Switching of Labials in Biblical Hebrew

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Switching of Labials in Biblical Hebrew chapter 1 Switching of Labials in Biblical Hebrew Philippe Cassuto 1 Introduction This paper is a development of my previous article, ‘Le concept de paix et ses expressions en hébreu’ in Redéfinir la paix à l’aube du xxie siècle (Cassuto 2001: 85–93). Pierre Larcher wrote an article in the same context entitled ‘Le concept de paix et ses expressions en arabe’ (Larcher 2001: 95–105). Pierre Larcher’s analysis was based on a pair of Arabic words: silm and salām, while in Hebrew there was only the traditional shalom. While seaching for a Hebrew analogue, I was unable to find an equivalent pair in Hebrew as easily as Pierre Larcher did in Arabic. The closest pairing of words I have identified is shalom and shalwa, which have a highly similar meanings. This was possible because of the switching between the letters mem and waw—two labials. After deeper observations, it appeared that numerous permutations of this type exist in various Semitic languages. My analysis explores this phenomenon. Cette intervention est le fruit d’une collaboration avec mon collègue Pierre Larcher. Elle a mûri au long de conversations et d’échanges entre nos domaines respectifs. Dès le début, il nous a semblé que le concept de couple pouvait être très riche. Pierre Larcher l’a vite dégagé en arabe avec le couple salām /silm. Pour l’hébreu, aucun couple n’apparaissait de façon aussi claire et évidente. Mais avec un minimum de connais- sances en langues sémitiques comparées, il m’a été possible de dégager un couple de même nature. Pour ce faire, il faut savoir que dans le pas- sage des mots de l’akkadien vers l’hébreu, souvent les lettres waw et mem sont interchangeables. Ainsi le mois babylonien warẖu shamanu (la huitième lunaison) est il devenu le mois juif de marẖeshwan, le waw ini- tial devenant un mem initial et le mem interne étant transcrit par un waw. Pour l’hébreu shalom, on peut donc concevoir un élément de paire qui aurait changé son mem en waw. Or, il en existe un, il s’agit de shalwa, avec le suffixe typique du féminin.1 1 Cassuto 2001: 85–86. English translation: ‘This paper is the product of insightful collabora- © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2017 | doi: 10.1163/9789004325883_003 16 cassuto There are four labials in Hebrew: bet, waw, mem, and pe. Any Hebrew scholar would also point out that the conjunction waw becomes the vowel u, before the cognate labials bet, kaf, and pe. This rule can be observed in the Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar: e (c) Before words with simple Shewa under the first consonant (except in cases under f ), the waw becomes the vowel û (cf. §26 a), e.g. u-le-khol and to all, so also (except in the cases under g) before the cognate labials bet, mem, pe, hence u-melekh … gesenius et al. 1963: 306 I made the following translations of Hebrew verses of the Bible. I used the Dotan’s edition of the Hebrew bible (Dotan 1973). The English translation I used for reference was taken from The New Revised Standard Version (nrsv) Reference Bible with the Apocrypha (Verbrugge 1993). This paper is structured in two parts: the first concerning the couple shal- wa—shalom and the second regarding the Massoretic lists of qere-ketiv2 involv- ing labials. 2 The Couple shalwa—shalom The word shalwa occurs 9 times in the Hebrew bible and the word shalom appears approximately 230 times. Below are the 9 occurrences of the word shalwa. tion with my colleague Pierre Larcher. It matured from long conversations and exchanges between our respective fields. From the beginning, it appeared to us that the concept of pairs was very promising. Pierre Larcher promptly illustrated this concept in Arabic through the couple salām/silm. On the other hand, in Hebrew, such a pair was not as apparent and clear. However, with a minimum of knowledge on compared Semitic languages, it became possi- ble for me to distinguish such a pair. This was possible because the letters waw and mem are interchangeable when switching from Akkadian to Hebrew. Thus, the initial waw in the Babylonian month warẖu shamanu, becomes an initial mem in the Jewish month marẖesh- wan, and the internal mem is transcribed as a waw.’ Hence, it would be pertinent that a pair element exists for the Hebrew shalom, changing its mem into waw. Indeed, such a pair exists: shalwa, with the typical feminin suffix. 2 Literally, qere-ketiv means lecture-scripture (lessons)..
Recommended publications
  • The Hebrew Alphabet
    BBH2 Textbook Supplement Chapter 1 – The Hebrew Alphabet 1 The following comments explain, provide mnemonics for, answer questions that students have raised about, and otherwise supplement the second edition of Basics of Biblical Hebrew by Pratico and Van Pelt. Chapter 1 – The Hebrew Alphabet 1.1 The consonants For begadkephat letters (§1.5), the pronunciation in §1.1 is the pronunciation with the Dagesh Lene (§1.5), even though the Dagesh Lene is not shown in §1.1. .Kaf” has an “off” sound“ כ The name It looks like open mouth coughing or a cup of coffee on its side. .Qof” is pronounced with either an “oh” sound or an “oo” sound“ ק The name It has a circle (like the letter “o” inside it). Also, it is transliterated with the letter q, and it looks like a backwards q. here are different wa s of spellin the na es of letters. lef leph leˉ There are many different ways to write the consonants. See below (page 3) for a table of examples. See my chapter 1 overheads for suggested letter shapes, stroke order, and the keys to distinguishing similar-looking letters. ”.having its dot on the left: “Sin is never ri ht ׂש Mnemonic for Sin ׁש and Shin ׂש Order of Sin ׁש before Shin ׂש Our textbook and Biblical Hebrew lexicons put Sin Some alphabet songs on YouTube reverse the order of Sin and Shin. Modern Hebrew dictionaries, the acrostic poems in the Bible, and ancient abecedaries (inscriptions in which someone wrote the alphabet) all treat Sin and Shin as the same letter.
    [Show full text]
  • Torah from JTS Worship, JTS
    Exploring Prayer :(בלה תדובע) Service of the Heart This week’s column was written by Rabbi Samuel Barth, senior lecturer in Liturgy and Torah from JTS Worship, JTS. Simhat Torah: Which Way When the Circle Ends Bereishit 5774 The annual celebration of Simhat Torah brings great joy to so many of us of all generations, and it is a fitting and triumphant conclusion to the long and multifaceted season of intense Jewish observance and focus that began (a little before Rosh Hashanah) with Selichot. In Israel and in congregations observing a single day of festivals, Simhat Torah is blended with Shemini Atzeret, offering the intense experience in the morning of Hallel, Hakkafot (processions with dancing) and Geshem (the prayer for Rain). At the morning service of Simhat Torah there are four linked biblical readings (three from the Parashah Commentary Torah), and the relationship among them invites us to think about the flow of sacred text in a multidimensional context. The first reading is Vezot HaBrakha, the last chapters of Deuteronomy This week’s commentary was written by Dr. David Marcus, professor of Bible, containing the final blessings from Moses to the community—and the account of the death of Moses, alone with God on Mount Nebo. To receive the final aliyah after everyone else present JTS. has been called to the Torah is considered a great honor, and the person with this honor is called up with a special formula (a short version is presented in Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat Bereishit with a Capital Bet and Festivals, 215) that affirms, “May it be the will of the One Most Powerful to grant abundant blessings to [insert the name of the one called] who has been chosen to complete the Torah.” With this week’s parashah, we once again commence the cycle of reading the Torah from the first chapter of Genesis, which begins with the Hebrew word bereishit.
    [Show full text]
  • Epigraphic Notes on the 'Amman Citadel Inscription
    7 Epigraphic Notes on the 'Amman Citadel Inscription [1969] In 1969 Professor Siegfried H. Hom published the tury BCE, in the inscription of King Yaril).<azar4 of Beth important Ammonite inscription from the citadel of an­ <Ammon, as well as sporadically in contemporary and cient Rabbath <Ammon, modem <Amman. 1 We wish to later Aramaic. However, the same simplified f:,,et is found comment (I) on the script of the inscription and its date, in the Mesha< Inscription regularly and appears not infre­ and (II) on certain of the readings in the text. quently in Hebrew scripts of the eighth (Samaria Ostraca) and seventh centuries BCE (the Yabneh-yam Inscrip­ I. tion). 5 $ade is unique. The long leg is characteristic of The script of the <Amman Citadel Inscription be­ ninth-century Aramaic, eighth-century Phoenician. 6 longs to the series of Aramaic lapidary scripts of the 1Alep in the <Ammonite script has most archaic traits. ninth century BCE. It shares with these scripts a number The downstroke breaks only a short distance through the of traits which differentiate them from contemporary lower horizontal. Elsewhere such forms are characteristic Phoenician (including the early Hebrew scripts of Gezer only of the tenth-century and earlier Phoenician texts, and the Moabite Stone). The tail (right down-stroke) of and in the ninth century, uniquely in the 1aleps of the dalet is already developed; it will develop more slowly in Honeyman and Nora Phoenician texts. The vertical Phoenician and Hebrew. The letter he in the <Amman in­ downstroke slants well to the right of the point of the hor­ scription tends to a rounded semicursive Aramaic form.
    [Show full text]
  • Psalm 119 & the Hebrew Aleph
    Psalm 119 & the Hebrew Aleph Bet - Part 14 The fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is called “Nun” (pronounced “noon”) and has the sound of “N” as in “now”. It has the numeric value of 50, the number of the Jubilee. There are two ways to write a Nun. A Nun appearing at the end of a word (sofit) looks like a Vav, but is longer, extending below the baseline. A regular Nun looks much like the Kaph, but is half its width. The Nun stands for FISH. In modern Hebrew, the letter Nun can appear in three forms: Writing the Letter: Nun – The Nun is half as wide as the Kaph Nun: Letter of Faithfulness Nun represents both faithfulness and the reward for faithfulness. Moses is seen as the iconic humble servant of Yahweh. The word “Nun” itself is spelled Nun-Vav-(final) Nun and looks as follows: The one who is humble before God will stand upright in the final Day. In the olam hazeh (present life), this means that the tzaddik (righteous man) will simultaneously affirm: “I am nothing but dust.” Humble yourself in the sight of Yahweh, and He shall lift you up (James 4:10). Nun Study Page 1 Spiritual Meaning of the Nun Nun = 50 and means “FISH” of Yahweh or “The SAVED”. Our Messiah could be called “The Chief FISHERMAN.” He told His disciples that He would make them “FISHERS of men”, (Mark 1:17). Like a FLOURISHING, darting school of FISH that continues to propagate, our Saviour’s Love causes us to multiply and grow in numbers as we share Him with others.
    [Show full text]
  • Psalms 119 & the Hebrew Aleph
    Psalms 119 & the Hebrew Aleph Bet - Part 17 The seventeenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is called “Pey” (sounds like “pay”). It has the sound of “p” as in “park”. Pey has the numeric value of 80. In modern Hebrew, the letter Pey can appear in three forms: Writing the Letter: Pey Note: Most people draw the Pey in two strokes, as shown. The dot, or “dagesh” mark means the pey makes the “p” sound, as in “park”. Note: The sole difference between the letter Pey and the letter Fey is the presence or absence of the dot in the middle of the letter (called a dagesh mark). When you see the dot in the middle of this letter, pronounce it as a "p"; otherwise, pronounce it as "ph" (or “f”). Five Hebrew letters are formed differently when they appear as the last letter of a word (these forms are sometimes called "sofit" (pronounced "so-feet") forms). Fortunately, the five letters sound the same as their non-sofit cousins, so you do not have to learn any new sounds (or transliterations). The Pey (pronounced “Fey” sofit has a descending tail, as shown on the left. Pey: The Mouth, or Word The pictograph for Pey looks something like a mouth, whereas the classical Hebrew script (Ketav Ashurit) is constructed of a Kaf with an ascending Yod: Notice the “hidden Bet” within the letter Pey. This shape of the letter is required when a Torah scribe writes Torah scrolls, or mezzuzahs. From the Canaanite pictograph, the letter morphed into the Phoenician ketav Ivri, to the Greek letter (Pi), which became the Latin letter “P.” means “mouth” and by extension, “word,” “expression,” “vocalization,” and “speech”.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sign of the Cross
    The Sign of the Cross ἰχθύς – fish – acrostic: Ίησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior) From early EPhesus: From the catacomb os St. Sebastian (martyed c 288): Hebrew tav: Cursive (scriPt) Hebrew: For Jews, who may not say or write God’s name, the letter taw was used as a rePresentation of God’s name. It’s the last letter in the Hebrew alPhabet and synbolizes the end, comPletion, and Perfection. Note the similarity to the Greek letter chi (first letter in the Greek Christ (Χριστός) Some early icons (note the mark of the cross on the forehead): 1 A “mark” is sometimes a negative thing in the Old Testament. Cain is “marked” (see Genesis 4:15) “So the LORD Put a mark on Cain, so that no one would kill him at sight.” A sore on the forehead could mark a Person as unclean. See Leviticus ChaPter 14. Note our discussion on Ezekiel. In the New Testament: Revelation 14:1: Then I looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. Revelation 22:4 - They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. St. Cyril of Jerusalem (fourth century) “Let us then not be ashamed to confess to Crucified. Let the cross as a seal, be boldly made with our fingers uPon our brow and on all occasions; over the bread we eat, over the cuPs and drink, in our comings and goings, before sleeP, on lying down and rising uP, when we are on our way and when we are still.
    [Show full text]
  • Algorithmic Handwriting Analysis of Judah's Military Correspondence
    Algorithmic handwriting analysis of Judah’s military correspondence sheds light on composition of biblical texts Shira Faigenbaum-Golovina,1,2, Arie Shausa,1,2, Barak Sobera,1,2, David Levina, Nadav Na’amanb, Benjamin Sassc, Eli Turkela, Eli Piasetzkyd, and Israel Finkelsteinc aDepartment of Applied Mathematics, Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; bDepartment of Jewish History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; cJacob M. Alkow Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; and dSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel Edited by Klara Kedem, Ben-Gurion University, Be’er Sheva, Israel, and accepted by the Editorial Board March 3, 2016 (received for review November 17, 2015) The relationship between the expansion of literacy in Judah and the fortress of Arad from higher echelons in the Judahite mili- composition of biblical texts has attracted scholarly attention for tary system, as well as correspondence with neighboring forts. over a century. Information on this issue can be deduced from One of the inscriptions mentions “the King of Judah” and Hebrew inscriptions from the final phase of the first Temple another “the house of YHWH,” referring to the Temple in period. We report our investigation of 16 inscriptions from the Jerusalem. Most of the provision orders that mention the Kittiyim— Judahite desert fortress of Arad, dated ca. 600 BCE—the eve of apparently a Greek mercenary unit (7)—were found on the floor ’ Nebuchadnezzar s destruction of Jerusalem. The inquiry is based of a single room.
    [Show full text]
  • Hebrew Names and Name Authority in Library Catalogs by Daniel D
    Hebrew Names and Name Authority in Library Catalogs by Daniel D. Stuhlman BHL, BA, MS LS, MHL In support of the Doctor of Hebrew Literature degree Jewish University of America Skokie, IL 2004 Page 1 Abstract Hebrew Names and Name Authority in Library Catalogs By Daniel D. Stuhlman, BA, BHL, MS LS, MHL Because of the differences in alphabets, entering Hebrew names and words in English works has always been a challenge. The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) is the source for many names both in American, Jewish and European society. This work examines given names, starting with theophoric names in the Bible, then continues with other names from the Bible and contemporary sources. The list of theophoric names is comprehensive. The other names are chosen from library catalogs and the personal records of the author. Hebrew names present challenges because of the variety of pronunciations. The same name is transliterated differently for a writer in Yiddish and Hebrew, but Yiddish names are not covered in this document. Family names are included only as they relate to the study of given names. One chapter deals with why Jacob and Joseph start with “J.” Transliteration tables from many sources are included for comparison purposes. Because parents may give any name they desire, there can be no absolute rules for using Hebrew names in English (or Latin character) library catalogs. When the cataloger can not find the Latin letter version of a name that the author prefers, the cataloger uses the rules for systematic Romanization. Through the use of rules and the understanding of the history of orthography, a library research can find the materials needed.
    [Show full text]
  • Hamaagal the Circling 2018 Monthly Newsletter of CBH FEB
    NEWS EVENTS CALENDAR Feb. HaMaagal The Circling 2018 Monthly Newsletter of CBH FEB. 28 PURIM PURIM PARTY FOR AFTER DARK FAMILIES FOR ADULTS 6:00PM 8:30PM ABOUT US CONGREGATION BET HAVERIM is a Reconstructionist synagogue founded by lesbians and gay men, embracing all Jews and loved ones. HaMaagal is the monthly newsletter of THE BREMAN MUSEUM TOUR Congregation Bet Haverim, containing news, information, and items of interest for our STORIES FROM THE RESISTANCE, diverse community. STORIES OF RESCUE SUNDAY, FEB. 11 Contact Information: 10:30AM-12:00PM • 2074 Lavista Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329 Hear stories from the Holocaust, including • Mailing Address: stories of both Jews and non-Jews who PO Box 29548, Atlanta, GA, 30359 fought back against the Nazis and/or • Phone: (404) 315-6446 rescued many of our people. CBH members • Email: [email protected] Marianna Kaufman and Lauren Rich, both • Web: www.congregationbethaverim.org Breman docents, will share these and other • Rabbi: Joshua Lesser stories with us. $7.00 per person. • Executive Director: Amy Robertson • Music Director: Gayanne Geurin CBH members only. • Education Programming: Emet Ozar RSVP online • Rabbi Assistant: Agatha Walker • Administrator: Julie Lakric • Events & Communications: Allison Carter • Chorus Director: Will Robertson .02 PURIM LEADERSHIP CELEBRATIONS PRESIDENT McKenzie Wren WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28 1ST VICE PRESIDENT Theresa Prestwood KIDS & FAMILY PURIM ZONE VP COMMUNICATIONS Jared Feuer 6PM - 8PM TREASURER Cindy Smith 6pm Pizza (RSVP online for pizza) SECRETARY Shana Cohen 6pm Fun & Games PAST PRESIDENT Shoshana Ben Yoar 7pm Megillah reading and costume MEMBERS AT LARGE parade Shelley Rose Patric Good PURIM AFTER DARK Kai Ruiz SCHPIEL & PARTY FOR ADULTS 8:30pm Pull up a chair and a glass 9pm Schpiel and .01 festivities 2 CONGREGATION BET HAVERIM .03 MEDSHARE .04 ANCIENT WISDOM FOR MODERN FAMILIES For the 12th consecutive year (and the 9th at Four Sunday mornings monthly MedShare), CBH members participated in a starting Feb.
    [Show full text]
  • Tomb Conference Hand-Out-1
    Jewish Views of the After-Life and Burial Practices in Second Temple Judaism January 15, 2008 Evaluating the Talpiot Tomb in Context Mishkenot Shaʼananim Various Scripts among the Ossuaries of the Talpiot Tomb Stephen Pfann, Ph.D. Besides the natural distinctions in personal handwriting from one inscription to another, there are also distinct, standard styles of scripts that have been used among the ossuaries. A general distinction can be made between styles that emulate or are influenced by normal “ink on paper” handwriting and those that are “lapidary” in character. Styles influenced by “ink on paper” handwriting come in formal, semi-formal, semi-cursive and cursive scripts. Formal script is reflected in CJO 121 and CJO 702. Cursive script endeavors to create letters without lifting the pen or stylus. The best example of this form of script is that of DF 40. This closely resembles the name “Yeshua‘ (?)” in ossuary CJO 704 from the Talpiot Tomb. The “lapidary scripts” are standard for inscriptions which have been deeply engraved in stone. What tend to be gently curved lines in handwritten scripts tend to be straightened out in lapidary script. There are both formal and informal forms of this script that usually can be distinguished by uniformity and ornamentation. The more ornamented forms tend to have triangular, often hollow serifs (as in the Mariah, Yoseh, and Mattiah inscriptions in the Talpiot Tomb). The lines of the less elaborate lapidary styles tend to appear stick-like, made up of distinct separate strokes and without serif ornamentation (cf. especially DF 29 and “Yehosef” of the CJO 704 Talpiot Tomb inscription; also pertinent is CJO 9).
    [Show full text]
  • Old Phrygian Inscriptions from Gordion: Toward A
    OLD PHRYGIAN INSCRIPTIONSFROM GORDION: TOWARD A HISTORY OF THE PHRYGIAN ALPHABET1 (PLATES 67-74) JR HRYYSCarpenter's discussion in 1933 of the date of the Greektakeover of the Phoenician alphabet 2 stimulated a good deal of comment at the time, most of it attacking his late dating of the event.3 Some of the attacks were ill-founded and have been refuted.4 But with the passage of time Carpenter's modification of his original thesis, putting back the date of the takeover from the last quarter to the middle of the eighth century, has quietly gained wide acceptance.5 The excavations of Sir Leonard Woolley in 1936-37 at Al Mina by the mouth of the Orontes River have turned up evidence for a permanent Greek trading settle- ment of the eighth century before Christ, situated in a Semitic-speaking and a Semitic- writing land-a bilingual environment which Carpenter considered essential for the transmission of alphabetic writing from a Semitic- to a Greek-speakingpeople. Thus to Carpenter's date of ca. 750 B.C. there has been added a place which would seem to fulfill the conditions necessary for such a takeover, perhaps only one of a series of Greek settlements on the Levantine coast.6 The time, around 750 B.C., the required 1The fifty-one inscriptions presented here include eight which have appeared in Gordion preliminary reports. It is perhaps well (though repetitive) that all the Phrygian texts appear together in one place so that they may be conveniently available to those interested. A few brief Phrygian inscriptions which add little or nothing to the corpus are omitted here.
    [Show full text]
  • Revised Proposal to Encode Old Uyghur in Unicode
    L2/20­003R 2020­02­16 Revised proposal to encode Old Uyghur in Unicode Anshuman Pandey [email protected] pandey.github.io/unicode February 16, 2020 Document History This proposal is a revision of the following: • L2/18­126: “Preliminary proposal to encode Old Uyghur in Unicode” • L2/18­333: “Proposal to encode Old Uyghur in Unicode” • L2/19­016: “Revised proposal to encode Old Uyghur in Unicode” It incorporates comments made by the UTC Script Ad Hoc Committee and other experts in: • L2/18­168: “Recommendations to UTC #155 April­May 2018 on Script Proposals” • L2/18­335: “Comments on the preliminary proposal to encode Old Uyghur in Unicode (L2/18­126)” • L2/19­047: “Recommendations to UTC #158 January 2019 on Script Proposals” • L2/20­046: “Recommendations to UTC #162 January 2020 on Script Proposals” The major changes to L2/19­016 are as follows: • Addition of letters for generic aleph­nun (§ 7.1.1), beth­yodh (§ 7.1.2) for handling ambiguous readings • Inclusion of a baseline modifier for producing an ornamental terminal (§ 7.5) • List of characters not proposed for encoding (§ 5.2) • Tables showing comparisons of letterforms from various sources (tables 2–4) A previous version of this proposal was reviewed by the following experts: • Yukiyo Kasai (Centrum für Religionswissenschaftliche Studien, Ruhr­Universität Bochum) • Dai Matsui (Graduate School of Letters, Osaka University) • Mehmet Ölmez (Department of Modern Turkic Languages and Literatures, Istanbul University) 1 Revised proposal to encode Old Uyghur in Unicode Anshuman Pandey 1 Introduction The ‘Uyghur’ or ‘Old Uyghur’ script was used between the 8th and 17th centuries across Central Asia for recording religious, literary, and administrative documents in Turkic languages, as well as Chinese, Mon­ golian, Sogdian, and Tibetan.
    [Show full text]