Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yitzhak Sapir" <yitzhaksapir AT gmail.com>]

On 10/23/07, Shoshanna Walker wrote:
> The BGDKFRT variations are not later developments, they are already
> mentioned as the 7 (yes, reish is included) double letters in the
> Sefer Yetzira which is ancient ancient ancient.

On various views, both ancient and modern for the dating of Sefer Yetzirah,
see here:
http://kaphtziel.blogspot.com/2006/04/saadiah-gaons-yetzirah-commentary.html

On the significance of Resh as a double letter, see:
Geoffrey Khan, 'The pronunciation of resh in the Tiberian tradition of 
Biblical
Hebrew', Hebrew Union College Annual LXVI (1995), 67-80.
Ilan Eldar, "The double pronunciation of the Tiberian Resh", Leshonenu 48-49
(1984-85), p 22-34 (Hebrew)

Yitzhak Sapir