“The Secular Holy Tongue: Orthodox Press, Jewish Education, and Modern Hebrew Language״
“The Secular Holy Tongue: Orthodox Press, Jewish Education, and Modern Hebrew Language,” Maimonides’ Review of Philosophy and Religion Maimonides’ Review of Philosophy and Religion 3 (2024): 159–184.
Koret Society of Fellows: Dr. Meirav Reuveny
The status of Hebrew as lešon ha-qodeš—the “holy tongue”—is unquestioned. However, Orthodox leaders, writers, and rabbis did not adopt a unified stance on the modernization of the language, particularly in its early stages. Despite this, the growing focus on Hebrew by national and Zionist activists in Russia, Germany, and Jerusalem placed the Orthodox leadership in a difficult position. At the dawn of the twentieth century, they became increasingly concerned about the rise of modern Hebrew education, which they viewed as a threat to the traditional value system.
In their opposition to secular knowledge and nationalistic teachings, they found themselves at odds with Hebrew itself. The Orthodox press criticized the Hebraists, accusing them of elevating the language to an undue prominence, above other traditional values.
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