Lewis Glinert

This book explores the extraordinary hold that Hebrew has had on Jews and Christians, who have invested it with a symbolic power far beyond that of any other language in history. Preserved by the Jews across two millennia, Hebrew endured long after it ceased to be a mother tongue, resulting in one of the most intense textual cultures ever known. It was a bridge to Greek and Arab science. It unlocked the biblical sources for Jerome and the Reformation. Kabbalists and humanists sought show more philosophical truth in it, and Colonial Americans used it to shape their own Israelite political identity. Today, it is the first language of millions of Israelis.

The Story of Hebrew takes readers from the opening verses of Genesis—which seemingly describe the creation of Hebrew itself—to the reincarnation of Hebrew as the everyday language of the Jewish state. Lewis Glinert explains the uses and meanings of Hebrew in ancient Israel and its role as a medium for wisdom and prayer. He describes the early rabbis' preservation of Hebrew following the Babylonian exile, the challenges posed by Arabic, and the prolific use of Hebrew in Diaspora art, spirituality, and science. Glinert looks at the conflicted relationship Christians had with Hebrew from the Renaissance to the Counter-Reformation, the language's fatal rivalry with Yiddish, the dreamers and schemers that made modern Hebrew a reality, and how a lost pre-Holocaust textual ethos is being renewed today by Orthodox Jews.

A major work of scholarship, The Story of Hebrew is an unforgettable account of what one language has meant to those possessing it. show less

The most fascinating chapters were the ones on Christian Hebraicists. Was well worth the read, and a fun and interesting lens through which to view the span of Jewish history.

Excellent grammar reference for Modern Hebrew. Completely exhaustive in coverage of the topic.

NO OF PAGES: 292 SUB CAT I: Hebrew SUB CAT II: Reference SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: From Acharon to Zohar, this informative and often humorous dictionary features over six hundred Hebrew words and expressions arranged in alphabetical order (the Roman alphabet is used throughout). The first such guide to Hebrew itself, a treasure trove of Jewish wit, wisdom, culture, and tradition. Lewis Glinert provides a concise definition of each entry, deftly sketches its place in Jewish life and culture, show more and then illustrates the word's usage with generous passages from the Bible and the Talmud, the prayers and the sayings of the famous rabbis, the razor's edge of Jewish humor, excerpts from the work of Elie Wiesel, S.Y. Agnon, Naomi Shemer and other contemporary writers, folklore from all over the Jewish world, and colorful slices of modern Israeli life. In addition, Glinert provides a guide to the Hebrew pronunciation of familiar biblical names and the Hebrew spelling of every word. A celebration of Hebrew language and culture, "The Joys of Hebrew" is a remarkable collection of the best known, most loved Hebrew words and phrases in the English speaking world.NOTES: Purchased at Half Price Books. SUBTITLE: show less