Over the years, I have been asked many times "Rut, is the verb course suitable for me? I studied Biblical Hebrew". Well, yes, if you finally want to be able to use MODERN (!) Hebrew and be able to switch between the binyanim as easily as you can change from active to passive voice in another language. But let's consider some things here.
Modern Hebrew & Ancient Nikud
Now, let me tell you something: people who study Biblical Hebrew have a tough time giving up the nikud. Hebrew from the Bible is taught just like this. In Israel, nikud is only written for first-graders, and we think of new olim as kids in first grade. To Israelis, it doesn't matter which nikud sign the "e" sound, for example. Does the sign produce an "e"? Yofi, yalla! THIS is the hardest part for people who are learning Biblical Hebrew. They look at the sign, and they think of the category of the sign. Modern Hebrew is all about the sound, the end result if you will.
On the one hand, Torah students might think that there are "mistakes" in the nikud, because in Biblical Hebrew, it is very important which nikud sign makes a certain vowel; it's not just about how the word sounds. In Modern Hebrew, on the other hand, we are trying to use an ancient writing system (and it comes in many forms!) with words and sentences that didn't exist back then. If you don't believe that, show me in the Torah where Moses "googled" the closest camel farm.
Let's focus on what we have in common
Biblical Hebrew students may find it hard to learn Modern Hebrew for a number of reasons, but they are definitely ahead of students who have never studied Hebrew before in many ways. Let's compare:
1. Differences in words: Modern Hebrew has a lot of the same words as Biblical Hebrew, but there are also some big differences. A lot of words from other languages, mostly European languages like English, Arabic, and Russian, have been borrowed into modern Hebrew. These new words might be hard for people who study Biblical Hebrew.
2. Changes in grammar: The basic grammar of Hebrew is the same in both Biblical and modern forms, but there are changes in how it is used, how it is put together, and how it is phrased. Biblical Hebrew and modern Hebrew may have different verb forms, sentence patterns, and word orders, which can be hard for students to understand.
3. Pronunciation: The way modern Hebrew is spoken may be different from the way Biblical Hebrew was spoken. Wait! How was Biblical Hebrew spoken? This is the biggest mystery to me. How on earth do people want to know how it was pronounced? Fact is, we are very much speculating about it. Students who are used to the way Biblical Hebrew is (supposedly) pronounced might find it hard to switch to the way it is pronounced today, which has changed over time.
4. Spoken Language vs. Written Language: Biblical Hebrew is mostly written and used for religious texts. Modern Hebrew, on the other hand, is spoken and used for everyday conversation. Students who have mostly studied Biblical Hebrew might find it hard to understand how to use Modern Hebrew in everyday speech. Students of Modern Hebrew find it easier to accept that back then the language was different.
Summary
Overall, Biblical Hebrew and Modern Hebrew have many things in common, but they are also very different in important ways that can make it hard for students to switch between the two.
Reading the Torah is like reading Hamlet to someone who speaks English. But if you could suddenly take an Israeli back to the time of the Bible or bring Moses back to modern-day Israel, they would both find it hard to just hang out with other people.