Английская Википедия:Inverted nun
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| Шаблон:Script/Hebrew | Шаблон:Script | Шаблон:Script/Hebrew |
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| Inverted nun – text |
Inverted Шаблон:Lang (Шаблон:Script/Hebrew "isolated Шаблон:Lang" or Шаблон:Script/Hebrew "inverted Шаблон:Lang" or "Шаблон:Script/Hebrew" in Hebrew[1]) is a rare glyph used in classical Hebrew. Its function in the ancient texts is disputed. It takes the form of the letter Шаблон:Lang in mirror image, and appears in the Masoretic text of the Tanakh in nine different places:[2]
- Numbers - twice, 10:35–36: the two verses are delineated by inverted Шаблон:Lang, sometimes isolated outside the passage text and sometimes embedded within words in verses 10:35 and 11:1.
- Psalms - seven times in chapter 107 (vs 23-28, vs 40)
The images at right show three common variants of the inverted Шаблон:Lang – vertically flipped, horizontally flipped, and Z-shaped. Other renderings exist, corresponding to alternative interpretations of the term "inverted".[3] It may also occur with a dot above.[4]
Occurrence and appearance
Inverted Шаблон:Lang are found in nine passages of the Masoretic Text of the Bible. The exact shape varies between different manuscripts and printed editions. In many manuscripts, a reversed Шаблон:Lang is found, referred to as a "Шаблон:Lang" by the Masoretes. In some earlier printed editions, they are shown as the standard Шаблон:Lang upside down or rotated, presumably because the printer did not want to design a new rare character. Recent scholarly editions of the Masoretic text show the reversed Шаблон:Lang as described by the Masoretes. In some manuscripts, however, other symbols are occasionally found instead. These are sometimes referred to in rabbinical literature as "simaniyot" (markers).
In the Torah, the inverted Шаблон:Lang frame the text: Шаблон:Quote
The Шаблон:Lang are generally positioned close to, but not touching, the first and last words of the couplet.[5] They are supposed to be positioned between the gaps in between the paragraphs, but there is disagreement as to how this should be done.[6] Some texts invert the existing Шаблон:Lang in the Torah text and don't add inverted Шаблон:Lang before and after it.[7]
Rashi's commentary states that the name of the city of Haran at the end of the Torah portion Noach also occurs with an inverted Шаблон:Lang, but this is not found in existing texts.[8]
Rabbinic basis
Шаблон:Excessive quotation The Babylonian Talmud records in the tractate Shabbath, folio 116a, that the markings surrounding Numbers 10:35–36 were thought to denote that this 85-letter text was not in its proper place. One opinion states that it would appear in another location which discusses the order of tribal column, with the position of the Ark already stated there.
The 85-letter text found between the Шаблон:Transl is also said to be denoted because it is the model for the fewest letters which constitute a 'text' which one would be required to save from fire due to its holiness. It also suggests that the inverted Шаблон:Lang may suggest the Hebrew word Шаблон:Lang Шаблон:Transl, meaning 'a light'.[9]
The tractate Shabbat in the Talmud says regarding the inverted Шаблон:Lang:
Sifrei explains these "signs": Шаблон:Quote[10]
The Talmud continues, stating that as this section is a separate book, the portions of Numbers before and after it also count as books and thus the Torah contains seven books in total:[1][10] Шаблон:Quote Bar Kappara is known to have considered the Torah as composed of seven volumes in the Gemara "The seven pillars with which Wisdom built her house (Prov. 9:1) are the seven Books of Moses". Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus and Deuteronomy as we know them but Numbers was really three separate volumes: Num 1:1 to Num 10:35, followed by Numbers 10:35–36, and the third text from there to the end of Numbers. Шаблон:Quote
The Mishnah, in tractate Yadayim, states: Шаблон:Quote
According to Midrash: Шаблон:Quote Шаблон:Quote
Maharshal ruled that the Talmud only mandates the usual break for a parashah section, and Torah scrolls with extra letters are Шаблон:Transl (unfit for ritual use).[7] Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, however, defends the custom, stating that punctuation such as inverted Шаблон:Lang doesn't count as extra letters and thus don't invalidate the scroll.[7]
Elsewhere
Inverted Шаблон:Lang appears to have been used as a scribal or editorial annotation or text-critical mark.[4]
The primary set of inverted Шаблон:Lang is found surrounding the text of Numbers 10:35–36. The Mishna notes that this text is 85 letters long and dotted. The demarcation of this text leads to the later use of the inverted Шаблон:Lang markings. Saul Lieberman demonstrated that similar markings can be found in ancient Greek texts where they are also used to denote 'short texts'. Greek sources, especially Alexandrian ones, refer to the sign as reversed sigma.[11]
Unicode
The inverted Шаблон:Lang is not part of any word, and is never pronounced; thus it is classed as punctuation and not a letter.[2]
| Glyph | Unicode | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Шаблон:Script | U+05C6 | HEBREW PUNCTUATION NUN HAFUKHA |
References
Шаблон:Reflist Шаблон:Commons category
- ↑ 1,0 1,1 Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 2,0 2,1 Universal Multiple-Octet Coded Character Set: International Organization for Standardization
- ↑ e.g. Menahem Kasher, Torah Sheleima, v. 29
- ↑ 4,0 4,1 Reversed Nun in the BHS
- ↑ e.g. Ganzfried, Keset ha-Sofer, ch. 16 English translation Шаблон:Webarchive
- ↑ e.g. Ganzfried, Keset ha-Sofer, ch. 15 English translation Шаблон:Webarchive
- ↑ 7,0 7,1 7,2 The Seforim blog: Inverted Nuns
- ↑ Genesis Chapter 11 English Bible with Rashi - Chabad.org
- ↑ Inverted Nun – B'ha'alot'cha
- ↑ 10,0 10,1 Iyunim – Weekly insights on the Parasha with commentaries by Nehama Leibovitz, za"l
- ↑ Textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible, pp. 54–55
