Why is Torah sometimes written in the Torah with a "ת" at the end instead of an "ה"?
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2 Answers
As Gesenius writes in his Hebrew Grammar:
(b) The original ־ַת is regularly retained as the feminine termination in the construct state sing. of those nouns which in the absolute state end in ־ָה, e.g. מַלְכָּה queen, מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא the queen of Sheba. But the feminine endings ־֫ ־ֶת, ־֫ ־ַת, and also the plural ־וֹת, remain unchanged in the construct state.
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cf en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taw#T.C4.81.CA.BC_marb.C5.AB.E1.B9.ADah– Double AA ♦Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 16:00
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1The switch to a ת doesn't have to be the construct state. Any case suffix should do it too (ex II Samuel 1:26) though those are pretty rare in ordinary Hebrew.– Double AA ♦Commented Jan 21, 2016 at 16:11
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good point! I was thinking horses rather than zebras for what the questioner was asking, though. Commented Jan 24, 2016 at 18:26
Some quick, simple Hebrew grammar:
תורה = Torah
אמת = truth
תורה של אמת = Torah of truth (incorrect way)
תורת אמת = Torah of truth
