Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Pe in the aleppo codex

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "JAMES CHRISTIAN READ" <JCR128 AT student.apu.ac.uk>
  • To: leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Pe in the aleppo codex
  • Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 10:05:13 +0100

Thanks for the explanations guys. So, if I understand
correctly, a theoretical 'original' version of the
completed text would have had no 'pe' at the end of
each open verse but rather a line of space in its
place?

-----Original Message-----
From: Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
To: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 06:56:59 +0200
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Pe in the aleppo codex


----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold Holmyard" <hholmyard AT ont.com>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 12:04 AM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Pe in the aleppo codex


> Dear James,
>
>>I've been working with a digital copy of the aleppo codex and noticed that
>>many verses have a pe after them (enclosed in {} in the electronic
>>version). So I looked in the WLC and noticed that it too had them. Now I
>>tried to cast my mind back to the hebrew classroom and seem to remember
>>somebody explaining something about what they are for but I can't for the
>>life of me remember. Can somebody remind me what they are for?
>>
>>
>
> They mark short paragraphs into which the entire Bible (except psalms)
> was divided. The paragraphs were either "open" or "closed." An open
> paragraph was marked by the P (for "petuchah" = open), set between two
> verses. (The closed paragraph was marked by a S for "setumah"= closed.)
> In handwritten texts an open paragraph commenced at the beginning of a
> new line,with the preceding line left partly or completely blank.
> Printed texts have changed matters, but the printed P or S marks the
> original divisions.
>
> Yours,
> Harold Holmyard
>


Harold's explanation is correct, except that the distinction is not
necessarily between handwritten and printed texts. Using the P and S instead
of actually leaving the spaces was a way to save parchment or paper in
codices, that were not meant for ritual reading. Parchments scrolls such as
the Torah scrolls or the Megilat Esther used for ritual reading must be
handwritten "properly" - otherwise they are not "kosher" and reading from
them does not fulfill one's obligation. Codices that are meant for study can
use "shorthand". Many modern prints, by the way, such as the Koren or Bauer
have gone back to typesetting that emulates the "proper" division of the
text.

Yigal

_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page