questions about Hebrew grammar
12
votes
5answers
261 views
Plural of “Nafka Minah”
(Inspired by HodofHod's commment here: Four Holy Cities)
What is the proper plural for the common Aramaic phrase Nafka Minah נפקא מינה which means something along the line of "practical differences"?
...
8
votes
2answers
196 views
Ashkenazic vs. Sefardic grammar tendencies
I notice that when referring to God in the second person in a possessive form, Sefardim often use the female form where Ashkenazim use the male form.
For example, where Ashkenazim say in kedusha, ...
6
votes
3answers
181 views
רָקִיאַע or רָקִיַע
The מנחת שי at the beginning of בראשית (on "יהי רקיע") cites a מחלוקת whether the word 'רָקִיעַ' (and likewise for other words with a פתח גנובה) is pronounced as רָקִיאַע or as רָקִיַע, that is, with ...
9
votes
3answers
285 views
Yisgadal or Yisgadel?
I've noticed that some people, when reciting kaddish, pronounce the first words as "yisgadal v'yiskadash" with a patach under the dalet of both words, while others say "yisgadel v'yisgadesh" with a ...
19
votes
3answers
261 views
Female praying in masculine language
When women daven (pray), even by ourselves, it is convention to daven with male-gendered words ("modeh" vs "moda" as one of many examples). Why is this; are there sources that say we should be doing ...
13
votes
3answers
183 views
Why are there two different forms of the mitzvah brachot (“l-” and “al”)?
Some mitzvah brachot are of the form ...vitzivanu "l'X" ("to X", infinitive verb), and others are of the form "al X" ("upon X", gerundive verb). I particularly noticed this during Sukkot with two ...
4
votes
5answers
433 views
Chassidic Rebbes don't use Hebrew Grammar?
I have not witnessed enough test cases to statistically verify anything, but I have heard various Chassidic Rebbes make b'rachos and daven out loud, and without fail, they mispronounce a majority of ...
1
vote
1answer
69 views
Zechuto Yagen/Tagen Alenu?
Why is it that many people say זכותו יגן עלינו - according to grammar, shouldn't it be תגן עלינו since זכות is feminine?
I guess I am just looking for a justification of the general practice.
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Why do we vary the form of the attributes of HaShem in the selicho “Kail Rachum shmecho”?
In the selicho "Kail Rachum shmecho" we ask HaShem to do things because of ("lema'an") - a list of things. Some are in the masculine form eg shemecho and some in the feminine form eg amitoch, brisoch. ...
6
votes
6answers
144 views
Ḥaser form of writing “Jerusalem” in the Bible
It seems that Jerusalem is always written "ḥaser" (defective) in the Bible: that is, as ירושלם, without the י/yud, as opposed "malei" (full), as ירושלים. See, for example, Isaiah 62:6. This presents a ...
10
votes
2answers
140 views
“־הם” versus “־מו”
Usually, the suffix "־הם" is used to mean "them" as an object, as is "להם" or "אליהם". Or it is used to mean "their" in possessive form, as in "כליהם" or "אבותיהם".
But sometimes, the very same usage ...
9
votes
1answer
107 views
When do we read a vav prefix as “or” rather than “and”?
This answer cites the Ralbag as interpreting a (critical-to-the-question) vav prefix on a verb as "or". I've heard before that a vav prefix is not always "and" and can be "or" or even "but". Is ...
8
votes
2answers
182 views
הקדוש ברוך הוא אנחנו אוהבים אותך — or אותו?
There is a popular song some of whose lyrics are "הקדוש ברוך הוא אנחנו אוהבים אותך". Does anyone have a source — besides some recent lyricist — for these words precisely, or a source for any instance ...
8
votes
3answers
159 views
Why is there a ה in “מוהל”?
The Hebrew word for the act performed at a circumcision is "לימול". The root appears to be נ.מ.ל. Following the exceptional rules for roots whose first letter is נ, the causative participle and ...
7
votes
1answer
100 views
Change of name in Megillat Esther from Hegeh to Hegai?
In Megillat Esther, the Pasuk (2:3) says that Achashverosh gathered the girls and placed them in the women's house, and the one who guarded them was הגא (ending with an א and with a segol under the ...
7
votes
2answers
174 views
Stress of הושיעה and הצליחה in Hallel
Why is הושיעה Mileel (penultimately stressed) whereas הצליחה is Milra (ultimately stressed) in Psalms 118:25?
6
votes
2answers
127 views
How to pronounce the name of the sefer “Bnei Yso(s)cher”
How does one pronounce the name of the sefer בני יששכר ?
I've heard people pronounce both sins -- so it is Ysoscher. (There is also a common custom to pronounce the name יששכר with both sins the ...
6
votes
1answer
127 views
“Hayom yom X b'shabas” or “bashabas”?
A sidur I used this morning had the introductory line of the shir shel yom as "hayom yom sheni b'shabas". When I checked the two sidurim I trust the most for excatitude in these matters, one had ...
6
votes
1answer
300 views
מֶה, מָה, מַה - Meh, Mah, Ma - What's the difference?
What causes the difference in vowelization of the Hebrew word for "what"? In some contexts it is מֶה, in others - מָה, and in yet others - מַה. The hypothesis that an acquaintance and I converged on ...
5
votes
3answers
281 views
How do you pronounce Hashem's name when there is a prefix?
When you have a prefix, such as a lamed, before the name YKVK people pronounce it la | donai instead of la | a | donai. Why?
5
votes
2answers
176 views
Zeicher vs Zecher
What is the underlying argument between the two pronunciations and what are the multiple ways to deal with the problem?
5
votes
2answers
395 views
Pronunciation of משנה הלכות
Are R' Menashe Klein's volumes of responsa pronounced "Mishna Halachos" or "Mishaneh Halachos"? Can someone provide the grammatical explanation please?
5
votes
1answer
146 views
Bamidbar or Bemidbar?
What is the name of this week's parsha? What about the sefer?
The text clearly says "Bemidbar" (or B'midbar), but many call it Bamidbar. Is this a grammatical or traditional difference? Could one ever ...
3
votes
2answers
88 views
Question regarding ונביא גדול הוא קרוב ממשה רבנו in Rambam's Hilkhos Teshuva
Here is some text from Rambam's Hilkhos Teshuva:
לפי שבאותן הימים תרבה הדעה והחכמה והאמת...מפני שאותו המלך שיעמוד מזרע דויד בעל חכמה יהיה יתר משלמה ונביא גדול הוא קרוב ממשה רבנו ולפיכך ילמד כל העם ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
Importance of learning grammar
What are the traditional Jewish opinions about the importance of learning and speaking Hebrew with proper grammar (dikduk)?
3
votes
2answers
214 views
Bameh Madlikin grammar
In congregations that daven with Nusach Ashkenaz, the Friday night Maariv is preceded with a recitation of Mishnayos beginning with the words: Bameh madlikin u'vamoh ain madlikin...
I always wondered ...
3
votes
1answer
128 views
Meaning of Mappik in יה
One more question about mappik
(I don't know what happened to me, but this topic somewhat disturbs me lately :))
What is the meaning of the mappik in the following Hebrew words:
יָהּ
הַלְלוּיָהּ
...
2
votes
3answers
137 views
How to say Adonainu Moreinu VeRabeinu in Aramaic
I have heard people translate "Adoneinu Moreinu VeRabeinu" (please don't ask where) into Aramaic as "Adonana Morana Verabana". I assume that the "a" is an aleph at the end. However, I realized that ...
2
votes
1answer
101 views
Pronunciation of Esther's cousin's name.
I have seen a couple of places where Mordechai’s name is spelled with a kamatz katan under the daled. Has anyone else seen this and do you know which is more accurate: Mordechai/ Mordachai/ Mordochai ...
2
votes
2answers
107 views
Mappik in Kaddish
What is the meaning of mappiks in Kaddish.
...יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ
...כִרְעוּתֵהּ...
...מַלְכוּתֵהּ...
Isn't a mappik in the word שְׁמֵהּ (for example) would mean her name. So who is ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
hebrew grammar query, Bamidbar 31:17
I seek to understand Bamidbar sedra mattos Chapter 31 verse 17. Specifically, the word הֲרֹגוּ is stumping me. It is not the kal impererative masculine plural. The word Hirgoo, הִרְגוּ, appears as the ...
0
votes
3answers
142 views
Shoresh starting with “Vav”? [closed]
What is the only shoresh in lashon hakodesh that starts with the letter "Vav"?
Nouns are fair game.
(Don't tell me there is more than one - Varod or Vered is Aramaic, and the shoresh of Vidui does ...
