L'shon ha-Kodesh

Consonant

Final Form

  

Name

Alef Bet Gimmel

  

         

 

4 1.indd

V G

Hey

H

Vav

V

Zayin

Z

Het

H

Tet

T

Yud

Y

Lamed

KH L M

Nun

N

Samekh

S

Peh

Sound

P

Vowels

AH

n

n

n

kammatz

patah

hataf patah

EH

n

n

segol

hataf segol

EH or EI

n tzereh

n

EI

tzereh yud

I

hirik

EE

O

OO SILENT/ SHORT SOUND

AI

OOEY

silent OY

n n hirik yud

n holam

n holam haser

n

n

shuruk

kubbutz



n

n

hataf kammatz

kammatz katan

n sh’va

n

n

kammatz yud

patah yud

n shuruk yud

n holam yud

F TZ

Kuf

K

Resh

R

Shin

SH

Sin

S

Tav

T

1

Script

K

Mem

Ayin

Print

B

D

Tzadi

 

silent

Dalet

Kaf

 

Pronunciation

07/07/2004, 11:5 AM

cover.indd

1

07/07/2004, 11:55 AM

ISBN 1-891662-40-6 Copyright © 2004 Torah Aura Productions All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Torah aura ProducTions• 4423 FruiTland avenue, los angeles, ca 90058 (800) Be-Torah • (800) 238-6724 • (323) 585-7312 • Fax (323) 585–0327 e-Mail <Misrad@Torahaura.coM> • visiT The Torah aura weBsiTe aT www.Torahaura.coM ManuFacTured in usa

Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv lesson 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 lesson 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 lesson 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 lesson 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 lesson 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 lesson 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 lesson 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 lesson 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 lesson 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 lesson 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

iii

INTRODUCTION welcome to the wonderful, exciting and challenging world of hebrew! You are about to take your first steps in learning the L’shon ha-Kodesh—the holy Tongue of the Jewish people. May your journey be rich and rewarding!

This textbook has been designed to ease your way into hebrew by rooting your work in words you may already know from the context of Jewish life.

Similarities and Differences Between Hebrew and English Similarities • Both languages create syllables from a single consonant plus a single vowel (an “open syllable”) or from a consonant-vowel-consonant “closed syllable.”

• Both languages can be written by hand in either “print” or “cursive” forms.

• Both languages have a virtually unlimited number of fonts for typesetting and computer work.

Differences • hebrew is read right-to-left, the opposite of english.

• hebrew has 22 consonant letters; vowels appear as lines and dots below, above or next to the consonants. The english alphabet has 26 letters, including both consonants and vowels.

• hebrew has no capital consonants. however, five consonants change their shape when they appear at the end of the word.

LESSON 4

Elements Found in Each Lesson

1

Overview of New Consonants and Vowels: each lesson begins with an overview of the consonants and vowels introduced throughout that lesson. each consonant is printed in a large size; its name appears next to it in hebrew and english. each vowel is presented in a small shaded box. vowels appear below, above and next to consonants. a small black square acts as a place holder for a Hebrew consonant in these vowel presentations.

2

“Progress Report”: at the bottom of the first page of each lesson is a row of all the Hebrew consonants in alphabetical order and a row of all the Hebrew vowels. Those presented in the iv

Meet the Consonants and Vowels for this Lesson In some settings the character  is called by the name  vet. In fact, this character is a  without a dagesh and it sounds like a “v”.

 

Introduction of consonants

and

(Bet)







is called   (segol).



is called   .

(hataf segol)







(Resh)



is called   (tzeireh).





Introduction of vowels  

                 28

Lesson 4

Progress Report

current lesson are colored red, those already learned are colored black, and those yet-to-be-learned are colored a pale blue. You can track your progress through the hebrew alefBet by following these lines of consonants and vowels at the beginning of each lesson. =

3

Teaching a New Consonant: we begin a new page to present each new consonant. in a vertical box at the side of the Practice page you will find icons or pictures of Hebrew words from Jewish life that begin with the new consonant. This initial sound is highlighted in red. In addition, below the pictures, you will find other possibly familiar words that also begin with the new consonant.

Some of these may be words from the  prayerbook, some may be concepts that can’t be captured in pictures. They are translated for you.

Your teacher will help you read these words.

Practice these

Jewish Life Vocabulary



words and sounds.

           

.1

         

.2

   

 

                    

.3



  

.4

.5

.6

     

.7

      

.8

     

.9

  HERE ARE SOME OTHER WORDS THAT START WITH .

Hanukkah ................ kindness......................

sin ............................... 

Lesson 7



month ........................ 

 

55

4

Practice: After the presentation of each new element, whether consonant or vowel, there are lines of Hebrew for you to practice. An arrow points you in the proper direction to read hebrew right to left. in some cases, these lines contain syllables that drill the new elements; sometimes they contain real words. (By the end of the first lesson, you will be saying 2 real hebrew words!) at the end of lesson 2, there is a small section of words Practice@Home/ Practice @Home Website Practice these sounds. from the siddur that you can now say          aloud. These sections will grow longer         in each lesson. In addition, there are sections to practice at home. work at         home with the help of the website is Circle all the sounds that match the sound in the colored box. essential for the growth and Exercises       development of your ability to       sound out each new Hebrew       element.

To review this lesson go to www.lshonhakodesh.torahaura.com. Your user name is ivrit and your password is 121282.

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.2

.3

.4

.5

.6













.7













.8













.9













.10

5

Exercises: Many lessons contain some kind of visual discrimination exercise. sometimes you will circle similar sounding elements. Sometimes

Lesson 1

v

7

you will note elements that manifest a particular sound. Sometimes you will match elements that sound the same.

6

Writing Practice: In each lesson you will have the opportunity to write consonants, Writing Practice vowels and words. Your practice is guided in numbered steps to create printed or cursive forms of the Hebrew elements.

Your teacher will help direct your choice.

Writing Practice Practice printing or writing a . print

1

4

5

3

2 4

script

3

2 1

Practice printing or writing a .

1

4

2

3 1

7

4

2

Roots: In every lesson you will learn one or two Practice printing or writing a . “roots.” Hebrew words are usually built from a three-consonant foundation called a shoresh or “root.” we present each shoresh and list several words with which you may be Now print or write your first two words.

Can you see the shoresh  in these words? familiar that grow from that honor = shoresh. Your teacher may need heavy = to help you with some of these liver = words. You won’t be able to  recognize all the elements of Roots these words in the beginning lessons of the book. a brief essay explains deeper meanings and levels of understanding of each root and its related words.

Siddur Here are some words and phrases from the .

Practice By the end of the book, you        r will have learned 19 shorashim Siddu s       Word (roots) that form the basis of       many important ideas of Jewish       living.

3

1

3

1

3

5



print

2

4

5

6

script

2

4

  Lesson 1

The shoresh means “heavy” in one context; it forms the base of “honor” or “respect” in another context.

 “liver”—the largest organ in the human body—weighing about 3 pounds  “heavy” in weight, also “difficult”

 “respect” or “honor”

Moses responds to God’s call for him to speak to Pharaoh and lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt with the words - “Heavy of mouth and heavytongued am I.” Pharaoh was not ready to let the Children of Israel go.  “Pharaoh’s heart was heavy” (with stubbornness).

And from the Ten Commandments: -- “Honor your father and your mother.”

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.2

.3

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48

Lesson 6

The Website This entire textbook is replicated on an interactive website, which you can find at www.lshonhakodesh.torahaura.com. You will need a user name and password code (found on the Practice@Home pages) to access the site. click with your curser to hear a word or a line of hebrew or to hear any other element on the page. on a page where you find a “pencil exercise,” an “answer” button appears on the website. clicking it will reveal the exercise with the answers appropriately marked. We recommend regular practice using the website between class sessions! vi

LESSON 1

Meet the Consonants and Vowels for this Lesson

(Bet)

  



(Shin)



and

 



this represents any Hebrew consonant

is called  (kamatz). sounds like SHA





(Tav)



this represents any Hebrew consonant

is called  (patah).

sounds like SHA



 

                 1

lesson 1



 =  Hebrew reads from right to left.

The arrow will point the way.

         

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         

.2

         

.3

 

.4

      

 



Circle the sounds in each line that say “sha.”











.5









.6

 

 









here are soMe oTher words ThaT sTarT wiTh .



.7

year ..............................  listen! ......................... 

.8

name ..............................  Divine Presence ....

2

lesson 1



 =  Now read and read again.



         

.1

        

.2

      

.3

        

.4

      

.5





      

.6

      

.7

here are soMe oTher words ThaT sTarT wiTh .



blessed .....................

Can you guess what this word says?





blessing ..................  Children ..... of Israel son/.....

 

  

daughter of commandment

lesson 1

3



=

Practice these sounds with .

Now you can read…



       

.1

      

.2

       

.3

     

.4







.5







.6



 



  

Circle the words that say Shabbat.





 

Hebrew consonants sometimes have a dot in them.

This dot is called a dagesh. In most cases the dagesh does not change the sound of the consonant.

.7

.8

4

here are soMe oTher words THAT START wiTh .



thanks ......................  Talmud.................  prayer..................... 

 

repentance ..........

lesson 1

Can you see the shoresh  in these words? sabbatical = 

Shabbat = 

labor strike = 

he rested =  and he rested = 







The shoresh means “cease,” “desist” or “rest.” we first encounter this shoresh in the Torah at the end of the account of god’s creation of the world. (Your teacher will help with the hebrew; our shoresh has been highlighted for you in english and hebrew.) and god finished on the seventh day The work that was made; god ceased/rested on the seventh day From all the work that was done. god blessed the seventh day And made it holy For on it god ceased/rested from all the work which god in creating had made. genesis 2.2–3

         



        

     

The Jewish notion of Shabbat/Sabbath and the various laws regarding its observance come directly from these verses. we learn (among other things) that we stop doing what we do every day and make one day distinctive and different to imitate god’s actions during Creation. Traditional observance of  directs our attention away from daily ordinariness toward the holy. our Torah adds to that notion later in exodus: and on the seventh day god ceased/rested, and was refreshed/re-souled. exodus 31.17

    

we learn that there is a purpose to the stopping: we become refreshed—from the word nefesh (soul)—as did god. That which we cease to do and that with which we busy ourselves on Shabbat point to the re-creation of ourselves that only such restful cessation can bring. our tradition teaches that it is as though we receive an extra soul on shabbat. how we make the most of that gift is up to us.

lesson 1

5

Writing Practice Practice printing or writing a . print

1

4

5

3

2 4

script

3

2 1

Practice printing or writing a .

1

4

2

3 1 4

2

3

Practice printing or writing a .

1 3

print

2

4

5

1 3

5

script

2

4

Now print or write your first two words.

  6

lesson 1

To review this lesson go to www.lshonhakodesh.torahaura.com. Your user name is ivrit and your password is 121282.

Practice @Home Practice these sounds.





  







 



 

 



  



 



.1



.2



.3

circle all the sounds that match the sound in the colored box.













.4













.5













.6













.7













.8













.9













.10

lesson 1

7