The wisdom of Hebrew proverbs
In Israel, sayings are not just words—they are a survival strategy, a philosophy and a way of life.
Translated Hebrew proverbs (old and new) offer valuable insight into various themes that reflect the culture, character, resilience and heritage of Israel as a nation.
The wisdom behind these expressions speaks to anyone who values relentless drive, resilience, adaptability, and humour.
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I am happy to report that pre-orders have pass the first threshold of 100 books in the third week. I am happy to share with you the first narrative of the book which is taken from the first chapter ‘True Grit’. Thus, the book begins with one of the most dominating characteristics of Israel and the Jewish nation.
כל ההתחלות קשות
All the beginnings are difficult
A traditional saying, although very much part of modern-day Israel.
I note that this statement may sound trivial, but it is surprising how often people complain about difficulties at a very early stage of their journey. People often give up too early whether at work, relationships and other challenges in every aspect of life.
The truth is that starting anything, whatever it is, will always be challenging at the early stages even if you plan well in advance. Life, as we know it, hardly ever goes in line with a script, there will always be unexpected developments.
Each one of us has stories to tell about difficulties and challenges that they have had to overcome in any aspect of life. Everyone knows that the list of qualities needed to overcome these is very long and grit is definitely one of them. Israelis understand that they need to have grit and persistence to deal with whatever life throws at them. They internalise the need to be flexible, change direction and innovate. If it does not “flow”, just try and try again.
Take the development of the upcoming book, the process began with compiling an extensive list of proverbs and expressions. The subsequent step involved carefully selecting those best suited for inclusion; specifically, those that could be illustrated through compelling narratives reflecting Israeli culture, history, as well as the broader human experience. Given the profound insights contained within the material, I was facing a stimulating intellectual challenge. Additionally, it was essential to ensure that all information remained accurate and faithful to its original sources. But ‘all the beginnings are difficult’…
Take the Israeli nation’s rebirth process, since the first wave of renewed Jewish immigration to the land of Israel, which was part of the Ottoman Empire, in 1880s, it has been full of challenges. The “land of milk and honey” has not been welcoming. The areas where Jews could buy land to settle were located in the more problematic parts of the territory. These were either mainly swamp or the arid areas where you either had too much water and malaria or drought.
In any case, the idea to develop flourishing Jewish agricultural settlements was not that straightforward (not to mention that Jews in the diaspora were not generally known for their agricultural skills). Times were so tough that for decades these settlements largely survived on donations. Even Tel Aviv, the first truly Jewish city in the world, was established in 1909 on sands to the north of Jaffa where no one wanted to live at the time.
This first proverb provided me with the opportunity to introduce Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known by the acronym Rashi. Born in France in 1040, Rashi was a genius leading biblical exegete and Jewish scholar. Acclaimed for his ability to present the basic meaning of the text in a concise and lucid fashion, his works remain a centrepiece of contemporary Jewish studies. As I cover some ancient proverbs in the book, I re-visit Rashi’s comments to highlight his eternal wisdom.
Rashi’s commentaries often add a spiritual context, for him the phrase ‘all the beginnings are difficult’ means that accepting the rule of the Bible may seem difficult at first, but in time, it will be rewarding. It signifies that growth, faith, and self-improvement require effort. Whether in learning, relationships, or personal development, persistence transforms initial struggles into a lasting fulfilment.
If you wish to read some short examples of my writing, you can register to Substack where I occasionally write comments about current affairs under a Hebrew proverb used as a title / subject. Pls use this link. https://arnonrubinstein.substack.com/
I hope that this will drive you to keep advertising the book to your friends and families.