In the beginning I was thinking, well, historically, the system of Hebrew letters was used for numeracy also, and phonetically to 1. write the language spoken every day (yiddish, ladino, judeo Arabic) 2. to read out loud from the Torah/nach during services, and recite prayers 3. read rabbinic sources including from other countries 4. and the Talmud.
So being able to just read sounds out loud was an okay foundation for all of the above. But it's only a basement, not the whole house, so to speak.
I remember being kind of shocked and appalled that one of my siblings who went to a more right-wing day school than I had still lacked some basic grasp of the language in early high school and was frustrated in shul. I mean, when I did not understand stuff I looked at the English?
But there was some kind of mental block / learning difference with foreign languages including Hebrew (this person was very good at English language everything).
I never really considered that different people need different approaches--for me Middle School covered how to break down those really big biblical verbs, and how to use dictionaries for Hebrew and Aramaic when you're not sure of the root.
Are there different approaches to deeper literacy/grammar/ understanding?
There are for sure different approaches! But all of them agree that language is layered. Your metaphor of the different floors of a building is beautiful.
What a great resource—just subscribed to 'The Expression of Life".
I'm Christian, not Jewish, but I've always wanted to learn Hebrew, to help reading and understanding the Bible. You've already taught me two Jewish phrases-—
Lashon HaKodesh לשון הקודש and
Pardes פרד״ס - I knew about the
four levels of Torah interpretation, but didn't know what it was called.
Additionally, if a child is not brought to weekly services accompanied by parents, the importance of and respect for Torah may be buried (not even in a geneza).
I’m not sure about enjoyably entirely. Maybe. But if a child feels his parents are with him and on the same page, so to speak. Hearing the same words together in or from the service,
So they can discuss it at dinner together.
If the child feels that the parents care about the Shabbat and care about the Torah as to how it affects one and how one should follow Its guidance. Even if the child is too young to understand, he should be with the parents. Otherwise, if the child is left with teachers who are giving enjoyment, like babysitting, there is a disconnect—this can be okay in day school, but not on Shabbos. If the child notices the parents do not care, are not with him, the child will pick up this attitude. He will follow the fun babysitter attitude toward Torah, which may lead to an empty Shul in the future.
I mention “enjoyment” because without it, mechanical activities hardly become integrated into the personality of the child (or adult for that matter). I agree with you that if education or “children’s services” are glorified babysitting in which the enjoyment is unlinked from the activity of tefila itself, then not much happens from a spiritual point of view.
What I’m trying to communicate is what a child hears when it is young is sort of engraved on its brain. If it is taught by peers and teachers instead of being with a parent in an adult Shabbos Minyan, the engraving is weak, watered down. Let the child meditate and hear and absorb the words of Torah while sleeping in the Minyan rather than play away frivolously his most important learning time of his lifetime.
I hear what you’re saying and from my own experience I definitively recognize its truth. I think the key is habituating the child early. If the child is not coming to shul as a matter of habit by the time they get older he will be nearly impossible to convince.
I’m relating because of my experience, not made up ideas. I had to sit in the front and listen and be quiet all my young childhood in addition to Sunday School. So was recipient of both adult as well as child-geared teachings. Mom was at home with younger children. Dad was participatory. This fills a young mind with goodness.
The understanding is learned at home by hearing from parents, like a language of a country spoken every where nearby. Thus, the advantage now of Israeli sabras. And even a little advantage from day-schools. Otherwise, a second or third language is just that. Hopefully not relegating Ahavas H”S” to second or third place (G-D forbid). It is a monumental challenge.
Yes this has been my experience. The meaning of concepts is so deeply tied to every aspect of Hebrew language that it anchors this meaning strongly in the mind and soul of the learner.
Thank you for writing. Hebrew isn’t necessary for Ahavat Hashem, but it helps knowing how rich with wisdom and beauty the language is. It’s a gift from Hashem. Being able to daven and actually mean what we say also helps!
Right. It is not necessary, as you say. However, if a person is superficial about learning Torah, yes. And later in life, what has he got to anchor himself? But if he is directed to the root of the understanding which is only in the original Language, he could rely on this for a deeper support.
I'm glad I read to the end!
And interested
In the beginning I was thinking, well, historically, the system of Hebrew letters was used for numeracy also, and phonetically to 1. write the language spoken every day (yiddish, ladino, judeo Arabic) 2. to read out loud from the Torah/nach during services, and recite prayers 3. read rabbinic sources including from other countries 4. and the Talmud.
So being able to just read sounds out loud was an okay foundation for all of the above. But it's only a basement, not the whole house, so to speak.
I remember being kind of shocked and appalled that one of my siblings who went to a more right-wing day school than I had still lacked some basic grasp of the language in early high school and was frustrated in shul. I mean, when I did not understand stuff I looked at the English?
But there was some kind of mental block / learning difference with foreign languages including Hebrew (this person was very good at English language everything).
I never really considered that different people need different approaches--for me Middle School covered how to break down those really big biblical verbs, and how to use dictionaries for Hebrew and Aramaic when you're not sure of the root.
Are there different approaches to deeper literacy/grammar/ understanding?
There are for sure different approaches! But all of them agree that language is layered. Your metaphor of the different floors of a building is beautiful.
What a great resource—just subscribed to 'The Expression of Life".
I'm Christian, not Jewish, but I've always wanted to learn Hebrew, to help reading and understanding the Bible. You've already taught me two Jewish phrases-—
Lashon HaKodesh לשון הקודש and
Pardes פרד״ס - I knew about the
four levels of Torah interpretation, but didn't know what it was called.
Really looking forward to the next lesson!
Thank you for subscribing and for dropping a note! I’m glad you’re enjoying it and learning new things.
Hebrew is pictographic?? Looking forward to learning about that
It’s actually ideographic, to be precise!
Additionally, if a child is not brought to weekly services accompanied by parents, the importance of and respect for Torah may be buried (not even in a geneza).
It’s important to bring to services, and ensure kids are meaningfully and enjoyably engaged.
I’m not sure about enjoyably entirely. Maybe. But if a child feels his parents are with him and on the same page, so to speak. Hearing the same words together in or from the service,
So they can discuss it at dinner together.
If the child feels that the parents care about the Shabbat and care about the Torah as to how it affects one and how one should follow Its guidance. Even if the child is too young to understand, he should be with the parents. Otherwise, if the child is left with teachers who are giving enjoyment, like babysitting, there is a disconnect—this can be okay in day school, but not on Shabbos. If the child notices the parents do not care, are not with him, the child will pick up this attitude. He will follow the fun babysitter attitude toward Torah, which may lead to an empty Shul in the future.
I mention “enjoyment” because without it, mechanical activities hardly become integrated into the personality of the child (or adult for that matter). I agree with you that if education or “children’s services” are glorified babysitting in which the enjoyment is unlinked from the activity of tefila itself, then not much happens from a spiritual point of view.
What I’m trying to communicate is what a child hears when it is young is sort of engraved on its brain. If it is taught by peers and teachers instead of being with a parent in an adult Shabbos Minyan, the engraving is weak, watered down. Let the child meditate and hear and absorb the words of Torah while sleeping in the Minyan rather than play away frivolously his most important learning time of his lifetime.
I hear what you’re saying and from my own experience I definitively recognize its truth. I think the key is habituating the child early. If the child is not coming to shul as a matter of habit by the time they get older he will be nearly impossible to convince.
I have read the Japanese parents of geniuses play recordings while their children sleep, and they absorb while asleep.
I’m relating because of my experience, not made up ideas. I had to sit in the front and listen and be quiet all my young childhood in addition to Sunday School. So was recipient of both adult as well as child-geared teachings. Mom was at home with younger children. Dad was participatory. This fills a young mind with goodness.
The understanding is learned at home by hearing from parents, like a language of a country spoken every where nearby. Thus, the advantage now of Israeli sabras. And even a little advantage from day-schools. Otherwise, a second or third language is just that. Hopefully not relegating Ahavas H”S” to second or third place (G-D forbid). It is a monumental challenge.
Yes this has been my experience. The meaning of concepts is so deeply tied to every aspect of Hebrew language that it anchors this meaning strongly in the mind and soul of the learner.
Thank you for writing. Hebrew isn’t necessary for Ahavat Hashem, but it helps knowing how rich with wisdom and beauty the language is. It’s a gift from Hashem. Being able to daven and actually mean what we say also helps!
Right. It is not necessary, as you say. However, if a person is superficial about learning Torah, yes. And later in life, what has he got to anchor himself? But if he is directed to the root of the understanding which is only in the original Language, he could rely on this for a deeper support.
Here are a few Hebrew-related questions I would love to learn more about
- What exactly happened at the Tower of Babel and how do other languages relate to Hebrew?
- How does Aramaic relate to Hebrew and is it a holy language?
- What is the impact of modern-day Israel having Hebrew as its national language (both on the individual and societal level)?