Rabbi Yehoshua Alt is the author of the weekly parsha sheet, “Fascinating Insights.” As requests came in for his divrei Torah to be translated into Yiddish, Hebrew, German, Spanish, and French, Rabbi Alt became interested the role language plays in our everyday lives. What does its written language reveal about a people? Where can we find traces of Lashon Hakodesh in other languages? What hidden mysticism lies inside Hebrew grammar? Why is it important to master a language? Rabbi Alt explores these questions and more in his new book, Powerful Torah Insights about Languages.
Rabbi Alt, who merited to learn under the
tutelage of Rabbi Mordechai Friedlander, zt”l, for close to five years
and received semicha from Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, zt”l,
has written thousands of Torah articles on numerous topics for various websites
and publications, and is the author of 13 fascinating and popular books. His
writings, many of which have been translated into Yiddish, Hebrew, German,
Spanish and French, inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to
live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah.
Powerful Torah Insights about Languages shows
us how important it is to daven in Lashon Hakodesh even if we might not
understand the words. The combination of the Hebrew letters in our davening
activates spheres in the upper realms in a way that cannot be accomplished if
we daven in another language. Rabbi Alt brings to light the profound meanings
behind each word.
At first glance, the technical rules
of Hebrew grammar and pronunciation may appear dry or purely linguistic.
However, there is profound meaning embedded within them. The forms of letters,
vowels, sounds, and grammatical patterns are not merely tools of communication
but reflections of deeper realities. What may seem like minor details of dikduk become windows into loft concepts.
For example, in tefilas hageshem, the word geshem has
an initial segol rather than a closed and stingy kamatz, because
Hashem wants to bestow goodness and blessing, The two segols in geshem
furthermore allude to kindness, as in the word chesed.
A further demonstration of how Lashon
Hakodesh is imbued with holiness is found in the words of Rabbi Yeshaya
Halevi Horowitz (the Shelah Hakodesh), who explains that Lashon Hakodesh
was the only language when the world was first created. When the people were
scattered and the languages got mixed up during dor haflagah, Lashon
Hakodesh got mixed into the other languages.
In light of this, we can comprehend why there
are intriguing similarities between English and Lashon
Hakodesh. For example, the Hebrew word ikkar, a main part,
closely resembles the English word “core” in sound and meaning. Among the many
other parallels are kaas, anger and “chaos,” bachur and
“bachelor,” lev (heart) and “love,” derech and
“direction,” and eretz and “earth.”
A parallel between English and Aramaic, another
language imbued with holiness (see the chapter “Where Languages Meet”),
is mamon (money) whose sound resembles the word money. Manneh,
which also sounds like the word money, was a currency in the times of Chazal.
Also, the mann that fell in the desert, echoes the word money;
both represent a means of livelihood.
“Rabbi Alt makes the often-esoteric wisdom of Kabbalah
at least partially accessible to the general reader,” notes Rabbi Yitzchok
Breitowitz of Yeshivas Ohr Somayach. In the chapter “Molecules and Mysticism:
The Secret Life of Water,” we are given a glimpse of the depth and richness of Lashon
Hakodesh. “Spiritual ideas and patterns are embedded within creation
itself,” says Rabbi Alt.
Chemically, water is composed of two hydrogen
atoms bonded with one oxygen atom, giving it the formula H?O. Since hydrogen
has an atomic weight of approximately one and oxygen an atomic weight of about
16, the ratio within water is 2 to 16, which simplifies to 1 to 8. Now, here’s
where it gets fascinating. The word mayim, meaning water, contains
two mems and one yud. The gematria of yud is
10, while each mem is 40, adding up to 10 and 80,
respectively. That, too, gives us a 1 to 8 ratio. The Torah’s word for water
reflects its chemical structure! And now, one final, beautiful connection: We
know that water is the source of all life. The Hebrew word for life is chai spelled ches
yud. This has a gematria of 18. If you total the atomic weights of water – 1
(hydrogen) + 1 (hydrogen) + 16 (oxygen) – you arrive at 18!
* * *
Rabbi Alt points to great Torah personalities
who expressed the importance of mastering language. One of these was Rabbi
Mordechai Gifter. On the first day of English class each year at Telz, Rabbi
Gifter would deliver an impassioned speech emphasizing that having English classes
in one’s schedule is not bitul Torah. He stressed that Torah Jews serve
as ambassadors of the Torah to the broader world. When a Torah Jew is
articulate – able to speak and write clearly – it brings immeasurable kiddush
Hashem.
Another interesting feature of this
book is found in the section “Mysticism of Hebrew Grammar.” In one of the
exceptional essays, Rabbi Alt shares Torah on this topic of the different
positions of the dot in the Hebrew vowels cholam (??),
shuruk (??) and chirik (??). Each of these vowels represents a different
aspect of the three spheres of creation. The highest sphere, occupied by the
angels, corresponds to the cholam. The dot, which is placed above the
letter, occupies the highest position of all the vowels. This represents the divine
and angelic sphere. Additionally, the letters that comprise the word (cholam)
also spell chalom, a dream, a state in which one may experience lofty divine
disclosures.
The middle sphere, which is occupied by the sphere
of the planets, corresponds to the shuruk. The shuruk’s dot is
placed in a central position, just as the celestial sphere connects the upper
sphere and the lower spheres. Consequently, when we reorder the letters of the vowel shuruk,
we get kesher, connection or knot, alluding to the fact that
its positioning ties together the cholam and the chirik. This is
just like the sphere occupied by the planetary orbits that connects the spheres
above and below it.
The lowest sphere, our physical world,
corresponds to the chirik, which is placed beneath the letter, the
lowest placement. Shuffling the letters of the vowel chirik, we get the
name Korach, who was buried alive underground, the lowest point, just like the chirik
which is placed at the lowest point. Rearranging these letters again, we get
the word rechak, distance, which reflects this world, which is the furthest away from
the upper worlds. The letters also spell cheker, to investigate or
question, hinting to humanity’s constant drive in this physical world to
search, question, and expand knowledge.
* * *
Powerful Torah Insights about
Languages explores this fascinating subject through 80-plus meticulous and
well-researched essays written from a Torah point of view. Rabbi Alt helps
readers along on a journey to connect language to Jewish thought through the
Torah’s infinite wisdom. His book is filled with insights into language that
will enable one to appreciate Lashon Hakodesh more than ever.
Rabb Yehoshua Alt’s shiurim can be found on
various websites including Kol Halashon. Rabbi Alt lectures, writes and
teaches, and is passionate about inspiring Jews of all levels of observance. He
can be reached at yalt3285@gmail.com or on WhatsApp at +972-54-849-5217.
Powerful Torah Insights about Languages is
available for purchase at www.amazon.com/dp/B0H85JL8YQ or by sending a
WhatsApp to +972-54-849-5217 or sending an email to parshadt28@gmail.
Chaim Yehuda Meyer is an attorney and writer
living in Brooklyn. Mr. Meyer’s articles have been featured in the New
Jersey Jewish Link as well as other local and international newspapers. He
can be reached at howard.jay.meyer@gmail.com
