Hebrew - The Jewish Language of Prayer

Why Learning Hebrew is Worthwhile for those Studying Judaism

Nov 16, 2009

Learning Hebrew well enough to use a Hebrew English dictionary or read ancient Jewish prayers may seem challenging for a non-speaker, but the process has its rewards.

Anyone who has glanced at a Hebrew English dictionary, or studied Hebrew letters may assume that the two languages are worlds apart. Hebrew is written from right to left, English from left to right. Learning Hebrew means learning new letters and a new vocabulary. So why would anyone want to undertake that challenge?

In fact, in this day and age it is easier than ever to participate in synagogue services and Jewish holiday events without learning Hebrew. Most Reform and some Conservative synagogues offer transliterated versions of Hebrew prayers and songs in the English alphabet so that members and guests who don’t read Hebrew can follow the service and participate. Many Reform prayers are said in English, reducing the demand for Hebrew fluency even further.

Learning Hebrew is like having a window into history. A word can have a dozen meanings, all based on changing interpretations through the years. Transliteration only gives one a single meaning – the one that is most relevant to the person using the translation.

Take for example the word tzedakah – what is often translated as charity. Its origin lies in the Hebrew word for righteousness or justice. Thus benevolence is not just an act of kindness, but a mitzvah – an obligation in Judaism, defined by what is just, or right. It is no surprise that tzedakah and tzedek – the word for a wise, righteous man, come from the same origin in Hebrew.

Multiple Interpretations of Hebrew Scripture

Semitic languages (such as Hebrew) have unique root structures. Hebrew words originate from three letter roots, which just like a tree, branch off and can have multiple words with different meanings. That is why there can be vast differences between translations of the Tanakh.

A Jewish interpretation of a passage in the Torah and a Catholic interpretation of the same passage in the Old Testament can seem worlds apart based on the different translation of a few words. Learning how to read and understand Hebrew gives one the ability to understand both interpretations.

Obscurity of Translation

The Israeli poet, Hayyim Bialik once said that “Reading the Bible in translation is like kissing your new bride through a veil.” There’s often something lost in the translation.

There’s also something lost in the transliteration. Transliteration from Hebrew to English is the Romanization of the Hebrew sounds using English text. It isn’t exact, and often times, the pronunciation isn’t correct.

Hebrew is the Language of Prayer

According to Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President, Union of Reform Judaism, Hebrew is the language of prayer. Step into any synagogue anywhere in the world, and one will likely hear Hebrew. It is the unifying voice of Judaism, the cadence of thousands of years of Jewish expression.

One may hear a half-dozen accents in the room: those of the Ashkenazim from Eastern Europe and from North America, and the Sephardim from Spain, Ethiopia, South America and New Mexico. Yet with few exceptions, all observers will likely be saying the same prayer.

Biblical Hebrew and Jewish Culture

There is no better way to understand Jewish origins than through the Hebrew language. Learning Hebrew is a way of learning about one’s roots, whether they carry the reader back to ancient Israel, or to the shtetls of Russia. They all have a common bond: the language that through years has defined the universal history of Jews.

The copyright of the article Hebrew - The Jewish Language of Prayer in Judaism is owned by Jan Lee. Permission to republish Hebrew - The Jewish Language of Prayer in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.