[Avodah] RAMBAM on Songs and Using Hebrew

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 04:36:27PM -0400, Prof. Levine wrote:
> According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramaic_language  Aramaic has 
> been around for 3000 years.

What Yaaqov avinu calls Gel Eid, Lavan called Yigar Sahadusa (Ber 31:47).
Note also he does this invoking "the G-d of Avraham and the got of Nachor,
yishpetu veineinu Elohei avihem". (v. 53) This indicates that the language
of the alter heim of Avraham, Nachor and Terach was Aramaic.

The academics date Aramaic to 10th cent BCE because the oldest found
inscription dates to then. A basalt stele found at Tel Dan in the Galil.
That still leaves open the very real probability that the language was
significantly older.

The Seder Olam's dating places Avraham's birth at 1813 BCE (1948 AM).
It would mean a 900 or so year history of Aramaic that isn't yet
documented.

Gut Voch!
-Micha

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