The Hebrew language is one of the oldest surviving languages known today, and is the official language of Israel – which explicitly connects its modern significance to its ancient biblical origins. Since the Israelites are God’s chosen people, it could be said that Hebrew is God’s chosen language. It was the language in which most of the Bible was originally written, and Bible scholars study Hebrew specifically to illuminate original linguistic meanings, contexts, and obtain a more in-depth Scriptural understanding. By studying Hebrew, a Bible reader can absorb Scripture like the best biblical scholars and break down any modern translational discrepancies for him/herself.
Goals and Features of Hebrew 101
- Equip the student with a basic understanding of Hebrew in order to enhance the study of Scripture.
- The assumption is made that the students have none or very little experience with the Hebrew language.
- Hebrew 101 will focus on modern Hebrew and, specifically, the Sephardic pronunciation.
- This approach will provide the foundation to build upon with future courses such as Hebrew 201.
- The student will also learn how to write each of the Hebrew letters.
- Each session will contain reading exercises.
