Re: Where did all of the Jews go? (retirement homes in Virgina)

Don Levey <Don_SCJM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
sheldonlg wrote:
Don Levey wrote:

And part of that is understanding the language not as a dry construct,
but as a product of the culture that developed it. When we look at a
phrase like "not to be seen in your house" in English, we impart upon
that phrase our understandings of those English words, in this day and
age. However, it's quite possible that while this may be a literal
translation of the Hebrew words (not counting any non-100% mapping
between the words...), the use of those Hebrew words might just be
idiomatic, and the meaning might be subtly (or not subtly) different.
If I had written a document admonishing the reader to "keep an eye out
for suspicious characters", could I expect to see people three thousand
years hence expecting to remove an eye so that they might look for
strange-looking letters/characters?

Are there biblical Hebrew words for "Don't own leaven" and "don't
benefit from leaven"? If that was the meaning, and assuming there are
direct translations to Hebrew of those words, why were they not the ones
used?

I don't know - myknowledge of Hebrew is elementary at best. I'm trying
to suggest reasons for why understanding the language is important, and
conveys information that translations cannot. It's possible, for
example, that while there are words which do directly convey that
meaning, the idiomatic construct was more common - hence "I'll keep an
eye out for you" rather than "I will watch for your return."

I think another good example of Biblical idiomatic construct is the
rule of placing Tefillin "between the eyes". It does _not_ mean on
the bridge of the nose, but rather above the forehead in the center
of the head.

There is a Talmudic usage which supports this understanding. A person
who is not blameless should not offer reproof to someone else.
Because the other is likely to retort, "Before you admonish me to
remove a mote from between my eyes, first remove that beam from
'between your eyes'".

--
Moshe Schorr
It is a tremendous Mitzvah to always be happy! - Reb Nachman of Breslov
The home and family are the center of Judaism, *not* the synagogue.
May Eliezer Mordichai b. Chaya Sheina Rochel have a refuah shlaimah
btoch sha'ar cholei Yisroel.
Disclaimer: Nothing here necessarily reflects the opinion of Hebrew University
.

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