Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

Shoshanna,

"Dibrah Torah bilshon benei adam" - "The Torah spoke in human language". The 
belief that the Torah pre-existed creation, even if taken literally, does 
not mean that the Written Torah was "already there" in its exact wording, 
and even if it does, since God knew what generation He intended to give the 
Torah to, He obviously would write the Torah in the language that was spoken 
by that generation. This does not mean that Hebrew did not evolve naturally, 
just like every other language.

Yigal Levin

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shoshanna Walker" <rosewalk AT concentric.net>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 3:44 AM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 20: 1


> That is all very nice, but the Torah, which existed prior to
> Creation, is independent of arabic.
>
> If there are any similarities, the Torah was the original basis, and
> the arabs took from there, what they wanted, just as they are trying
> to do today.
>
> Shoshanan
>
>
>
>
> Why don't you start finding out by reading some of the works of the early
> grammarians of Hebrew?  You can start with Saadiah Gaon's "Book of the
> pure Hebrew language" (Kita:b fasi:x lug'at al-(ibra:niyyah), and find 
> out?
>
> But make sure also to read Ibn Barun's work, "Book of comparison between
> the Hebrew and Arabic language" ("Kita:b al-muwa:zanah bayn al-lug'ah al-
> (ibra:niyyah wa-l-(arabiyyah") about whom you can read here:
> http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=7&letter=I
>
> More seriously, Arabic and Ancient Hebrew are related languages.
> They both developed out of a language called Central Semitic.  The
> significant innovation of Central Semitic is the leveling of the suffix -t
> for the verbal suffixes (as in "katavti", whereas previously the first
> person suffix was -ku like "anoki").  Anyone who learns even a little
> about Arabic will see the significant relationship between both Hebrew
> and Arabic.  For example, compare above the Arabic word "Kita:b" =
> book, and the Hebrew root KTB.  "bayn" with Hebrew "ben" = between.
> muwa:zanah with Hebrew M)ZNYM "balances".
>
> Yitzhak Sapir
> _______________________________________________
> b-hebrew mailing list
> b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
> _______________________________________________
> b-hebrew mailing list
> b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1064 - Release Date: 
> 11/10/2007 15:09