Can anyone tell me what the vertical line between these two words in the Sh'ma` is, and what its purpose is?
יְהוָ֥ה׀ אֶחָֽד׃
Thanks.
David,
It's a paseq.
Interpretation as to its role varies (a slight pause - indication of abbreviation - indication of marginal note)
I'd suggest a search for the hypotheses as to its use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_punctuation
paseq
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_punctuation paseq
Not much info there, is there? Thanks, both of you for getting my search started...not much on the web either...at least that is free.
From Logos I found this:
פסיק̇
Abbreviation for פסיקתא, also written מפסיקין. “Paseq,” is a vertical stroke (|) placed after a word that has a conjunctive accent. It indicates that there should be a light pause in the reading, but not pronounced enough to require a disjunctive accent. When a word has a munah on the stress syllable and is followed by a paseq, the combination is known as legarmeh, or munah legarmeh (cf. also mehuppak legarmeh and ʾazla legarmeh). In the majority of cases munah legarmeh is followed by the major disjunctive reviaʿ (cf. Yeivin, pp. 213–18, #277–85).
Examples:
a) Neh. 8:17 [Mp to מִן־הַשְּׁבִי ׀ סֻכּוֹת] פסיקתא דסיפ̇ “One of the paseqs of the book (of Ezra-Nehemiah)” [Mm 3904]. The occurrences are found in Ezra 6:9 (2x); 7:17; 10:9; Neh. 2:12, 13 (Qere); 8:6, 7 (2x), 9, 17, 18; 11:33; 13:15.
b) Lev. 14:6 [Mp to וְאֵת ׀ הַצִּפֹּר] ג̇ ול̇ פסיק̇ “This phrase (with vav conjunction on את) occurs 3 times, only one of which is marked with a paseq” [Mm 740]. The references are Gen. 15:10; Lev. 14:6, 51. There are five occurrences of הַצִּפֹּר אֶת־, i.e., without vav conjunction on את (Lev. 14:5, 6, 7, 50, 53). The Mp note safeguards the minority reading.
Page H. Kelley et al., The Masorah of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: Introduction and Annotated Glossary (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998), 169.
Outside of Logos:
The best discussion can be dound in: I. Yeivin. Introduction to the Tiberian Masorah. Trans. and Ed. E. J. Revell. Masoretic Studies, No. 5. Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1980. pp. 213-218. (In the new Modern Hebrew edition: pp. 180-181)
A detailed discussion which Yeivin generally follows is to be found in: Wickes, W. A Treatise on the Accentuation of the Twenty-one So-Called Prose Books of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1887. pp. 120-129
Downloadable here:
http://www.archive.org/details/treatiseonaccent00wickuoft
It's interesting, and somewhat inexplicable, that in all these examples that are given, none ever address the paseq found in the Sh'ma`. I mean, come on...it's THE SH'MA`! It seems like it would be the FIRST example people would discuss. *sigh*
Thanks, David, for the link to that book. I downloaded it so I can peruse at my leisure. The internet is a wonderful thing...except for the profusion of filth and garbage. But it is awesome to be able (in most cases) to get whatever research info you need as soon as you need it. Amazing.
