The Rebirth of Hebrew: A Modern Miracle

For nearly 1,700 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, Jews lived scattered across the world and spoke the languages of their surrounding societies. Some Jewish communities also developed their own internal languages, such as Ladino and Yiddish. Yet throughout this long exile, rabbinic literature continued to be written in Hebrew. Hebrew also served as a bridge between distant Jewish communities. Jews traveling from one country to another could often communicate using Hebrew, since it was familiar to all through prayer and sacred texts.

By its nature, a language that is not spoken regularly tends to fade. Linguists call such a language “dead,” claiming that once a language is no longer used in daily life, it cannot truly be revived. History seems to support this idea. Latin and Aramaic were once international languages, yet they disappeared when people stopped speaking them. Living languages grow naturally. They develop new words for new inventions and ideas. A language that is not spoken does not go through this process. When innovations such as printing, eyeglasses, steam engines, and later automobiles appeared, Hebrew had no modern words for them.

And yet, against all expectations, Hebrew did not disappear. Through divine providence, the holy language awakened once again on the lips of the Jewish people and began to flourish as a living language.

The Reaction to Modern Hebrew

About 150 years ago, as nationalist movements spread across the world, some Jews began actively working to revive Hebrew as a modern spoken language. Many of the pioneers of this effort were secular and believed they had the authority to shape the language on their own terms. At first, they preferred biblical Hebrew, viewing it as purer than rabbinic Hebrew, which they dismissed as inferior. Today, this attitude is widely seen as misguided.

Because the revival was led largely by secular figures, reactions within the Torah world were complex. Some strongly opposed the movement and compared the new language to a Torah scroll written by a heretic. Others, however, viewed the entire process as something guided from Above. They believed that even flawed individuals can sometimes serve as instruments in the hands of Hashem. The reality, after all, is that Hebrew became the common language of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. Some suggested that this development may have been part of Hashem’s plan to help many Jews return to Torah, allowing them to connect more easily with sacred texts instead of relying on translations.

Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld offered a striking perspective. According to his student Rabbi Moshe Blau, Rabbi Sonnenfeld suggested that those who revived Hebrew might even receive reward in the next world. He expressed regret that the religious community had not taken the initiative to establish Hebrew as the spoken language when Jews first began returning to the Land of Israel. Had they done so, he believed, they could have prevented secular forces from shaping it in their image. He famously said that he did not envy even the possible reward of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, yet acknowledged that Hashem’s mercy is beyond human understanding.

In Jerusalem’s early Jewish neighborhoods, there were heated debates over whether Hebrew should be taught in schools. Some groups fought strongly against it. Yet Rabbi Sonnenfeld and the Chazon Ish permitted the teaching of Hebrew in Agudat Yisrael schools, especially for children who struggled with Yiddish or whose parents opposed it. Rabbi Sonnenfeld explained that the original opposition to Hebrew stemmed from its use as a weapon against religious Jews. In their context, however, it was simply a spoken language, and therefore permitted. Even great Torah scholars occasionally used modern Hebrew terms when necessary.

There was also debate over pronunciation. Some favored Ashkenazic pronunciation, while others supported Sephardic. After much discussion, the language committee chose Sephardic pronunciation because it preserved ancient sounds, vowels, and grammatical patterns. They saw this as a rare opportunity to restore a more authentic pronunciation of the holy language to the Jewish people.

A Language for Tomorrow

Jewish tradition also looks forward to a future in which Hebrew will play a central role for all humanity. The prophet Zephaniah declares, “For then I will change the peoples to speak a pure language, that all should call upon the name of Hashem, to serve Him together.” The Midrash explains that in the era of Mashiach, the entire world will speak Lashon Kodesh.

Because of this, some sages encouraged maintaining and strengthening Hebrew even in everyday life, so that when Elijah the Prophet arrives and the righteous of all generations rise again, we will be united by a shared language.

Rabbi Baruch HaLevi Epstein emphasized the importance of surrounding children with Hebrew, both in holy contexts and in daily life. He taught that a home infused with the holy language becomes a home filled with blessing, faith, and spiritual strength. As Hebrew spreads within homes committed to truth and Torah, it brings blessing to the people of Israel and to the Land of Israel.

Source: Lashon Kedusha by Rabbi Yoel Schwartz, and others.