Do the attention activity.
Hebrew is a great example of learning through original sources and symbols. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we descend from Hebrews. It’s our culture--our heritage.
Hebrew is both a culture and a language. The better we understand one, the better we can understand the other; the better we can connect with our past, our heritage, and original ways.
Let’s learn a little about the Hebrew Culture, then we may better see a pattern into how learning from original ways can open our understanding to new ways of learning and personal revelation.
I’ll bet you are asking “how does this relate to Hebrew? Much like the Hopi Native American culture, the Hebrew culture and language views time differently than the English language. They view time not as past, present and future; but rather as what is known vs. what is unknown? And that affects how they speak, think, learn and act. It affects their culture.
And what more than that is we can recognize a shift in their language. Shifts especially happened in timeframes where they were in captivity or scattered. Notice the patterns in the chart:
An analysis of ancient, original documents written in Hebrew show major shifts in the Hebrew language as their culture was influenced by outside cultures...and as they were in captivity or scattered. Once you can see the big picture and historical context of events and how that influenced change in language, it’s easier to understand how meaning was lost in the Hebrew language: bondage to Egyptians, being taken captive by Babylonians (whose writing tools/stylus influenced the modern Hebrew script), or as tribes and families scattered throughout other lands and peoples.
So why does all of this matter?
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Restoration of all things
Did you know that Hebrew was at one point proposed to be the official language of America? Why, especially when we have our own culture and language?
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| Original Seal Benjamin Franklin proposed: Moses parting the Red Sea |
America was a new promised land, under God's protection. A covenant land. A land rooted in God and Hebrew origins. We share a common story. It’s no wonder why Benjamin Franklin wanted the American seal to have Moses and the red sea depicted. That’s our heritage. Our roots. And the more we connect to them, the more we may find greater opportunities to discover God’s grace, goodness and His nature--truth.
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and many early saints and followers of Christ desired to study the Bible in it’s original language so they could have a deeper understanding of God’s nature and truths. They desired a more accurate, pure source.
Martin Luther, who sought to identify true principles from the scriptures and translated it so more could read in German, said this of Hebrew:
“The Hebrew language is the best language of all, with the richest vocabulary . . . . If I were younger I would want to learn this language, because no one can really understand the Scriptures without it. For although the New Testament is written in Greek, it is full of hebraisms and Hebrew expressions. It has therefore been aptly said that the Hebrews drink from the spring, the Greeks from the stream that flows from it, and the Latins from a downstream pool.” (Martin Luther)
Over in America, the hidden land reserved for the bringing forth of truth, others too were seeking to better understand God and his truths.
“...ministers throughout New England and on the frontier studied Hebrew to inform their reading of the Bible and to prepare themselves for missions to convert Jews to Christianity. It was in this setting of renewed Hebrew enthusiasm that Joseph Smith and the early Latter-day Saints developed their own fascination with Hebrew and found themselves in a region where the resources necessary to learn it were becoming increasingly available at a popular level.
Even Yale was founded with a Hebrew motto and originally created Hebrew as a mandatory course.
"There is perhaps no more central symbol of the university’s early devotion to Hebrew learning than its official seal, at the heart of which are the words Hebrew words "Urim" and "Thummin." With the Latin terms "Lux et Veritas" —light and truth— Hebrew is given equal prominence on the University’s logo.
Joseph Smith, too, sought light and truth. Following the Bible’s injunction, he set out to ask God to show him truth. He wanted to know the Original Church, pure and in it’s fullness.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5
As he progressed in his journey of truth he had a hunger and thirst for truth. He sought out learning in all true, good and beautiful sources. He even wrote a tenant of believe (article of faith 13 to summarize this ideal): “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
This is what he had to say about learning: “Seek out of the best books,” “become acquainted . . . with languages, tongues, and people,” and “obtain a knowledge of history.” This new emphasis on academic learning was meant to prepare the lay ministers of the Church “to magnify their calling,” “receive revelations to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom,” and “set in order all the affairs of this church.” “All this,” the revelations stated, would be “for the salvation of Zion.”
He started the School of the Prophets so he could learn in a community. Part of their learning included a course in Hebrew.
“Joseph Smith viewed ancient languages as a primary resource for accessing and communing with the sacred past. Joseph seemed to believe, along with many of his contemporaries, that biblical, classical, and other languages possessed keys for unlocking the earliest divine truths revealed to humanity. As such, his work with languages...was a significant source of inspiration in his efforts to revive the “Ancient order of things.” - (“Word of the Lord in the Original” source)
...Joseph and his associates were quite unique in their motivations to learn Hebrew and their subsequent use of it.
Joseph found an increase of light and truth, the more he learned, especially with gaining a greater understanding of Hebrew. He said, “reading in our hebrew bibles . . . it seems as if the Lord opens our minds, in a marvelous manner to understand his word in the original language, and my prayer is that God will speedily inbue us with a knowledge of all languages and tongues, that his servants may go forth for this last time, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony.”
Being a truth seeker can bring about a pattern of learning that opens opportunities for greater Personal Revelation
Now, seeking truth starts with identifying original sources and recognizing patterns of deviations from them--from truth. We study the Constitution and Declaration because of the original principles outlined therein. And as we learn about the founders and the miracles in establishing America as a free land we can better see God’s hand in it’s founding.
Seeking true principles and original sources gives us eyes to see. As alma encouraged, “But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith…”
As we utilize the original tools God gave us (bodies: eyes, ears, mouth, nose, taste; heart, mind and spirit) and seek to understand how all things can denote there is a God. We can truly learn to see Christ in all things. We can come closer to him. He can help us become and better fulfill our divine missions and defenders of truths that protect our knowledge of the eternal and our freedoms that allow for the pursuit of that.
God wants a restoration of all things. And in order to do that, we must be truth-seekers. We must study original sources. Learning how to see God’s truths and principles in nature, scriptures, from the words of the prophets--in all things--is a process. It takes time and unfolding, much like Joseph’s mission. And it requires effort and a pure heart. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Let us seek God. His truths. And through that seeking become better disciples, scholars, and patriots, recognizing that God is in control and will bestow upon us truths we need, when needed, as we are open. As stated in Isaiah 55: 8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
For he has proimised that we “shall afind bwisdom and great ctreasures of dknowledge, even hidden treasures; D&C 89”
3. Hebrew timeline chart, from www.ancient-hebrew.org
4. Joseph Smith’s Hebrew School, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/topic/hebrew-school
5. “How Hebrew Came to Yale,” article
6. “The Word of the Lord in the Original”: Joseph Smith’s Study of Hebrew in Kirtland” by Matthew J. Grey https://rsc.byu.edu/approaching-antiquity-joseph-smith-ancient-world/word-lord-original-joseph-smiths-study-hebrew
7. “The Story of How Hebrew Almost Became the Official U.S. Language,” article https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/the-story-of-how-hebrew-almost-became-the-official-u-s-language/?fbclid=IwAR3OELDc8gvCYMUkjy3-GWrprP4BAQTB8tJebn3BNeBGim6mlVbSsOX2jj8. Ben Franklin’s Great Seal design, https://greatseal.com/committees/firstcomm/reverse.html
-------FURTHER EXPLORATION AND RESOURCSES
Article- “History of the Hebrew language”
https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/History/history.html
Video- “Evidence of Native Americans with Hebrew Ancestry”
Videos/website- www.ancient-hebrew.org
Intro to Ancient Hebrew Series- Intro to Ancient Hebrew
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SytNaMfQv7M
The Connection Between Language and Culture
Picture- Jewish Festival/Calendar
https://www.calendaryearlyprintable.com/jewish-calendar-1752.html
Explore the ancient Hebrew alphabet through this Ancient/Semetic Hebrew Introduction Book
ttps://houseofthebook.org/fbgs-early-semitic-pictograph-book
Website- www.houseofthebook.org
This website is to help people learn more about ancient hebrew. There is a program to help mothers learn it at home with their children in fun, simple ways. And you can also join the Facebook community.
https://www.facebook.com/foundationbuilderguide
