Page 16 - Shemot-e-book-RF4-FP_Neat-221215-V24102-NPW

Audio: Track 2 16
1 The Book of Exodus – ‫חומש שמות‬

Torah Portion Shemot

The book of "Shemot" talks about the Egyptian exile. It opens with the verse:

"And these are the names of the People of Israel who came to Egypt
with Jacob, each man and his household came." (1:1)

The Sages saw in the word "names" (SHeMOT) a hint to an acronym (for the
words), "Two original readings and one translation," which appears to teach that
every person should learn the portions of the Torah three times.

Every person should learn the portions in Hebrew twice, and in addition they
should learn the portion once in a language which is understandable to them
(whether translation or commentary).

The hint to the commandment of "two original readings and one translation" is
found specifically in the beginning of the book of Shemot because the book of
Shemot talks about the exile in Egypt.

Before the exile the People of Israel spoke only the Holy Language – Hebrew,
but after they went down to Egypt they started to speak additional languages.
The Sages instructed (them) to use the Hebrew language more than other
languages, in order that they not forget the Holy Language.

Therefore, each week when the People of Israel read the portions from the
Torah, they should read them in the manner of "two original readings and one
translation" – twice in Hebrew and once in translation — in order to preserve the
Hebrew language.

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