HEBREW 101

Chapter 1: The Alphabet

My learning started with a zeal to understand how to read and write and be conversant as reading and writing of A,B,Cs. l had to familiarize on the Hebrew chart where l memorized the Hebrew Alphabet from Alef, Bet, Gimmel, Dalet, Hey, Vav, Zayin, Chet, Tet, Yod, Kaf, Mem, Nun, Samech, Ayin, Pey, Tsade, Qof, Resh, Sin, Shin and Tav. In the course of learning l realized that there is the book print and hand print of which l can estimate that at least 2 percent of the hand print differs from the book print. Also there are letters written in basic form of which has a final form when they are last in the word including Kaf, Nun, Pey, Tsade and Mem.

Apart from that there are letters with soft and at the same time hard pronunciation. What makes a difference is the dot included in the alphabet. When the dot is included inside, it becomes a hard pronunciation. These letters include Bet, Kaf and Pey. The soft pronunciation is also known as weak dagesh where other letters including Gimel, Dalet and Tav. Additionally, there are letters which look alike including but not limited to Bet and Kaf, Hey, Chet and Tav and Mem and Samech. In addition, there are letters that sounds alike including but not limited to Khaf and Qof. Further there are letters which are being pronounced from the throat known as gutturals. Finally, l went into exercising in reading of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 1:1-3) where l managed to read few words precisely especially Bereshit. Here I wish to point out that it is something new which requires a continuous learning and practice and l am expecting to gain more in Chapter 2 especially in connecting the alphabet and pronunciation of Hebrew words more precisely.