{"id":88894,"date":"2021-02-16T16:15:31","date_gmt":"2021-02-16T14:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=88894"},"modified":"2021-02-16T16:51:57","modified_gmt":"2021-02-16T14:51:57","slug":"another-acrostic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/another-acrostic\/","title":{"rendered":"Another Acrostic?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"88894","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":34243,"related_cahpter":"679","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"A peak at the hidden structure of the Hebrew abecedary\r\n\r\n","content":"

This psalm, at first glance, appears to be entirely ordinary. It extols the virtues of a genuinely righteous man, one who bears no ulterior motives but acts only out of awe for God and reverence for His commandments. Not only will he prosper personally, but he will be able to endow his descendants with the proceeds of his righteousness. He is outstanding, truly a \u201cbeacon of light illuminating the darkness\u201d (4) about him. He shares his wealth with others, either as a fair lender or as a philanthropist. He pays no attention to rumors that flutter about him on social media, for his trust in God is implicit. He becomes the envy of the wicked who \u201cgnash their teeth\u201d (10) in frustration over their inability to overcome him, until they finally give up.<\/span><\/p>\n

A closer look, however, reveals a dimension that may have escaped notice in the preliminary reading: an alphabetic acrostic has been subtly woven into the fabric of the psalm. Beginning with the <\/span>aleph<\/span><\/em> of <\/span>ashrei<\/span><\/em>, each poetic stich starts with a consecutive letter. (The first 8 verses are the customary couplets, while the last two are triplets, totaling 22.)<\/span><\/p>\n

The use of acrostics as a mnemonic (memory aid) prompts an intriguing question: While knowing the order of the alphabet can help us recall the order of the verses, what helps us recall the order of the alphabet? Here is the speculative\u2014albeit well-informed\u2014suggestion of Professor Aaron Demsky, an expert in ancient Hebrew paleography.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a study of \u201cabecedaries,\u201d inscriptions consisting only of the alphabet (ed. Christoph Ricco: <\/span>Origins of the Alphabet<\/span><\/em>, 17 ff.), he divided the Hebrew alphabet into 5 categories:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

1.\u00a0 <\/span> The Homestead<\/strong><\/p>\n

a. \u05d0-Alef\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ox head<\/span><\/p>\n

b. \u05d1-Bet \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 house<\/span><\/p>\n

c. \u05d2-Gimel\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 camel<\/span><\/p>\n

d. \u05d3-Dalet\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 door<\/span><\/p>\n

e. \u05d4-Heh\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 human form<\/span><\/p>\n

f.\u00a0 \u05d5-Waw\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 hook, hinge, or bolt<\/span><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 <\/span> The Field<\/strong><\/p>\n

a. \u05d6-Zayin \u00a0 \u00a0 olive<\/span><\/p>\n

b. \u05d7-Het\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 wheat<\/span><\/p>\n

c. \u05d8-Tet \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 mire, muck<\/span><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 <\/span> The Hand<\/strong><\/p>\n

a.\u00a0 <\/span> \u05d9-Yod\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 hand, arm<\/span><\/p>\n

b.\u00a0 <\/span> \u05db-Kaf\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 palm<\/span><\/p>\n

c. \u00a0 \u05dc-Lamed\u00a0 ox goad<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

4.\u00a0 <\/span> Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

a. \u05de-Mem \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 water<\/span><\/p>\n

b. \u05e0-Nun \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 serpent (nahash)<\/span><\/p>\n

c. \u05e1-Samekh\u00a0 fish<\/span><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 <\/span> The Head<\/strong><\/p>\n

a. \u05e2-Ayin\u00a0 \u00a0 eye<\/span><\/p>\n

b. \u05e4-Peh \u00a0 \u00a0 mouth<\/span><\/p>\n

c. \u05e6-Sade \u00a0 temple<\/span><\/p>\n

d. \u05e7-Kuf\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 skull<\/span><\/p>\n

e. \u05e8-Resh \u00a0 head<\/span><\/p>\n

f.\u00a0 \u05e9-Shin\u00a0 \u00a0 tooth<\/span><\/p>\n

g.\u00a0 \u05ea-Tav \u00a0 \u00a0 mark (on forehead)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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