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Archived Site Updates - |
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Site Progress for 2004-2003 (5764-5765) |
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Site Updates for 2004 (by month, from newest to oldest): |
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December Updates 12.30.04 I wrote and added the fifth part of the LORD's Prayer in Hebrew.
12.28.04 I updated the Christmas article and added a new Hebrew blessing (Betzalmo) for being created in the image of God (I also updated Birchot HaShachar to include the Betzalmo blessing.)
12.27.04 I wrote a new article (Christmas) giving two views of the late December birth of the LORD Jesus. One view argues for a Fall/Sukkot date, and the other for the traditional late December date. I also updated the Names of God sections.
12.23.04 Happy Holidays! I am off to Chicago for a few days.... May the LORD God of Israel bless you and your family. - John
12.22.04 I stayed up late into the night getting more information online. Time is short, and we need to make ourselves ready for the soon coming of the Messiah Yeshua! I made considerable changes to the site today, but most of the effort went into getting the Names of God the Son online (unfortunately, I forgot to use the common English names for the transliterations, so I will have to spend more time on this page tomorrow, getting it reordered - check back then for an update!). About Christmas. Well, I confess to you that I enjoy this holiday, but certainly not for all the commercialism and nonsense the world spews forth. No. And I am disinclined to think of Christmas as "Christ-Mass," since the word itself holds to a form of liturgical theology of which I do not agree. Finally, I do not believe December 25th is the date Yeshua was born. Rather I think Yeshua was born during the festival of Sukkot, based on a study of Matthew and Luke's gospel (i.e., the time of John the Baptist's birth and Zacharias' service in the temple during the course of Abijah), as well because the Greek word "dwelt" [skeinao, John 1:14] comes from the word [skeinos] that the LXX (Septuagint) uses for the Mishkan, or tabernacle in the Torah. To me, that's a strong textual clue that should not be overlooked. Finally, shepherds would not be out with their sheep in the dead of winter in Israel. (I have other reasons, mostly polemic, for rejecting December 25th as the date of Yeshua's birth, but I will spare you.) NONETHELESS I think that, if Yeshua was born during Sukkot, He would have been conceived sometime around Kislev 25 (Chanukah), and therefore I celebrate Christmas as the time when God the Son became incarnated (Immanu'el). This is also fitting since Chanukah is called the "Festival of Lights," and Yeshua is indeed the Light of the world! Anyway, it's going on 3:00 am, and I work tomorrow, so I am off to bed! Shalom and may you have a wonderful "Christmukah"! I will be out of town for the holiday, so after tomorrow, the site will not be further developed for a couple days.
12.21.04 I added audio to the Jewish Wedding blessings page and also added the Birchot HaShachar - the series of blessings said at the start of the Shacharit (morning) service at the synagogue.
12.20.04 I added four new blessings to the Blessings section, including a blessing for being made part of the covenants of Israel, a blessing for being free, a blessing for self-acceptance, and a blessing for the gift of sight. All four of these are part of a larger sequence of blessings known as Birchot HaShachar - morning blessings.
12.18.04 I updated some of the Hebrew Names of God, in particular, I added a number of Names and Titles for the Father as they are derived from the Brit Chadashah. As time permits and God wills, I will add further information to this section. Tomorrow, however, I hope to add audio to the Wedding Blessings page.
12.17.04 Added information about a typical Jewish wedding, including the Wedding Blessings (Sheva Berakhot) that are recited during the ceremony. I hope to add additional information to this page regarding the significance of the Jewish wedding in light of our relationship with the Mashiach Yeshua.
12.16.04 Added the Barukh She'amar prayer to the Daily Prayers section and updated the front page to link to the article on Asarah B'Tevet.
12.14.04 Happy Chanukah (last day)! I updated the Hebrew word of the Week today.
12.13.04 Happy Chanukah (Day 7)! I added a short article on Asarah B'Tevet, or the Tenth of Tevet, since it occurs just after Chanukah on the Jewish calendar. I also made some minor updates to other areas of the site.
12.12.04 I added the Jewish Prayer, L'Olam Yehei Adam to the Daily Prayers section of the site. This prayer is normally recited before the recitation of the Shema in the synagogue, and was originally composed around 450 A.D. during a time of great Jewish persecution.
12.11.04 I added another common synagogue prayer called the Akedah, or the "Binding of Isaac" (akedat Yitzchak). This prayer, said every day, 365 times a year as well as during Rosh Hashanah services, is one of the most widely recited prayers in Orthodox Judaism. Since it is inculcated so frequently, it seems odd that the story of the sacrifice of this uniquely begotten son of Abraham (i.e., Isaac) is not seen as an analogy of the sacrifice of Yeshua by our Heavenly Father.... Please remember the Jewish people in your prayers, chaverim! And Happy Chanukah to you all: Chag Sameach! Kul Tov.
12.10.04 I completed the Amidah blessings and included a downloable PDF file of the entire reading. I also added the complete Birkat HaTorah - the blessing for learning the Torah - that is recited daily in synagogues around the world. I probably made over 100 other changes to the site today, too, but cannot name them all here. You'll just have to click around the site to have another look.
12.09.04 Happy Chanukah! I added some new material and updated some of the Hebrew blessings. I hope to reformat all of the blessings pages (as well as prayers) so that the untransliterated Hebrew appears first -- and then the transliterations. Why? So you can learn to walk with crutches, chaverim! I also added a prayer that appeals to the LORD to help us overcome the yetzer hara - or evil inclination - that often arises within. Take a look! Hatslahah and keep me in your prayers!
12.08.04 Happy Chanukah! We've been really enjoying the candle-lighting and blessings this year, remembering how Yeshua is the true Miracle of Light in our lives. If you haven't already done so it's not too late to go get a menorah and celebrate! Candle-lighting can be done anytime during the evening and it is a joy to identify with the Light of the world, Yeshua! I added the Mah Tovu to the Hebrew Daily Prayers section of the web site, too. It is good to so dwell in these tents....
12.05.04 I am updating the Hebrew Prayers section to be more thorough, though some of the prayers will not be made available online for awhile. I also updated some of the glossary pages, though more remains to be done.... In January I will be teaching Hebrew for 12 weeks in Minneapolis. Most likely this will affect my ability to keep adding fresh content to this site, though I hope to still make frequent updates as I find the energy. (IY"H). Hebrew verbs are next in line for the online grammar. Please ask the LORD to help me manage my time wisely so I can get this information ready for the website.
12.03.04 I finished the Thirteen Principles of the Jewish faith, though I have yet to add some further commentary to some of the articles. B"H.
12.02.04 B"H I will finish the Thirteen Principles in a day or so (I am currently through the ninth of thirteen). I am busy this week with music and some other things, but I will stay up late to get this task finished, IY"H.
12.01.04 I completed the first four "principles" of the Shloshah-Asar Ikkirim, the Thirteen Principles of faith, as expounded by Moses Maimonides, the great medieval Jewish sage. IY"H I will add the rest soon.
11.30.04 I am beginning to add the Shloshah-Asar Ikkirim, the Thirteen Principles of faith, as expounded by Moses Maimonides, the great medieval Jewish sage. These principles are often cited as the great credo of the Jewish faith and are frequently recited in the synagogue. Nearly all of these principles are consistent with Messianic Judaism and Christianity, though regarding the Mashiach, of course, we belive that He has already come and redeemed us in the Person of Yeshua Natzeret, blessed be He.
11.29.04 I added the Hebrew Traveler's Blessing - Tefillat HaDerech - to the Blessings pages and also added some more useful links to the Links page.
11.26.04 I added the part 4 of the Lord's Prayer, updated the weekly Torah portion for the upcoming week, and added the child's blessing for giving tzedakah to the Blessings pages. I hope to get back to the Hebrew grammar portions of the site over the next few days.
11.24.04 I revised the Chanukah pages, adding the Haneirot Hallalu, a closing paragraph that is recited while lighting the candles during the home ceremony. I hope that helps some of you more fully enjoy the Chanukah season this year!
11.22.04 I wrote a first draft on Chanukah for Hebrew for Christians visitors. My hope is that you will see how important this holiday is in terms of rededicating yourself to the LORD God and choosing to serve Him. I will return to the grammar sections as soon as I review and edit the page tomorrow.
11.18.04 I added an article by Soren Kierkegaard and also added some flash cards for the Hebrew Alphabet and Hebrew Vowels. The flash cards were created by Mr. Rick Swartzentrover as Word documents which I converted to PDF format for easier downloading. Thank you, Rick, for taking the time to put this material together for the students at Hebrew for Christians!!!
11.17.04 I finished Unit 8.3 on Hebrew cardinal numbers and Unit 8.4 on Hebrew ordinal numbers late last night. I also updated my Links page. I hope you get some use out of this material -- my invisible visitor! Since this is my "blog" page, I guess I will confide in those of you who read such things that I often struggle with depression, and lately it's been pretty hard going for me. My depression might be somewhat situational, perhaps related to having a new baby in the house. Or it might be related to a sense of despair over the state of the world (for example, the war in Iraq, which I consider to be an unjust venture), or it might be a sort of anxiety that I feel about the contigency of our lives and our shared frailty.... Frankly I don't really know, but it is painful and nearly debilitating at times. So, for those of you who have a heart for such things, please offer up a prayer for me. Thanks. Regarding being against this war in Iraq, please consider these short articles: Evangelicals and Anti-War The Anti-War Christian Why the blood lust for war? I should add that though I oppose the war in Iraq, I am not necessarily a pacifist (though a strong case could be made for being one as a follower of Jesus the Messiah). There might be cases in which a "just war" is permitted, such as in cases of self-defense or to ward off unwarranted aggression. Unfortunately for the United States, such jus ad bellum for the Iraq situation appears lacking, and therefore I am morally opposed to the war.
11.15.04 I have begun Unit 8 of the online Hebrew grammar (Hebrew numbers). So far I have completed two sections and I am in the midst of the third. Joisah and Olga are doing better, though we've been stressed out a little lately. Wow - having a baby is a huge change in our lives, and we are all trying to make adjustments. Josiah is beginning to smile a little bit and seems more interactive. Olga is scheduled to see the doctor on Thursday of this week (follow up for her surgery). Thank you all for your concern for them.
11.14.04 I finished Unit 7 of the online grammar. I included a new section to my original outline (on yesh to indicate possession) since this involves the use of the Lamed Prefix (as an inseparable preposition). I hope to begin new material (on numerals) shortly.
11.13.04 I finished the first draft of Unit 7.6 (prepositions with suffixes) and made other changes to the site as well.
11.11.04 With the help of the LORD, tonight I finished the weekday Amidah blessings. I only need to add a concluding section and perhaps add some Messianic drash about this important prayer.... Baruch HaShem! The LORD is faithful and good.
11.10.04 I have reworked the links section but feel I've only scratched the surface! I hope this will help some of you dig deeper into the Jewish roots of the faith in our Mashiach Yeshua! I also added the 17th (of 19) blessings for the Amidah prayer. 11.08.04 I updated some of the links on the links page and made a few minor fixes. I hope to finish the Amidah soon and get back to the grammar portion of the site.
11.04.04 Is anyone else out there experiencing intense spiritual warfare these days? Are you also sensing Ikvot Meshicha - the footsteps of Messiah? I have been engaged in some heavy spiritual struggles recently, but thank the LORD God of Israel - victory in His love is secure... As for the web site, I have been rushing to get the entire weekday Amidah online for you to practice reciting your Hebrew -- as well as to provide a means for you to learn more about this very important Jewish prayer. I only have a few more sections to do, and then I will resume working on the Grammar portions of the site (IY"H) - finishing up the section of Prepositions and then (finally) getting to work on Verbs! Please pray for the continuing development of this web site. Hebrew is a highly VERBAL language, so the section on verbs will necessarily be more involved to develop for the web. Your support is appreciated! Speaking of support, some of you have sent me some financial contributions recently, and I want you to know that it means a lot to me, both as encouragement to continue doing this work, and as a means of funding this project. Please accept my most sincere appreciation and gratitude for your support.
11.02.04 Continuing to add the Amidah prayer...
10.31.04 Continuing to add the the Amidah prayer...
10.30.04 I have done a lot of work getting the Amidah prayer online. If you really want to know something about how Jews regularly pray, you owe it to yourself to become familiar with this prayer! Once I get all of the content online -- with the Hebrew and the audio -- I hope to provide some commentary on the prayer from a Messianic point of view. Meanwhile, it is a substantial undertaking to develop this material, and, so far as I am aware, the Hebrew for Christians website is the only site in English that will provide the entire weekday Amidah with audio. I also hope to add some more articles soon. Though I enjoy developing Hebrew learning materials for the church at large, frankly I am best suited for writing in English - and for writing about matters of the heart.... If you are deriving benefit from this material, why not drop send me an email? And should you find any errors (or omissions), you can always send me a (friendly) hint or two! I do not pretend to be an expert in all things Hebrew -- merely someone who is willing to go through these labors in order that some of you might be encouraged to love the LORD more and become more excited about the Jewish roots of our faith as Christians. At any rate, some of you have taken a moment to write to me, and please understand that your encouragement means a lot to the mission of this web site and ministry.
10.29.04 More Hebrew blessings are now online. I have added the traditional blessing recited before studying Torah, as well as the blessing recited for beholding natural beauty. I also was forced to raise the price of shipping my Hebrew book. Since it's a heavy book, shipping charges range anywhere from $8-15, depending on the destination. The cost of the book remains at $29, but I bumped shipping charges from $5 to $8 to help cover some of my costs. Olga is doing better, and Josiah seems to be fine, though his weight is still a bit low. The jaundice is almost cleared up now, and we are beginning to get somewhat adjusted to the new daily (and nightly) routines of feeding-changing-sleeping every few hours. I am still pretty tired from all I've been doing, but God is good and gives strength to the weary. Special thanks to all of you who have stood with us through these days (especially Sue and Bob, Melody, Virginia, Philippa, Jeffrey, Patrick and Olga). We love you and ask God's blessings upon your lives.
10.28.04 I am continuing to put more of the weekday Amidah online for you. This prayer is highly significant and is considered to be the "quintessential" Jewish prayer recited in synagogues around the world. In fact, it is known simply as HaTefillah, or "the prayer" to most observant Jews. For more information, read the introduction to the Amidah and then begin practicing your Hebrew by reading and listening to the various blessings. I also updated portions of the Hebrew Blessings pages, making more of them "printer friendly." In hindsight, I would have designed this site to be printer friendly by default, but to redesign a site with well over 400 pages at this point would be a Herculean undertaking. The printer-friendly pages are simply copies of the regular page, minus the Hebrew audio files, and centered on a white background. When you print these pages, the text will not be "cropped" from the right side. I hope it helps some of you.
10.27.04 I added the second blessing of the Amidah (Gevurot) concerning God's Power in resurrecting the dead.
10.26.04 I updated the Lord's Prayer pages and added the Lord's Prayer, part three to the site. I really could use some prayer.... I've been exhausted and under some form of oppression. With my new baby, my recovering wife, a full-time job, playing music at churches, the upkeep of this web site, and now some unexpected medical bills incurred from the pregnancy, I am really feeling the pressure. Any prayer to the LORD God you might say on my behalf will be deeply appreciated. Thank you.
10.25.04 After a very busy weekend, I finally got some time to add more content to the site. I am planning, IY"H, to include the complete weekday Amidah, or Shemoneh Esrei prayer on this site (currently I am using my own voice for the recording, but hope to find an authentic cantor to recite it). The Amidah is the consummate "Jewish Prayer," being recited far more frequently in the synagogue than all the others, except for the Shema. Presently I have the first "blessing" online, called Avot. More to come, as time (and energy) permits! Olga and baby are doing better, though we are all simply learning to live without much sleep these days. Please remember to keep Olga and Josiah in your prayers; perhaps Olga most of all, since she is still recovering from her surgery (and from the "baby-blues").
10.22.04 I updated the Hebrew Blessing for Healing (which is really a prayer taken from the Shemoneh Esrei (Amidah) recited daily at the synagogue). This blessing provides you with another opportunity to practice your Hebrew while gaining some Jewish literacy. I am very tired. I am scheduled to play music at churches and Messianic synagogue five times over the next few days. Even though it's a lot of work to carry my gear (I am a bass player with some heavy amps), it is always a joy to praise the LORD with people who love Him, and for that I am grateful. However, I have been really run down since Josiah was born, and I humbly ask for a prayer said on my behalf - namely, that the LORD would give me grace and strength to get through the weekend! Olga also is run down and needs prayer for recovery from her surgery. I have been trying to make her special "protein shakes" and to help her be more comfortable, but the baby feeds every couple of hours and she gets little sleep through the night. Okay -- I am off to bed. Shalom and thank you for checking in with me!
10.21.04 I love the Psalms.... I have again updated the Torah reading Schedule and added a new page on the Perek Yomi Tehillim, or "daily portion of Psalms." Check them out, as they make a great way to meditate on the LORD in these dark days.... Olga and Josiah still need prayer, as Olga is in some regular pain and Josiah is perhaps a bit dehydrated due to the juandice. Otherwise, we are moving ahead, day by day, sometimes hour by hour, trying to keep our hope strong in the LORD's soon appearance to us all. The time is short, and the Ikvot Meshicha, the "footsteps of the Messiah" are able to be heard in the Spirit. I pray we are all watching and ready for His return to us!
10.20.04 I updated the Hebrew Holidays and Calendar pages with some new material. Check it out and discover why we allshould become more observant of the times and seasons of the LORD!
10.19.04 A lot of site changes, so please use the Refresh Button on your browser. Mostly I began cleaning up the Scriptures pages -- these really need some work, and I have the material, but it just takes a LOT of time to develop pages that use Hebrew! Anyway, please consider making a donation to this ministry -- it's a mitzvah and it will help me justify the amount of time and energy I am putting into the development effort. Thanks. On the personal side: Olga and the baby are doing fine, thanks to many of you who have been concerned and contacted me. Baby Josiah ben-Yisroel is quite a gift from HaShem, and I am constantly asking the LORD for wisdom and grace to love this child and care for him well. Olga still is hurting from the surgery, so she could use prayer.
10.17.04 In addition to providing you online access to the Weekly Parashah (Torah readings), I have updated the yearly Torah Reading Schedule to include Scriptures that pertain to Messianic Jewish believers. Now, in additional to the traditional Jewish parashiyot read every week by Jews across the world, you can read the corresponding Scriptures from the Brit Chadashah -- all with the click of a mouse! I also added a Psalm 1 reading for you to practice your Hebrew reading. I also updated (finally!) the Hebrew Word of the Week.
10.16.04 I have made many updates to the site, including adding the Kabbalat Shabbat blessing (among other blessings) and updating the various Torah reading pages. Be sure to use the Refresh Button on your browser to ensure you are viewing the latest pages. Josiah ben-Yisroel is doing better, though he still has a little jaundice. Mom is heroic in her efforts to keep breast-feeding him without recourse to a bottle, but as some of you might know, that involves a lot of effort. And we are sleep deprived... Olga is also recovering from her surgery. But it is a joy -- a true mekhaye -- for us to have a son, a firstborn son. Let me know if you want me to post some pictures of Josiah (after all, I'm a proud daddy!)
10.15.04 Since baby Josiah ben-Yisroel has arrived, I have had less time to devote to the site, mainly because I've been so tired from staying up late when he needs some attention. However, I did add some new Hebrew blessings, including the Haftarah blessing (recited when you are called to "bless" the concluding reading of the typical Torah service). If you haven't visited the Hebrew Blessings pages recently, why not go there and practice your Hebrew reading skills? (when I first learned Hebrew, I read the simpler blessings for my reading practice, just as Jewish children do in their Hebrew school classes). I also am updating various pages so that they will print correctly (i.e., "printer-friendly" pages). As you might imagine, this is a large project, so if the page you want isn't converted yet, please drop me a note and I will prioritize it.
10.12.04 For those of you who prayed: thank you, Josiah is doing better now and has been released from the hospital, baruch hashem. Olga and I can now begin the process of making a home and caring for for this precious new life HaShem has entrusted to us. Okay, his full name is "Josiah ben-Yisroel Parsons," and he was born on October 7th, 2004 at 4:31 am in St. Louis Park, Minnesota (we decided on the first name "Josiah" since we liked the sound of the name and also because King Josiah was Judah's last good king, a great reformer who restored true worship of Adonai to the Jewish people; and we chose "ben-Yisroel" as his middle name during his "brit millah," or the circumcision ceremony we held for him at the hospital). May he grow in grace and wisdom, as did King Josiah!
10.10.04 At 7:00 pm today my son was admitted to the Infant Intensive Care unit at Methodist Hospital (on account of severe jaundice). He is being treated with phototherapy and hydration therapy. Please pray for little Josiah Parsons. Olga and I have really been through the ringer the last few days -- but especially Olga, who is recovering after her 30 hour labor (with no anesthetics) and nearly 4 hours of "pushing" to deliver the baby. Ultimately it was decided that a "C-Section" would be safest for mother, so, after all that work, she had to go under the knife.... But she is recovery well, though we are both worried for Josiah. Your prayers are appreciated! Tomorrow I will post a baby picture, as well as Josiah's full name....
(10.08.04) Yom Huledet Sameach! IT'S A BOY! Born October 7th @ 4;31 am, weighing in at 8 pounds 14 ounces and 22 inches -- a beautiful baby boy! Mom and son are doing well. I will update this page later with details. For now, I am off for a nap (I've been up for over 48 hours!) Baruch HaShem!
(10.06.04) Happy Hoshana Rabbah! Wave your lulav and get ready to dance! This is a time of celebration! Olga is in labor -- but we still have not left for the hospital. Presently, her contractions are 4-5 minutes apart, but we are waiting until they are just a couple minutes apart before leaving (we live only 10 minutes from the hospital). Please offer up a prayer on her behalf -- and for the baby as well. I added a group of Hebrew blessings said when you go to sleep at night (bedtime shema), and also created more "printer-friendly" pages for you to print out pages for you to review your Hebrew.
(10.06.05) Making "printer-friendly" pages - beginning with the Hebrew Blesssings. Olga **might** be going into labor tonight! We're waiting and praying....and will keep you posted....
(10.06.04) Chag Sameach! Happy Sukkot Day 5! Olga *still* has not gone into labor, so we are reminded that HaShem's timing is always perfect, regardless of whatever we might think at the moment. We are trusting that the LORD will bring forth this baby at just the right time.... Regarding the web site, I began to write about Simchat Torah (the "Joy of the Torah" celebration) and I also created a new weekly list of the Torah Readings for the new Torah reading cycle that begins this weekend. I also decided to stop developing my own monthly calendar and now simply offer a link to the outstanding web services of HebCal.com. Important: Please continue to pray for this little ministry. I need your support -- spiritually more than any other way. There is real warfare in all of this.... Thank you
(10.04.04) Chag Sameach! Happy Sukkot! Well, Olga still has not gone into labor -- so we are on a "watch" for signs of the birthpangs.... She is doing well, though, and is very grateful for your prayers and well-wishes. Regarding the web site, I have been unable to do a lot of updating this past weekend, though I wrote about the use of the "tallit katan" and I also updated the blessing said while wearing the Tallit. I've noticed that traffic is a bit down since the last two weeks. If you are being edified by your visits here, why not let some of your friends know? Todah rabbah
(10.01.04) Chag Sameach! Happy Sukkot! Tonight (after spending time with Olga in a communal Sukkah) I continued working on the Fall holidays by completing an article on Shemini Atzeret, another Jewish holiday that reveals the coming eternal state with the LORD Yeshua our Mashiach. Olga's due date is today, B"H, though we are unsure if she will actually go into labor on this day. At her last doctor's visit she was told she might run late, and even scheduled her for another visit next week! Oy! Well needless to say she's anxious to deliver the baby, and we are trying to remain calm. Your prayers are **definitely** appreciated! I will also post any news as it develops, so please check back for an update!
September Updates (09.30.04) I didn't have time tonight to write about Shemini Atzeret (the final day of Sukkot), but I added a few more traditional Jewish blessings so that you can practice your Hebrew reading. In particular, I added the Hebrew blessings said when seeing a rainbow, seeing a natural wonder, and hearing a thunderclap.
(09.29.04) Happy Erev Sukkot! If you haven't already done so, read the article on Sukkot and then check the Torah Readings for the day. I updated the October, 2004 Torah reading Calendar. This is a nice page that lets you catch up on the Scriptures Jews throughout the world are reading on a daily basis. And you can even click on the links to read the Scriptures on your computer! (09.28.04) I wrote a short article about the last day of Sukkot, called Hoshana Rabbah, and made some additional updates to the site. I also updated the Blessings section to include the basic Sukkot blessings. I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to write me a note. Your encouragement means a lot to me.
(09.27.04) Okay -- I stayed up all night to get the Sukkot article written in time for Erev Sukkot (on the 29th). The more I study the Jewish roots of the faith (as well as Hebrew, of course), the more I am convinced that we need to be attuned to the divine calendar as observed by the Jewish people. Sukkot has prophetic significance, as do all of the Fall Holidays, and I hope you will begin to see how precious the "appointed times" of the LORD are!. On another note: Olga is due in just a few days, and we are excited of course, though my health has again somewhat deteriorated. Out of the blue a mole on my right temple has appeared and become sore and inflamed. If you would - please pray for my healing? Todah.... (09.26.04) A *very* busy weekend! I am presently trying to get Sukkot material online since the holiday begins this Wednesday at sundown.
(09.22.04) I didn't have time to begin the Sukkot article, so I decided to add the Hebrew blessings for putting on the Tefillin - the tefillin shel yad (for the hand and arm) and the tefillin shel rosh (for the head). Tefillin are used in morning prayer services at the synagogue in observance of the commandment given in Deuteronomy 6:8: "And thou shalt bind them [tefillin] for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes."
(09.21.04) Despite being very busy, with the help of the LORD I was able to get the Yom Kippur article written just in time for the start of the holiday. Though I am sleep deprived, I am genuinely happy to share with you some insights of this glorious holiday. Please take a few moments to read it over! I want to write an article for Sukkot, since it begins just 5 days after Yom Kippur, but I am playing music no less than 5 times this week, and getting the time to write the article will be a real challenge. I also need to get back to writing the grammar portions of the site -- your prayers are greatly appreciated! Olga is expecting on October 1st and would also appreciate your prayers for her delivery. I will keep you posted on this page. We do not yet know the sex of the baby, nor do we have names decided upon.
(09.19.04) I have added a new Torah (and Haftarah) Reading Calendar page to the site. This calendar will list the readings for Shabbat and Holidays and provide online links to the readings directly from the calendar. I also made other changes. I will be playing a lot of music over the coming week, so I might be unable to devote a lot of time to site development. Please pray for me -- and for this ministry, especially if you have gained any benefit from studying your Hebrew here. Thank you.
(09.16.04) Happy New Year (day 2!) I have added some audio to the Hebrew Meditations pages and have begun compiling the Weekly Torah Reading Schedule for the coming year (this takes awhile to put together, so please be patient). My wife is due in only 2 weeks - if you read these words, I sincerely request a prayer said for Olga and the baby. I am also quite busy playing music these days -- usually twice a week. I could use a prayer said for help regarding managing my time wisely. Todah!
(09.15.04) Happy New Year to you! (It's the year 5765, in case you didn't know it!) L'Shenah Tovah b'shem Yeshua Adoneinu! I have updated the page on Rosh HaShanah blessings and Home Ceremony. I also began working on Unit 7.6 of the Hebrew Grammar pages (on prepositions with pronomial suffixes). Listen to the sound of the shofar! There is still time to have a Rosh HaShanah simcha (celebration)!
(09.14.04) Updated the blessings page for Rosh HaShanah. I also am adding additional information about the Hebrew calendar and the Holidays in general.
(09.13.04) Since Yom Kippur is coming soon (on September 24th and 25th), I am attempting to write a little about it. The article is work in progress, however (should be finished some time next week, IY"H).
(09.11.04) I updated the Shabbat candle lighting blessing for Messianic believers. I have a very busy weekend coming, so the site might not be updated until Sunday. I wish you all a spirit-filled weekend full of joy in our Mashiach Yeshua!
(09.10.04) I completely revised the Jewish Calendar page. I also added some more blessings to the site -- the Kiddush and the Havdalah Ceremony. Check them out! (Note: I am having trouble with my microphone, as I keep getting static when I record my voice. Presently I can't afford an upgrade, so you will have to put up with some static sounds as you listen to the Hebrew.) I am presently writing a new article on Yom Kippur, since this Holiday marks the culmination of the Jewish cycle of teshuvah, or "returning" to God. IY"H I will have the article posted in a few days. Please keep us in your prayers. My wife is starting to feel the burden of her pregnancy, and we only have a couple of weeks to go! Please remember Olga in your prayers. And the baby to come, too! Todah Rabbah!
(09.08.04) COUNTDOWN TO ROSH HASHANAH! To help us get ready, I enhanced the page on Rosh HaShanah and the Yamim Nora'im, the Jewish High Holidays. This is a special time of year for Jews all over the world. Why not remind yourself of what your Jewish friends are up to during the holiday season?
(09.06.04) I updated Units 1, 2, and 3 of the grammar section to include audio representation of syllables and words. I included some new exercises as well. I also made miscellaneous other changes that will not be immediately evident to you if you have not visited these pages regularly. However, please use the REFRESH button on your browser to ensure you are seeing the latest material from Hebrew for Christians. ALSO.... Because I have been so busy with the grammar and other parts of the site, I decided to change the "Word of the Day" to the "Word of the Week." For good measure, I began the new section with a new entry for the week: the word B'rit. (09.05.04) I am updating the Hebrew Vowels sections (Unit 2) to include audio readings of syllables and words.
(09.04.04) I made some minor (cosmetic) changes to the grammar sections, and added vocalization to the unit on the Furtive Patach. I also updated the Hebrew I-Type Vowels with vocalizations. I decided to add invisible hit counters to the pages so that I can get some idea of the traffic on the site. It seems as if most of you go to the Hebrew Grammar section, with the Names of God and Blessings coming in second (or at least that's how the traffic looks over the last couple of days). It's encouraging that many of you are working on learning Hebrew, and (IY"H) I hope to begin adding fresh material soon. Please pray for this work! My wife is in her last month of pregnancy now, and her feet and ankles are swollen (among other parts of her body!). Our due date is still October 1, during the holiday of Sukkot (the time, incidentally, that Yeshua was most likely born). Baruch HaShem for this miracle of new life.
(09.02.04) I added a new page on Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) to the Names of God section. This informational page lists references for the Holy Spirit in the Tanakh and B'rit Chadashah to demonstrate that the Spirit of YHVH is clearly co-eternal and co-equal with Yeshua and YHVH. (09.01.04) On account of some email I received, I decided to return to the Names of God section to add a page called "Yeshua is Adonai." On this page I provide an extensive list correlating YHVH (from the Tanakh) and Yeshua (from the B'rit Chadashah) in order to demonstrate clearly that Yeshua is Himself YHWH - with all the same attributes, power and glory. Indeed, the confession that "Jesus Christ is Lord" given in the New Testament (Phil 2:11) is actually to confess that Jesus is Adonai -- or YHVH. I also added a page on the Trinity -- providing 15 reasons why the Trinity is a Jewish concept that is essential to the true Christian/Messianic faith. In addition, I added a page on "Other Names and Titles of God" as revealed in the Tanakh. I hope that you will be more and more convinced of the full glory and deity of Jesus our LORD and Savior as a result of my labors here. And I further hope that these pages will provide a resource for those of you who are attempting to demonstrate the full deity of Jesus Christ to Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, or others who impugn the glory and honor of the LORD Yeshua our blessed Mashiach. B"H.
August Updates (08.30.04) It was our wedding anniversary this past weekend, so I didn't have much time to devote to working on the Hebrew for Chrsitians site (my wife and I went to Duluth and did some sight-seeing -- and even took a tour of the William E. Irving iron ore freighter, a massive ship docked on a port in downtown Duluth). However, I did manage to complete Unit 7.5 on compound prepositions, B"H.
(08.27.04) By HaShem's grace I added Unit 7.4 (on the flexible little preposition min and the multifarious ways it is used in the Tanakh). In the future, IY"H, I hope to include more exercises for each unit, as well additional examples of the grammatical principles taken directly from the Tanakh. However, at this point I think it is more important to get the main grammatical concepts online, and later flesh them out as time permits.... Anyway, I hope that you are reading the Tanakh and finding your own examples based on the grammatical summaries I am presenting! Despite my best effforts to teach this material, if you, the student, aren't willing to meet me halfway, you will only be a spectator in the game.... So be proactive. Pray. Dig into the Devar Elohim (the Word of God). If your study of Hebrew will at least get you to SLOW DOWN and LISTEN to the text, it will be well worth your diligence. I also added some more Hebrew Blessings....
(08.25.04) So much to do, so little time! I have added a few blessings to the Blessings Section of the site today (there are several more that need to be added -- but formatting them and getting the audio done takes a lot of time.) I hope to get Unit 7 (on prepositions) completed by the end of the weekend. Thanks to those of you who have taken a moment to drop me a note. I really appreciate hearing from you, and I remember you in my prayers....
(08.24.04) I finished Unit 7.3 on Inseparable Prepositions. I also made some additional changes to the Grammatical Resources Section and the Hebrew Blessings section.
(08.23.04) As time permits, I will be updating the Hebrew Blessings section to be more complete (currently some of the pages are just placeholders). Of course, there are literally hundreds of particular b'rakhot, but I hope to provide many of the most common for your edification. Saying the blessings also is a great way to practice speaking your Hebrew in a meaningful way. I hope it helps you learn to read and pronounce your Hebrew with more confidence. If you haven't checked out this area of the site recently, why not take another look?
(08.21.04) I added Unit 7.2 on independent prepositions. I am physically in need of some healing from the LORD. If you are a believer in Mashiach, a Christian, and you are reading these words, please offer a quick prayer for this healing... Thank you.
(08.21.04) The month of Elul is a special time of preparation for the coming High Holidays. Special prayers (called selichot) are said during the shacharit (morning) services to induce a sense of teshuvah. I have added a brief article about Elul and Selichot in the Fall Holidays section of the site. (08.20.04) I have begun Unit 7 of the online grammar, and in particular finished the first draft of Unit 7.1, Properties of Prepositions. I also re-arranged some material on the Jewish holidays and calendar (this section of the site will be entirely re-worked someday, if God so wills).
(08.18.04) I finished Unit 6 (on Hebrew Pronouns) and added additional audio readings to some of the Hebrew meditations.
(08.17.04) My wife Olga is now about 6 weeks from her due date (October 1st), and I just assembled a new crib for the baby. We are busy getting the apartment ready.... We are excited, of course, though Olga has been feeling a lot of fatigue and experiencing shortness of breath. She'll be a natural mother, by the way; she has such a gracious and loving heart. I wish you knew her! Please offer up any prayers the Ruach might prompt you on her behalf. Many thanks to you: todah! I completed Unit 6.8 on Hebrew Pronomial Suffixes (for plural nouns). I have yet to add a summary for Unit 6 and then I am on to some new material! Hooray!
(08.16.04) Added more material to the Hebrew glossary and added some additional material regarding the Jewish holidays. I also added a brief overview of the Fast of Tamuz.
(08.13.04) I made some additional changes to the Holidays section of the site and continued working on the Hebrew Glossary. I also added some additional audio portions.
(08.12.04) Updated the Hebrew Word of the Day entry (finally!) I should probably rename this "Hebrew Word for the Week," since I have had little time to keep it updated daily... Zol zein a seh.
(08.11.04) I am adding more on the LORD's Prayer -- including the entire recitation (though you will have to forgive my American accent while reciting it). I hope to have a professional cantor chant this for me soon, and if so, be sure I'll put it online for your edification!
(08.10.04) I updated sections of the Hebrew glossary and began to write the third section of the LORD's Prayer in Hebrew.
(08.09.04) I updated the Hebrew Blessings section, adding some new blessings and making myself ready to add additional blessings. I also did some work in the Hebrew prayers section of the site. (8.08.04) I added a Home Dedication blessing (chanukat haBayit) to the blessings page.
(8.08.04) I wrote unit 6.7 on Pronomial Suffixes for singular nouns. This is a first draft, and I will hopefully add additional examples later, as time permits.
(8.06.04) I have added the Birkat Kohanim (Priestly or Aaronic Blessing) in audio format. I also cleaned up some poor-quality sound files that were on the site. I will be gone over the weekend to visit my mother and sisters -- and to enjoy simcha at a baby shower for my wife. We are expecting the baby, IY"H, on October 1st. Your prayers are especially appreciated for this one! I also sent out a newsletter (to subscribers) asking to UNSUBSCRIBE to the Hebrew for Christians mailing list. Why? Simply, it costs money to have the newsletter service and more and more people are signing up, and that costs me extra... So, if you are not really interested in my newsletters, unsubscribe (but please keep visiting my site, as it is regularly being updated!)
(8.05.04) I have added the Keriat Shema (recitation of the Shema) as well as the Aseret Hadiberot (Ten Commandments) on separate pages. Check your Hebrew reading skills by listening to a cantor recite these profoundly important utterances from the Torah!
(8.04.04) I wrote unit 6.6 on Interrogative Pronouns (and the interrogative prefix). I also added a Sephardic Reading of the Ten Commandments!
(8.02.04) I updated and improved Unit 3.12 - exercises for basic Hebrew readings -- by adding sound files. Readings now progress sequentially.... If any of you are using this material and would like something more systematic, please let me know and I will add more pages of simple readings.
(8.01.04) I updated the E-Type Vowels to include sound files. I hope to update the I, O, and U type vowels as well (please use the REFRESH button on your browser if you have already viewed these pages). I also added a page to Unit 2 that enables you to quickly print summary cards for the Hebrew vowel marks (nikkudot) and I updated some vocalizations for the Unit 3.12 exercises.
July Updates (7.31.04) I wrote Unit 6.5 on the Hebrew relative pronoun. Since I assume that most of you will work through the units in the order presented, I could provide only limited examples of relative clauses in Hebrew, since we have not formally studied the Hebrew verb. At any rate, the unit provides necessary information and belongs with the study of other Hebrew pronouns.
(7.30.04) I wrote Units 6.3 and 6.4 of the online Hebrew grammar. I also have made a few additional refinements to the article regarding Torah Observance (I hope to write a longer article on the Torat Yeshua some day). I still need some prayers said regarding this work -- I'd like to put more time into the grammar but I am very busy and the time is short!
(7.29.04) I have modified the article regarding Torah Observance based on some further reflection and meditation. I have also added additional entries to the glossary section. I hope to return to writing the Grammar sections of the web site soon. Your prayers for my time management and energy level are appreciated!
(7.26.04) Added an article on the Fast of Gedaliah as well as Tish'ah B'av. And since Rosh Hashanah is the next major holiday, I have included a link from the home page for this event (although I prefer to think of Rosh Hashanah as Yom Teru'ah, the Feast of Trumpets). (7.25.04) I have added a brief article regarding "Torah Observance." I also made some additional changes to the glossary.
(7.22.04) Added information about Tish'ah B'Av (Ninth of Av) and Tzom Gedaliah. Made some other miscellaneous fixes, including added audio to some parts of the site.
(7.20.04) I am continuing to update the Hebrew glossary pages. I am currently though the letter R. I also added the second part of the LORD's Prayer.
(7.19.04) I added the first part of the LORD's Prayer and begin adding entries to the Letter P section of the transliterated Hebrew glossary.
(7.16.04) I added glossary entries for the Letter N and made some miscellaneous changes. My health has not been too good, so I appreciate any prayer offered up for me. I will be adding the LORD's Prayer to the web site soon, in installments, since I am doing some of this for Zola's Newsletter.
(7.15.04) I added the glossary page for the Letter M. This was a large set of words, as you will see if you check out the page. I added other sound files and made some other changes, most which you won't notice.
(7.13.04) I have updated Unit 2.2 with sound files now, as well as other parts of the site. Eventually, of course, I'd like to have audio for each page, but I will probably slow down adding audio portions for awhile until I get the grammar and glossary sections completed. Please let me know if you have any problems with the sound files. Thanks.
(7.12.04) I have been slowly adding sound files to the site! These are mp3 files that are embedded in MacroMedia Flash icons I have created. The sound quality is fair, though I'd like to use a professional microphone someday. I might add some larger MP3 files with an authentic Israeli speaker as a "voice model," but I have yet to see if I can locate a resource. Meanwhile, for beginning learners, you'll just have to put up with a touch of my American accent! (However, in modern Israel, there are as many accents as there are nations from which Jews have made aliyah. An "authentic" Hebrew voice is, I suppose, one who was born and raised in Eretz Israel and who speaks Hebrew fluently. A great number of the olim, however, live in Israel, and there are many, many who speak Hebrew there who have a peculiar accent. My advice? Don't get too worried about it... Grab a nosh and relax.)
(7.9.04) First drafts of the grammar Sections 6.1 and 6.2 are now online. Maspik - I am off to bed....
(7.07.04) I added additional Hebrew Glossary updates. There are many letter "K" (and "Q") words set in the new format now.... Added a couple new Hebrew meditiations.
(7.06.04) I am continuing to update the Hebrew glossary section (I am currently through the letters A-J). I also outlined Unit 6 of the online grammar, but have not had time to fully develop the content yet.
(7.04.04) Happy Birthday, USA.... Well, sort of. Though I love this country, I am disturbed, as many of you might be, that the United States has degenerated to a form of "democracy" that has fallen away from its historical roots as a Republic founded on the principles of Natural Law and the Scriptures.... How many politicians today refer to the United States as "America" and consider our form of government a "democracy" instead of a Republic? Democracy, especially one influenced by mass media, tends toward "mobocracy" where "might makes right." Anyway........ Regarding the site: I am beginning to put the next part of the grammar online: on Hebrew pronouns. I was debating on whether to first provide material on prepositions, since pronouns use endings that are perhaps easist to learn using prepositions, but I decided that the pronouns should come first, since talk about pronomial endings on prepositions would be odd if pronouns themselves were not already covered. I also will continue, IY"H, to update the glossary pages and add Meditations, as time permits. Your prayers are appreciated....
(7.2.04) Warfare. Please keep me in your prayers... June Updates (6.30.04) I added English transliterations to the various Hebrew Meditations, since many of you might wish to use these Scriptures to practice reciting your Hebrew. I am also trying to get the Hebrew glossary finished up, as presently I am only through the letter H. I also hope to get back to working on the Grammar sections of the site soon.
(6.28.04) I worked on the glossary section again last night -- very late (the letter "H" words). I am excited about this feature of the HFC site, since it is really different than the usual fare for Hebrew-English glossaries. IY"H I can finish it soon and get back to the grammar portions of the site. I could also use a prayer said regarding my health. I will leave matters somewhat unspecific at this point (some of you know about my heart problem), but I need some additional healing. Thanks.
(6.27.04) I am continuing to get the Hebrew transliterated glossary in good order, and have currently completed letters A-G. I added some additional Hebrew meditations from previous Levitt Letter Hebrew lessons. I decided to pay the cost to keep the mailing list program, though I have had little time to compose my first site newsletter. After spending the money, I hope to keep you visitors apprised of new features and other information. Thanks for your patience as the web site is being developed!
(6.26.04) I updated the section on the Hebrew calendar (though it is still incomplete), and continue to chip away at the Hebrew transliterated glossary. Other minor updates. Your prayers for this work are appreciated! Thank you.
(6.25.04) I am making further updates to the Hebrew transliterated glossary. I am confident that this glossary will be unique in the sense that it provides at least four things for each entry: 1) the transliteration, 2) the Hebrew text, 3) a phonetic representation (for pronunciation), and 4) a definition. Every English-Hebrew glossary I have see out on the web only provides 1), 3), and 4) -- leaving out the difficult task of providing the actual Hebrew spelling. I am happy to say that this glossary will not take that shortcut, so I hope many of you will find it helpful in your pursuit of Jewish literacy. Hatslahah! I also added another Hebrew Meditation on "The Eye of the LORD."
(6.22.04) I am presently updating the transliterated Hebrew Glossary pages. So far, I have converted the pages for the letter A and the letter B. This is a tedious task, since I have to create .GIF files for each Hebrew text entry... Anyway, the entire glossary should be finished within a month or so, assuming I can continue to work on it with diligence. If you haven't checked out the new format, please do -- and let me know if you like it! I might drop the Mailing List from the web site, since the company who offered me the free trial version now wants me to pay about $9 per month for the service. Frankly, though I'd love to post regular site newsletters, I don't have the time, and another $100 per year for this site is price-prohibitive. If I end up dropping the newsletter function, I will try to post an email to let you know.
(6.21.04) I finished the first draft on Hebrew Participles (Section 5.9). I will hopefully add Scriptural examples of all the grammar at a later date, so be sure to use the REFRESH button your browser.
(6.20.04) I started the Hebrew participles section of Unit 5, but this is currently unfinished. (6.17.04) I am redoing the Hebrew glossary section, but it is under construction presently, so slicha! excuse the mess (to view the new format, check the letter A entries.) I also have been updating other areas of the site, including the Meditations and Clear Thinking Sections. I also added an updated picture of yours truly on the About page (the one above is from about 3 years ago). Please pray for us -- finances are tough right now and my wife will soon quit her job to deliver the baby in September. We are wondering how we will afford living on just my salary. I might need to take a second job -- and if I do, the amount of time I could devote to this site will be greatly impacted. Your prayers, above all, are appreciated. Regarding my heart condition: I went in for another echocardiogram on Tuesday and am awaiting the results from the cardiologist. I have cut back on the heart meds, though, so I am feeling a bit more energetic. Thank you for your thoughts/prayers....
(6.15.04) Added another Hebrew meditation and updated more of the Hebrew and Yiddish glossaries. Completed the first draft of Unit 5.8 (adjectives and word pairs). I am trying to refine the section on Informal fallacies, too, but time is short...
(6.12.04) Added a new word for the day and updated portions of the general (Hebrew) glossary.
(6.07.04) Lots of updates. Look around and be sure to use your refresh button on your browser! Check out the Yiddish words that are now beginning to appear in the Yiddish glossary section.... I also added a new section on Ruach Elohim in the Names of God area of the site.
(6.05.04) Added more to the Names of God section, including a page on Mashiach. Added another Hebrew Meditation. Other changes, including some major additions to the Informal Fallacies section.
(6.01.04) Added more to the Names of God section. Miscellaneous changes.... May Updates (5.31.04) I added the section on Adonai in the Names of God section of the site. I also added some additional Hebrew Meditations I wrote for ZLM awhile back. This week I hope to finish Section 5 on Adjectives and get started on Unit 6 (Pronouns).
(5.30.04) I have updated the Names of God section. Please visit the section on YHVH for more information.
(5.28.04) The first draft for Section 5.7 (demonstrative adjectives) is done. I will begin working on adjective "word pairs" and then participles (verbal adjectives) shortly.
(5.27.04) I added new Word of the Day and Root of the Day entries. I also began working on Hebrew demonstrative adjectives in Section 5.7.
(5.24.04) I have finished a first draft on Section 5.6, Hebrew Comparative adjectives (as well as superlatives). Later I hope to add some more exercises, but this will have to suffice until I get more of the overall grammar portions written and online. I also added more information about the Names of God in Hebrew (El and Elohim) and updated other areas of the site. Please leave me comments if you have any questions. Thanks... I am considering putting a blog site up that will be "hidden" from the casual visitor. This area will include my own personal reflections about world events and how they relate to my understanding of God. Let me know if you're interested in seeing any of this stuff.
(5.23.04) I did some work on the Name of God, El. I also completed a first draft for Section 5.5 on the substantive usage of the Hebrew adjective.
(5.22.04) I have a first draft of Section 5.3 and Section 5.4 online for your perusal (the attributive and predicative usage of the Hebrew adjective). I sure hope someone out there is benefiting from my hard work -- since frankly I don't need to study this material! The work is sometimes grueling, and I am sacrificing a lot of time to get this site up and running... Sometimes it is depressing to think that I spend all this effort and no one is bothering to study Hebrew with me. Oh well, I console myself that there might be someone out there who is drawing closer to the Lord and His word as a result of this effort. I am tired of the world and the constant warfare we face as believers in the God of Hope. Do you ever have those sort of days? I do, more frequently than I'd care to admit to you. Anyway, it's been tough going lately. I feel the stress of the world and sense that things are moving toward a "shift." In my bones I believe we are living in Acharit HaYamim - the End of Days, and I am concerned that so many of us (myself included) are walking about in a sort of trance induced by this age- and the prince of this age. May God help us all! And He will, for He is greater than the evil one, and no weapon formed against us shall ultimately prosper.
(5.21.04) I will add a section on Qal Participles to Unit 5 of the grammar, since the Qal active (and passive) participles can 1) function as adjectives, and 2) have the same basic endings as many nouns and adjectives. I reformatted the Glossary section, too, since there was a problem with font spacing between the entry (bold word) and the definition. I also added new "Root of the Day" and "Word of the Day" entries (note, however, that these will probably be updated on the site once per week rather than once per day!)
(5.20.04) I finished Section 5.2 on adjectives - their basic inflectional patterns (or "morphology"). I also cleaned up a lot of pages that had typos and that sort of thing. I also added a new Hebrew Root of the Day entry. I also added some Exercises for Units 4 and 5 (where applicable, these will appear at the bottom of the pages). I have yet to hear from many people regarding this site, so if you haven't written to me, you are cordially invited to do so. I might end up password-restricting certain areas of the site since the material is too easily cobbled off the page and used for who-knows-what. I will meditate on this idea.
(5.19.04) Lots of updated things. The glossary pages have been revised, and I am busy adding Hebrew "Word for the Day" and "Root for the Day" pages. Note that these will most likely be sporadically put up on the site, since I want to focus on the grammar stuff. Speaking of which, I added the first section to the Unit Five: Adjective Properties. The rest has yet to be put online, though I am ready to get the material to you. I also wrote a very brief article called, "Funny, Jesus Christ doesn't sound like a Jewish name" to answer the question as to whether we should be fussy over pronouncing "Yeshua" as the "kosher" way of referring to the Lord. I hope this material is blessing some of you, my dear readers......
(5.16.04) I added a new meditation to the site (Psalm 27:14) and updated the glossary section. I also recreated the site structure so that pages are listed with their own directory (I hope this will work better for search engines crawling the web). I removed the Exercises and Vocabulary lists for Unit Four (these may be reintroduced at a later time, depending on whether I can find an easy way to use Hebrew fonts instead of .GIF files for the Hebrew script). If any of you have prayed for me (regarding my heart condition [pericarditis]), please accept my solemn thanks.
(5.15.04) Initially I was planning to include a vocabulary list for each Section of the online grammar, but upon further reflection, I have decided against doing so (though I will occasionally define some Hebrew terms in section introductions). The reason is twofold: 1) it simply takes too much time to make graphic images of the word lists, and 2) if you are serious about learning Hebrew, you will want a good dictionary. For beginners, the Langenscheidt's Pocket Dictionary - Hebrew to English - is a good value and will complement this web site nicely. It includes all the main entries for the Tanakh and provides information about construct spellings and unusual plural forms. It's inexpensive, too.
(5.14.04) I have updated the Blessings section. There are many more to add to the side, but these will suffice for now, since my aim is to keep adding to the Grammar sections of the site.
(5.14.04) I began work on the Section 4 summary. I also began putting together a section on Informal Fallacies (I was a Teaching Assistant in Logic at the University of Wisconsin for a few semesters). With his permission, I am currently using Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere's small handbook on informal fallacies, though I will most likely supplement his work with other resources and ideas.
(5.13.04) I wrote Section 4.8 on the "Construct Chain." Note: You can rate this site by visiting the Links page and offering a vote! And if you haven't already done so, why not sign up for the Hebrew for Christians Newsletter? It's entirely free and will provide updated information about the web site and its development. Thanks.
(5.12.04) I added Section 4.7 on the Conjunctive Vav. There are probably some typographical errors on the page, since I did it in a hurry. Later I may add some examples, since the page reads like a seminary textbook (deductive style) rather than a sample-based (inductive style) approach. To give you readers some idea, just this one page of the site took me over 4 hours to write, design, and compile...
(5.11.04) I have added a new section in Unit 4 introducing basic grammatical terminology. I also have completed the first five sections, including noun pluralization rules and rules for the definite article. (I debated including adjectives to this section, since adjectives and nouns share much of the same morphology, but I decided to keep it more modular and will include adjectives in Unit 5.)
(5.10.04) I updated Unit 4.3 on plural noun forms. I am debating how extensive to make this section (presently, I have used a basic, inductive approach, but I think a deductive approach (showing rules and paradigms) is also helpful, especially for summary information). Developing.... I have not had much personal response for my efforts as of yet (to those of you who have dropped me a note, thank you). If you are benefiting from this site, why not drop me an email? I could use some chozek (encouragement) to continue with this project (otherwise I might abandon working on the site).
(5.09.04) I have updated the Recommended Resources section. There are many good Hebrew books and materials of which I am acquainted, and I will update this list as time permits. I have found EKS publishing to be a good source for beginning Hebrew materials, as well as Berhman House.
(5.07.04) The sections on Hebrew singular nouns (Units 4.1 and 4.2 in the Grammar section) are nearly done. These lessons provide "inductive" approaches to Hebrew singular nouns (a "deductive" approach to nouns (i.e., formal paradigms like you see in standard Hebrew Grammars like Pratico and Kelly) will be provided in the Unit 4 summary). This is tedious work for me, since I cannot directly embed any Hebrew fonts into the HTML and therefore have to create graphic images for the text (I could require visitors to download a Hebrew font to use the site, but that creates problems for those who visit and quickly seek information about Hebrew). Anyway, I am unsure how long I will keep this project up, since I am not getting much web traffic and the development time is considerable. I am trusting, however, that this information might prove to be a blessing to some people out there! BS"D
(5.02.04) I added a (temporary) glossary section and abbreviations section to the site. This will have to suffice until I find the time to make graphics for the Hebrew text and format a large table for transliteration. The Prayers, Blessings, and other sections are all woefully incomplete, as is the Statement of Faith. I have the material -- just not the time to get it all online! Please pray for me! My main objective in the next couple of weeks will be to get Unit 4 completed (Hebrew nouns).
April Updates (4.29.04) I am beginning to put together information regarding Hebrew nouns and adjectives (in the Grammar section). Enabled voting for the site on the links page. Praying for strength to keep up with this project.
(4.26.04) I added new content to Units One through Three (in the Grammar section) and added a site map (and link to the site menu from the home page). I also began working on the Hebrew Festivals (Feasts of the Lord) but have decided to make a more linguistic approach to the holidays - keywords, concepts, and Hebrew text.
(4.25.04) I am recovering from heart problems. I was in the hospital and was diagnosed as having a cardiopathy known as "cardititis," an inflammation of the lining of the heart. I also have atrial fibrillation. I am on some heart medication and trying to find hope for recovery. Please pray for my healing (and please pray for my wife Olga and our forthcoming baby).
(4.24.04) A lot of updates. Be sure to refresh your browser to see the latest pages! Fixed numerous errata and added a lot of content to Units One, Two and Three. Added a "hits" counter on the front page to track site usage. This site is taking up a lot of my time, so in order to justify the time I am spending, I added a Donation button. If you are getting good information on this site, then consider donating some money; otherwise I will be forced to slow down the development of the site based on stewardship principles. (4.19.04) Unit One grammar is nearly complete. Unit Two and Three forthcoming.
(4.12.04) Made numerous changes to the first three Units in the grammar section of the site.
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