Every Dictionary You Need to Study Hebrew and Aramaic Texts (2024)

Every Dictionary You Need to Study Hebrew and Aramaic Texts (1)

Here is a list of all of the best dictionaries, web resources, and apps that I discovered in rabbinical school and beyond. Once you understand the fundamental grammar of Hebrew and Aramaic, these tools will help you decode anything fromTaNaKh[Hebrew Bible] to today’s Israeli news, and everything in between.

You should know that the online database Sefaria has a tool that allows you to look up words in texts by highlighting them. This is a great resource and it’s good to keep in mind that: (1) it works fully only when you know the grammatical rules (eg. it will not convert plural forms into definitions found in the singular) and (2) especially if you are starting out, using the traditional dictionaries will strengthen your Hebrew and Aramaic skills far more than the Sefaria version.

*Note: To look up a word in most of the books below, you need to search using its three-letter root.

Biblical:

Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (aka BDB)– this is the classic academic dictionary for the entire Hebrew Bible. It has every word and translation you will need. There are some more recent biblical dictionaries but this is still the gold standard.

BDB Online –http://www.ericlevy.com/revel/bdb/bdb/main.htm

Hebrew Bible Apphttps://apps.apple.com/ca/app/hebrewbible/id310104088

This is a fantastic resource that lets you click on individual Hebrew words in any part of theTaNaKh and see its definition from the Brown Driver Briggs. This app is especially helpful if you are trying to move quickly in Hebrew or if you do not know the three letter root of a word.

Early Rabbinic:

Dictionary of the Targumim, Talmud Bavli, Talmud Yerushalmi, and Midrashic Literature by Marcus Jastrow(aka Jastrow Dictionary)– This is the top choice for translating early rabbinic sources. It is also useful for early modern Hebrew sources such asHasidicliterature, but will likely be insufficient for those genres without a modern dictionary as well.

Jastrow Online (1)https://www.tyndalearchive.com/TABS/Jastrow//

Jastrow Online (2)https://www.sefaria.org/Jastrow

Dictionary of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic of the Talmudic and Geonic Periods by Michael Sokoloff (aka Sokoloff Dictionary)– Some prefer this more recent dictionary to Jastrow. Sokoloff did not include the Targumim in creating this, though he does include Gaonic literature as well as early magical writings. That makes the entries somewhat different. For studying Talmud, this dictionary is particularly useful for abnormal usages of words (sometimes called “Jastrow Bonuses” because the Jastrow dictionary highlights these outlying meanings and often translates the whole surrounding phrase on sentence). In Sokoloff, there is an index of unique/anomalous usages in the back, listed by Talmudic page, which can make translating go more quickly.

The Practical Talmud Dictionary by Yitzhak Frank (aka Frank Dictionary)– This is a wonderful compilation of technical idioms from the Talmud. It is quite impossible to understand the flow of the Talmud’s argumentation without knowing the technical terms which it liberally employs. For that reason, owning a Frank dictionary is essential for decoding Talmud in the original language. This dictionary can also be helpful for later writings such as theShulḥan Arukhand Ḥasidic texts which sometimes draw on this technical language.

The Gemara Card– This six-page laminated resource contains a “best of” glossary, abbreviation list, grammar section, abbreviated list of Talmudic sages, table of ancient measurements, and guide toRashiScript. For beginning to learn Talmud, and even useful for more advanced students, it is a quick reference guide so you don’t to flip through a dictionary or other resource.

Modern:

The Complete Hebrew-English Dictionary by Reuben Alcalay– This is a very comprehensive dictionary recommended to me by my professor of Hebrew. Some people prefer the binding on the original 1961 edition, which was broken into three books. The 2000 edition is in two books and has some new words added from the original.

Rav Milimhttps://www.ravmilim.co.il/naerr_en.asp

This is an excellent website that gives you everything from English translation, to grammar, rhymes, expressions, synonyms, and Hebrew definitions. The search bar allows you to enter the word itself without needing to search based on the Hebrew root.Note: This site does require a subscription which you may find through an academic institution if you are a student.

Morfixhttps://www.morfix.co.il

This is a less robust version of Rav Milim, but they give similar results for direct translations. One big advantage, morfix is free!

Google Translatetranslate.google.com

This is a slightly less reliable translation method. However, it has some useful features like being able to live translate a sign or book that you have in front of you using your phone’s camera. It also usually processes more quickly than Morfix, which is useful if you are in a hurry.

For Decoding Acronyms:

Otzar Roshei Tevot[Treasury of Acronyms] by Shmuel Ashkenazi and Dov Yarden– this collection, found only in Hebrew, is an extensive list of acronyms and their multiple meanings. It is a valuable resource at any level.

Kitzurim VeRoshei Teivot B’Ivrit[Hebrew Abbreviations and Acronyms]kizur.co.ilThis is a great, free online resource. It is not quite as extensive asOtzar Roshei Tevotbut still very helpful.

Would you like to study a Hebrew or Aramaic text with a knowledgeable rabbi? Click below to learn about tutoring with Rabbi Matthew Ponak.

I Want to Study Hebrew Texts

Every Dictionary You Need to Study Hebrew and Aramaic Texts (2024)

FAQs

How mutually intelligible are Hebrew and Aramaic? ›

No, they are at best partially mutually intelligible. There are lots of words that are different. In neo Aramaic? No, also in Babylonian and other Jewish Aramaic dialects.

Why should you learn Aramaic? ›

Did you know that many Biblical texts were originally written in Aramaic? By learning Biblical Aramaic, you can enrich your understanding of biblical prophecies and the holy Scriptures.

How many Aramaic words are in the Bible? ›

The New Testament is written in Greek; nearly all the Old Testament is written in Hebrew, while the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the LXX) is significant to biblical studies. Yet 268 verses of the Bible were written in a language called Aramaic.

Was Jesus Hebrew or Aramaic? ›

Most religious scholars and historians agree with Pope Francis that the historical Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic.

Why did Jews stop speaking Aramaic? ›

In the middle of the 20th century, the founding of the State of Israel led to the disruption of centuries-old Aramaic-speaking communities. Today, most first-language speakers of Jewish Aramaic live in Israel, but their distinct languages are gradually being replaced by Modern Hebrew.

Why does no one speak Aramaic? ›

Small groups of people still speak Aramaic in different parts of the Middle East. The wars of the last two centuries have made many speakers leave their homes to live in different places around the world. Today, between 500,000 and 850,000 people speak Aramaic languages.

How do you say god in Aramaic? ›

Elah means "god", with the suffix -i meaning "my." Being Aramaic and not Hebrew (there is no singular possessive for "god" in Biblical Hebrew), in the Old Testament, Elahi is found only in the books of Ezra and Daniel. It is best known for its transliteration in Mark 15:34, "ἐλωΐ ἐλωΐ" eloi eloi.

What does Jesus say in Aramaic? ›

The most prevalent evidence for Aramaic being the language spoken by Jesus is the use of Aramaic words found in the New Testament. “'Talitha kum,' which translates as, 'Little girl, I say to you, get up. '” “And looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” which is 'be opened'.”

Which version of the Bible is closest to the Aramaic? ›

the Classical Syriac Peshitta, a rendering in Aramaic of the Hebrew (and some Aramaic, e.g. in Daniel and Ezra) Old Testament, plus the New Testament purportedly in its original Aramaic, and still the standard in most Syriac churches.

Why is the Bible not in Aramaic? ›

By the third century BC at the latest, the Jewish expatriate community in Egypt had largely lost the ability to speak Hebrew and/or Aramaic, and so they translated the books of the Hebrew Bible into their then-native Greek.

Can Jews understand Aramaic? ›

In some places, Zakho for instance, the Jewish and Christian communities easily understood each other's Aramaic. In others, like Sanandaj, Jews and Christians who spoke different forms of Aramaic could not understand each other. Among the different Jewish dialects, mutual comprehension became quite sporadic.

Why did Jews switch from Hebrew to Aramaic? ›

During the Babylonian captivity, many Israelites learned Aramaic, the closely related Semitic language of their captors. Thus, for a significant period, the Jewish elite became influenced by Aramaic. After Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, he allowed the Jewish people to return from captivity.

Which version of the Bible is closest to Aramaic? ›

the Classical Syriac Peshitta, a rendering in Aramaic of the Hebrew (and some Aramaic, e.g. in Daniel and Ezra) Old Testament, plus the New Testament purportedly in its original Aramaic, and still the standard in most Syriac churches.

Is it easy to learn Aramaic If you know Hebrew? ›

So with such close similarities and with your knowledge of modern Hebrew, you are probably in very good shape to learn Aramaic - ancient or modern.

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