנייהmeans both
coming after what is first, as well as a unit of time. This is not במקרה. In the year 1891 Eliezer
Ben Yehuda explained why he chose the word שנייהto represent 1/60 of a minute, or a second.
He said it means, השנייה החלוקה.
The rabbis agreed to divide each rotation (hour) into sixty units, called minutes. One of these
sixty units was further divided into sixty units, each called a שנייה. Ben Yehuda שאלthe word
שנייהfrom other languages, and translated it into עברית.
In Italian, for example, they still use the original terms of these words: “minuti primi” and
“minuti secondi.” The word “minute” comes from the Latin word “minus” which means קטן, and
is represented by a small line.
The word ( דקminute) is also used to describe things that are small, such as חידק, or חי-( דקa
small life). This, במקרה, is the same process that led to the word “microbe”- it comes from the
words “micro bio.”
לשעון מסביב
We don’t use the phrase “around the clock” in Hebrew. There is a saying from the Tanakh
instead: ( ולילה יומםday and night). This phrase originates in the book of Joshua. God tells Joshua
after the death of Moses: “( ”ולילה יומם בו והגדת מפיך הזה התורה ספר ימוש לאThis Torah should not
leave your mouth, but you should speak of it day and night). You can also say: All of the hours
in the day- the whole day and the whole night. Or: without pause.
העבר- אין
The past- is no more
העתיד- עדיין
The future- is not yet
ההווה- עין כהרף
The present- like the blink of an eye
דאגה-מנין
Worry- for what?
והזמן השעון
Let me describe a bank that deposits 86,400 shekel into your account each morning. The bank
does not transfer over what is left at the end of each day to the next day, and each night, it
removes whatever money that was not spent during the day.
What would you do?
Spend every shekel, of course!
In reality, everyone has a bank like this- it’s called זמן. Every morning, it gives you 86,400 שניות.
Every night, like a lost opportunity, it erases every second that you did not use for a worthy
cause. It does not transfer over whatever was not spent during the day. It does not allow for any
“overdraft.”
Each day, it opens a new account for you. Every night, it eliminates the remaining balance from
the day. If you fail to use the moments of the day, the loss is completely your own. There is no
way to go back. There is no way to save for tomorrow’s account. You must live in the present in
the moments of today. This investment is for your betterment, for your health, for your
happiness, and for your success!
The clock ticks, reflecting the best parts of the day!
זמן- הזדמנות
The word הזדמנותrefers to a situation in which the time is right to do something. We often use
the phrase “( ”הזדמנויות חלון שנפתחthat the window of opportunity opened). In other words, now is
the right time to carry out something that had previously been difficult to do, as if the window
had been closed before now. The word “ ”הזדמנותis from the root ז.מ.נ., because הזדמנותis related
to the right זמןto do something.
There are different types of הזדמנויות. Some are הזדמנויותthat need to be utilized immediately,
and we call these “( ”חוזרת בלתי הזדמנויותopportunities that won’t return, what we would call
“once in a lifetime”), or “”פז הזדמנות, which in English is known as a “golden opportunity.”
Sometimes we waste a הזדמנות, we don’t take advantage of it when it comes, but sometimes we
are given a “( ”שנייה הזדמנותsecond opportunity or second chance).
There are many words that come from the root ז.מ.נ. that remind us that so much of what we do is
dependent on time, and how much we need to think about it. When we receive a הזמנה
(invitation), it tells us what time the event what we will be attending will start. When we say
during the Pesach Seder “( ”מצרים ביציאת לספר ומזומן מוכן הנניI am ready and invited to tell the
story of the Exodus from Egypt), we mean that the time has come to read the story. When we
pay “( ”במזומןin cash), we are saying that we have money at the right time, which is right now.
תפילה
מספר שיחה24
Amount of Time: 4-5 דקות
Key Words:
לקוות- To hope
מחשבה- Thought
שופטים- Judges
להפליל- To incriminate
ולזכרון לאות- Memorial sign
אמת למשפט לשאוף- To aspire for true law
אמונה- Faith
גורל- Destiny
תשובה, הגזירה רוע את מעבירים וצדקה תפילה- Repentance, prayer, and charity remove the evil decree
המרכזי התפילה גרעין- The main center of prayer
צורות- Forms
חייבים- Must
In עברית, the word תפילהcomes from the root פ.ל.ל. which means לקוות. As it says in Genesis
48:11: “יוסף אל ישראל ויאמר: פללתי לא פניך ראה, ( ”זרעך את גם אלהים אתי הראה והנהIsrael said to
Joseph: I had not hoped to see your face, but God has shown me both you and your offspring).
According to the Maharal of Prague (a great rabbi), תפילהis connected to מחשבה, as in “עצה הביאו
( ”פלילה עשוYou brought advice and made judgment), just as the שופטיםare called פלילים
(arbitrators), because they judge according to their מחשבות. And people are thinkers... this relates
to the meaning of תפיליןas well: תפיליןare ולזכרון לאותbetween the eyes, and זכרון, memory, is in
one’s מחשבה.
According to another interpretation of the word תפילה, the word comes from להפליל, to judge
ourselves. אמת למשפט לשאוףon myself. According to traditional religious אמונה, through תפילה
one’s situation and גורלcan change for the better, as we say on Rosh Hashanah: תשובה, ”תפילה
הגזירה רוע את מעבירים וצדקה.”
In Judaism, ( מתפלליםwe pray) three תפילותeach day. The morning תפילהis called שחרית תפילת-
the תפילהof the בוקר. The afternoon תפילהis called מנחה תפילת, and the evening תפילהis called
ערבית תפילת. On Shabbat, holidays, and Rosh Chodesh, there is an additional תפילהafter שחרית
called מוסף תפילת, which we do in place of מוסף קרבן, the sacrifice that was brought in the Temple
on these days. For all of these תפילות, the המרכזי התפילה גרעיןthat we repeat in different צורותis
עשרה שמונה תפילת, also known as עמידה תפילת, which comes from the fact that we are לעמוד חייבים,
to stand for it.
We can also use השלישית האות, the third letter of their names matches the third letter of the תפילה
that they established:
אברהם- שחרית
יצחק- מנחה
ישראל=יעקב- מעריב
תקשורת
מספר שיחה25
Dictionary Definition: Communication, all of the actions that are done in order to connect to
another person, and to pass information from place to place.
Key Words:
תקשורת- Communication
תלבושת- Clothing
תרכובת- Compound
תכתובת- Correspondence
גשר- Bridge
שיח דו- Dialogue
שיח רב- Symposium
הסעודה בשעת משיחין אין- No talking while eating
What word reminds you of the word ?תקשורתIs there a connection with the word ?גשר
This word shares the same form in Hebrew as the words in this rhyme: ( תקטולתkilling ability)
sounds like תלבושת, and תרכובתand תכתובת.
The word תקשורתrepresents that which is related to קשר, or connection.
When we connect two things, we are using a גשר, which is a type of קשר.
While we are talking about תקשורת, we should also talk about:
שיח דו
A conversation between two people, a dialogue
שיח רב
A conversation between more than two people, what we would call a symposium.
The word שיחcomes from שיחה, or conversation.
From this word we get the saying: הסעודה בשעת משיחין אין.
המחשב עולם
מספר שיחה26
Key Words:
מונחים- Terms
ותיקה- Veteran
דיון- Discussion
הקודש ספרי- Holy books
מבדילים- Distinguish
סמלים- Symbols
לשפוך, להתיך- Pour, melt
יציקה- Casting
החשמל מערכת- Power system
חוט- Wire
מדי גדול זרם מעבר- When an electric current that is too large crosses
“המנגנון את ”מקפיץ- Pop-up mechanism
שקפץ המתג- Jumping switch
טעמים- Flavors
לערבב- To mix
נוזלים- Fluids
הטיפול- Treatment
בחזרה נשפך- Spill back
כריכה- Binding
תכריכים- Burial shroud
להקיף, לעטוף- Surround, envelop
עקבו על כרוך נחש אפילו- Even if a snake is wrapped around his heel
The computer only recently entered our world, but now it is difficult to live without it. It’s
worthwhile to note that for all of the different מונחיםthat are used in המחשב עולם, there are
corresponding words in עברית.
פונט
The word ( גופןfont), is similar to the word ( גוףbody). This is not only a nice word, but it is also
ותיקה, and comes from the Babylonian Talmud. There, it has the same meaning: The דיוןin
Tractate Megillah discusses the letters with which הקודש ספריwere written. It says there: Here,
in our גופן, and there, in their גופן. (This means, we מבדיליםbetween each ( גופןscript), our own
writing in עברית, and writing in other languages.) In some places in the Talmud, the word as
written as “”גרפן, a form that is more related to its original root in Greek, “graph.” All of the
words coming from this root are related to סמליםand אותיות, letters.
The source: The Latin verb “fundere” means לשפוך, להתיך. From here we get the English word
“foundry,” ליציקהor a בית-( יציקהplace for casting).
That which spills and flows is “fusus” in Latin. From here, we get the word “fuse” which is in
החשמל מערכת. A fuse is called a נתיךin עברית.
In the past, not many years ago, there was a “jam” in our power system that was given the
Hebrew name נתיך, because it had a חוטthat would melt when מדי גדול זרם מעבר. Today, there is
no ( נתיך חוטmelting wire) in fuses. Instead, there is a part that has a “ המנגנון את ”מקפיץand stops
the flow of electricity. In order to renew the flow, one needs to restore the שקפץ המתגto its
proper place. Despite the change in technology, we still call the fuse “נתיך.”
This melting, called “fusion” in English, also occurs in the kitchen, when there is a melting, or a
mixing of טעמים. Are you confused? It seems that you are suffering from confusion, which
comes from the same source as “fusion”: Confusion comes from the Latin root “confundere,”
which means to pour together, לערבב. And just so that you don’t end up in a difficult situation
when you need an “infusion,” an insertion of fluid, נוזליםare poured into your body. וחלילה חס
(heaven forbid) that these נוזליםwould exit your body by “diffusion,” known as פעפועin עברית. In
any case, all of this טיפולcosts a lot of money that you probably won’t get back. If you do, it’s
called a “refund,” החזר, which comes from that same Latin root, meaning that which is נשפך
בחזרה, in the opposite direction. And if they don’t want to refund your money, that is a “refusal,”
or דחיייה סירוב.
@ = שטרודל או כרוכית
Is there a connection between the words ( כריךsandwich) to כריכהor ?תכריכים
They are all related to the root כ.ר.ך. which means להקיף, לעטוף. In the Mishnah in Tractate
Brachot we read: “עקבו על כרוך נחש אפילו להפסיק לו אסור עשרה שמונה המתפלל.” (One who is praying
the Shmoneh Esreh cannot stop in the middle, even if a snake is wrapped around his heel.) From
here, we can understand that הספר כרךis the part that עוטףa book, the כריכה.
In addition, עוטפים תכריכים, wrap, the dead. Also, a כרוכית, or strudel, is a type of cookie that
comes from this root, because the dough wraps around the filling. A כריךis a sandwich, which
gets its name from the Duke of Sandwich who would כורךhis meals in two slices of bread.
In the Pesach Haggadah we learn about Hillel who would כורךmatzah and maror together.
Because of this, the name “ ”הלליתwas proposed as another term for sandwich.