| CODE | HBW3011 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Rabbinic Hebrew | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit consists of an introduction to Rabbinic Hebrew. Throughout this study-unit, students will read select texts from the wide corpus of rabbinic literature, with these texts serving as the medium for the teaching of Rabbinic Hebrew grammar and syntax. Knowledge of Rabbinic Hebrew is important for a number of reasons: it is essential for a serious study of rabbinic literature; it is useful for students who want to specialize in Second Temple Judaism, owing to the fact that rabbinic literature can sometimes offer a glimpse into the Judaism of this period; it is important for comparative studies, such as the important studies that compare the legal traditions in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in rabbinic literature; moreover, knowledge of Rabbinic Hebrew can sometimes illuminate elements of Classical Hebrew which would otherwise remain latent with the knowledge of Classical Hebrew alone; finally, knowledge of Rabbinic Hebrew is important for students who are interested in the history and development of the Hebrew language. Study-unit Aims: 1. To introduce students to Rabbinic Hebrew grammar and syntax; 2. To compare and contrast Rabbinic Hebrew with Classical Hebrew, Dead Sea Scrolls Hebrew, and cognate languages; 3. To train students to decipher, read, and translate a selection of rabbinic texts; 4. To introduce students to the wide corpus of rabbinic literature. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. decipher, read, and translate a selection of rabbinic texts; 2. gain a better grasp of the history and development of the Hebrew language; 3. develop an understanding of rabbinic literature, rabbinic phraseology, rabbinic legal traditions, rabbinic techniques of biblical interpretation, and other aspects pertaining to Rabbinic Judaism. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. read, decipher, and translate various other unvocalised Hebrew texts; 2. apply the language skills learned in this study-unit to other study-units related to Hebrew. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Fernandez, M.P. 1999 An Introductory Grammar of Rabbinic Hebrew, 2nd edn., Leiden: Brill. - Jastrow, M. 2005 A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson. - Segal, M.H.1958 A Grammar of Mishnaic Hebrew, Oxford: Clarendon Press. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-units: NES1001, NES1002, NES2013 | |||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Dennis Mizzi |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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