Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Kevin Riley <klriley AT alphalink.com.au>]

On 26/05/2010 5:00 PM, James Christian wrote:
> Yitzhak,
>
> the reason I haven't responded to your response of a yodh suggestion is
> because, to this very moment, I am still scratching my head in wonder as to
> why you think your response is relevant to a practice of being lazy and
> missing out the Yohds in gentilics.
>
> Further, things come in and out of fashion. You seem to be assuming that
> there was a post-exilic period that Yodhs were used and that before that
> they were never *ever* used in gentilics.
>
> Just when the consonantal sequence of the Torah was considered holy we don't
> know with certainty. What we do know is that the internal evidence claims
> that Joshua made himself a copy and every king had to make himself a copy.
> We know that familiarity with the Torah and the teaching of it to his wife
> and children was a basic responsibility of each and every family head.
>    

This is indeed recorded in Scripture.  But then, it also records that a 
certain 'book of the law' was found in the temple, and both the priests 
and the royal court were somewhat surprised by its existence and had to 
enquire what it was.  Can we really assume that what is commanded is 
also what was done habitually?

Kevin Riley