75 Words for 75 Years of Israel

The Key to Wisdom and Righteousness
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God; all who practice it gain sound understanding. Praise of Him is everlasting.
רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה שֵׂכֶל טוֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶם תְּהִלָּתוֹ עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד
Psalms 111:10 (The Israel Bible, p. 1609)
ray-SHEET khokh-MAH yir-AT a-do-NAI SAY-khel TOV l'-khol o-say-HEM t'-hi-la-TO o-ME-det la-AD
Yirah, Hebrew for "fear" and “awe,” is most commonly used in the synonymous phrases yirat Hashem and yirat shamayim, meaning “awe of God.” Awe is the foundation of serving God and connotes a powerful feeling of God's presence in one's life.

The word yirah is connected to the Hebrew word lirot, "to see." As we open our eyes and look at the world around us, we bear witness to God's majesty in nature as well as His involvement in all of the great events and mundane aspects of our world. When we open our eyes to truly see, we are inspired with awe, and ultimately love, for God.
MORE https://www.israel365news.com/372922/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-yirah-awe/?

Charity, Justice, and the Pursuit of Righteousness
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that Hashem your God is giving you.
צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ
Deuteronomy 16:20 (The Israel Bible, p. 481)
TZE-dek TZE-dek tir-DOF l'-MA-an tikh-YEH v'-ya-rash-TA et ha-A-retz a-sher a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha no-TAYN LAKH
Tzedakah, Hebrew for “charity,” is based on the grammatical root tzedek, meaning “justice.” Superficially, “justice” and “charity” appear to be unrelated, but in Biblical thought they are intertwined. Giving charity is not merely a good deed; it is a Biblical obligation that we are obligated to fulfill whether or not we feel the desire to give. Justice obligates us to give a specified percentage of our income to the needy. In a just society, we must ensure that all people have the means to live a happy and productive life.

Similarly, a tzaddik, a “righteous person,” is one who constantly strives to bring justice to the world. Many holy tzaddikim, righteous people, are particularly dedicated to giving tzedakah, distributing most, if not all, of their money to the poor.

READ MORE https://www.israel365news.com/372917/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-tzedakah-charity/?

https://www.israel365news.com/372908/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-tiferet-beauty/?
Israel – Tiferet/Beauty
Make sacral vestments for your brother Aharon, for dignity and beauty.
EXODUS
28:2(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Akiva Gersh
AKIVA GERSH
OPINION
JULY 2, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Tiferet/Beauty

75 WORDS HEBREW
In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available now!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

תִּפְאֶרֶת

TIFERET

TEEF-EH-RET

BEAUTY

“Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and beauty.” (Exodus 28:2)

ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת.

“And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, Israel in whom I glory.’” (Isaiah 49:3)

ויאמר לי עבדי אתה ישראל אשר בך אתפאר.

The Bible uses the word tiferet, Hebrew for “beauty” or “glory,” to describe the special garments that the priests wore in the Tabernacle and the Temple during the performance of their service of God. These garments beautified the priests’ appearance and brought glory to God through the presence of such beauty in His sanctuary.

“And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, Israel in whom I glory’” (Isaiah 49:3). Though God is infinite and transcends this physical world, mankind can and must bring Him glory through holy deeds. When we beautify our service and worship of God, we bring God even greater glory. 

The sages teach, “Which is the straight path that a man should choose for himself? One which is tiferet to the person who follows it, and which also brings tiferet to him from others.” This means our actions should be beautiful, both to us and to those observing us. By serving God with tiferet, we not only glorify God but also inspire others to do so as well. 

In Kabbalistic thought, the attribute of tiferet is the “golden mean,” representing the balance between the attributes of giving and kindness on the one hand, and the attributes of concealment and restraint on the other. There are times when we must give with abundant kindness, and there are times when love requires that we hold back and restrain ourselves from giving. Balancing these attributes requires great wisdom. This holy balance is represented by the attribute of tiferet, for it beautifies our world and glorifies God.

[size=60]75 words for 75 years of Israel – Sinah/Hatred[/size]

O you who love Hashem, hate evil! He guards the lives of His loyal ones, saving them from the hand of the wicked.

PSALMS

97:

10

(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

AKIVA GERSH

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OPINION

JUNE 30, 2023

2 MIN READ

Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Sinah/Hatred

75 WORDS HEBREW

In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available now!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!



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“She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, ‘This is because God heard that I was hated and has given me this one also’; so she named him Simon.” (Genesis 29:33)
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“O you who love God, hate evil! He guards the lives of His loyal ones, saving them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalms 97:10)
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Sinah, Hebrew for “hatred,” stands in stark contrast to the Bible’s commandments to love God and to love one’s neighbor. According to the sages, Sinat hinam, “baseless hatred,” was the sin that led to the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. They believed that the internal fighting among the Jews caused rifts within Judean society that physically and spiritually weakened the nation, ultimately leading to defeat and exile. The first Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook, taught that since baseless hatred was the cause of the nation’s destruction and exile, the only way to rebuild the nation and gather up the exiles of Israel is through ahavat hinam, “baseless” and unconditional love.
Sinah is linguistically related to the word Sinai, the mountain on which the nation of Israel received the Torah. When God gave His Bible to the people of Israel and selected them as His chosen nation, other nations became jealous of the Israelites and began to hate them. In the future, these nations will realize that by receiving God’s Torah and keeping its commandments, the people of Israel bring God’s blessings to the entire world. 
“O you who love God, hate evil!” (Psalms 97:10). King David tells us not to hate the people who commit evil acts, but rather to hate the evil that they do. All human beings can repent for their wrongdoings, turn away from their evil ways and return to God with an open heart.[/size]

https://www.israel365news.com/372646/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-shevach-praise/?
75 words for 75 years of Israel –
Praise Hashem, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples,
PSALMS117:1(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Akiva Gersh
JUNE 27, 2023
Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Shevach/Praise
75 WORDS HEBREW
In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available now!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

שֶׁבַח

SHEVACH

SHEH-VACH

PRAISE

“One generation shall praise Your works to another and declare Your mighty acts.” (Psalms 145:4)

דור לדור ישבח מעשיך וגבורתיך יגידו.

“Extol God, all you nations, praise Him, all you peoples.” (Psalms 117:1)

הללו את יהוה כל גוים שבחוהו כל האמים.

Throughout the Book of Psalms, King David uses the Hebrew word shevach, “praise,” to express his love for God and his longing to draw closer to Him. Praising God is of such importance that every Jewish prayer service ends with a prayer of praise that begins with the words “It is upon us to praise the Master of all.” Praising God helps us recognize His greatness and reminds us that He provides us with life.

This is why the Jewish morning prayer service begins with a selection of Psalms referred to as “Verses of Praise.” Reciting the powerful words that King David used to praise God opens up our hearts and our souls to do the same, helping us begin each day with open eyes to see God’s wonders in the world around us and God’s providence in our lives. We are greatly indebted to King David for writing the Book of Psalms, which is most fundamentally a book of praise, so that we can always find the words we need to praise God.

“Extol God, all you nations, praise Him, all you peoples” (Psalms 117:1). King David describes a future reality in which the entire world, with its great diversity of peoples and nations, praises God. How will we achieve this ideal state? The Psalm continues: “For His love for us is great and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Hallelujah!” (Psalms 117:2). When humanity realizes how much God loves us and that God is the source of truth, conveyed to us through the Bible, all of mankind will be moved to praise Him.

https://www.israel365news.com/372642/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-shema-listen/?
Judaism's Most Foundational Prayer
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
75 words for 75 years of Israel – Shema/Listen
Hear, O Yisrael! Hashem is our God, Hashem alone.
DEUTERONOMY
6:
4
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Akiva Gersh
AKIVA GERSH
OPINION
JUNE 26, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Shema/Listen


75 WORDS HEBREW
In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available now!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

שְׁמַע

SHEMA

SHEH-MAH

LISTEN

“Listen, Israel! Hashem is our God, Hashem is One.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

שמע ישראל יהוה אלהינו יהוה אחד.

“Then he took the record of the covenant and read it aloud to the people. And they said, ‘All that God has spoken we will do and we will listen!’” (Exodus 24:7)

ויקח ספר הברית ויקרא באזני העם ויאמרו כל אשר דבר יהוה נעשה ונשמע.

Shema, Hebrew for “listen,” is the first word of Judaism’s most important and foundational prayer, “Listen, Israel! The Lord is our God, God is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4), which declares our faith in the one and only God. The Bible commands us to recite the Shema every morning and evening: “And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart… and you shall speak of them… when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). By reciting the Shema prayer each day and night, we do not forget its powerful message.

Rabbi Akiva was the leading rabbi of Israel during the 2nd century CE, a time of terrible Roman persecution. Among other rabbis, he was arrested by the Romans and tortured to death for teaching the Bible in public. As the Romans burned him to death, he cried out the words of the Shema. His students cried out, “Master, at a time like this you can say the Shema?” Rabbi Akiva responded, “All of my life I have strived to fulfill the verse ‘You shall love God with all your heart and all of your soul.’ Now I finally have the chance to do so.” With the words of the Shema on his lips, his soul left the world. Rabbi Akiva’s act of spiritual bravery is the source for the Jewish practice of reciting the Shema before death. Untold numbers of Jews recited the Shema in their final moments before being murdered by Nazis during the Holocaust.

Upon receiving the Torah, the children of Israel proclaimed “we will do and we will listen,” committing themselves to live according to God’s word as written in the Bible, even before they heard what was written in it, an extraordinary commitment of faith.

Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Shavuot/Weeks

In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible! Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available now!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

שָׁבוּעוֹת

SHAVUOT

SHA-VOO-OTE

WEEKS

“On the day of the first fruits, your Feast of Weeks, when you bring an offering of new grain to God, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations.” (Numbers 28:26)

וביום הבכורים בהקריבכם מנחה חדשה ליהוה בשבעתיכם מקרא קדש יהיה לכם כל מלאכת עבדה לא תעשו.

“You shall count off seven weeks; start to count the seven weeks when the sickle is first put to the standing grain. Then you shall observe the Feast of Weeks for your God, offering your freewill contribution as your God has blessed you.” (Deuteronomy 16:9-10)

שבעה שבעת תספר לך מהחל חרמש בקמה תחל לספר שבעה שבעות. ועשית חג שבעות ליהוה אלהיך מסת נדבת ידך אשר תתן כאשר יברכך יהוה אלהיך.

Shavuot, Hebrew for “weeks,” is the name of one of the three pilgrimage festivals during which Jews in ancient Israel would travel to Jerusalem. Known as Pentecost in Greek, it is the only Jewish holiday whose date is not explicitly stated in the Bible. Instead, the Bible commands the people of Israel to count seven weeks from the second day of Passover, and the day after that, the 50th day, is the holiday of Shavuot. On Shavuot, which falls on the 6th day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, God gave the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel.

The 49 days between Passover and Shavuot are counted in a daily ritual in anticipation of the great day when God gave the Bible to the people of Israel. Shavuot is traditionally celebrated by staying up all night long and studying the Bible and other holy texts until the sun rises the next morning.

Shavuot also means “oaths,” for when God gave the Torah to the people of Israel He pledged His devotion to them, and they in turn committed to follow His commandments. Similarly, Be’er Sheva, a southern Israeli city, means “Well of Oaths,” for it was there that Abraham and King Abiimelech made vows of peace after quarreling over the rightful ownership of wells in that area.

The word shavuot is derived from the Hebrew word sheva, meaning “seven,” the number of days in a week. Unlike the length of a year and the lunar month, which are based on the sun and the moon, there is nothing natural about the length of a week. The seven days of the week are rooted in the Biblical account of creation which has spread to all human cultures throughout the world.

Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

What Does "Guarding the Sabbath" Mean?
by Rabbi Akiva Gersh
Hashem took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to work it and guard it.
וַיִּקַּח יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאָדָם וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְגַן־עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ
Genesis 2:15 (The Israel Bible, p. 11)
va-yi-KAKH a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM et ha-a-DAM va-ya-nee-KHAY-hu v-gan AY-den l'-av-DAH ul-sha-m'-RAH
Shamor, Hebrew for “guard,” is frequently used throughout the Bible to exhort the people of Israel to guard God’s commandments. In the Ten Commandments, they are told to “guard” Shabbat as well as to “remember” Shabbat. To “guard” Shabbat means keeping the detailed laws of the holy day of rest, and so a Jew who observes the laws of Shabbat is known as a shomer Shabbat, “one who guards Shabbat.” By contrast, “remembering Shabbat” means infusing Shabbat with holiness and spirituality.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE https://www.israel365news.com/372634/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-shamor-guard/?

Why is Shalom One of the Names of God?
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths, peaceful.
דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹעַם וְכָל־נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם
Proverbs 3:17 (The Israel Bible, p. 1657)
d'-ra-KHE-ha dar-khay NO-am v'-khol n'-TEE-vo-TE-ha sha-LOM
Shalom, Hebrew for “peace,” is so central to Biblical values that the sages teach Shalom is one of God’s names. In Jewish thought, peace is not merely the absence of war, but rather a harmonious integration of different perspectives and attitudes, in which each view finds its place and is properly appreciated as part of a greater whole. For this reason, shalom is derived from the Hebrew word shalem, meaning “whole.”

75 words for 75 years of Israel – Shalom/Peace
May Hashem grant strength to His people; may Hashem bestow on His people wellbeing.
PSALMS 29:11
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Akiva Gersh
AKIVA GERSH
OPINION
JUNE 22, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Shalom/Peace
75 WORDS HEBREW
In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

שָׁלוֹם

SHALOM

SHA-LOME

PEACE

“Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peaceful.” (Proverbs 3:17)

דרכיה דרכי נעם וכל נתיבותיה שלום.

“God will grant strength to His people; God will bless His people with peace.” (Psalms 29:11)

יהוה עז לעמו יתן יהוה יברך את עמו בשלום.

Shalom, Hebrew for “peace,” is so central to Biblical values that the sages teach Shalom is one of God’s names. In Jewish thought, peace is not merely the absence of war, but rather a harmonious integration of different perspectives and attitudes, in which each view finds its place and is properly appreciated as part of a greater whole. For this reason, shalom is derived from the Hebrew word shalem, meaning “whole.”

“Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peaceful” (Proverbs 3:17). Every commandment, teaching and detail of the Bible is dedicated to bringing true peace to the world. As the sages say, “God has not found a vessel which contains blessing for Israel but peace.” Only when and where there is peace can God’s blessings truly manifest.

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the priests blessed the nation every day with the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). The last of these blessings states “May God bestow favor upon you and grant you peace!” Every Friday night at the Shabbat dinner table, Jewish parents use these very same verses to bless their children. The loftiest blessing we can bestow upon our children is peace.

“God will grant strength to His people; God will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11). God’s ultimate goal is to bestow peace upon His chosen people, but the path to peace is neither simple nor easy. When confronted with external enemies, the people of Israel must possess and wield strength until its enemies are subdued. This is the goal of the Israel Defense Forces, whose mission is “to preserve the State of Israel, to protect its independence, and to foil attempts by its enemies to disrupt the normal life within it.” With strength we can achieve peace.

https://www.israel365news.com/372409/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-regel-festival/
75 words for 75 years of Israel – Regel/Festival
Three times a year you shall hold a festival for Me:
EXODUS 23:14(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Akiva Gersh
JUNE 19, 2023
75 WORDS HEBREW
In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!
Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

רֶגֶל

REGEL

REH-GEL

FESTIVAL

“Three times a year you shall hold a festival for Me. You shall observe the Feast of Matzah, eating matzah for seven days as I have commanded you at the set time in the month of Spring, for in it you went forth from Egypt; and none shall appear before Me empty-handed.” (Exodus 23:14-15)

שלש רגלים תחג לי בשנה. את חג המצות תשמר שבעת ימים תאכל מצות כאשר צויתך למועד חדש האביב כי בו יצאת ממצרים ולא יראו פני ריקם.

“And God said, “Do not come closer! Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground!” (Exodus 3:5)

ויאמר אל תקרב הלם של נעליך מעל רגליך כי המקום אשר אתה עומד עליו אדמת קדש הוא.

Regel, Hebrew for “festival,” refers to the three annual pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, Israelites were commanded to travel to Jerusalem during these festivals in order to stand in the presence of God in His holiest place. For many people, this journey could take a week or more. Pilgrims would then celebrate the festival for a full week in Jerusalem, before finally taking another week to return home. Though each pilgrimage required a significant investment of time and money, this experience was an essential part of ancient Jewish life. By celebrating the festivals together in the Temple, the people strengthened their bond with God and infused the rest of their year with Godliness and clarity of purpose.

The festivals coincide with different stages in the land of Israel’s agricultural cycle. Passover is the Festival of Spring, when the crops have just begun to ripen. Shavuot is the Festival of the Harvest, occuring in the late spring during the harvest. Sukkot is the Festival of Gathering, and is celebrated in the fall when the crops are gathered. In Biblical life, spirituality and physicality go hand in hand.

Regel also means “feet” in Hebrew. Though seemingly unrelated to one another, the words “feet” and “festival” are bonded together through the people’s pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Most pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem on foot, joyously undertaking the arduous journey to celebrate with God in Jerusalem. In this spirit, the Sages praise the pilgrims by citing a passage from Song of Songs: “How beautiful are your footsteps in your shoes, daughter of nobles” (7:2).

Ratzon - 75 Words for 75 Years of Israel
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
May the words of my mouth and the prayer of my heart be acceptable to You, Hashem, my rock and my redeemer.
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי
Psalms 19:15 (The Israel Bible, p. 1494)
yih-YU l'-ra-TZON im-ray FEE v'-heg-YON li-BEE l'-fa-NE-kha a-do-NAI tzu-REE v'-go-a-LEE
In honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to have launched a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh's forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

In Hebrew, ratzon means both “desire” and “will.” As servants of God, we must do our best to make our actions desirable before God. We are also instructed to ensure our prayers are acceptable to God, as King David says, “May the words of my mouth and the prayer of my heart be desirable to You, God, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalms 19:15). This verse is recited at the end of many Jewish prayers as a request that our prayers be deemed fitting and acceptable before God.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
https://www.israel365news.com/372405/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-ratzon-desire/?

Pesach - 75 Words for 75 Years of Israel
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
For when Hashem goes through to smite the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, and Hashem will pass over the door and not let the Destroyer enter and smite your home.
וְעָבַר יְהֹוָה לִנְגֹּף אֶת־מִצְרַיִם וְרָאָה אֶת־הַדָּם עַל־הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת וּפָסַח יְהֹוָה עַל־הַפֶּתַח וְלֹא יִתֵּן הַמַּשְׁחִית לָבֹא אֶל־בָּתֵּיכֶם לִנְגֹּף
Exodus 12:23 (The Israel Bible, p. 167)
v'-a-VAR a-do-NAI lin-GOF et mitz-RA-yim v'-ra-AH et ha-DAM al ha-mash-KOF v'-AL sh'-TAY ha-m'-zu-ZOT u-fa-SAKH a-do-NAI al ha-PE-takh v'-LO yi-TAYN ha-mash-KHEET la-VO et ba-tay-KHEM lin-GOF
In honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to have launched a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh's forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series - and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

Pesach, Hebrew for “Passover”, first appears in the verse that describes God “passing over” the houses of the Israelites during the tenth and final plague, the killing of the firstborn. In order to save themselves, the Israelites were commanded to take the blood of a slaughtered sheep and place it on the door post of their home. This served as a sign that Israelites lived in the house, preventing the destroyer from entering the home and killing the firstborn of the family during the plague. In recognition of this miracle, the foundational holiday of the people of Israel is called “Passover.”
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https://www.israel365news.com/372393/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-pesach-passover/

Olam - 75 Words for 75 Years of Israel
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
I declare, “Your steadfast love is confirmed forever; there in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”
כִּי־אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה שָׁמַיִם תָּכִן אֱמוּנָתְךָ בָהֶם
Psalms 89:3 (The Israel Bible, p. 1587)
kee a-MAR-tee o-LAM KHE-sed yi-ba-NEH sha-MA-yim ta-KHEEN e-mu-na-t'-KHA va-HEM
In honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to have launched a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh's forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series - and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

Olam, Hebrew for “world,” is frequently used in the form of l'olam, meaning “forever.” When the Bible describes God’s dominion over the olam, the world, it does so by highlighting that God’s dominion is l’olam, infinite and eternal.

Mishpat - 75 Words for 75 Years of Israel
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
You shall keep My laws and My rules, by the pursuit of which man shall live: I am Hashem.
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם אֲנִי יְהֹוָה
Leviticus 18:5 (The Israel Bible, p. 291)
ush-mar-TEM et khu-ko-TAI v'-ET mish-pa-TAI a-SHER ya-a-SEH o-TAM ha-a-DAM va-KHAI ba-HEM a-NEE a-do-NAI
In honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to have launched a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh's forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series - and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

The Bible categorizes law into two types, chukim and mishpatim. Chukim are laws that cannot be understood by human reason and logic, such as abstaining from pork and the burning of the red heifer. Mishpatim are laws that, though given by God, can be understood through human reason, such as the prohibitions against murder and theft and the obligation to set up courts of law.
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Nachala - 75 Words for 75 Years of Israel
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
The levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no territorial portion with Israel. They shall live only off God’s offerings by fire as their portion
לֹא־יִהְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם כָּל־שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל אִשֵּׁי יְהֹוָה וְנַחֲלָתוֹ יֹאכֵלוּן
Deuteronomy 18:1 (The Israel Bible, p. 483)
lo YIH-heh la-ko-ha-NEEM hal-vi-YEEM kol SHAY-vet lay-VEE KHAY-lek v'-na-kha-LAH im yis-ra-AYL i-SHAY a-do-NAI v'-na-kha-la-TO yo-khay-LUN
In honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to have launched a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh's forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series - and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

Upon the completion of the Israelite’s conquest of the land of Israel, the land was divided up into twelve nachalot, twelve “portions,” one for each tribe. Levi, the only tribe that did not receive a particular portion like the others, was scattered among the lands of the other tribes, in 48 different Levite cities. The Levites subsisted on agricultural tithes that the other tribes were obligated to give them from the produce of their fields. This freed the Levites to perform their designated duties in the Temple in Jerusalem and to serve as religious teachers for the nation.

The children of Israel are referred to in the Bible as “God’s portion.”
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Morasha - 75 Words for 75 Years of Israel
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a heritage, I am God
וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתִי אֶת־יָדִי לָתֵת אֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב וְנָתַתִּי אֹתָהּ לָכֶם מוֹרָשָׁה אֲנִי יְהֹוָה
Exodus 6:8 (The Israel Bible, p. 150)
v'-hay-vay-TEE et-KHEM el ha-A-retz a-SHER na-SA-tee et ya-DEE la-TAYT o-TAH l'-av-ra-HAM l'-yitz-KHAK ul-ya-a-KOV v'-na-ta-TEE o-TAH la-KHEM mo-ra-SHAH a-NEE a-do-NAI
In honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to have launched a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh's forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series - and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

Morasha, Hebrew for “heritage,” is related to the Hebrew word yerusha, meaning “inheritance.” In the Bible, God gave two great gifts to the nation of Israel as a heritage and an inheritance.

What are they?

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https://www.israel365news.com/372138/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-morasha-heritage/?

https://www.israel365news.com/372134/75-words-for-75-years-of-israel-mitzvah-commandment/?
75 words for 75 years of Israel – Mitzvah/Commandment
If, then, you obey the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day, loving Hashem your God and serving Him with all your heart and soul,
DEUTERONOMY 11:13(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Akiva Gersh
AKIVA GERSH
OPINION
JUNE 10, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Mitzvah/Commandment


75 WORDS HEBREW
In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

מִצְוָה

MITZVAH

MITZ-VAH

COMMANDMENT

“If, then, you obey the commandments that I command you this day, loving Hashem your God and serving Him with all your heart and soul.” (Deuteronomy 11:13)

והיה אם שמע תשמעו אל מצותי אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום לאהבה את יהוה אלהיכם ולעבדו בכל לבבכם ובכל נפשכם.

“That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of God and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge.” (Numbers 15:39)

והיה לכם לציצת וראיתם אתו וזכרתם את כל מצות יהוה ועשיתם אתם ולא תתרו אחרי לבבכם ואחרי עיניכם אשר אתם זנים אחריהם.

Though many are familiar with the word mitzvah, its meaning is generally misunderstood. Mitzvah does not mean “a good deed,” as it is so often understood in popular culture, but rather “commandment.” While all human beings must observe the seven mitzvot that God commanded to Noah, the people of Israel were given 613 commandments as part of their unique mission to bring Godliness into all aspects of our lives, through thought, speech and action.

God Himself promises that if the Israelites keep God’s commandments, “I will grant the rain for your land in season” and “I will also provide grass in the fields for your cattle—and thus you shall eat your fill.” (Deuteronomy 11:14-15). The spiritual devotion of the Israelites will bring physical blessing to the world. This appears to contradict the sages’ teaching that the Bible does not tell us the reward for keeping God’s commandments. The Baal Shem Tov explains that the Bible is not telling us the reward for fulfilling God’s commandments, but that nature will naturally bring blessings to the world when the Israelites follow God’s word.

The mitzvah of wearing tzitzit, a four-cornered garment with fringes, reminds us of all of the commandments, as it says, “look at it and recall all the commandments of God and observe them” (Numbers 15:39). The numerical value of the Hebrew word tzitzit is 600. The fringes on each corner are doubled over to make 8 strings and those strings are tied into 5 sets of double knots. When we add 600, 8 and 5, we get 613, the total number of commandments in the Bible. By looking at the tzitzit, we recall all 613 of God’s commandments.

75 words for 75 years of Israel – Mitzrayim/Egypt
You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.
EXODUS
23:
9
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Akiva Gersh
AKIVA GERSH
OPINION
JUNE 9, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » 75 words for 75 years of Israel – Mitzrayim/Egypt


75 WORDS HEBREW
In honor of Israel’s 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to launch a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh’s forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.Enjoy the series – and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

מִצְרַיִם

MITZRAYIM

MITZ-RAI-EEM

EGYPT

“You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9)

וגר לא תלחץ ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים.

“In distress I called on God. God answered me and brought me relief.” (Psalms 118:5)

מן המצר קראתי יה ענני במרחב יה.

The story of the nation of Israel is deeply connected to its experience in Egypt, known in Hebrew as Mitzrayim. The very first of the Ten Commandments mentions Egypt, as it says, “I am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2).

Why doesn’t the first of the Ten Commandments say “I am your God who created the heavens and the earth”? Although God’s role as Creator is central to our faith, the people of Israel did not witness the creation of the world, and so their knowledge of and belief in God is not rooted in creation. Rather, the nation of Israel was born through the miracles of the Exodus, when God overturned the laws of nature on behalf of His people. The Exodus is the firm foundation of our faith.

The word Mitzrayim is derived from the Hebrew word tzar, meaning “narrow” or “constricted.” Ancient Egypt was a place of great spiritual constriction, for its people held strongly polytheistic beliefs and also believed that Pharaoh himself was a god.

In one of his most moving Psalms, King David uses a form of the word tzar. “From a place of constriction (Min hameitzar) I called on God. God answered me and brought me relief” (Psalms 118:5). The words of this verse are recited aloud on Rosh Hashanah just before the shofar is blown, for it beautifully represents both the shape of the shofar, narrow on one end, and the impact of its sound, awakening us from our personal slumber and spiritual constriction.

75 Words for 75 Years of Israel
75 Words for 75 Years of Israel - Emunah
By Rabbi Akiva Gersh
Lo, his spirit within him is puffed up, not upright, but the righteous shall live by his faith
הִנֵּה עֻפְּלָה לֹא־יָשְׁרָה נַפְשׁוֹ בּוֹ וְצַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה
Habakkuk 2:4 (The Israel Bible, p. 1420)
hi-NAY u-p'-LAH lo ya-sh'-RAH naf-SHO BO v'-tza-DEEK be-e-mu-na-TO yikh-YEH
In honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Israel365 is excited to have launched a new series of essays that will unlock the secrets of the Hebrew Bible!

Excerpted from Rabbi Akiva Gersh's forthcoming book, 75 Hebrew Words You Need to Understand the Bible (available soon!) these essays illuminate the connection between related Hebrew words, revealing Biblical secrets only accessible through Hebrew.

Enjoy the series - and happy 75th birthday to the State of Israel!

Emunah, the Hebrew word for “faith” and “belief,” is a foundational part of serving God and living a good life. We are meant to have faith in God and all of God’s ways, accepting that there will always be things our minds cannot and will not understand. Faith begins where logic ends; our rational minds were not created with the capacity to understand everything.

One of the strongest aspects of faith is the belief in the coming of the Messiah and the Messianic Age.
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