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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] ALEF-LAMED combo

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  • From: "Maurice A. O'Sullivan" <mauros AT iol.ie>
  • To: Yigal Levin <Yigal-Levin AT utc.edu>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org, deborahmillier AT yahoo.com
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] ALEF-LAMED combo
  • Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 16:48:25 +0100

At 14:38 09/07/2003, Yigal Levin wrote:

Yes, combining the Aleph and Lamed used to be standard practice in many
Hebrew humashim (printed Torah volumes) and siddurim (prayer books). I
understand that it was both a space-saving measure and in order to avoid
printing the sacred name El (similar to using two Yods instead of YHWH).

Yigal:
Could I suggest that there was a technical reason for this in the days of hand-set type?
In that system, each letter was a separate metal-casting, taken from its own compartment in its case [ from which we get "lower-case" and "upper-case" ]-- put together in a composing-stick, and loaded into the printing-frame. The job of distributing [ ?throwing ] the individual letters back into the cases was left to the apprentice, and some letters were more easily damaged than others.

In English, for instance, certain letters, such as " f ", particularly in the italic font, could have the "cross-bar" of the "f" projecting beyond the solid metal body, and so the practice grew up of having "ff" cast as one body, thus giving what is called a ligature (a.k.a monogram) There were other combinations of easily-damaged letters, too.

Perhaps both hand-set aleph and lamed were combined for the same practical reason?

Just a suggestion <g>


Maurice A. O'Sullivan [ Bray, Ireland ]
mauros AT iol.ie






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