Sign up for your free daily dose!

Jul 20, 2010

how to say "foundation" in Hebrew...

תשתית
Perhaps you know the word for basis or foundation, in the more abstract sense: יְסוֹד (yeh-SOHD).

There's another word, however, for the foundation or infrastructure of a house, a city, a state, etc: תַּשְׁתִּית (tahsh-TEET), such that Israel's Ministry of Infrastructure(s) is מִשְׂרַד הַתַּשְׁתִּיוֹת (mees-RAHD hah-tahsh-tee-YOHT).

Over the past three weeks, I've been featuring words and concepts that I believe help form the תשתית of that which the Jews are mourning - and hoping for - today. The Temple itself is just a facade without this תשתית; but with this תשתית, the Temple becomes the world's beacon of goodness, of life, of kindness...

So, to review (as we're apt to do often in Ulpan La-Inyan), here are some of the words I believe can form the תשתית of the Temple:


May this תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב (teesh-AH beh-AHV) - ninth of Av - be the last one where the Jews are mourning. May it be a great celebration next time around. 

I believe it's up to us to create the reason for celebration.