A CONVERT AND HEBREW Walter Jacob

QUESTION: A middle aged convert is hesitant about conversion. She has given up all identity with Christianity , studied Judaism diligently to the best of her ability, and has learned enough to qualify as a convert. She feels that she is ready and the rabbi also indicated that conversion is now possible. She has, however, hesitated to take this step on the grounds that she knows very little Hebrew , has no linguistic aptitude, and feels that she can not be a good Jewess without a firm grasp of Hebrew . Would we agree with her or would we state that Hebrew is not essential?(Tillie Lebowitz, Tulsa , OK )*

ANSWER: The Hebrew language has played an important role in Jewish life throughout our history. Through the ages we have done our best to encourage the study of Hebrew ; our greatest literature has been written in Hebrew or Aramaic .

Within the Reform movement we have put less emphasis on Hebrew and more on the vernacular in our services, in order to enable the worshipper to understand the service fully. Yet we retain a considerable amount of Hebrew in the liturgy.

Problems with understanding the Hebrew language go back to the end of the Biblical period. A large portion of our people

were no longer familiar with Hebrew , even in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah(Neh. 8:8), so the Scriptural reading had to be translated for them. By the time of the Mishnah, the common people no longer used Hebrew , therefore, the shema, tefilah, and the birkhat hamazon were permitted in the vernacular(M. Sotah 7.1). This, then, also was the later decision of the Talmud (Sotah 32b ff); it enabled individuals who recited petitions to pray sincerely and wit full knowledge of what they were saying. A parallel stand is taken by later authorities, so the Sefer Hassidim of the eleven

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