(c) Apr 18 2001 RashiYomi Inc. MY COLLECTED & INDEXED MAIL JEWISH POSTINGS-Ver #1
Individual Postings 1st appeared(& were copied in html form) on the Email List Mail Jewish

From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 21:38:03 -0500
Subject: Why Hebrew Preserved for 4000 Years

Arnold Kuzmack (Vol 26 n8) writes that the reason we can read Hebrew today is
because
>> the normal process of linguistic change was intrerrupted by two
>>millenia during which it was not much used as language of daily life

First of all: The High Holy day literature is filled with Poems not
readily understood by people fluent in Hebrew.  Similary the responsa
and post Talmudic literature are not readily understood by people fluent
in Hebrew. So Arnold's claim that Hebrew was not much used is not
completely accurate. It WAS used and was used differently!

The real point, is that although the language changed, nevertheless, we
weekly read the Torah and Haftorah's and preserved the original Hebrew.
In other words, it was the process of education that preserved the
original Hebrew ALONGSIDE a growing and changing language.

In fact Arnold's own example of the meaning of AYNH in Gen 34:2 proves
this point. I know this word mean rape and not e.g. torture because as a
student of the Bible I can see it used that way frequently (e.g. Deut
23:24,29).

I in fact agree with Arnold on the
>>possibility that Hebrew of a few centuries from now will be quite
different from today"s>>.
 But my focus would be NOT on the continually changing language but
rather on the erosion of education. As long as we lain and study
Chumash, whatever else happens, we will preserve the old Hebrew
alongside the new.

Russell Hendel, Ph.d, ASA; RHendel @ mcs . Drexel . Edu