Learning Hebrew

A bar mitzvah this weekend reminded me that I also had to learn Hebrew, for my theological studies. The final exam required that one should be able to open the Old Testament at any chapter, and read and translate. However, there are some very difficult chapters in the Old Testament. In practice, our professor, Heinrich von Siebenthal, would open the Bible at some standard passage. I think that mine was Deuteronomy 30: "I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil." OBSERVATION: Now a generation later, Hebrew is usually no longer required, as a part of theological studies.  Incidentally I find that the next best thing in English is Green's Literal Translation.