Symmetrically Designed Sifrei Torah: A Quantitative Analysis - Hakirah
Symmetrically Designed Sifrei Torah: A Quantitative Analysis - Hakirah
Symmetrically Designed Sifrei Torah: A Quantitative Analysis - Hakirah
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>Symmetrically</strong> <strong>Designed</strong> <strong>Sifrei</strong> <strong>Torah</strong>: A <strong>Quantitative</strong> <strong>Analysis</strong> : 185<br />
6. Verses in the <strong>Torah</strong><br />
תנו רבנן חמשת אלפים ושמונה מאות ושמונים ושמונה פסוקים הוו<br />
פסוקי ס"ת. יתר עליו תהלים שמונה. חסר ממנו דברי הימים שמונה.<br />
Several solutions have been offered to explain the discrepancy<br />
between the 5,888 verse count given in the Gemara and the 5,845<br />
figure we find in our Chumashim.<br />
Answer 1:<br />
R’ Yeudah Idel HaLevi Epstein 31 - Includes Verses from Tehillim &<br />
DH. R’ Epstein explains that 5,888 does not refer to verses in<br />
Chumash itself but rather to Biblical verses appearing either in <strong>Torah</strong><br />
or in .נך R’ Epstein explains that there are 8 verses in <strong>Torah</strong> that also<br />
appear in Tehillim and 35 in <strong>Torah</strong> that appear in Divrei Hayamim<br />
(DH). When these 43 are added to the 5,845 of the actual number in<br />
Chumash it equals 5,888. R’ Epstein says his explanation of the<br />
missing 43 verses also explains a difficulty in the Gemara’s ending<br />
statement that “Tehillim has 8 more and Divrei Hayamim 8 less.” This<br />
statement is problematic because Tehillim, with 2,527 verses, and DH<br />
with at most 1,765 verses, 32 are far smaller than <strong>Torah</strong>. R’ Epstein<br />
says the end phrase means that the 5,888 verses in Chumash are found<br />
by adding the 8 from Tehillim to the 5,845 existing verses, and the 35<br />
remaining discrepancy (i.e. 8 less means 8 less than the missing 43)<br />
31 Student of R’ Chaim Volozhin, cited in Kasher שלימה ,תורה vol. 28<br />
addenda 12.<br />
and Soncino texts of DH have 1,764 verses. The English מקראות גדולות 32<br />
Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text by the Jewish Publication<br />
Society of America, as well as Mechon Mamre, has DH with 1,765<br />
verses. The difference hinges on whether DH 1:12:5 is one long verse<br />
or 2 smaller verses, i.e.<br />
מ"מ: ה וְיִרְמְיָה וְיַחֲזִיאֵל וְיוֹחָנָן, וְיוֹזָבָד הַגְּדֵרָתִי. ו אֶלְעוּזַי וִירִימוֹת וּבְעַלְיָה וּשְׁמַרְיָהוּ, וּשְׁפַטְיָהוּ<br />
החריפי.<br />
מ"ג: ה וְיִרְמְיָה וְיֲַחזִיאֵל וְיוֹחָנָן, וְיוֹזָבָד הַגְּדֵרָתִי אֶלְעוּזַי וִירִימוֹת וּבְעַלְיָה וּשְׁמַרְיָהוּ, וּשְׁפַטְיָהוּ<br />
החריפי.<br />
Some English Bibles change verse 4 as well. מנחת שי confirms that our<br />
reading of verse 4 is correct, but says nothing about verse 5 or 6.
Change language