Hebrew Through the Ages

Hebrew has been used for thousands of years.  Do you know where the word “Hebrew” comes from?  Think back to the biblical story of Abraham – what was he called?

The earliest example of Hebrew that archaeologists have found was in Israel dated to about the 10th century BCE.  Do you know what BCE stands for?  It stands for Before the Common Era.  The text has been translated thusly:

1. you shall not do [it], but worship the [Lord].

2. Judge the sla[ve] and the wid[ow] / Judge the orph[an]

3. [and] the stranger. [Pl]ead for the infant / plead for the po[or and]

4. the widow. Rehabilitate [the poor] at the hands of the king.

5. Protect the po[or and] the slave / [supp]ort the stranger.

The most famous collection of texts from antiquity is the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Do you know when they were originally found?  They date from around 300-250 BCE.  Can you recognize any of the letters?

This is a prayerbook for the Jewish holidays from Nuremburg, Germany.  It dates to the 1300’s CE.  Do you know what CE stands for?  It stands for Common Era.  What is the Hebrew word we use for a prayerbook specifically for one of the very important holidays in Judaism?