Questions tagged [spelling-variants]
The spelling-variants tag has no usage guidance.
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Spelling Variances in different Traditions
Certain individuals in my acquaintance, within their respective communities, use the spelling "Matzo" for unleavened bread, while others opt for "Matzah." Similarly, there is ...
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Does the meaning change among variants of Deut. 23:2?
As noted elsewhere on the site, there is a spelling variation in the fourth word of the following verse:
לֹֽא־יָבֹ֧א פְצֽוּעַ־דַּכָּ֛א*(ברוב ספרי אשכנז דַּכָּ֛ה) וּכְר֥וּת שׇׁפְכָ֖ה בִּקְהַ֥ל ...
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ידיים or ידים which is correct
Seen on a Keli with the spelling ידיים. Thinking it might be Sephardi spelling but checked on sefaria Edut Mizrachi and the word was spelled ידים.
Would like to know if there is a difference between ...
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Metzora - with or without a Vav
Does anyone have any insight into why the name of the parasha Metzora is invariably written מצורע with a vav, while the word HaMetzora in the second passuk of the parasha from which the parasha name ...
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Hodu "lacking spelling"
Is there any significance given as to why this particular word "הדו" out of all the other "הודו" in psalms is the only one that is written in "חסר" form; i.e. not in its ...
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Why does there appear to be a ן (final nun) in the middle of a word (שןיתי), is it a typo or what?
I am working from a scanned document. There are vavs, nuns, and final nuns in the text, but there appears also to be a final nun mid word.
It makes sense if this were a vav, as it would then read as:
...
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Why mezuzah is spelled without the first vav
Why in the first paragraph of Shma (in Devarim 6:9) it says mezuzos (מזזות) without the first vav (the discussion in Rashi here and Menachos 34a seems to be about the second vav which we have, but we ...
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Jewish names commonly used in a different form than found in Tanach
Some names are popularly used in a different form than the way they're spelled or pronounced in Tanach. A few that I can think of are:
Nochum (נָחוּם) - is written in Tanach (Nah. 1:1) as נַחוּם (...
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Binyamin spelled with or without a second Yud
In Tanach the name Binyomin appears 150 times as בנימן. It appears 16 times as בנימין. Why the difference?
The 16 times it appears with a Yud are as follows.
בראשית לה:יח
ויהי בצאת נפשה כי מתה ותקרא ...
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A Meta reason for the two spellings of Binyomin
The word בנימן is spelt בנימין when he is born, this spelling is used around ten times. Otherwise, it is spelt with one י, why is this? I am not looking for a pshat answer. I am looking for a Drosh or ...
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Names of Ishmael's 1st and 2nd wife
It seems there is a dispute regarding the names of Ishmael's 1st and 2nd wife.
According to Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer 30:6, Ishmael's first wife is Ayesha עישה from the daughters of Moav. ibid 2nd wife ...
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The spelling of the name פינחס Pinchas in Tanach
In the entire Tanach the name Pinchas פינחס is spelled with a Yud. The only place the Yud is missing is שמואל א: א. ג.
ועלה האיש ההוא מעירו מימים ימימה להשתחות ולזבח ליהוה צבאות בשלה ושם שני בני עלי ...
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Alternative spelling for El*him
According to Wikipedia, the spelling for El*him is aleph-lamed-he-yud-mem
But in a book I found the following spelling:
(This is from the first line at p.171 at https://archive.org/details/...
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Is there any particular reason why Haran (חָרָן) is spelled as חָרָנָה in B'resheith 27:43 & 28:10?
Going through this week's Parsha (Vayetze), I came across these specific verses and was confused about why the ה is attached to חָרָן. Does anyone know why and are there any references for such? ...
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Why the weird spelling of וַאֲבָרֶכְכָ֛ה in Breisheet 27:7?
Statement: In Breisheet Parashas Toldos, it says הָבִ֨יאָה לִּ֥י ... וַאֲבָרֶכְכָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י ה' לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹתִֽי: .
Question: Why is the word וַאֲבָרֶכְכָ֛ה spelled in such an unusual manner instead of ...
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Why is there a switch from Sin to Samech?
related Relationship between Samekh and Sin
(referencing the Schottenstein edition of Masechet Ketubot -- I haven't checked other printings)
In the mishna on 46b, the text reads נשאת יתר עליו הבעל -- ...
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Why is Yitzchak spelled with a "sin" in Tehillim 105:9?
I just came across this strange variant spelling this morning. I've been in the habit of reciting Tikkun HaKlali recently and saw this in Artscroll's Tehillim this past Shabbat. Thinking it was a typo,...
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What is the horizontal bar above the ת in Exodus 20:13?
Can anyone identify this diacritic? I am certain I have never seen it before.
The sentence says לא תרצח but I am unsure how to type any of the vowel marks or other pointings.
Here's what I think:
It'...
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Why is the word כטוב spelled sometimes with a Sheva and other times with a Patach?
Why is the word כטוב spelled sometimes with a Sheva (as in Ester 1:10), and sometimes with a Patach (as in Ester 3:11)?
Ester 1:10:
בַּיּוֹם, הַשְּׁבִיעִי, כְּטוֹב לֵב-הַמֶּלֶךְ, בַּיָּיִן--אָמַר ...
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What is the explanation of spelling the same word with a Patach instead of a Sh'va in Megillat Esther?
In Megillat Esther, why is the word "maidens" spelled with a sh'va under the first letter (נְעָרוֹת) in verses 2:2, 2:8, 2:9, but with a patach (נַעֲרוֹת) in verse 4:4?
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Shofar without a vav
In Shemot/Exodus 19:16 the word ‘shofar’ is written without a vav (שפר). I would like to know if there are any explanations/commentaries as to why it is missing.
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Is there any attestation to the name “יעל” spelled with an Aleph?
Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the Universe includes the story of Yael killing Sisera. The author renders the name with the common "Y" to "J" substitution as "Jael" and, in an aside, mentions that ...
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Halachic spelling of last names
What sources are there for learning how to spell last names in Hebrew? Especially, or halachic documents like kesubos, gittin, etc.
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Places in Tanach where Yaakov & Eliyahu are spelled different than usual
Rashi in Parshas Bechukosai פרק כו פסוק מב says there are 5 places that Yaakov is spelled with a vav like this יעקוב & Eliyahu is spelled without a vav like this אליה.
The first full spelling of ...
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"Vaishakehu" Extra Points over entire word? or some letters?
Shalom!
The famous Passuk on which Esav and Jaacov ran, hug, kiss and cry.
The Word VAISHAKEHU has points-dots over every leter.
Siftei Chakhamim seems to have VAISHAKEHU וישקהו with 5 nekudot, ...
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Why does the number of letters Vav in name Achashverosh vary?
Why does Megillas Esther spell Achashverosh's name varyingly with one (as in 2:21), two (as in 1:1), and zero (as in 10:1) letters Vav?
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How does "Elokim" ("אלקים") solve the problem?
Please seriously pardon my lack of Hebrew skills.
If "א-ל" is already a shem Hashem (to the point where in many contexts we might say or write "קל" - "Keyl"), how is it OK to leave the א-ל intact at ...
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Why is "Yehoshua" spelled with a full Vav in Devarim 3:21?
I think this is the only place in the Torah where "Yehoshua" is spelled maleh - with a full vav (Shuruk). I think there are other places in Tanac"h where a similar thing occurs, but, I don't know for ...
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How to reconcile the possibility that Rashi had a slightly different text of the Torah
In the Parshah of Chayei Sara, in Bereishis 25:6, there is a Posuk that refers to הפילגשים - "the concubines". Rashi expounds that since the word is missing a Yud, it must be a reference to the fact ...
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Dagesh at end of בראת
I noticed that in borei nefashot in the Artscroll Siddur and in the Koren Siddur the tav in word בראת has no dagesh. I was under the impression that the tav suffix for second person masculine past ...
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How to spell Beit Hillel (הילל/הלל)?
In Pesachim 103a the term בית הילל is used for the normal הלל. This is not the only place in Pesachim. A quick search in sefaria reveals a couple other places in Shas bavli and yerushalmi (about 20 or ...
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The spelling of Eliyahu's name
Why is it that is some places in Melachim Eliyahu is spelled with a Vav and sometimes the Vav is missing? I have looked in as many sources as I can think of and can not find an answer.
Examples:
...
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כְּהַיּוֹם vs. כַּיּוֹם
Why does the word sometimes appear as כַּיּוֹם and sometimes as כְּהַיּוֹם? As a general grammatical rule, a heh with a patach gets subsumed into the preceding kaf, so why are these cases different? ...
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Why is Uzzah's name spelled differently
In 2 Shmuel chapter 6 Uzzah's name is spelled alternatively with an ending aleph (v. 3,6) or heh (v 7,8). What is the explanation for this change?
Note that in the recounting in 1 Divrei HaYamim 13 ...
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Why are Chazal asking if words are spelled with א or ע?
In Shabbos 77a-77b, Chazal ask about the spelling of a series of words, questioning whether the words are spelled with an alef - as in גראינין - or with an ayin - as in גרעינין. Wasn't ayin vocalized ...
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Unusual spelling of Joseph's name
In Psalm 81:6, why is Joseph's name spelled יהוסף? Seems to be the only place in the TaNaK that I currently know of that his name is spelled in this fashion.
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The Addition of the letter 'he' in Yonatan's name
I've been trying to understand the significance to to addition of the letter 'he' in the name of Yonatan in 1 Shmuel 19:1 making it Yehonatan. Is there any connection here with the name change Avram ...
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Why does the Torah write the 3rd person fem. pronoun as הוא? [duplicate]
Other than it being Massoretic, is there a reason as to why, in most cases, (See Avot Derabbi Natan 42:5 for list of exceptions) the Torah chooses to write the word for the fem. 3rd person as הוא ...
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וועלען בענטשען or וועלין בענטשין
I'm fairly competent in speaking Yiddish, in fact, most of friends, family, and teachers consider me a fluent speaker. However, I noticed an interesting difference between two siddurim of mine.
In my ...
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Is/Where is Tefillot (or Tefillah) ever spelt with a yud?
I have almost always seen the word Tefillah and I suppose Tefillot, spelt with no Yud.
Tav, Feh, Lamed, Vav, Tav. (Tefillot)
Tav, Feh, Lamed, Heh (Tefillah)
But the Sacks singers siddur spells it ...
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Source of saying migdol / magdil in Bentching
I was once told by someone that saying migdol instead of magdil in bentching on Shabbos and yom tov is an error. That a siddur had the source in pesukim in short form on the side and people mistook it ...
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Tehillim (Psalms) 27:2 -- Is it כָּשְׁלוּ or כָשְׁלוּ?
There seems to be some discrepancy in how to write/pronounce the penultimate word of Tehillim (Psalms) 27:2.
According to Chabad.org, it is written:
ב. בִּקְרֹב עָלַי | מְרֵעִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת ...
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דוד or דויד why is David spelled differently in the tanach?
Why is David's name spelled דויד and דוד ? with a י and without a י?
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Isaiah 8:11: "kaf" or "bet"?
It seems that two versions of Isaiah 8:11 exist.
One has "כחזקת היד" -- this is the version in the Aleppo (shown above) and Leningrad codices:
http://www.studylight.org/desk/?sr=1&old_q=...
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Nusach Ashkenaz in Israel and Abroad
Over the years, I've noticed a number of differences between Ashkenaz siddurim published in Israel and those published outside of Israel. These differences include (but are not limited to):
Order of ...
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scientific transliteration - spelling - pesah vs pesach? (who spells it pessah?) [closed]
we're all familiar with the spelling pesach. But I recently saw the word Pessah, I guess a name.
I know there's the scientific transliteration that replaces chet with 'h' rather than 'ch'.
But in ...
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Extra Vov: what Vov?
The verse in parshas Terumah Exodus 25:22 says:
וְנוֹעַדְתִּי לְךָ שָׁם וְדִבַּרְתִּי אִתְּךָ מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים אֲשֶׁר עַל אֲרֹן הָעֵדֻת אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ ...
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Why does Pniel have two spellings? [duplicate]
In Parshat Vayishlach, the place where Yaakov is named Israel is named פְּנִיאֵל (Pniel) by Yaakov, and then one verse later it is called פְּנוּאֵל(Pnuel). Why are these two alternate spellings so ...
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Hyphenating the word Hashem
I've seen the word Hashem hyphenated ("Hash-m"). Is there any valid reason for this practice?
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The dagesh in "elo-ha" means what?
I'm not so clear on the use of the dagesh as a point of definition -- I understand some fo the pronunciation issues but not all of them either so I would appreciate any help here.
I recall learning ...
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