In an address to bochrim the Chernobyl Rebbe Shlita stressed the need to maintain an awareness of the holiness of Hebrew, and therefore, one should not speak in Hebrew for divrei chulin, but rather one should speak in Yiddish to address day-to-day affairs, as is the custom in the chassidus.
The Rebbe added that he has repeated this over and over, but it appears the tzibur simply does not grasp the severity of the matter, stating there are many who believe that Hebrew became the national language to permit Ashkenazim to converse with Sephardim. This is simply not so the Rebbe added, clarifying that Hebrew was selected as the national language towards distancing people from their roots, and that which is spoken in the streets does not represent Loshon HaKodesh – but more accurately a new language with new words towards penetrating our souls and distance us from Avodas Hashem.
The Rebbe told the tzibur that one of the rabbonim asked him if the yeshiva should accept a bachur who does not know Yiddish. “I told the rav that we must pity the bachur, and if there were no other yeshivos capable of saving him we would be compelled to do so, but since this is not the case, he should be referred to the appropriate yeshiva”.
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23 Responses
What do you think jews spoke in ancient days, before aramaic became common. Of course there are modern adaptations to hebrew, but its root is lashon hakodesh.
German is much holier?!?
Sorry for the errors – here it is again:
Why dosn’t he tell them to speak “Lashon Hakodesh” on the streets, the way our for-fathers did?
Sorry, I don’t get it. If the language spoken in the streets is not Loshon HaKodesh, but a new language, then what is the severity of speakng divrei chullin in that tongue?
I’m confused, can someone clarify what the rabbi said ? Does he mean be hebrwa the modern day hebrew or the old lashon hakodesh ??
Can someone please clarify this for me. I’m a bit confused. First, the article says that Hebrew is not a street language and we should be aware of its holiness. Then it says that Hebrew is distancing us from Avodas Hashem. Please explain. For which one of the seemingly opposite reasons is he upset that they are speaking Hebrew?
In every exile of klal yisroel, the people spoke the language of their host country. German in germany, hungarian in hungry, french in france and arabic in Iraq. That is how the language of Yiddish was developed, with a merging of different European languages.
The Rebbe’s opinion should be followed by his chassidim. Amen.
Dear Rebbe Shlita,
Can the Rebbe please also prohibit conversations in Batei Knissim in any language?
Thank You Kindly!
What I believe the Rav meant is that Lashon Kodesh is being dragged down to being just another language. The way Hebrew is used in Israeli society demeans something holy by using it for mundane and trivial communication.
I believe that the Rebbe, Shlita, is talking about the Loshon Hakodesh of the Torah and the Siddur,
vs. the modern-day Hebrew which was created with Zionism, which, for example, uses words like Chashmal (which is a type of angel) for Electricity.
If I understand correctly, I believe that the Rebbe, Shlita, is saying that one should not speak modern-day Hebrew, and that speaking Loshon Hakodesh should be reserved for learning Torah and for Tefila.
I can clarify: The Rebbi refers to Hebrew as “distancing oneself form his [Torah] roots”, he refers to the original Maskilim that developed Modern Ivrit, with nationalistic (Israeli) intentions. For Hasidic Jews who were always lovers of Eretz, but not nationalistic, the Rebbi (as well as many other Admorim) believe that their Hasidim should stick to Yiddish, rather than lower the Lashon HaKodesh to the street level of today’s Ivrit (with much slang and semi-provocative words).
HOWEVER, almost all the Admorim and Rabbonim recognize that Ivrit has tremendously helped Israel Baal Teshuvas do serious learning in a short time, due to the great overlap of traditional Lashon HaKodesh and Ivrit. These Rabbonim don’t consider Ivrut to be “Tumah”, and it can be a great tool for Kiruv and cooperation. As the expression goes, “Use it [Ivrit], but don’t abuse it!”.
The Rebbe seems to be talking about modern Hebrew. One should also realize that what we saw was a translation so what was said was probably better for the ears.
This is a machlokess going back to Bayis Rishon!
which is why during the Bayis Sheni the lingua franca was Aramaic. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi tried for a revival of Lashon Kodesh, which is why the Mishna is in Hebrew.
In add countries the Jews “Jewified” the language of the country by creating their own jargon–Yiddish, Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, (even Jewish-Afghani, believe or not).
How or when Lashon Kodesh was “adapted/transformed” or utilized to become THE language in Israel is irrelevant.
The fact is Hebrew is the lingua franca. Yiddish is a Jewish adaptation of German (I know Yiddish purists would disagree).
The Rebbe should get over it.
Maybe they should learn Williamsburgh English 🙂
At least they will be learning a foreign language that would be useful when they come schnorring in our shuls.
anyhow–it’s chodesh Ellul, so enough said.
The Truth about Yiddish:
Yiddish was used as the language of the masses; through Yiddish ‘literature’ many many yidden were taken away from Yiddishkeit. such authors as Sholem Alechem, Sholem Acsh, Mendel Mocher Sofroem, Bialik, and others influenced the Yidden in a very negative view of Judaism, while having them maintain their secular love of Yiddish, until the Yiddish theater flourished in Vilna and the Torah was hardly visible.
Today things have changed. Yiddish is the spoken language only amongst the observant. Few young people who are secular know the language, therefore it is proposed that they speak and know only Yiddish, with the thought being that they will be only in a very religious environment and thereby remain observant.
Hebrew is the holy language, but they really did speak Hebrew as the day to day language in ancient Israel. All languages go through a morphism process to cope with new ideas, things and conventions. Even the mishna which was written in lashon hakodesh has Greek and Aramaic words in it. Today’s modern language is the hemshich of Hebrew.
Let us not blur the truth to satisfy external needs.
Through out the generation, Jews have needed to know two languages: Loshon Hakodesh so as to have a HELEK in Olam Haba and Loshon Hakesef so has to have a HELEK in Olam Hazeh.
Exactly what is Loshon Hakodesh in no longer 100% certain. There are numerous variation in pronunciation and even in DIKDUK. Its exact nature awaits Eliyahu Hanavi. What is Loshon Hakesef is less problematic. For most Jews in most parts of the world today it is English. In fact, it can be argued that as preparation for Parnosah, parents are obligated to have their children lean English today.
As to Yiddish, I can not think of single reason for anyone to teach it to their children or promote its continued existence as a language for Jews. In fact it can easily be argued that to promote Yiddish is to promote MAKLOKES, which is an ISSUR DEORISA. MAKLOKES means creating artificial divisions amongst Jews. Divisions that G-D never intended to exist. Yiddish is used in Israel as a means of excluding Jews of none Eastern European origin. This happens in educational institutions, housing, jobs and social interactions. Everyone knows this and it has lead to terrible events and HILLUL HASHEM.
Loshon Hakodesh is in Tnach ,Ivrit is on the street.No body spoke L.H. not even Moshe’s time. When he talked to Klall Yisroel it was in Egyptian or Ivrit L.H is Signon Tenachi. L.H is a language of only Neviim,it never was a common mans language.
“In an address to bochrim the Chernobyl Rebbe Shlita”
The Rebbe Shlita was speaking to the talmidim of his own yeshiva. If you want to disagree with the Rebbe Shlita (despite probably having 4th hand information about what he actually said), fine. Why encourage his talmidim and chassidim to do the same? Why insinuate that he is wrong (a point his talmidim and chassidim wont concede anyway), did the Rebbe tell YOU to do or not do something? I’m beginning to believe someone should take an axe to the “YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem” for all the discord and strife that seems to emanate from it (even if unintentional).
So, according to him, should Sefardim speak Arabic or Turkish or Persian?
“…a bachur who does not know Yiddish. “I told the rav that we must pity the bachur…'”
He makes it sound like the bachur got some major problem.
Does he have any source for this from Chazal?
#11 I believe Ger Hassidim (Israel) speak IVRIT/Lashon Hakodesh and not yiddish.
Those of you who have any background in linguist knows that Languages metamorphosis, adding and subtracting words depending on the generation. There was no need for the word electricity in the 16th Century or out house in the 21st.
Israel is not in EUROPE. “Berlin is not Yerushalyim Ir Hakodesh [Either]” -Meshech Chochma.
Hebrew is the rightful language of the land. Not to accept a bachur because he does not speak Yiddish, rather Hebrew is indeed VERY SAD. “Hebrew became the national language to permit Ashkenazim to converse with Sephardim.”
If that is so, ask yourselves why Hashem allowed unbelievable tragedies to take place in the Jewish Community this year..
You are all wrong. Look in Melochim II, 18, that in the times of Yechezkiyohu hamelech, they spoke a language called Yehudis.
“You are all wrong. Look in Melochim II, 18, that in the times of Yechezkiyohu hamelech, they spoke a language called Yehudis.”
That “Yehudis” is Hebrew, as opposed to Aramaic also mentioned in that passuk.
The Shulchan Aruch disagrees with the Rebbe(Orech Chaim 85:2).
As for Yiddish, it is simply a Judaized German-Slavic, the Yeshivish of yesteryear in Europe. Many gedolim (Haham Ovadia, Rav Mordehai Eliahu, Haham BenTzion, etc.) do not or did not speak it.