Tools for Lashon Hakodesh 6
I will give you a 1000$ if you can translate the word את for me.
The word את has no meaning. It connects a verb to its subject. ואהבת את ה’ אלוקיך And you shall love Hashem your G-d. The subject of your love should be G-d. את is like an arrow from א to ת. This connects to that. This is most of the את s that we know of.
There is an את that has another meaning. The meaning of with. This is not common, but it exists.
שמות פרק א
וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצְרָ֑יְמָה אֵ֣ת יַעֲקֹ֔ב אִ֥ישׁ וּבֵית֖וֹ בָּֽאוּ:
Over there, the word את means with.
In the beginning of Kol Nidrei, there is a difference between customs in how the words start. With את or with עם. But they mean the same.
בישיבה של מעלה ובישיבה של מטה, על דעת המקום ברוך הוא ועל דעת הקהל הקדוש הזה אנו מתירין להתפלל את (נוסח אחר:עם) העבריינין
This lesson is SOOOO IMPORTANT!!!!
Why?
Because this is the difference between איתי and אותי.
איתי means with me. While אותי means me.
The י at the end of the word is a representation of the word אני. I or me. The word את can mean “with” or the “subject of what the verb is referring to”.
איתי sounds more like with than אותי sounds like with. Just a way to make it stick.
