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Introduction to the Hebrew Language

Discover the fascinating world of Hebrew before starting

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Welcome to Hebrew!

Before diving into lessons, let's learn about the unique characteristics of this ancient and fascinating language.

📖 Hebrew Reads Right to Left

Unlike English and other Latin-based languages, Hebrew is read from right to left!

יִשְׂרָאֵל
ל ← א ← ר ← ש ← י
Yisrael
(Israel - ישראל)

Notice how we read from right (י - Yod) to left (ל - Lamed)!

ב
The Hebrew Alphabet: 22 Letters

Hebrew has exactly 22 letters - no more, no less. This is very different from English's 26 letters. Each letter has its own name, sound, and even numerical value!

The Complete Hebrew Alphabet
א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י כ ל מ נ ס ע פ צ ק ר ש ת

Alef • Bet • Gimel • Dalet • Hey • Vav • Zayin • Chet • Tet • Yod • Kaf • Lamed • Mem • Nun • Samech • Ayin • Pey • Tzadi • Kof • Resh • Shin • Tav

✨ Five Special Final Forms

Some letters have special forms when they appear at the END of a word:

ך ם ן ף ץ

Final Kaf (ך) • Final Mem (ם) • Final Nun (ן) • Final Pey (ף) • Final Tzadi (ץ)

✡
What Makes Hebrew Unique?
כ
Consonant-Based Alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet contains only consonants. Vowels are represented by small marks (nikud/nekudot) placed above, below, or inside the letters!
ד
Hebrew = No Vowels Written
Hebrew has never shown vowels since ancient times! From the Torah scrolls to today's newspapers, books, and street signs - vowel points are not written. Readers know the vowels from context and familiarity with words.
ה
Dual-Sound Letters
Some letters have TWO sounds depending on a dot (dagesh): ב/בּ (Vet/Bet), כ/כּ (Khaf/Kaf), פ/פּ (Fey/Pey), ש/שׁ (Sin/Shin)
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Multiple Meanings
In Hebrew, one word can have multiple meanings! Context is key. For example: דָּבָר (davar) = word, thing, matter, or speech.
ז
Ancient & Modern
Hebrew is both an ancient biblical language AND a modern spoken language in Israel today - the only successfully revived ancient language!
ח
Letters as Numbers
Every Hebrew letter has a numerical value (Gematria). This system has been used for centuries in Jewish mysticism and calendar dates.
◌ָ
The Vowel System (Nekudot)

Unlike Latin languages where vowels are letters (A, E, I, O, U), Hebrew vowels are dots and dashes placed around the consonant letters. These are called נְקֻדּוֹת (nekudot) or "points."

Important: Hebrew has NEVER shown vowels in everyday writing - from ancient times until today! Torah scrolls, newspapers, novels, and street signs do NOT include vowel points. Biblical texts, prayer books, and children's books add vowel points to help with pronunciation and learning, but readers are expected to know the vowels from context.
🎯 Why Learn Vowel Points?

Even though Hebrew originally doesn't show vowels (and still doesn't in everyday use), learning the vowel system is essential for:

  • Reading Torah and prayer books accurately
  • Understanding pronunciation of new words
  • Building a solid foundation in Hebrew literacy
  • Distinguishing between words that look identical without vowels
ט
Gematria: Letters Have Numerical Values

One of the most fascinating aspects of Hebrew is גִּימַטְרִיָּא (Gematria) - a system where each letter corresponds to a number. This has been used for thousands of years in Jewish tradition, mysticism (Kabbalah), and even for writing dates.

✨ Gematria Example: חַי (Chai) = Life
חַי

ח (Chet) = 8

י (Yod) = 10

Total: 8 + 10 = 18

This is why the number 18 is considered lucky in Jewish culture - it equals "Chai" (life)! Gifts and donations are often given in multiples of 18.

Complete Gematria Values
א Alef
= 1
ב Bet
= 2
ג Gimel
= 3
ד Dalet
= 4
ה Hey
= 5
ו Vav
= 6
ז Zayin
= 7
ח Chet
= 8
ט Tet
= 9
י Yod
= 10
כ Kaf
= 20
ל Lamed
= 30
מ Mem
= 40
נ Nun
= 50
ס Samech
= 60
ע Ayin
= 70
פ Pey
= 80
צ Tzadi
= 90
ק Kof
= 100
ר Resh
= 200
ש Shin
= 300
ת Tav
= 400
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Hebrew vs. Latin Alphabet
Reading Direction
Hebrew: Right to Left ← | English: Left to Right →
Number of Letters
Hebrew: 22 letters | English: 26 letters
Vowels
Hebrew: Dots/marks (nekudot) | English: Letters (A, E, I, O, U)
Alphabet Type
Hebrew: Consonantal (abjad) | English: Alphabetic
Modern Usage
Hebrew: Usually written WITHOUT vowels | English: Always includes vowels
Letter Forms
Hebrew: 5 letters have final forms | English: Same form everywhere
Numerical Value
Hebrew: Every letter = number (Gematria) | English: No numerical system
Script Style
Hebrew: One style (block script) | English: Uppercase & lowercase
פ
Hebrew Pronunciation Traditions

Throughout history, Hebrew pronunciation has evolved differently across Jewish communities around the world. Even in biblical times, different tribes had their own accents!

A Brief History
In the Book of Judges (Shoftim 12:5-6), we find the famous "Shibboleth" story - the tribe of Ephraim pronounced the letter Shin (שׁ) differently from Gilead, saying "Sibboleth" instead of "Shibboleth." This shows that even shortly after the Exodus, different tribes already had distinct pronunciation patterns.

Pronunciation Traditions Today

After thousands of years, two exiles, and the Diaspora across the world, several major pronunciation traditions have developed:

🇮🇱
Israeli (Modern/Sephardic)
The standard pronunciation in Israel today. Based largely on Sephardic tradition. Kamatz and Patach both sound "ah". Tav is always "t".
Daily speech, education, media
📖
Ashkenazi
Traditional European Jewish pronunciation. Kamatz sounds "o" (as in "Shabbos"). Has several variations: Traditional, Yeshivish, and Chassidic.
Prayer, Torah study
📜
Teimani (Yemenite)
Preserved by Jews of Yemen. Considered by scholars to retain ancient pronunciations. Distinguishes more sounds than other traditions.
Yemenite communities
About This Site

Our default pronunciation is Israeli/Sephardic, as this is the most widely spoken form today and what you'll hear in Israel. However, we also offer Ashkenazi pronunciation for those who prefer it for prayer and study. You can switch between them in the settings!

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🚀 Ready to Begin Your Hebrew Journey?

Now that you understand the fundamentals, it's time to start learning! Our step-by-step lessons will guide you from your first letter to reading Torah text.

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