First Comes Love, then Comes Marriage, and then Comes Hebrew Learning: The Journey of the Bantseev Family
Our initial Hebrew studies started In London, Ontario, Canada as newlyweds. Melanie and I were married for just over a month when we took our first beginner level Hebrew class in 2011. We were so excited to be married and to start our life together, and both of us had no previous study of the holy language. I have always loved Hebrew, but it seemed so intimidating and unattainable to me. Have you felt this way? The characters looked really foreign to me. And honestly, the whole idea of reading from right to left intimidated me.
Funny but True Flashback from Childhood
As a young boy in our Slavic Pentecostal church (this is going back 35 years ago), we got the idea of learning a song in Russian & Hebrew and singing it in front of the whole congregation. We chose the song, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” We learned to sing it in Russian and started learning it in Hebrew. If any of you know it in Hebrew, you’re going to laugh at what transpired! One of the girls said, this song is easy, all you have to say is: “He named my toe ooh mah na-yeem…!” Well, 35 years later, “He named my toe” still stands out as a memorable childhood experience!
Continuing the Story in 2011
Our Messianic leader was our instructor. He challenged us, saying that if we applied ourselves in the beginner level Hebrew class, we would be able to open the Hebrew Scriptures and read them on our own! I thought to myself “Wow! Is this really possible!?” For the next 8 months I studied hard. When the course was completed, I opened up the book of Genesis and began to read and devour it in Hebrew from start to finish. I didn’t understand most of it, but I was able to sound out the letters and the words for the first time in my life! I listened to the audio Bible in Hebrew and attempted to follow along, trying hard to keep up with the fast pace of fluent Hebrew!
By 2013, Melanie completed her 1-year Bat Mitzvah preparation and I finished my Bar Mitzvah course. In fact, we were in the same class. Having completed the beginner Hebrew class truly helped to give us a foundation with the preparation, as we learned the canting (singing) of our Torah portions in Hebrew. We were blessed to visit the Land of Israel in 2013 for the first time and practiced the Hebrew we had been learning!
Ancient Prophecy Fulfilled
As believers in Yeshua the Messiah who have embraced our identity as sons and daughters belonging to the house of Jacob, the Hebrew language suddenly becomes very relevant. In fact, we who were once “not a people” have been restored back into the olive tree. The prophet Zephaniah spoke of a day when YHVH will restore the Hebrew language to His people: “For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of [YHVH], to serve Him with one accord” (Zephaniah 3:9 NKJV). The phrase “pure language” is literally purging, polishing and cleansing of the lip/speech. By studying Hebrew we are fulfilling prophecy!
Every Letter Tells a Story
In the ancient Hebrew, each letter was a pictograph that told a story. For example, we read that in Exodus 17:16 it is written, “Therefore the children of Yisra’el shall keep the Shabbat, to observe the Shabbat throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant” (HNV). In this passage, the verb “keep” in Hebrew is shomer. The three-letter root is shin-mem-resh. The letter shin represents the two front teeth that bite, eat and consume. It also represents fire that eats up and consumes. The letter mem means water that brings life. The letter resh is the picture of the head of a mature man who is the leader. Putting the three together into one sentence, we see a beautiful tapestry unfold: by keeping Shabbat set apart, we consume the living water that brings us to maturity.
Fast Forward to 2026
Melanie and I became part of the precious BYNA family 2 years ago and began teaching the first beginner Hebrew class in January 2025. After having completed one year of Hebrew language instruction, we are so excited to see what Abba is going to do going forward! We are so thrilled to participate in the fulfillment of prophecy as we embrace the full restoration of our identity, our inheritance, and yes, our language! Are you ready to jump into the acceleration of prophecy fulfilled? Are you ready to reclaim your rightful inheritance of fluency in Hebrew? Yes, with Adonai all things are possible!
One of the students in our beginner Hebrew class told me that 14 generations ago, her ancestors came to this continent as pilgrims who spoke, read and wrote Hebrew. She is now reclaiming her inheritance and beginning to read and write in Hebrew on her own! She is retired and dedicates countless hours (literally!) to practicing her Hebrew!
Other seniors are beginning to learn Hebrew and do word studies. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re too old to study Hebrew! Young families are also studying Hebrew and teaching their children Hebrew from a young age. Homeschooling families are using the beginner class as part of their homeschooling curriculum. My dear friends, we are living in prophetic days!
Another student is originally from Asia and his first 2 languages are Taiwanese and Mandarin. English is his third language. When he received a revelation of his Israelite identity, he embraced his identity and embarked on Hebrew language learning with his wife and children!
Our oldest daughter Hanna just turned 12 and has completed her one year Bat Mitzvah preparation course. She will have her coming of age ceremony in a few days on February 8th! She and our other children are learning and growing towards fluency in Hebrew. We want our children to go further than we have gone! Hanna and our oldest son Efraim are assisting me with teaching the beginner Hebrew classes.
We are looking forward to the BYNA 10th anniversary celebration with much anticipation! We will be driving over 1,450 miles to get to Tampa, Florida from Eastern Canada. We can’t wait to celebrate what the Father has been doing, what He’s doing now and the new exploits He’s about to do in and through us in these last of the last days!
Michail and Melanie Bantseev
