Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Double Modifier

(ל:י"ד)
...כָּל נֵדֶר וְכָל שְׁבֻעַת אִסָּר

First, I am making an assumption which I have been told is not necessarily correct. That is, that the word נֵדֶר as it is pronounced in this פסוק implies סמיכות. If that is the case, the proper pronounciation becomes more crucial than in other instances of סמיכות. Without סמיכות the פסוק would be understood "Every נדר, and every שבועה of אסר..." However, the סמיכות determines that אסר is modifying נדר as well and so it is understood "Every נדר of אסר and every שבועה of אסר..."
Any thoughts?

6 comments:

MG said...

I'm glad you qualified this with that first sentence! Wait for it: you're wrong.
See Vayikra 22:23 and the Mesora there. Clearly that pasuk can not be read as semichus. See also Shmuel 2, 15:8.

Shtikler said...

Your point is well taken, that the word נֵדֶר does not specifically imply סמיכות.
However, don't be so hasty in dishing out the negativity.
Whether or not נֵדֶר is always סמיכות is actually irrelevant to the main point. What is important is that clearly it can mean סמיכות as in פסוק י.
The אמיתות of my point - that נֶדֶר with a סגול must be corrected - depends on two questions:
1) Does נֶדֶר with a סגול automatically imply a lack of סמיכות? I believe the answer to that question is Yes. Although, if you have a proof otherwise, I'd be glad to hear it.
and
2) Am I correct in understanding this specific instance of נֵדֶר with a צרי to be סמיכות? Of that, I am unsure. The תרגום אונקלום is identical regardless - נְדַר
If the answer to both questions is Yes then I am correct in asserting that pronouncing it נֶדֶר with a סגול is definitely wrong.

Shtikler said...

Unfortunately, I will have to recant as it appears clear from במדבר ו:ב,ו etc. that נֶדֶר with a סגול can definitely imply סמיכות as well.

So then the burning question is: what defines which vowel find itself under the נ?

MG said...

Um, ok.
Now that that's settled, your burning question isn't very interesting, at least from a dikduk standpoint. There are many, many words like this. Case in point: "נסך" is found with a סגול and with a צרי.
As far as סמיכות goes, you're simply barking up the wrong tree. Words with two segols do not change their form under סמיכות - such as אבן and מלך. The word נדר is no different. It can imply סמיכות or no סמיכות; it's not a matter of the vowels.

Shtikler said...

Ok, so, dare I ask: Is there an answer to this non-burning, uninteresting question as to what determines if there will be a צרי or סגול under the first letter?

Leo said...

I once read that in Lashon Kodesh 2 semichus on 1 nismach would be in this form:
כלי המשכן וקרשיו.
Not
כלי וקרשי המשכן.

I am currently seeking a source for this rule and if it is true.

But assuming it is, then
כל נדר וכל שבועת
is definitely not samuch. Had it been, it would say
כל נדר אסר וכל שבועתו.