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Friday January 12, 2007

The Hebrew language brings us back to the essence of our Judaism

by rabbi karen s. citrin

Shemot
Exodus 1:1-6:1
Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-29:23

Ask anyone about their memories of Hebrew school and you will probably hear a familiar range of responses. “It was boring.” “I didn’t understand anything.” “I would rather have been playing soccer.”

Many of us have struggled with learning Hebrew, as students, parents of students, teachers, rabbis, or all of the above. Author Philip Roth captures the worst of our experience in his story “The Conversion of the Jews.” The main character, Ozzie, suffers what Roth calls “soul-battering” as he reads aloud before his classmates and the rabbi in Hebrew school. The rabbi in this story teaches Ozzie a disdain for Hebrew, and in turn for his Jewish identity.

Although I too can recall some of the challenges of Hebrew school, over time I developed a love for the language. Even when I do not understand every word, I love singing in Hebrew, listening to the radio when I am in Israel and uttering the words of our tradition. Hebrew, “lashon hakodesh” — the holy tongue — connects us to Jews who lived hundreds and thousands of years ago. It connects us to Jews all over the world today. We share the same Torah with Jews in Ethiopia because of Hebrew. We share the same siddur with Jews in Argentina because of Hebrew. We share the same future with Jews in Israel because Hebrew is our common language.

The week’s Torah portion offers a valuable lesson about the role of Hebrew in Jewish history and in our lives today. This Shabbat, we begin reading from the book of Exodus, which in Hebrew is called “Shemot,” or “Names.” The portions begin, “These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each coming with his household” (Ex. 1:1). After the Torah lists the names of each of Jacob’s sons, the text continues with the foreboding phrase, “A new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Ex. 1:8). Thus begins the long chapter in Israelite history of slavery and oppression.

In Egypt, the Israelites were reduced to slaves on account of their being foreigners. The new Pharaoh no longer knew Joseph. Jacob’s sons were alien — the “other.” However, a midrash chose to highlight this otherness not as a point of disgrace, but as a source of pride. The midrash teaches that “Israel was redeemed from Egypt because they did not change their names. They went down there as Reuven and Shimon, and came back as Reuven and Shimon … Also, because they did not change their language — they continued to speak the sacred tongue” (Leviticus Rabbah 32:6).

The midrash explains that the Jewish people were redeemed from slavery because they kept their Hebrew names and did not stop speaking the Hebrew language. From our tradition’s perspective, Hebrew kept our people together and enabled us to survive the dreadful ordeal of slavery. Were it not for Hebrew, we would not have been freed from Egypt. And so it remains today — the Hebrew language reminds us of who we are and helps us preserve our distinct identity.

I know that the study of Hebrew often comes with obstacles and frustrations. However, Hebrew can open the door to a deeper and richer experience of Jewish life. Hebrew is the doorway to Jewish ideals and values. What do you feel when you enter a synagogue and hear a familiar Hebrew prayer? How does it feel to hear Jews singing “Hatikvah”? Hebrew has a special power to touch our hearts and souls.

Like the midrash suggests, we can begin with one word, such as a name. Try pronouncing a Hebrew word aloud. Listen to the music. Read along with transliteration. Take a closer look at the Hebrew letters and notice that each one is a work of art. Try finding out what some of the words mean. Teach others. Continue to study and learn.

There is a Jewish custom of placing a drop of honey on the first Hebrew letter that a child learns, so that his studies may be sweet. May we, too, find the sweetness in learning and the strength to preserve the holy language for another generation to come.

Rabbi Karen S. Citrin is the associate rabbi at Reform Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo.

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