"
First, I want to tell you that ….
Second, … Third, …" What do we do here?! Is it – counting? So it's the first case? But there is a comma, so – is it the second?! Ahh, it's impossible! No panic! Yes, it's both, and since it's both, there is an ultimately elegant solution!
First, (קֹדֶם כֹּל) I want you to think – how would you say "my son is in the
first grade now" – which word would you use for "
first" here, eh? 😉
(H
ere is a song for you as a hint! ;) )
Did you guess it? Right, it's just grade "A"- "kita alef" – כיתה א'
Which means that we can count with letters, did you know that? ;) ***And this brings us to the solution for the case when you want
to count the possibilities "first, …, second, …, third, …" You just say "ALEF, …, BEIT, …, GIMEL, …"! This simple! :D
Example:
אָלֶף, - אֲנִי לֹא יוֹדֵעַ אֵיפֹה לְחַפֵּשׂ,
בֵּית, - זֹאת לֹא הָאַחְרָיוּת שֶׁלִּי,
גִּימֶל, - אַף אֶחָד אֲפִלּוּ לֹא בִּקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת זֶה!
First, I don't know where to look for it,
second, it's not my responsibility,
third, no one even asked me to do it!
***
Counting with Hebrew letters has a name to it – how is it called? If you know – write back to me with an answer! 😉