Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Schmuel <schmuel AT escape.com>]

Hi 

Chris,
>> Could someone perhaps offer some ideas as to why the 'mem' in the
>> word for: 'increase' is written this way? 

Schmuel
Hi Chris,

Here is discussion of traditional Jewish views on this final mem phenomenon.  

While other views are of course worthy of consideration, the ancient 
understandings
should of course be researched and considered. So I have extracted pretty 
much the full complement of scholarship available on the Internet, to which 
can be added this current thread :-)

You will see that the final mem is discussed in Midrash Ruth in the Talmud 
and Yalkut Isaiah (early), and in Jewish mysticism in the Zohar and Bahir 84, 
and in rabbinics by Radaq. (David Kimchi).  The mem as representing the womb 
is referenced in Sefer Yetzira 3:4, Bahir 85, Etz Chaim, Shaar HaYereach,  
kabbalistic writings. It would be nice research project to pull out each of 
these sections with quotes :-) 

Apparently it is true that the Isaiah 9:6 closed mem was considered a special 
phenomenon for interpretation by Rabbinical writers, enough so that an 
interpretation was even offered in Midrash Ruth.

http://www.ramsheadpress.com/messiah/ch05.html#footnote12
The End of History­Messiah Conspiracy - Philip Moore

The closed mem .. is always used in the Bible at the end of a word. The only 
exception, where it is placed in the middle of a word, is in a prophecy in 
Isaiah which indicates the increase of the Messiah’s government. That word 
hB;r"!oy´l; (lemarbe) meaning “to increase” should read hB;r"moy´l; with the 
double underlined second letter (reading from right to left) of the word 
open, not closed, as you see in the first example which appears in the Hebrew 
Bible. 

(Risto) Santala consults one of the ancient rabbinical commentaries, he 
points out that: “The zohar (11) on the other hand decides that the closed 
‘m’ refers to the fact that the Messiah will be born from a ‘closed womb’. 
Risto Santala, The Messiah in the Old Testament in the Light of Rabbinical 
Writings, p. 194. 

Jewish Thought and Spirituality, Christian Influences in the Zohar - Yehudah 
Liebes
(11) Israeli professor Yehudah Liebes mentions this closed mem in connection 
with the ancient rabbinical literature and Christological combined 
speculation. Delving a good bit deeper than Santala, he writes: “...the idea 
of the Messiah who splits open the closed womb of the Shekhina signified by 
the closed letter Mem developed in later Kabbalistic thinking­an idea which 
had its beginnings in the Zohar, in which Midrashic, Kabbalistic and 
Christological speculations were combined....This connection could easily 
have been made by interpreting the word bara in Genesis 1:1 according to its 
Aramaic rendering­son­especially if they utilized the statement of the rabbis 
discussed previously: ‘In the beginning’ (i.e., the word bereshith) is also a 
statement (by which God created the world).’ This interpretation would have 
carried even more weight had Christians added to it the Talmudic passage 
which designated the closed final mem as a ‘closed statement’ along with 
their own understanding of this letter as representing the womb of the 
virgin, as mentioned above....parallel to the Sifra di-Tseniutha’s ‘half a 
statement’­born of a closed womb, albeit the Christological connection 
between the closed mem as the womb and closed statement....After a lengthy 
discourse on these ideas, Neckam substantiates them by interpreting the 
various combinations of the Hebrew letters found in the word bereshith (in 
the beginning): Ab (father), bar (son), esh (fire = Holy Spirit) and yesh 
(existence). He even interprets the final letter Tav as signifying the cross, 
among other things.” Yehudah Liebes, “Jewish Thought and Spirituality, 
Christian Influences in the Zohar,” Immanuel, Winter 1983/84, © 1983, pp. 
55-57, used by permission (note from Risto Santala's book)

========================================================

A discussion of whether this reflects " Christian Influences in the Zohar" 
may be too far afield for this forum --- but it does sound like Yehudah 
Liebes book would make a very interesting read.

=========================================================

Earlier is the Midrash Ruth reference, upon which the Zohar builds. 

http://www.kolumbus.fi/hjussila/rsla/Nt/NT20.html
THE MESSIAH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IN THE LIGHT OF RABBINICAL WRITINGS 
 - Risto Santala

In the same discussion we catch a glimpse of the esoteric "closed mem" 
question: of Isaiah 9:7 (9:6 in Heb. OT): 
    "Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end" -- 
le-Marbeh ha-Misrah . . .
Here the first 'm' is written in a way, which is actually the form known as 
'closed' or 'final' mem, and which should appear in that form only at the end 
of a word. The verse is thus said to apply to Hezekiah to whom the prophesied 
child and Prince of Peace refer. The conversation concludes, however, that it 
speaks of " the Messiah-king, upon whom will rest the Spirit of the Lord" 
(Is.11:2). God wished to make Hezekiah the "Messiah", but the matter was 
delayed, "therefore the mem was closed". The Zohar tradition sees in this a 
hint that the Messiah foretold by Isaiah will be born from "a closed womb". 
(Midrash Ruth, 5th parashah. )

Notice that this parallels the discussion of "that seed which comes from 
another place". 

A longer discussion is given at 
http://www.kolumbus.fi/risto.santala/mr/Midrash_Ruth_scr.pdf 
THE MIDRASH OF THE MESSIAH - Risto Santala

Some observe that l'marbeh (be increased) is written with a closed mem.(109) 
p. 81
(109) According to Sanhedrin 94a God intended Hezekiah to be the Messiah, but 
the closed mem teaches that he was shut out from that honour because he had 
not sung God's praises.
In Midrash Ruth section VII,2 he is linked with "a closed mem".p. 145
Midrash Ruth then turns again to the secret of the Messiah. It takes up the 
enigmatic words in Isaiah IX,6    -  
"of the increase of his government there will be no end". And Midrash Ruth 
remarks that "some observe that l'marbeh (of the increase) is written with a 
closed mem". p. 161

VII,2 The secret of the "closed Mem", p.162
in the name of Rabbi Bar Qaparah:"The Holy One wished to make Hezekiah the 
Messiah and
Sennacherib Gog and Magog. But the attribute of judgment pleaded against it, 
and said, David the king of Israel repeated so many songs and praises, and 
thou hast not made him the Messiah; and yet thou art thinking of making 
Hezekiah the Messiah, for the sake so many miracles have been performed, and 
who, nevertheless, has not repeated one song of praise! So that councel was 
closed, and hence the closed mem." ( Sanhedrin 94,a and e.g. Yalkut Isaiah in 
the corresponding context of Isaiah IX.)

..... In the Zohar there are at least six discussions about the closed mem. 
They all are related to the story in Sanhedrin 94a about the Holy One, who 
"wished to appoint Hezekiah as the Messiah". Four of them are bound to the 
Song of Solomon IV,12, "A Garden locked is my sister, my bride; a garden 
locked, a fountain sealed".

Would it point to the birth of the Messiah? The discussion about the closed 
mem and the Messiah is
as we have seen essentially linked with the "locked garden and sealed 
fountain" in the Song of Solomon. p. 164

The incontrovertible conclusion of the Sages is, that the word  "the 
increase" ( l'marbeh)  is written with a closed mem and not a normal open one 
because the (closed mem) here refers to the secret of the Messiah. The 
tradition is recorded in the name of Rabbi Bar Qapparah, a citizen of 
Sepphoris in Midrash Ruth, the pupil of Judah ha-nasi in the end of Tannaic 
period. p. 257 (also p. 278 continues)

=====================================================================

We may consider these rabbinic interpretations as incorrect, or one may 
disagree with the Christian interpretations of the rabbinics, but in any case 
they should be mentioned as the most ancient theories to properly answer your 
question.

=======================================================================

Here is one more modern Jewish discussion of the final mem in Isaiah.

http://www.kabbalaonline.org/Dailylife/familylife/Betrothal_Uniting_Two_Souls.asp
Ta'amei HaMitzvot and Shaar HaMitzvot by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky 

Now, Leah is manifest in the dalet of the knot of the [head-]tefillin, and 
Rachel is also manifest as a dalet. When they join together, they form the 
closed mem of the word "to increase [lemarbeh] the reign." (Isaiah 9:6)
The final mem can be envisioned as two dalet's, one written normally and the 
other upside down and backwards, forming the angular mirror-image of the 
first one.
The final mem occurs in the middle of a word only once in the Bible, in the 
verse, "To increase the reign and for peace without end over the throne of 
David and his kingdom...." The word for "to increase" [le-marbeh] is spelled 
lamed-[final] mem-reish-beit-hei.
[The final mem] is formed of two hinges and two doors. The two hinges are the 
two yud's, i.e., the thorns in the backs of the dalet's, this being what 
distinguishes the letter dalet from the letter reish.

Another easier-to-read summary is given by Daniel Botkin.

http://www.jewishroots.net/LIBRARY/Prophecy/Mystery%20of%20the%20closed%20Mem.htm
THE MYSTERY OF THE CLOSED MEM - Daniel Botkin

Rabbis associated the letter mem with the womb (Sefer Yetzira 3:4, Bahir 85, 
Etz Chaim, Shaar HaYereach 3, p. 176). A closed mem is a closed womb; an open 
mem is the womb opening to give birth (Bahir 84). .... the rabbis do not see 
any hints of Miriam in Isaiah’s prophecy, but they are aware of this 
mysterious closed mem and of its Messianic implications. The rabbis teach 
that when it is time for the Redemption, the closed mem of Isaiah’s l’marbeh 
will open for the coming of the Messiah (Radak, Isa. 9:6).  

Daniel's conclusion - the Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah to break the rules of 
Hebrew grammar and spelling :-) 

Your mileage may vary. 

Shalom,
Steven Avery
Queens, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Messianic_Apologetic/