Today we talked about the word ‘love’. In Hebrew this word is ‘ahav’. I made up a little notebook page where the kids could first write the word in English, then the transliterated, then in Paleo Hebrew and in Modern Hebrew. We discussed what each letter represents and then talked about what ‘love’ really is and what it looks like. For this I used Jeff Benner’s word meaning which goes like this…
We do not choose our parents or siblings but are instead given to us as a gift from above, a privileged gift. Even in the ancient Hebrew culture ones wife was chosen for you. It is our responsibility to provide and protect that privileged gift. In our modern Western culture love is an abstract thought of emotion, how one feels toward another but the Hebrew meaning goes much deeper. As a verb this word means “to provide and protect what is given as a privilege” as well as ” to have an intimacy of action and emotion”. We are told to love God and our neighbors, not in an emotional sense, but in the sense of our actions.
I then gave the children the opportunity to draw their own word picture according to their understanding. It was a very rewarding time, and I pray it helps us to see that love is so much more than what our culture deems it to be.
Helpful resources:
Hebrew word meanings - Ancient Hebrew Research Center
Introducing the Ancient Hebrew AlephBet - Jeff Benner
The AlephBet CD: The Building Blocks of Life - Brad Scott (one for Mum’s and Dad’s or older children to listen to. WELL worth it!)
Akhlah – for learning modern Hebrew script
The AlephBet Song (sticks in your head like glue!)
If anybody would like my worksheet, just leave a comment with your email addy and I’ll happily send it in PDF.
