Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

So what are you contradicting me about?

Yigal Levin

-----Original Message-----
From: Isaac Fried [mailto:if AT math.bu.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 1:59 AM
To: Yigal Levin
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Both right?

I am sorry to contradict you again, but the Hebrew "academy" has no  
authority to rule, not on "biblical" Hebrew, and not on "modern"  
Hebrew. Its authority, as you correctly say, extends only over the  
offices of the government of Israel.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Dec 8, 2010, at 7:21 AM, Yigal Levin wrote:

> Isaac, once again, the Hebrew Language Academy is the farthest  
> thing possible from a rabbinic institution. It is totally academic,  
> and has absolutely no pretentions to any religious authority.
>
> You are correct, however, on one point. The Hebrew Language Academy  
> has absolutely no authority to "rule" on the "correctness" of  
> biblical Hebrew. Nor does it attempt to. It does publish various  
> studies made by its individual members, each a recognized authority  
> in his or her own academic field. Where the Hebrew Language Academy  
> does set rules is for modern Hebrew, as the official language of  
> the State of Israel. This is part of its mandate, as laid out in  
> its government-given charter. The rules that it sets out are  
> binding on official government offices and the Israeli education  
> system; anyone else can and does continue to speak and to write as  
> they wish.
>
> Please stop making claims on matters that you refuse to first check  
> out.
>
> Yigal Levin