Chapter 6 Mishnaic Hebrew

57.

So what is Mishnaic Hebrew also known as the L’shon chazal לשון חז״ל (language of the sages) ? It was the style of post Biblical Hebrew that became in common use in Rabbinical writings from after the Dead Sea scroll era to about 500 to maybe 550 ce. It gets its name from the Mishnah, which was a codification of Jewish oral traditions, proverbs and customs known as the Oral Torah sometimes called the divrei d’oraita דברי דאורייתא. Nothing substantial in Mishnaic Hebrew was written until the Mishnah in 200 ce but when the dialect itself began to be spoken and written is not known for lacking of writings in it. It cannot be denied that a transition from late Biblical Hebrew to L’shon chazal happened at some point, the Tannai’m (Aramaic for teachers) who wrote the Mishnah did not invent it for fun. The language must have pre-existed the Mishnah itself. The word Mishnah itself means to repeat or to study and was made of the works that the Talmud would be a commentary on. Mishnaic Hebrew is the early part of what is called Rabbinic Hebrew as opposed to Biblical Hebrew. The later part of Rabbinic Hebrew is called Medieval Hebrew but very little was written in it.The Mishnah was redacted by Judah ha-Nasi probably in Beit Shearim or Sepphoris, in the late second or early third century CE.

Here is the Mishah Seder Zeraim

(Agriculture) in tractate Berakhot chapter 1.

מֵאֵימָתַי קוֹרִין אֶת שְׁמַע בְּעַרְבִית. מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים נִכְנָסִים לֶאֱכֹל בִּתְרוּמָתָן, עַד סוֹף הָאַשְׁמוּרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, עַד חֲצוֹת. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבָּאוּ בָנָיו מִבֵּית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ, לֹא קָרִינוּ אֶת שְׁמַע. אָמַר לָהֶם, אִם לֹא עָלָה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר, חַיָּבִין אַתֶּם לִקְרוֹת. וְלֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא כָּל מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים עַד חֲצוֹת, מִצְוָתָן עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. הֶקְטֵר חֲלָבִים וְאֵבָרִים, מִצְוָתָן עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. וְכָל הַנֶּאֱכָלִים לְיוֹם אֶחָד, מִצְוָתָן עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשָּׁחַר. אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים עַד חֲצוֹת, כְּדֵי לְהַרְחִיק אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעֲבֵרָה:

From when does one recite the Shma prayer in the evening? From the time the Kohanim (Priests) enter to partake of their Trumah offering and (extends) until the the time of the end of the first watch. These are the words of Rabbi Eli’ezer. The sages say until midnight and Raban Gamli’eil says: Until the dawn rises! And it happened that his (Raban Gamli’eil) sons came home from a banquet hall and they said to him (Gamli’eil) : We did not recite the Shma Prayer. He (Gamli’eil) said to them, if the dawn has not yet risen up,you are obligated to recite it! Not only this but all that the sages say until midnight is commanded until dawn rises! (responded as evidence on previous claim on subject of Temple sacrifice as example) The burning of fat and organs for one day may be eaten until the rising of the dawn. If this is so? Why did the sages say until midnight? In order to put distance from a person and a transgression.

58.

This word here korin קוֹרִין which means “they recite or read” this is from the older Biblical Hebrew kara קרא which means to read or call or summon. The Arabic word Quran which means to recite, and is from the same semitic root. This word arvit ערבית means evening and means evening ritual prayer and is a variation of the more common erev ערב meaning evening. It is debated if erev ערב is where the term Arab comes ,so in thinking that the Arabs were dark in complexion and in the evening things get darker is the logic on one theory. This may come from a root of mixing because in the evening light mixes with day.There is also a word aravah , meaning steppe or desert that the word Arab might come from also and that the words erev for evening and Aravah for a scrubland are maybe of the same root. There is also a word oreiv meaning black bird עורב that may also be related. This etymology is not a settled issue at all and others suggest Arab is connected also with evening because Arabia is west and the sun sets in the west.

Here is the word Raban רַבָּן which means “our master or teacher” similar to words like Rav or Rabbi .The Raban is very Mishnaic and is not seen much elsewhere. This word chakhamim חֲכָמִים which means literally wise one masculine plural ,from chokhmah meaning wisdom. This is common in the Mishnah and Talmud to express sages or the respected Rabbi’s.

Here is Mishnah Seder mo’eid (Holidays) tractate Shabat (Sabbath) chapter 1 verse 1.

יְצִיאוֹת הַשַּׁבָּת שְׁתַּיִם שֶׁהֵן אַרְבַּע בִּפְנִים, וּשְׁתַּיִם שֶׁהֵן אַרְבַּע בַּחוּץ. כֵּיצַד. הֶעָנִי עוֹמֵד בַּחוּץ וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת בִּפְנִים, פָּשַׁט הֶעָנִי אֶת יָדוֹ לִפְנִים וְנָתַן לְתוֹךְ יָדוֹ שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, אוֹ שֶׁנָּטַל מִתּוֹכָהּ וְהוֹצִיא, הֶעָנִי חַיָּב וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת פָּטוּר. פָּשַׁט בַּעַל הַבַּיִת אֶת יָדוֹ לַחוּץ וְנָתַן לְתוֹךְ יָדוֹ שֶׁל עָנִי, אוֹ שֶׁנָּטַל מִתּוֹכָהּ וְהִכְנִיס, בַּעַל הַבַּיִת חַיָּב וְהֶעָנִי פָּטוּר. פָּשַׁט הֶעָנִי אֶת יָדוֹ לִפְנִים וְנָטַל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת מִתּוֹכָהּ, אוֹ שֶׁנָּתַן לְתוֹכָהּ וְהוֹצִיא, שְׁנֵיהֶם פְּטוּרִין. פָּשַׁט בַּעַל הַבַּיִת אֶת יָדוֹ לַחוּץ וְנָטַל הֶעָנִי מִתּוֹכָהּ, אוֹ שֶׁנָּתַן לְתוֹכָהּ וְהִכְנִיס, שְׁנֵיהֶם פְּטוּרִין:

(The prohibited acts of ) Carrying out on Shabat (Sabbath/Shabos) , there are two (actions) and four cases from inside a private area, and two (actions) and four cases in a outside area. How ( explained for example) ? The poor person stood in the outside and the homeowner is in the inside. The poor person with his hand reached out inside into (the house ) And gave to the hand of the homeowner or landlord. Or he grasp (the object) from inside and took it out. (in that case) the poor man is in debt and the homeowner or landlord is excused.

( If the) Homeowner or Landlord reached outside (with) his hand and gives it (the object ) to the poor person. Or he grabbed it (from the poor person) and (carried it) inside (private home). (In that case) the homeowner or landlord is obligated to debt and the poor person is excused.

So the poor man extended his hand to the inside and the homeowner grabbed (the object) from (the poor person and placed it inside).

Or that he gave it (to the poor person) who took it outside ,both of them are excused (in this situation).

The owner of the house stretched out his hand and the poor man took it from it, or he put it in and brought it in, both are excused. (The reason being for both being exempt is that they only did part of the forbidden act on the Shabat)

59.

Here our first new Mishnaic word is keitzad כֵּיצַד ,which means “how or what” or “in a manor”. This word pashat פָּשַׁט which can mean simply but in the Mishnah often means to “spread out or reach out”. This word here natal נָּטַל appears to be of late Biblical Hebrew origin but only used a few times in Daniel and seems more common in the Mishnaic era. These are some examples of linguistic changes in the mishnaic era.

Now let us go to the Tosefta תוספתא , which is a book very similar to the Mishnah and was compiled of things that were left out of the Mishnah. So that which had been whether by accident or intentional oversight ,was left out ,was put into a book called the Tosefta. The word Tosefta is of the same root as the name Joseph which means added or increased ,so Tosefta means supplement or additional. The root is the word is asaf אסף which means to gather or add. It is generally believed that the Tosefta was written about 20 years after the Mishnah , so about 220 ce.

Here is Tosefta tractate Chagigah chapter 1 verse 1 from Seder Moed

(Holidays).

הטמא פטור מן הראייה שנאמר (דברים י״ב:ה׳-ו׳) ובאת שמה והבאתם שמה בראוי ליכנס לעזרה [יצא טמא שאין ראוי ליכנס לעזרה

The unclean are excused from appearing (to the Temple) as is said in: (Deuteronomy 12:5-6). And you shall come there and you shall bring there (that is your offering to God). In being able to appear in the (Sanctuary) one must be fit ,an unclean person is not fit to enter (the sanctuary or Temple) they are excused.

This word here re’i’yah ראייה this hifil causative verb in modern Hebrew means vision but here it means appearing or to appear. This is not a used word in Biblical Hebrew. This word le’ezrah לעזרה to help is used to express ones fitness or ability ,this is also Mishnaic in usage.

Here is chagigah chapter 2 verse 1

אין דורשין בעריות בשלשה אבל דורשין בשנים [ולא] במעשה בראשית בשנים אבל דורשין ביחיד ולא במרכבה ביחיד אא”כ היה חכם מבין מדעתו מעשה ברבן יוחנן בן זכאי שהיה רוכב על החמור והיה רבי אלעזר בן ערך מחמר אחריו אמר לו רבי שנה פרק אחד במעשה מרכבה אמר לו לא [כן אמרתי לך מתחלה שאין שונין] במרכבה ביחיד אלא אם כן היה חכם מבין מדעתו אמר לו מעתה ארצה לפניך אמר לו אמור פתח רבי אלעזר בן ערך ודרש במעשה מרכבה ירד רבי יוחנן בן זכאי מן החמור ונתעטף בטליתו וישבו שניהם על גבי אבן תחת הזית והרצה לפניו עמד ונשקו ואמר ברוך ה’ אלהי ישראל אשר נתן בן לאברהם אבינו שיודע להבין ולדרוש בכבוד אביו שבשמים יש נאה דורש ואין נאה מקיים נאה מקיים ואין נאה דורש [אלעזר בן ערך] נאה דורש ונאה מקיים אשריך [אברהם] אבינו שאלעזר בן ערך יצא מחלציך [שיודע להבין ולדרוש בכבוד אביו שבשמים] רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה אומר רבי יהושע הרצה לפני רבן יוחנן בן זכאי [רבי עקיבה] הרצה לפני רבי יהושע חנניא בן חכינאי הרצה לפני רבי עקיבה.

60.

They may not discuss answers on sexual impurity among three (people) but they may discuss it among two (people). And do not teach in the works of creation (Book of Genesis/Breishit chapter 1) in (front of) two (people) but they may teach to one (person). (Do not teach in the works) of the chariot even to one, unless he was wise, he understands his own mind. ( The works of the chariot or “Maaseh Merkavah” which are mystical meditations on the chariot vision of Ezekiel 1:1). )There is a) story Raban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who was riding a donkey, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh was riding after him. (Raban yochanon) He said to him (Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh) ,teach me one chapter of Maaseh Merkavah (Writings of the chariot)? (Raban Yochanon responds) Saying: No, Have I not said to you from the beginning that they may not teach on the chariot unless one is wise and underdstands his own mind. (Rabbi Elazar) He said to him, From now on I want (permission) to speak before you? And he opened up and began to speak and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh taught on the works of the chariot. And descended from his donkey Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and wrapped himself in his tallit. They both sat on a stone under an olive tree and ran through ( the subject) before him. He (Rabbi Yochanon) stood and said: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. Who gave a son to Abraham our father that knows and understands how to teach about the glory of our Father in Heaven. There are those who are suited to teach but not to fulfill and those suited to fulfill and not to teach. Ele’azar ben Arakh is suited to expound and to fulfill. Happy is Abraham our father, that Ele’azar ben Arakh, who came forth from your loins, knows and understands well enough to expound on the glory of our Father in heaven!” Rabbi Yosi bar R. Yehuda says: “Rabbi Yehoshua expounded before R. Yochanan ben Zakkai, Rabbi Akiva expounded before Rabbi Yehoshua and Chananiah ben Chachinai expounded before Rabbi Akiva.”

The discussion here is on “Maaseh Merkavah ( works or writings of the chariot) This is a corpus of literature about mystical meditations on the Chariot vision in Ezekiel chapter 1. this word here dorshin דורשין is derived from the Biblical word drash, meaning “to seek” . The word dorshin means to expound or teach or give a sermon. This word here yachid יחיד means one or only or single and comes from echad אחד the Biblical word for one (in the masculine).

This word perek פרק which here means chapter, but the Hebrew word פרק (perek/parak) has several related meanings, primarily revolving around breaking, separating, or dividing, evolving to mean a chapter, section, joint (knuckle), installment, or lesson, and even to redeem or rescue in Aramaic/later Hebrew contexts, often signifying a decisive removal of constraints like a yoke or chains, as seen in biblical texts describing violent separation or strategic crossroads. 

61.

This word here also Elohei אלהי meaning “the God” is a Mishnaic idiom also. Now lets go to the Talmud and see what is there !

Tractate Ketubot 2a 1

The Mishnah states:

בְּתוּלָה נִשֵּׂאת לַיּוֹם הָרְבִיעִי וְאַלְמָנָה לַיּוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי. שֶׁפַּעֲמַיִם בְּשַׁבָּת בָּתֵּי דִינִין יוֹשְׁבִין בָּעֲיָירוֹת: בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וּבַיּוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי, שֶׁאִם הָיָה לוֹ טַעֲנַת בְּתוּלִים, הָיָה מַשְׁכִּים לְבֵית דִּין

A woman is married on the fourth day (Wednesday) and is a widow on the fifth day (Thursday). (The reason is) That at two times in a week the courts convene in two towns on the second day (Monday) and the fifth day (Thursday). So if there was for him a claim on virginity (after consummating of the of marriage) , he would arise early and go to court.

Here is also page 2a in tractate Ketubot in verse 4.

אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: מָרֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם! תָּלֵי תַּנְיָא בִּדְלָא תַּנְיָא?! הֵי תַּנְיָא וְהֵי לָא תַּנְיָא? הָא תַּנְיָא וְהָא תַּנְיָא! אֶלָּא: תָּלֵי תַּנְיָא דִּמְפָרֵשׁ טַעְמָא בִּדְתַנְיָא דְּלָא מְפָרֵשׁ טַעְמָא

Rav Yoseif said (in response to Rav Shmuel) : Lord of Avraham! (He) Makes what is taught (dependent) on what is not taught. (The Gemara asks) Which is taught and which is not taught? Both this mishna is taught and that mishna is taught. (The Gemara responds that Rav Shmuel teaches as Halakhah/law) That is is taught (in the Mishnah) that it is explicit and dependent (on Halakhah/law) taught (later in the Mishnah ) who’s reason is not explicit.

This word here דְּאַבְרָהָם which is Avraham or Abraham with the de ד prefix. This prefix means that, which or who and is very common in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. This word here תַּנְיָא tanya means is was taught from the tana meaning to teach. This word here dimfareish דִּמְפָרֵשׁ means explaining in a specific or explicit way ,a detailed reason. The word halakhah הלכה literally means “walk way or path” but means Jewish law in Rabbinical literature or Jewish legal ruling. You also may want to know what Gemara גמרא is ,it means “The Talmud and literally means “to finish or complete” and is often shortened like this- גְּמָ׳ . This word here Mareih מָרֵיהּ means his Lord or master from the word marei (or sometimes pronounced marya) מָרֵא meaning Lord or master. This is where the phrase Maranatha comes from , meaning Lord come ! this word ta תא means come in Jewish Aramaic.

62.

Verse 5

אֶלָּא אִי אִיתְּמַר הָכִי אִיתְּמַר. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: מִפְּנֵי מָה אָמְרוּ בְּתוּלָה נִשֵּׂאת לַיּוֹם הָרְבִיעִי? שֶׁאִם הָיָה לוֹ טַעֲנַת בְּתוּלִים — הָיָה מַשְׁכִּים לְבֵית דִּין. וְתִינָּשֵׂא בְּאֶחָד בְּשַׁבָּת, שֶׁאִם הָיָה לוֹ טַעֲנַת בְּתוּלִים הָיָה מַשְׁכִּים לְבֵית דִּין? שָׁקְדוּ חֲכָמִים עַל תַּקָּנַת בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁיְּהֵא טוֹרֵחַ בִּסְעוּדָה שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים, אֶחָד בְּשַׁבָּת וְשֵׁנִי בַּשַּׁבָּת וּשְׁלִישִׁי בַּשַּׁבָּת, וּבָרְבִיעִי כּוֹנְסָהּ

But if it was said , this is how it was said: Rav Yehudah said that Rav Shmuel said: From what (reason) did (the sages say) the virgin was married on the fourth day (Wednesday)? That if there was for him a claim on the issue of viginity, he would arise early and go court the next day. (The Gemara asks:) (if so, why not) marry on Yom Rishon (Sunday) as then if there is claim (concerning) her virginity , he can go to court early the next day? (The Gemara responds:) The sages were diligent in establishing the welfare of the daughters of Yisrael. The Sages instituted wedding take place on Wednesday, so that the groom would exert himself in arranging the wedding feast for three days: Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and on Wednesday, he marries her.

This word here itmar אִיתְּמַר means “it was stated or was said” , not to be confused with the name Itamar which means ” Island of date trees”. This word here is interesting and it is Biblical not Mishnaic in origin and it means to rise or awake early: mashkim מַשְׁכִּים. This word here shakdu שָׁקְדוּ means they were diligent or alert from this word kad קַד meaning diligent. This word here means torei’ach טוֹרֵחַ means to bother or to take a burden or to exert oneself.

63.

We can see a lot of things here and that Mishnaic Hebrew is not far from Biblical Hebrew with some nuanced changes in meaning. Mishnaic Hebrew makes the early part of Rabbinical Hebrew ,with the latter being Medieval Hebrew. The Mishnah is it’s main corpus because the Talmud and the Tosefta have more Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. Although it is true that the Jewish Babylonian Aramaic of the Talmud is much more Jewish as opposed to the Biblical Aramaic which is more Iraqi or Mesopotamian. It is also very true as we see that the most ancient of Hebrew is far closer to modern Hebrew by a long shot than Old English is to modern English.