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READING THE BIBLE
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MAKING THE CASE FOR HEBREW (PART II)
Why are so many people worldwide
actively seeking the knowledge that Hebrew has to offer?
In our first article, we pointed out some facts related to Hebrew as a conceptual language versus other languages that are based on random agreements. Words in a conceptual language represent a specific idea and each one of the letters always represents the same internal expression. Roots (typically in groups of three letters) represent precise concepts.
In Hebrew the words themselves are an accurate expression of a concept, unlike all other languages, where words represent a mere agreement related to a phonetic sound. This is why the words "CAT" in English or "GATO" in Spanish do not have meaning by themselves but, on the other hand, the Hebrew word for "cat" (CAT-UL) represents the concept of "wrapping" or "coiling" which depict the nature of the animal. One can say that all other languages are made of "series of random agreements" where Hebrew has a universal system of expressing concepts.
We don't ask ourselves where languages come from because they just seem to be there: French in France, English in England, Chinese in China, Japanese in Japan, and so forth. Yet if we go back only a few thousand years, none of these languages were spoken in their respective countries and indeed none of these languages existed anywhere in the world. Where did they all come from? The modern science of linguistics does not offer a definitive answer to this question. We may find, however, a possible answer in the Biblical story of the "Tower of Babel". Listen carefully to the following story (this time I ask you to "listen", since we all have "read" this story many times before):
[Genesis 10:32 & 11:1 to 11:9]
10:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
11:1 And the whole earth was of ONE LANGUAGE, AND OF ONE SPEECH.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.
6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confuse the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
What was this ONE LANGUAGE the people spoke? Obviously not all the descendants of Noah went to live in Shinar, so some people who spoke the ONE LANGUAGE stayed behind and continued to speak the ONE LANGUAGE. What was this language? How can the mere possession of this language be so important to the people's unity, to their creativity, innovation and technical ability that they were able to challenge God?
In order to answer these questions we need to take a closer look at the languages that have sprung out of the original ONE LANGUAGE. We know that all of them are based on random agreements; therefore, any word in one language would sound differently in another. There is no logical or conceptual reason that can explain the connection between words other than the fact of an arbitrary agreement. We can, however, compare these languages to the one conceptual language that we are aware of (Hebrew) and try to discover if such a language serves us better than a language based on agreement.
We would be interested to know what are the benefits of a conceptual language over the other languages, and what would be some of its characteristics. If we presume that it is possible to form an IDEAL LANGUAGE we would probably look for some of the following characteristics that will make it a superior language: the language must be simple, easy to understand, use clear audible sounds, operate on precise grammatical rules, offer all encompassing vocabulary, its written form would be intuitive and "user friendly" and its overall effect on the speakers should be positive. In fact, such a language would go a step beyond mere communication: it would enhance brain activity and affect neurological connections in ways that promote healing and wellness.
At first glance these requirements from any language would seem unrealistic: a language that does what? But if we want to consider the possibility of a super language then Hebrew is one language that holds a promise, and here is why: the Hebrew tradition is full of ancient examples emphasizing the importance of speaking, reading and praying in Hebrew. Sages taught that even though permission was granted to pray in other languages, it was always favored to pray in the Holy Tongue. In numerous writings since the Biblical era, the "Holy Tongue" has been known as a reference to the divine spiritual language–Hebrew. It was taught that it is better to pray or read the healing Psalms in Hebrew, even if the praying person does not understand the words.
What then would be the benefit of reading in Hebrew if not the sounds (frequencies) originating from the language? An ancient tradition teaches us that the 22 energy forces that built all of creation, manifest as 22 frequency patterns in our world. They appear as shapes and vibrations that we can both visualize and vocalize. Those 22 shapes and patterns were identified as none other than the 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet.
Just as "H2O" is a formula describing the force of water, the 22 letters are a formula describing the 22 forces of creation. These letters, by virtue of their shape, resonance and vibrations, act as antennae that arouse and harness the unseen energy forces of creation. It is said: "he who knows the secret of joining Hebrew letters, can build and destroy worlds". The influence of combinations of Hebrew letters is immediate and encompasses the world at large as well as the individual.
To confirm the ancient ideas described above, most contemporary linguists acknowledge that languages do influence people in a variety of ways and, in fact, this notion was behind the scientific development of some new branches of the modern science of linguistics: Historical-Comparative Linguistics, Semantics, Socio-linguistics, Psycho-linguistics, Neuro-linguistics, etc. Suffice it to say that finding a language that combines the benefits of all those disciplines and influences people in a positive way would bring us closer to identifying the IDEAL LANGUAGE. That language would be more than a means of communication; it would also have a holistic effect on its speakers and hearers, influencing them on many levels: psychological, sociological, neurological, physical, etc. It would enhance their creativity and promote an over-all sense of well being [a concept embodied in the Hebrew word, 'SHALOM' = peace, root SH.L.M. = whole, complete].
If Hebrew does operate as an IDEAL LANGUAGE, producing results beyond mere communication, then it could very well be the 'mother tongue' of all today's languages. If you have never thought of Hebrew as a major contributor to our English vocabulary, you will have to think again after you have the opportunity to see the facts for yourself.
© 2008 Center for Biblical Hebrew
HEBREW LETTERS OF THE TORAH TRANSLATED TO MUSICAL NOTES! |
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The Wisdom of the Hebrew Alef-Bet |
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READING THE BIBLE
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