Dear Language Enthusiast,
Welcome to the Monthly, the free Internet newsletter from
Transparent Language. It's our way of helping you practice your language skills as you learn
about the culture of Israel.
This month, we examine two elements of Hebrew that are absolutely indispensable if you want
to speak like a native: slang and idioms. These are colorful words and expressions that cannot
be translated literally. (Imagine a Hebrew speaker trying to make sense of English idioms like
"he has a screw loose" or "it's a piece of cake"!). Yet, learning these is the secret to
achieving true fluency ... it's the difference between "textbook" and "real-world" language.
If you're not yet familiar with any Hebrew slang words or idiomatic expressions, prepare
yourself. You may be surprised at how fascinating-and fun-they can be to learn and to use.
Best of all, learning about slang and idioms will add a new dimension to your language skills!
Sincerely,
Transparent Language
www.transparent.com
CLARIFICATION:
In our January HebrewMonthly Newsletter, Nikola Tesla was listed as a Hungarian Scientist.
Tesla was born in Smiljan, Croatia in 1856, which was then a part of the Austro-Hungarian
Empire. He was of Serbian descent and lived in the United States after 1884.
Haivrit hamodernit kshura kesher haduk m'od laivrit haatika. Kesher ze ba lidey bitui bimyukhad
banivim, bituyim shehamashmaut shelahem ykhola lihyot shona meyhamashmaut hamilulit
shelahem. Mispar lo mvutal shel nivim baivrit hamodernit lakuakh mitokh hamkorot: Tanakh,
Mishna, Talmud uMidrash.
Lfanekha mispar nivim, hashimush bahem uveyze heksher ne'emru. Hahavana shel hanivim
t'afsher lkha lgasher beyn he'avar lveyn hazmanim hamoderniyim ulha'amik et ydi'otekha v'et
havanatkha et hasafa haivrit.
'Basar mibsari v'etsem meyatsmotay'. Ha'adam haze (yakhol lihyot ben-zug, tse'etsa o hore),
karov elay m'od: fisit, nafshit vrigshit. Haniv lakuakh mitokh sipur habri'a shel khava
meyhatsela shel adam. Ksheadam hiturer mitardemato vra'a et haisha hu amar: "Zot hapa'am etsem
meyatsamay uvasar mibsari" (Breyshit 2:23).
Haniv hanal hu llo safek ba'al mashmaut khiyuvit. Ulam lnivim tanakhiyim rabim yesh mashmaut
shlilit o ivrunit. Bsefer shmot, shney haivrim hanitsim omrim lmoshe: "Mi samkha l'ish sar
vshofet aleynu?" (Shmot 2:14) Umashma'uto: 'Mi mina otkha lihyot hamfakeyakh o hamnahel'?
Kayom yisreylim shoalim gam-ken "Mi samkha?" ka'asher mishehu mnasey lakakhat l'atsmo
samkhuyot shel m'mune.
Im ata rotse lhazhir mishehu, ata yakhol lomar lo: "Hapinkas patuakh vhayad roshemet".
Meyvusas al ma'amar shel rabi akiva: "Hapinkas patuakh vhayad kotevet" (Pirkey-Avot: 3:20).
Umashmauto: 'Lamrot sheanilo meygiv kaet, hizaher! Ki hakol "nirsham" etsli. Uvyom min
hayamim ani agiv.' Dugma boletet lshimush baniv haze karta b-1967, kaasher Leyvi Eshkol,
rosh hamemshala vsar habitakhon shel yisrael khazar vhishtamesh baniv haze pa'am akhar
pa'am, kdey leykhazhir et surya vlidrosh mimena shetafsik et hahafgazot shela al yishuvey-
hasfar hayisrelim. Mistaber shesurya lo "hikira" et habitui haze, vhimshikha bahafgazot. Zman
katsar l'akhar miken, mtosey mirazh yisrelim yirtu 7 mtosey krav surim, asher huznku l'ever
yisrael. Im ata shomeya yisreli mishtamesh babitui haze, hizaher m'od!
Mispar bituyim tanakhyim mazhirim mipney ga'ava vshevakh atsmi. Akhav, melekh yisrael,
hizhir et ben hada, melekh aram, vamar lo: "Al yithalel khoger kimpateakh" (Mlakhim Alef,
20:11) klumar: 'Al yithalel hamatkhil bimsima, ki ma shekhashuv hu, keytsad hu ysayem ota.'
Bdome lkhakh sefer mishley mlamed otanu: "Yhalelkha zar vlo pikha". (Mishley 27:2) Halekakh,
kamuvan hu: 'Ten la'akheyrim lhalel otkha bimkom sheata thalel et atsmkha.' B'irunya, ata
yakhol lomar: "Yhalelkha zar valo pikha". Sleng al basis haniv hanal: 'Ten la'akheyrim lhalel
otkha. Af im ish eyno mitrashem mimkha, az asey "avoda atsmit" vshabeyakh et atsmkha bmo-
pikha.'
Sefer mishley hu makor ashir m'od lnivim. Ekhad mehem hu: "Eyshet-khayil mi yimtsa"
(Mishley 31:10) hatoar "Eyshet-khayil" b'ivrit makbil l-superwomen. Shlomo hamelekh
mshabeyakh et eyshet-hakhayil ki hi mtapelet babayit, doeget lfarnasat hamishpakha, akharait
lkhinukh hayladim, mkademet et hama'amad hakhebrati shel ba'ala uvnosaf lkhakh hu mtsape
mimena lvatseya od elef v'akhat matalot nosafot. Akharey-hakol, adam shehayu lo "elef nashim
milvar pilagshim" (Mlakhim Alef, 1:3) hu bhekhlet hamumkhey lma'amad haisha veylimkoma
bamishpakha.
Akhat meyimrotav shel hilel hazaken: "Im lo akhshav eymata?" (Pirkey-Avot 1:14), lamedet
otanu shlo l'abed zman. Im hekhalatta la'asot mashehu, kakh et atsmkha bayadayim, va'aseh
zot miyad. Al tidkhey lmakhar ma sheata yakhol la'asot hayom. Mikol-makom, yisrelim rabim
mshabshim et atsat hilel v'omrim: "Al ta'ase makhar, ma sheata yakhol la'asot mokhratayim".
Bmilim akheyrot, kol ma sheata yakhol lidkhot, dkhey. Tamid yesh makhar. Anashim shehitnasu
babyurokratya hayisrelit vaday hayu myakhalim shehilel haya ha'akhara'i, hayom.
Nivim ele v'od eyn sfor akherim ykholim lha'ashir et kosher hahitbatut shelkha b'ivrit.
Shelo kmo sleng, ata lo tsarikh lakhashosh shenivim elu yets'u mehaofna.
In English:
Strong links exist between ancient and modern Hebrew. This conjunction is striking in Hebrew's
idioms, expressions which can mean something quite different from the words that comprise
them. A large number of the idioms in modern Hebrew come from traditional Jewish sources,
including Tanakh (Jewish scripture), Talmud and Mishnah (the ancient Rabbinical writings,
including interpretations of Jewish law), and Midrash (commentaries on the Tanakh that come
out of oral tradition).
Here are some common idioms, given in context, that will help you bridge the gap between
ancient and modern times in your Hebrew studies.
"Flesh from my flesh, bone from my bones." One of the first Biblical idioms comes from the
second chapter of Genesis. You can use it to refer to someone you are close to physically,
emotionally and spiritually, such as a spouse, child or parent. The phrase originally
referred to the relationship between Adam and Eve, since Eve was said to be created from
Adam's rib. When Adam woke up and saw the woman, he said: "This at last is a bone of my bones
and a flesh of my flesh" (Genesis 2:23).
While the first image is a positive one, many Biblical idioms have acquired negative
connotations. In Exodus, the quarreling Israelites asked Moses, "Who made you a prince and a
judge over us?" (Exodus 2:14). Today, Israelis ask the same question to indicate that someone
is overstepping his or her authority.
If you want to warn someone, you might announce "The ledger open, the hand records" (Ethics
of the Fathers 3:20). This statement, from the teachings of the sage Rabbi Akiva, indicates
"While I am not reacting now, beware! I am noting everything you do. And sooner or later, I will
react." A striking example of its use occurred in 1967, when Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol
repeated it over and over, warning the Syrians to stop their bombardment of Israeli settlements.
Apparently, the Syrians were not familiar with the idiom because they continued their shelling.
Soon after, Israeli forces went out and intercepted Syria's top fighter jets as they prepared
another attack. If you hear an Israeli use this idiom, take heed!
Numerous Biblical idioms cite the danger of self praise and pride. In the Book of Kings, Ahab,
King of Israel admonished Ben-Hadad, King of Syria, "Let not him that girds on his armor boast
himself as he who puts it off" (I Kings 20:11). He indicates that it is dangerous to praise
yourself at the beginning of a task because it is the results that count. Similarly, Proverbs
warns, "Let others praise you and not your own mouth" (Proverbs 27:2). The lesson: wait for
others to praise you instead of praising yourself. Modern speakers have revised this statement,
and today you may hear Israelis say, "Let others praise you, IF not your own mouth." While the
statement appears to indicate that it is acceptable to praise yourself in some circumstances,
speakers generally use it ironically.
Proverbs is a rich source of idioms, including "A good wife, who can find?" (Proverbs 31:10). A
"good wife" is the Hebrew-language superwoman. King Solomon praises this woman because
she tends the home, acts as breadwinner, oversees her children's education, advances her
husband's social status and attends to 1,001 other tasks. Perhaps if Solomon had known this
woman, he would not have needed 1,000 wives (I Kings 1:3).
The sage Hillel warned against procrastination, saying "If not now, when?" (Pirkey Avot: 1:14).
He counseled people to take up tasks immediately, not to leave for tomorrow work that could be
done today. However, many modern Israelis turn Hillel's advice upside down and say "Don't do
tomorrow anything that you can do the day after tomorrow." Those who have experienced Israeli
bureaucracy or business practices often wish Hillel were in charge today.
These idioms and countless others can enrich your Hebrew expression. And unlike many slang
terms, you don't have to worry that they will go out of style!
