The noun חיל (chayil) appears over 200 times in Tanach. It has a few different meanings: Army: See, e.g., Exodus 14:28, “chail Pharaoh” (army of

The verb פרנס (to distribute, supply) has four root letters. This makes us think it did not originate in Hebrew as Hebrew roots normally have

This is a phrase that appears in the context of the plague on the first born. Here are verses 11:6-7: “There shall be a loud

Nowhere in Tanach is anyone counting the year from creation. What is the origin of this counting method? As further background, if one looks at

Near the end of Exodus chapter one, we have the following statement: “Because the midwives feared Elokim, He made them בתים (houses).” What could that

Professor Aaron Koller of Yeshiva University has written an important discussion of the word מכרתיהם and I would like to share it. It is found

In his new book, “Pursuing Peshat (Kodesh Press, 2024),” Dr. Moshe Sokolow includes a chapter in which he discusses many verses in Tanach where the

We all know that the root זמר has a “making music” meaning in Tanach. But three times it is used to mean “cut, prune” in

The last few words of “Maoz Tzur Yeshuati” are a request: “hakem lanu roim shiva—establish for us the seven רועים.” What does רועים mean here

First, I am going to discuss the text of Rashi on the Torah in general. Then, I am going to point out that a well-known

At Genesis 29:31, we are told that God saw that Leah was שנואה. The issue for this column is, “whether our forefather Yaakov really hated