Tonight on Law & Order: SVU, a guy had a tattoo on his forearm. They were Hebrew letters, and my knowledge of Hebrew is minimal. But the letters looked to me like (from right to left) samech, bet, bet, dalet. I don’t know how to post in the Hebrew alphabet here.
Anyone have a clue want that might mean? Or maybe someone saw it, too… someone who actually reads Hebrew?
I noticed the Hebrew too. Pretty cool.
I believe the word was סכנה which means danger; which I suppose is an appropriate tattoo.
Yes, thanks! How do you pronounce it?
Gotta love the speedy service you get from the Dope!
Sorry, forgot to include the pronunciation.
Soh-Koh-Noh (each syllable ryhming with ha or Ma)
Right after SVU I googled hebrew tattoo SVU and saw your question.
Having a tattoo in Hebrew is kind of ironic, actually…
On which syllable is the stress? 
The last - Sah-Kah-NAH.
In Hebrew, it’s always one of the last two syllables that’s stressed.
If I was going to get a tattoo in Hebrew, I’d get Leviticus 19:28 tattooed on my arm.
+1.
Why on Earth would anyone cut their own flesh for the dead?!? :eek:
Why would people wear cotton-poly blends? IT’S BLASPHEMY!
Why would people mutilate their baby boys’ penises?
If you want to debate (or espouse) antisemitism and/or circumcision, start a thread in GD. You’re off-topic in this thread.
twickster, Cafe Society moderator
Lots of tribes had/have mourning scarification. And mourning tattooing. People have beliefs, do things connected to those beliefs. Certainly older than sending flowers and deli platters.
We still tear our clothes, symbolically anyway, in Judaism.
I LOVE that! I actually posted before the episode was even over. 
And the rituals of mourning would be based on things that people might do who were out of their heads with grief. People might scream, moan, tear their hair, tear their clothing, dress plainly, refuse to go to entertainments, cut themselves, commit suicide. One purpose the rituals serve is to define a proper middle ground. If you’ve done A, B, and C, then you’ve shown that you valued the person who died. And if you feel like doing D, E, and F, friends and neighbors can say, no, you’ve done enough, all that one could expect.
friedo:
This again? Boy, talk about the fight against ignorance taking a long time.
The only blend forbidden by the Bible is wool and linen. Any other mix of fabrics is Kosher (so to speak).
“Rending one’s garments”? :dubious:
I’m genuinely curious as to how this is done symbolically.
I have seen a lapel partially unstiched on a coat. It can be easily repaired.
hajario:
It’s not supposed to be repaired, if the rip was made for the mourning ritual. Also, at least in Orthodox practice, the rip is specifically made not on a seam.