megillat kohelet-hevel

[Amanda1]

In this class Rebbeztin Heller discusses how Shlomo Hamelech says that everything physical is hevel. Even holy things in their phsycial form are hevel because they will eventually end ie beis hamikdash, shuls, rebbe akivas students etc. At our madrega, or at least mine, I feel like all I can experience in this world is the physical aspect. I can strive for something spiritual but I might never really perceive. If this is the case and the physical aspect is hevel (and this is the only aspect I can perceive) how can I ever be sure that I am really spritually developing myself? Or what can I hold on to?

[Chana4]

Wait a minute. Can Rbbtzn Heller really be saying that the Hebraicists accomplished NOTHING, and were only relevant as a trend occuring in their times?  In addition to which, we're obligated to speak well of something our fellow Jew has done, even if it's as simple as "the person who passes out food where I work is pleasant", but we're not obligated to be grateful for the mighty, not to say obsessive, work of the Hebraicists? 

Obviously Hashem wanted the Hebrew language to be revived, or else He would not have let it happen.  Against all odds, the language is spoken and written today, enabling the absorbtion of Jewish immigrants from all over the world to communicate in one language. The natural connection that Rabbi Nachman speaks of existing between a person and his mother tongue now exists in Hebrew for millions of people.  The language of the Torah is the language of the people, and an organic connectedness has been developed that was only latent before.  This would not, could not have happenned had G-d not desired it, and He chose that it should happen through the Hebraicists, imperfect vessels they were.

The Irish nationalist movement made a valiant attempt to restore Irish as the spoken language of Ireland, and much national and personal effort was put towards that goal.  Children learn Irish in school, and one cannot get a high school matriculation certificate without passing a certain level of Irish, yet the revival of Irish has failed.  You can argue that this was because the Irish had no need of a particular language under which to absorb millions of Irish returning from all over the globe, you can argue that this was because the Irish were already using English more artfully (and Irishly) than the English themselves; it's irrelevant.  In the end, it didn't work.  The revival of Irish was not significant enough in G-d's plan for it to succeed.

And then there's Hebrew.  Indeed you can argue about the worth and value of much that is written today in the Hebrew language, about the lack of linguistic integrity of many words due to the lack of internal connection of certain concepts with the Hebrew sources.  You can argue about the lack of skill and artistry with which Modern Hebrew is often used, and it's true.  You can be endlessly amused at the absorbtion of Biblical, Mishnaic, and Talmudic Hebrew terms into vernacular context--and at how well they often fit.  Yiddish and Arabic speakers may be aware of the number of phrases swallowed up whole and translated into Modern Hebrew and used by Israelis who would, as they say, plotz if they know how they came by that means of expression.  And it FITS.

 We COMMUNICATE with each other, for good or for better, in Hebrew.  My husband's Grandma Sarah, ah"sh, lived in Israel (she always referred to it as "the YEE-shuv") for several years as a girl.  "I remember 'Rak Ivrit' and "Ivri, Dabber Ivrit!' were very big then," she would reminisce.

That's why her grandchildren and great-grandchildren don't have to learn Hebrew at Hebrew school, why the study of Nevi'im has become so much richer and popular, and why our kids speak English with Hebrew grammar.  The Hebraicist movement had a lot to do with this.  I can only assume that G-d also had a lot to do with it because nothing succeeds or fails except that He wills it and that it fulfills His purpose.

I don't know where you ladies buy your milk, but we don't need French in our makolet, and my grocer quotes Tehillim and not Racine in everyday discourse.  One cannot really argue that the labor of the Hebraicists was all a fad or all in vain.  Hashem Himself has allowed the language to flourish just as he has allowed the once-barren land to bring forth fruits.

To say otherwise requires a denial of reality and a truly chutzpadik measure of ingratitude.

[Moderator]

This question has been sent to Rebbetzin Heller and should be answered shortly.

[Chana4]

To whoever was responsible for printing and/or editing this question before presenting it to Rbtzn Heller--I was mortified.  I put a lot of thought into asking what seemed to me an intelligent question and you made it sound foolish.  Please be more careful next time.

[Moderator]

We apologize for our error. There were some printer problems and that is why the question came out unclear. We did not edit your question. Rebbetzin Heller did manage to overcome the technical problem and still answer the question thoroughly.