Israeli Christians rediscover their Aramaic roots...

[KevinWhiteman]

In the fight against Islamic Jihad, we ALL need to band together.

Please share, thanks.
http://www.examiner.com/article/israel-s-arab-christians-get-back-to-their-aramaic-roots

[dimitry]

I posted a video earlier in the forum.

The small group of loyal Arabs (even though they are a very small minority of the Israeli-Arabs) are great people and need to be embraced as much as possible.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

People like Christy Anastas are real Arab Christians. All the others can go move to Mecca.

[muman613]

I hope they are not related to the wicked Laban, who the Passover Haggadah (from Parsha Ki Tavo) calls an Aramean...

We learned in the Torah portion 2 weeks ago about the commandment of the 'first fruits' which involves saying a special vow...

http://rabbibuchwald.njop.org/2003/09/08/kee-tavo-5763-2003/

As part of the declaration, the farmer recites the words: “Arami oved Avi” (Deut 26:5), which, according to Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible), means: “An Aramean tried to destroy my father.” Those who are familiar with the Passover Haggadah may recognize this phrase because it plays an important role in retelling the story of the slavery in Egypt.

Rashi asserts that “Aramean” refers to the clever “con artist” Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law, who tries to deceive Jacob at every turn. Were it not for G-d’s intervention, our forefather Jacob would have ended up penniless and possibly dead.

Our commentators tell us that the story of Laban is included in the Passover Haggadah in order to teach us that Laban, our relative, father of Rachel and Leah, and presumably our friend, is actually more dangerous than Pharaoh. After all, with Pharaoh–what you see is what you get–a virulent anti-Semite, who makes no bones about his public desire to destroy the Jewish people.

[muman613]

Us religious Jews still pray (some prayers) in the ancient Aramaic language (I am not sure if it is related to the Arameans)...


http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/190,167/What-is-Aramaic.html

A. Aramaic (pronounced a-ra-MAY-ik) is an ancient, mostly defunct group of related Semitic dialects originating in, and very similar to, Hebrew. Their similarity extends to their written alphabet, which looks like a prototype of Hebrew and is written right-to-left as well. At one point in time, Aramaic was the lingua franca of Mesopotamia and the whole Middle East, functioning in society the same way English does today. There are two major dialects of Aramaic: Eastern (a.k.a. Syriac), and Western (a.k.a. Palestinian); which is still spoken in parts of Syria today.

B. The word "Aramaic" comes from the biblical Aram (pronounced AH-rahm), son of Shem and grandson of Noah. Being that there weren't exactly a whole lot of people alive in the world at that time (it was right after the Great Flood), whole nationalities sprung from single individuals. Thus, Aram was the father of the ancient civilization of the Arameans, who spoke--you guessed it--Aramaic. Contrary to the claims of some confused people, Aramaic has no relationship to Assyrian.

In addition to the Talmud, there are several other Jewish books written in Aramaic: much of the Book of Daniel, as well as much of the Zohar, and other books of Kabbalah

C. Aramaic is also an adjective describing someone or something pertaining to Aram, or to the territory, inhabitants, language, or literature of Syria and Mesopotamia; more specifically, the northern branch of the Semitic family of languages, including Syriac and Chaldee.

How is Aramaic used today?

1. The Talk of the Day

Aramaic was society's primary spoken language in the Talmudic Era, thus, the Talmud is written in Aramaic, although transliterated into the right-to-left Hebrew alphabet.

2. Where to study Aramaic

The language can actually be studied at such institutions of higher learning as Harvard or the University of Chicago. There are also a number of unusual people on the Internet who think they've taught themselves authentic Aramaic. The accuracy level of the information supplied at these venues has yet to be determined, though--your best bet is the Talmud. But before you can study the Talmud in the original Aramaic, you'll have to know how to read Hebrew.

3. Hebrew's Helper

In addition to the Talmud, there are several other Jewish books written in Aramaic: much of the Book of Daniel, as well as much of the Zohar, and other books of Kabbalah. In times of persecution, when Jews were forbidden to read, write, pray or converse in Hebrew, Aramaic was used as a substitute. (For this reason, there are several prayers set exclusively to Aramaic.) Aramaic has thus acquired a semi-sanctified state; it is considered almost as holy as the Holy Tongue itself--Hebrew.

[muman613]

On a related note... One of the most frequest prayers said in a Jewish service (with a minyan/at least 10 adult males) is the Kaddish. Kaddish is also the traditional prayer said in memory of a deceased loved one. Kaddish is still said in Aramaic...


http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1737300/jewish/Why-is-the-Kaddish-Recited-in-Aramaic.htm

Dear Rabbi,

Why is the kaddish prayer said in Aramaic? I understand that it was composed when Aramaic was the vernacular for most Jews, but why has it not been changed to Hebrew since?

Answer:

Interesting question.

Rabbi Joseph Caro, the 16th century author of the Code of Jewish Law,1 mentions several reasons why the kaddish prayer is not said in Hebrew,2 especially considering that Hebrew is lashon ha-kodesh, the holy tongue:

1) The Zohar, the classic work of Kabbalah, teaches that we intentionally use a secular language for kaddish because we are thereby subjugating the “external forces,” i.e., those energies that are, so to speak, outside the realm of the holy and G‑dly. By utilizing this mundane, man-made and “earthly” language to extol G‑d’s greatness, we accomplish the profound goal expressed in the opening words of kaddish, “Let His great name be magnified and sanctified on earth.”3

2) It was said in Aramaic because that was the most common spoken language of the Jews of the time, and the sages wanted the entire congregation to appreciate and identify with the sanctification of G‑d's name expressed in this important prayer.4

According to these two reasons, why do we not say kaddish in a secular language that we use today?

There is, however, another reason for reciting kaddish in its original language, which is mentioned by the Tosafists, the 13th century commentary on the Talmud.

According to sources they quote, we recite the kaddish in Aramaic because we do not want the angels to understand and be jealous of this great prayer; and according to our tradition, angels do not understand Aramaic.5

Rabbi Judah Loew, known as the Maharal of Prague, explains that the angels are not actually jealous; however, because this prayer achieves an exaltation of G d which transcends the heights that angels can achieve with their Divine service, we stress the unique loftiness of this prayer by saying it in a language that is specifically not associated with angels, as per our tradition.6

This explains why it has remained in Aramaic until today.

See the Kaddish Guide: Learn it. Say it. Understand it.


FOOTNOTES
1.   Known as Beit Yosef.
2.   Beit Yosef, Orach Chayim 56, s.v. “Aha Deamrinan.”
3.   The Zohar, p. 129.
4.   Quoted from Tosafot on Talmud, Berachot 3a.
5.   Tosafot, ibid.
6.   Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha-avodah 11.


BTW, I will be saying Kaddish for my brother this Shabbat... Today is the Yartzeit of my brother who was killed on 9/11...

September 11, 2001 = 23rd of Elul, 5761
http://www.hebcal.com/converter/?gd=11&gm=9&gy=2001&g2h=1
23 Elul, 5774 = September 18th, 2014
http://www.hebcal.com/converter/?hd=23&hm=Elul&hy=5774&h2g=1

[mord]

I think most of the Haggadah is in Aramaic.Leben wasn't that evil compared to a lot of people today