Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Bearpecs AT aol.com]

In a message dated 1/6/02 11:16:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, lizfried AT umich.edu writes:
> a closed syllable is one that ends in a consonant, no?

Watch out for the metheg!!

Compare the word we'okhla in Genesis 27:19 and the word we'akhela in Leviticus 26:38.  The only difference is the metheg under the aleph in Leviticus 26:38.  The metheg indicates that the syllables are we-'a-khela in Lev26:38 whereas in Gen27:19 the syllables are we-'okh-la.  (Notice that the metheg not only makes the qamatz a qamatz qatan, but also makes the shewa a shewa na` [mobile].)

Only one small vertical stroke distinguishes the different pronunciations of these two very different words (Gen: "and you will eat"; Lev: "and she ate").

This example comes from an invaluable reference:  _The Ohs and Ahs of Torah Reading:  A Guide to the Kamatz Katan in the Torah, the Haftarot and the Megillot_
Rivka Sherman-Gold
Yodan Publishing, Mountain View CA, 1998