READING HEBREW
Humanity s Downfall and Curses
IN THIS LECTURE: 1. Reading from the Torah 2. Reading from the Siddur 3. Reading from the Dead Sea Scrolls
Words of the Week Look for these words while reading husband, (noun) man, - א י ש male, human, person. wife, (noun) woman, - א ש ה female. human, (noun) man, - א ד ם mankind. sound, (noun) voice, call, - ק ול noise. timber. (noun) tree, wood, - ע ץ garden. (noun) - ג ן tell, (verb) to say, speak, - א מ ר answer. consume, (verb) to eat, - א כ ל swallow, devour. ground, (noun) land, - א ד מ ה earth, country. between. (preposition) - ב ין
Reading Torah
The creation of the world and first humans are the opening stories in the Hebrew Bible. For a modern scientifically-oriented mind they raise many questions that the Bible does not answer. And truthfully, the Bible was not designed to answer such questions. The Hebrew text is much more focused on the big picture, on spirituality, on relationships of humans with each other and their Creator. And Hebrew paints these first stories in a very personal and relational language.
ע ל כ ן י ע ז ב א י ש א ת א ב יו ו א ת א מ ו ו ד ב ק ב א ש ת ו ו ה י ו ל ב ש ר א ח ד Hence a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh. (Gen 2:24)
ו י ה י ו ש נ יה ם ע ר ו מ ים ה א ד ם ו א ש ת ו ו ל א י ת ב ש ש ו The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, yet they felt no shame. (Gen 2:25)
ו י ש מ ע ו א ת ק ול יהוה ל ר וח ה י ום ו י ת ח ב א א לה ים יהוה א לה ים ה א ד ם מ ת ה ל ך ב ג ן ו א ש ת ו ב ת ו ך ע ץ ה ג ן מ פ נ י They heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the Garden at the breezy time of day; and the man and his wife hid from the LORD God among the trees of the Garden. (Gen 3:8)
ו י ק ר א יהוה א לה ים א ל ה א ד ם ו י אמ ר א י כ ה ו י אמ ר א ת ק ל ך ש מ ע ת י ב ג ן ו א יר א כ י ע יר ם א נ כ י ו א ח ב א ל ו The LORD God called out to the man and said to him, Where are you? He replied, I heard the sound of You in the Garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid. (Gen 3:9-10)
ו י אמ ר מ י ה ג יד ל ך כ י ע יר ם א ת ה ה מ ן ה ע ץ א ש ר צ ו ית י ך ל ב ל ת י א כ ל מ מ נ ו א כ ל ת Then He asked, Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of the tree from which I had forbidden you to eat? (Gen 3:11)
ו י אמ ר ה א ד ם ה א ש ה א ש ר נ ת ת ה ע מ ד י ה וא נ ת נ ה ל י ו א כ ל מ ן ה ע ץ The man said, The woman You put at my side - she gave me of the tree, and I ate. (Gen 3:12)
כ י ע ש ית ז את א ר ור א ת ה מ כ ל ה ב ה מ ה ומ כ ל ח י ת ה ש ד ה ע ל ג ח נ ך ת ל ך ו ע פ ר ת אכ ל כ ל י מ י ח י י ך...Because you did this, more cursed shall you be than all cattle and all the wild beasts: On your belly shall you crawl and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. (Gen 3:14)
ו א יב ה א ש ית ב ינ ך וב ין ה א ש ה וב ין ז ר ע ך וב ין ז ר ע ה ה וא י ש ופ ך ר א ש ו א ת ה ת ש ופ נ ו ע ק ב I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They shall strike at your head, And you shall strike at their heel. (Gen 3:15)
א ל ה א ש ה א מ ר ה ר ב ה א ר ב ה ע צ ב ונ ך ו ה ר נ ך ב ע צ ב ת ל ד י ב נ ים ו א ל א י ש ך ת ש וק ת ך ו ה וא י מ ש ל ב ך And to the woman He said, I will make most severe your pangs in childbearing; In pain shall you bear children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. (Gen 3:16)
ול א ד ם א מ ר א ש ת ך צ ו ית י ך ו ת אכ ל ל אמ ר ל ק ול כ י ש מ ע ת מ ן ה ע ץ א ש ר מ מ נ ו ת אכ ל ל א To Adam He said, Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, You shall not eat of it (Gen 3:17)
א ר ור ה ה א ד מ ה ב ע צ ב ון ת אכ ל נ ה י מ י ח י י ך ב ע ב ור ך כ ל Cursed be the ground because of you; By toil shall you eat of it All the days of your life (Gen 3:17)
Reading Siddur
In Jewish practice it is traditional to offer short formulaic prayers called blessings just before eating. The words bless God for his provision (not food itself). While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples (Mat 26:26) The meal is often followed by a more elaborate words of thanksgiving, but these are a few choice words pronounced just before eating God s bounty.
ב ר ו ך א ת ה יהוה א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם ב ור א פ ר י ה ע ץ: Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe who created the fruit of the tree. (Blessing over fruit).
ב ר ו ך א ת ה א ד נ י א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם ב ור א פ ר י ה א ד מ ה Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe who created the fruit of the ground. (Blessing over fruit).
Reading Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea scrolls were hidden in caves and sealed in jars like this one. They were a part of an ancient library stored for safekeeping. The prophets of Israel often carried the messages of warning to God s people. At times they spoke the words of comfort as well. What ever the words may have been, the role of the prophet was to proclaim God s words to be heard by his people. Isaiah is one of those special messengers.
א ר צ כ ם ש מ מ ה ע ר יכ ם ש ר פ ות א ש ל נ ג ד כ ם ז ר ים א כ ל ים א ד מ ת כ ם א ת ה ו ש מ מ ה כ מ ה פ כ ת ז ר ים Your land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire, Your fields - strangers are devouring them in your presence; It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers. (Isaiah 1:7)
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