Everyone has their own idea of what sort of person makes a great friend. But there is no doubt that all true friendships possess a single special quality: connectedness. When two true friends meet, they instantly feel connected, as though their spirits are united. This is precisely the idea behind the Hebrew word for friend: chaver. (חָבֵר). Like all Hebrew words, this term derives from a simple three-letter root.
The word for friend, chaver (חָבֵר) derives from the three-letter root HBR meaning “to link”. The basic concept of bringing individuals together is the source of dozens of other words: the word for “friendship” is chaverut (חֲבֵרוּת), the word for “corporation” is chevra (חֶבְרָה) and the word for “sociable” is chevruti (חֶבְרוּתִי). Even the verb “to compose” is chiber (חִבֵּר) because the author unites letters to form words and words to form sentences.
Hebrew has hundreds of examples just like this. Because the language is so organized, it is a very gratifying experience to learn Hebrew. Right from the start, you will feel yourself making exciting connections between seemingly unrelated words that share a common root. Enroll today in an online Hebrew course with eTeacher, and get connected, to an expert teacher, to wonderful peers, and to the people of Israel.
