As we are approaching the holiday of Pesach, we thought to share with you a few insights associated with this holiday.

Pesach is called חג החירות  CHAG HACHERUT - The Liberty Holiday.

It is indeed celebrated on the night of Seder during which do demonstrate a lot of liberty symbols, such as drinking four glasses of wine, leaning on pillows etc.. 

On such occasion one would expect to have the best bread and cakes during the meal.

We however eat Matzah – the unleavened bread, which is mentioned in the Haggadah as “Lachma Anya”, meaning “Bread of Poverty”.

Question:

Why do we celebrate our liberty with the “Bread of Poverty”?

The Maharal from Prague explains:

2.       Matzah, the unleavened bread includes the very same ingredients as the regular leavened bread: flour and water.  In making the Matzah, the mixture of flour and water has to be very rapidly baked and the outcome is a very thin unleavened bread. For the regular bread, when the mixture of water and flour stays longer than 18 minutes before baking, it undergoes the process of leavening, thus eventually causing the bread “inflate” and get filled with air bubbles, appearing much thicker than the original ingredients composing it.

We wish you and your loved ones to feel as true “Bney Chorin” – and be fully liberated on this holiday.

Yoel & Orly

And now to my last riddle, published a few weeks ago:

The Riddle:

I am a child in a family of famous magicians blessed with many children.

All of us have great powers. When we gather together, we can really perform exceptional magical tricks. We are able to create and change things I this world.

Although I am small and very thin, I possess a special power to reverse the time flow in this world.

Who am I?

The Answer:

Family of magicians is the Hebrew Alephbet (alphabet). The members of the family who have great powers are the Hebrew letters. When they gather together and perform exceptional magical tricks, this is a reference to the words that they form.

According to our tradition, G-d created world using words and human beings, using words can change reality.

The thin member of the family who can reverse the flow of time is the letter “Vav”.

In Biblical Hebrew when the letter “Vav” precedes a verb, which is conjugated in its future-tense form, it is turned into a past tense and when the letter “Vav” precedes a verb conjugated in its past-tense form, it turns it into a future tense.

For instance, the verb “YELECH” – ילך,  means “Will Go”.

However “Va’YELECH” - וילך, means “Went“.

The same verb in the past tense is “HALACH” – הלך, means “Went”

However “Ve’HALACH” - והלך, means “Will Go“.

So, the answer is  - “Letter Vav”

Very few of you answered this time and only two provided correct answers.

And the lucky winner is:

J. McKeown from Ireland.

As a prize, Mr. Mckeown will receive a study kit of his choice.

And to the new riddle now:

Here is My New Riddle:

He decided to omit the fourth of the first…

Who is he?

The winner will receive a study kit of his choice.

I will provide clues, if no right answers are received…

Hurry up, solve the riddle and become the Lucky Winner!
I wish you Good Luck!

Yoel

Contact us to find out about our unique Hebrew programs and products.

Yoel & Orly

We are happy to announce the birth of our “New Baby” – the first fully interactivemultimedia Hebrew-English book in a form of an iPad application. This new exciting application is part of Ulpan-Or iHebrew™ series of Hebrew learning books and applications. It presents to the reader fascinating insights, parables and commentaries associated with all twelve weekly Torah portions included in the book of Genesis – Be’Reshit.

The new app can be obtained in the App Store at:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hebrew-from-insight-out-the/id492643150?mt=8

You can watch a short video clip of it and its unique features on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qgkzew5D4k&list=UUzlMGX8TFR-SUUQbfOQoDkA&index=1&feature=plcp The main objective of this application is to assist the user in accessing biblical text in its original language – Hebrew, while enjoying reading and listening to the interesting commentary content.

Why is it called “Hebrew from Insight Out”?

In this book we present various aspects of the Hebrew language as related to insights associated with the biblical texts included in the weekly Torah portions.

Book Design This book design is based on the unique RLA – Rapid Language Acquisition methodology developed by Orly and Yoel Ganor, founders of the center for Hebrew studies and Israeli culture Ulpan-Or. This methodology is applied with tremendous success for learning Hebrew by Ulpan-Or branches in Israel and abroad.In this application, designed especially for use on the iPad platform, special effects and features have been applied to enhance and enrich the reading experience. The application will be updated at no cost, as new features and enhancements get released.We were greatlyassisted in designng this app by Kletsel Digital Publishing

Book Structure The commentary text is presented in an Easy-Hebrew along with a Hebrew-English dictionary associated with the stories and. A full English translation of the commentaries is included as well.Most of the commentaries relate to the unique way some Hebrew words or expressions are used in the Torah, finding out the reason for it and revealing a new understanding of familiar texts.The written part is accompanied by 24 audio recordings, which include a talking dictionary and a recorded Hebrew commentary for each Torah portion. The recordings are played from within the application.Last, but not least – the reader is shown how some of the ancient Hebrew words have evolved into Modern Hebrew words, expressions or idioms.

Coming soon…

Watch for our next Hebrew from Insight Out, covering the book of Exodus – Shemot. Special Book Features using the iPad platform

We are certain that the dimension of sound, which is a corner stone of the Ulpan-Or’s RLA - Rapid Language Acquisition method, will enable the reader to make significant progress in Hebrew and in the understanding of biblical texts. A printed hard copy version of “Hebrew from Insight Out” (including an MP3 CD) covering all the “Chumashim” – all Five books of Moses can be found in our online store at: http://www.ulpanor.com/osc/product_info.php?products_id=93

We welcome your reactions and comments.Yoel & Orly Ganor