Reading Genesis 1-2 in Hebrew - Bibal.Net

Reading Genesis 1–2 in Hebrew
�������������„���—transliteration: w¸-lOµ' yit-BO-HAµ-H˚, “and they were not ashamed.” The verb here
is Hithpolel 3 rd pl. masc. from the hollow root Hwb (“be ashamed”), which is preceded by the
particle of negation '»l (“not”).
Explanatory Remarks on the Text and Translation of Genesis 1–2
The large Hebrew letter p (after 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; and 2:3) represents the traditional
PeT˚xAh (open) layout markers, which are used to mark spaces in the Hebrew text of handwritten
manuscripts in Jewish masoretic tradition. Such spaces must occupy the width of at least
three letters. The PeT˚xAh (open) layout markers indicate where a new “paragraph” must be
written at the beginning of the line. If enough space cannot be left on the last line of the old
“paragraph,” a whole line must be left blank (as is the case after Gen 1:13 in Codex L).
Maimonides describes this method of marking “paragraphs;” but there is difference of opinion on
the exact meaning in the usage of the two basic layout markers: PeT˚xAh (open) and seT˚mAh
(closed) layout markers. The Masorah mentions a third type of division (pisqa sedurah), but it is
not known what it was or how it was marked.
The Torah is divided for the Sabbath readings in two different ways—in 154 sections
(sedarim) for a three-year [Palestinian] cycle and 54 sections (parashot) for a one-year
[Babylonian] cycle. The beginning of the second sedarim at Gen 2:4 is marked by the marginal
notation ynH in the printed version of the Hebrew text below. The beginning of each seder in
Hebrew manuscripts is shown by the sign s in the margin, often with some form of
ornamentation (as in Codex L). According to Aron Dotan (in BHL), a third seder begins at the
beginning of Gen 3:20, which is marked with the notation [yHylH] in the text presented here.
There is no such mark, however, in Codex L. In the Babylonian system of 54 parashot, the first
parashah ends at the end of Gen 6:8.
The use of different colors in the highlighting of the Hebrew text, the transliteration, and the
English translation is an attempt to call the reader’s attention to repetition of words, phrases,
and the concluding clause for each of the six working days of Creation (Gen 1:5b, 8b, 13, 19, 23
and 31b).
Logoprosodic Analysis
The five columns of numbers in the right margin of the English translation below constitute the
substance of the logoprosodic analysis of the Hebrew text. The first column of numbers
represents the mora-count of that particular line (a mora is a subdivision of the syllable, since
the Hebrew language distinguishes between short and long syllables). A short syllable is
counted as one mora and a long syllable as two morae. The second column of numbers
indicates the syntactic accentual-stress (SAS) units (i.e., the number of disjunctive accent signs
in that particular line). The last three columns indicate the word-count: with the total count in the
first column, the number of words before atnach in the second column, and the number of words
after atnach in the third column. The word-count falls into discernible patterns that highlight four
primary compositional numbers: 17, 23, 26 and 32. For detailed study of this method of
analysis, see the web-site www.bibal.net.
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