To: jc.bhebrew AT googlemail.com, nebarry AT verizon.net
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Vowel Subsitution
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:13:55 EST
James:
It seems we are talking past each other. Are you suggesting that the text
as it stands represents the original pronunciation of YHWH? If so, how can
we explain the fact that the waw in YHWH is sometimes pointed with hireq
and sometimes with qamatz? Both can't be the original, can they? Isn't this
very strong evidence that we are dealing with the vowels of elohim (hireq)
and adonai (qamatz) superimposed on the tetragram?
Additionally, I have a hard time understanding how the universal synagogue
practice of substitute readings, a tradition that goes back over a
thousand years by the only keepers and preservers of the Hebrew text, can be
called "no real evidence."
Peace,
Ted Brownstein
=======================
In a message dated 12/28/2009 3:10:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
jc.bhebrew AT googlemail.com writes:
Hi all,
the classic explanation is as Ted puts forward but there is no real
evidence
for it and this argument is quoted parrot fashion seemingly without end as
if it were established fact.
Also Ted's presentation of the facts is not entirely complete. The fact is
that vocal shwa was never used under aleph for pronunciation reasons. The
massoretes used a different vowel symbol because they were different
vowels,
neither a pure shwa and neither a proper 'a' sound but somewhere in
between.