Ancient Hebrew at U of T

Hebrew is a Semitic language. Ancient Hebrew is the form that was used for some of the core religious documents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students who achieve high proficiency in Ancient Hebrew gain access to the full nuances of the Hebrew Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Mishna.
Ancient Hebrew can be read in a number of alphabets, from one of the earliest forms of the alphabet in history (seen in some inscriptions) to the "Aramaic square" script that is used for the Hebrew Bible. Students learning the Hebrew alphabet, which is written from right-to-left, will find it easy to learn the writing systems of many other Semitic languages, such as Arabic.
Many students become interested in Ancient Hebrew because of the Hebrew Bible, which is the Jewish Bible and Christian Old Testament. Reading the ancient biblical texts in Hebrew opens up cultural and religious nuances that are often lost in translations.
Due to the prominence of the Hebrew Bible in Western Civilization, we have inherited numerous expressions and words from Ancient Hebrew. Many Hebrew words have entered directly or with slight variations into the English language, including alphabet, sabbath, amen, abbot, messiah, hallelujah, hosanna, manna, cherubim, seraphim, satan, shibboleth, leviathan, mammon, camel, jubilee, and Armageddon.

Visit the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations and the Jewish Studies websites for more information.
Consult the A&S calendar for specific course offerings.

Is it hard to learn the alphabet?
No! Most students learn the alphabet within the first week of the first year of study. While the alphabet does look quite different from most alphabets students are familiar with, and it is written from right-to-left, these conceptual hurdles are quickly overcome and actually contribute to a continuing “exotic” flavor to studying the language.
How long does it take to be able to read the Hebrew Bible?
Mastering biblical Hebrew does take time, and it would take at least two years of study to work well with more difficult poetic texts, such as the Psalms and Job. However, many narrative parts of the Hebrew Bible are much easier, and students begin working with texts like Genesis and Jonah within the first ten weeks of a first year course.
Can I study or work in Hebrew?
Since Ancient Hebrew is a no-longer-spoken language, it is not used to engage in extended conversation. However, since it is also the language of a large religious text and is very important for many religious communities, there are many professional and community-oriented teaching and translations jobs in which one can employ their knowledge of Hebrew.