Welcome to my Hebrew reading & language series.

Exodus 20:7-11

We left off with God shouting Mitsvotav (his commandments) from the top of a charred mountain in Midian. Everyone, at one time or another, has tried to walk the line when it comes to "Dad's rules" and this case is no different. The Hebrew has no numbers, so different religions number the commands differently and some even eliminate the ones they want to ignore. I am not sure if there are 10 in total, so I am trying to number the topics - each action to do. Let's see how many we end up with going through the books of Torah (The Law). We had 3 last week. Continuing...

4) You shall not take up the name of YHVH your God La-Shav-u' (vain - falsehood) for YHVH will not hold him guiltless.

Many get the sense that it means "to make His Name nothing" and for that reason, most Jews will not say The Name, replacing it with ' ' or haShem, or Adonai in their prayer books and the like.

Every line says "Blessed are you (name) our God..."
.

I took a picture of a page in my ancient prayer book. See the
abbreviation of His Name as ' ' in line with "m" of "woman"

The structure of His Name is similar to many forms of the word "be" in Hebrew (uehye, yehyu, etc.) and then we have the other time when he was asked what his name is and God said "Yhyea asher yhyea" (I am which I am) - some English versions read He who "was and is and is to come" - I will stop there or I will go on, and on.

5) zah-Chor et yom haShabat (remember the Sabbath), declaring it Holy. and he goes on to speak of doing work during six days and resting on the seventh because he made everything in six days and then rested on ha-sh'bee-Ee (the seventh) - and He declared it Holy.

This part after "5" shows what Elohim wants related to the seventh day, and why he is doing this - as if to commemorate and have us remember that HE worked, and then took a rest. He wants us to be mindful of who God is and what he has done.

Today's Reading

English

"You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in vain, for YHVH will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to YHVH your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days YHVH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore YHVH blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Hebrew

Next week, Mom, Dad, Murder and cheating...

Info on each letter starting at the beginning

If you are just starting, my lessons are all here starting at Alef, adding vowels (the dots and lines) as we go. I explain the meaning of each letter and its numerical value. Just go to my blog and scroll to the bottom or click here

Get your Hebrew Bible now!

Click here to obtain the book we are using. It is a free download or browser usable.

Thanks for reading.

Shabbat Shalom