Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jonathan D. Safren" <yonsaf AT beitberl.ac.il>]

When I was a grad student at Hebrew U in Jerusalem, our teachers told us,
only half in jest, that the most important Semitic language is German,
because you need it to study all the other Semitic languages.
On a more serious plane, anyone wishing to make a serious career in Biblical
Studies, must know how to read at least German, and for certain specialties
(Mari, Ugarit), also French. To this must be added Modern Hebrew, as much of
the serious research that goes on in Tanakh today goes on in Hebrew.
Until this very day, many, if not most biblical scholars are ignorant about
the ideas of yehezkel Kaufmann, because he wrote his magnum opus, A History
of Israelite Religion, in Hebrew. Moshe Greenberg's translation is only an
abridgement.
Other important Israeli scholars, whom you may have heard of because they
have either written studies in English or had their Hebrew studies
translated, are Moshe Weinfeld, Avi Hurvitz, Umberto Cassuto, Samuel E.
Loewenstamm, Alexander Rofe, Benjamin Mazar, Abraham Malamat, Emanuel Tov,
Sarah Japhet, Yairah Amit, Yair Zakovitch. I could go on and on. I won't
mention those Israeli scholars whose native language is English and in any
case find it easier to write in that obscure language.
And just imagine the large number of Israeli scholars who don't feel
comfortable writing in English, and so their scholarly work has appeared
only in Hebrew.
It thus transpires that Modern Hebrew is one of the most important languages
to know for anyone wishing to be a SERIOUS scholar of the Tanakh. Imagine
trying to be a art historian without knowledge of French or Italian. Well,
Hebrew is right up there with German, the most important Semitic language.
Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Safren, Editor
Mo'ed - Annual for Jewish Studies
Center for Jewish Culture
Beit Berl College
Beit Berl Post Office
44905 Israel
Tel. 972-9-7476396
Fax 972-9-7475397
e-mail: moed AT beitberl.ac.il



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "VC" <vadim_lv AT center-tv.net>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2004 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] OT: a link about Modern Hebrew


> Dear Yigal,
>
> > from SOME Orthodox Jewish students and audiences: why should we care
what
> > gentile anti-semites think about OUR Tanakh?
> While I wouldn't go to this extreme, they have a rationale. In any
science,
> that explanation is preferred, which requires less assumptions. Now,
> Christian scholars introduce a major assumption in interpreting the
Tanakh:
> namely, that it could and even should be interpreted with a fringe
sectarian
> text, the NT, in mind. Since Jewish scholars don't require this
assumption,
> their opinions should be preferred.
> This, of course, does not imply in any sense pushing someone out of this
> field of scholarship, but rather inadmissibility of bringing a doctrine in
> the field.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Vadim Cherny
>
> > Dear Vadim,
> >
> > Of course I understand the doctrinal tradition. I hear a similar
argument
> > from SOME Orthodox Jewish students and audiences: why should we care
what
> > gentile anti-semites think about OUR Tanakh? I guess I just expected
most
> of
> > the people who consider themselves to be scholars, scientists, to be
> beyond
> > such prejudices. But why should they?
> >
> > Yigal
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "VC" <vadim_lv AT center-tv.net>
> > To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> > Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2004 11:38 AM
> > Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] OT: a link about Modern Hebrew
> >
> >
> > > Since the difference between the ancient and modern Hebrew is
relatively
> > > minor, and could be covered in a month or so, which is not a major
term
> > for
> > > people devoting their life time to Hebrew studies, may I suggest that
> this
> > > negligence to the modern Hebrew has doctrinal roots?
> > > In your example, Medieval French scholar relies on the publications of
> > > French-speaking scientists, and so needs the modern French. But in the
> > > Hebrew studies, opinions of the Jews are a curiosity at the most
because
> > > they do not understand the divine message, anyway. Believe it or not,
> this
> > > is the reply I once got from a reputable group of scholars working on
> the
> > > translation of Tanakh.
> > >
> > > Best regards,
> > >
> > > Vadim Cherny
> > >
> > > > Unfortunately, yes. I complain about it every chance I get ( and
have
> > done
> > > > so on this list). No scholar of Medieval French literature would
dare
> > not
> > > be
> > > > able to read Modern French.
> > > >
> > > > Yigal
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "UUC" <vadim_lv AT center-tv.net>
> > > > To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> > > > Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2004 1:59 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] OT: a link about Modern Hebrew
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > ???
> > > > > Is it normal for the scholars of ancient Hebrew to not be able to
> read
> > > > > Israeli newspaper?
> > > > >
> > > > > Sincerely,
> > > > >
> > > > > Vadim Cherny
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Is there a translation to either Biblical Hebrew or English for
> this
> > > > > article? I found it gibberish, in other words, a foreign language
I
> > > can't
> > > > > understand.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Karl W. Randolph.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > From: Noam Eitan
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > I'm not sure how open this list is to off topic posts (I see
> quite
> > a
> > > > > few), but here is a link that may or may not be of interest, which
I
> > > think
> > > > > at least gives an example how a language develops. Noam Eitan,
> > Brooklyn,
> > > > NY
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=435092&contrassID
> > > > > =2&subContrassID=4&sbSubContrassID=0
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > ___________________________________________________________
> > > > > > Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
> > > > > > http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm
> > > > > >
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> > > > > >
> > > > > > ---------------------------------
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> > > > >
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> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
> > > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> >
> >
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> >
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