אותיות המתחלפות

נושא זה עדיין לא עבר ביקורת עורך

Transposed Letters (Metathesis)

  • There are many words which appear identical in meaning, yet contain a reversal in the order of two of the letters:
    • שמלה-שלמה – Both words refer to a garment; compare, for example, Bereshit 9:23 with Shemot 22:8. The word שמלה is more common, appearing 30 times, compared to the 14 appearances of שלמה.
    • כבש/ה-כשב/ה – Both words refer to a lamb. The form "כבש/ה" is more common appearing 120 times, while "כשב/ה" appears 14 times
    • זועה - זעוה – The two forms are somewhat equally prevalent, with "זעוה" appearing 6 times and "זועה" appearing 7 times.
    • אנקה- נאקה – Each appears 4 times, and see Ibn Janach that the two are equivalent with the letters transposed.
    • עולה-עלוה – The form עלוה appears only once, in Hoshea 10:9; see Ibn Janach and Radak that it is the same as "עולה" with the letters transposed.
    • לְשׁוֹן עִלְּגִים (Yeshayahu 32:4) vs. נִלְעַג לָשׁוֹן (Yeshayahu 33:19) - See Ibn Janach
    • חלש - חשל – The root "חשל" appears only once, in Devarim 25:18 and see Ibn Janach.and Chizkuni that it is identical in meaning to "חלש".
    • דְּאָבָה-דבאה – Each of these words appears only once, but see R"Y Kara Devarim 33:25Shemuel II 22:46About R. Yosef Karaon Devarim 33:25 that they are reversals of each other, equivalent in meaning.
    • וְיַחְגְּרוּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתָם (Shemuel II 22:46) vs. וְיַחְרְגוּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם (Tehillim 18:46) – See R"Y KaraShemuel II 22:46About R. Yosef Kara.
    • פרח-רחף – Lekach TovBereshit 1:2About R. Toviah b. Eliezer on Bereshit 1:2
  • Disputed Cases
    • כחי-חכי – Tehillim 22:16 reads "יָבֵשׁ כַּחֶרֶשׂ כֹּחִי וּלְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּק מַלְקוֹחָי". Several commentators suggest that "כֹּחִי" means "my strength", as per its common usage, but see R. Moshe ibn Chiquitilla and Ibn Ezra (citing "one of the geonim") that perhaps this is a case of transposed letters and the word is equivalent to "חכי", my palate. [They support this reading by noting that the word is parallel to "לשוני", my tongue.]
    • רזם-רמז – Iyyov 15:12 reads: "וּמַה יִּרְזְמוּן עֵינֶיךָ". This form appears only here, and many suggest that it is a reversed form of the more common "רמז". Cf. Malbim that it relates to the word "רז", a secret, and means "to wink". [He thus understands the verse similarly to others, but differs regarding the etymology.]1
    • הרס-הסר – Many commentators understand the root "הרס" to mean "tear down" or "destroy", but see Rashbam on Shemot 15:7 that it is equivalent in meaning to the root "הסר" (to remove), finding support in Yeshayahu 22:19 where it parallels the word "וַהֲדַפְתִּיךָ" (I will pluck you).
    • מִגְעֶרֶת – Most commentators assume that this noun, found only once, in Devarim 28:20, stems from the root "גער" (to rebuke) and refers to a rebuking. R. D"Z Hoffmann, however, suggests that the "ע" and "ר" are transposed, and this is equivalent to "מגרעת", a diminishing of resoucres or scarcity. 

Sound Groups


The Hebrew consonants are often divided into different groups based on their place of articulation in the mouth: the lips, tongue, palate, teeth or throat.2 Many commentators suggest that at times, letters within each group might be exchanged one for another. See, for example, Rashi on Vayikra 19:16, "שכל האותיות שמוצאיהם אחד מתחלפות זו בזו, בי״ת בפ״ה ובוי״ו, גימ״ל בכ״ף, וקו״ף בכ״ף,⁠ נו״ן בלמ״ד ורי״ש, זיי״ן בצד״י". [Hoil Moshe utilizes the theory very often in his commentary, as seen below.] Ibn Ezra3 disagrees, claiming that only the vowel letters (אהו"י) and "ס" and "ש" are interchangebale.  Such a theory can be helpful in understanding unusual forms, and might impact how one understands various words. See examples below:

אותיות השפתיים (lips) - בומ"פ

  • Shofetim 14:8 "מַפֶּ⁠לֶת הָאַרְיֵה" – Hoil Moshe suggests that this is equivalent to  "נבילת האריה", with the "ב" and "פ" interchanging.
  • Melakhim I 5:2 "בְּ⁠רִאִים" – See Hoil Moshe that "בריא" is like "מריא", both meaning fat.
  • Yirmeyahu 15:9 "וְ⁠חָפֵרָה" – See Hoil Moshe that this is like "חורה", to become white in the face.

אותיות הלשון (tongue) - דנטל"ת

  • Yeshayahu 33:19 "עַם נוֹעָז" - See Rashi that "נועז" is equivalent to "לועז"

אותיות החיך (palate) - גיכ"ק

  • Vayikra 19:16 – Rashi suggests that the word "רכיל" in "לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ" relates to the word "רגל" with the "ג" and "כ" switching.
  • Bereshit 31:36 – Shadal suggests that the root "דלק" (to pursue) relates to the root "דלג" (to skip), suggesting that "דלק" has the specific connotation of chasing uphill.

אותיות הגרון (throat) - אהח"ע

  • Hoil Moshe Shemot 28:39 – Hoil Moshe relates the word "מגבעות", the headdress of the priests, to the word "גבה", high, (with the ע and ה switching), noting that it was so called because the head covering was a tall (high) hat. [He suggests the same etymology for the word גבעה.]
  • Chizkuni Bemidbar 32:15 – Chizkuni suggests that the word "לְהַנִּיחוֹ" here is equivalent in meaning to "להניעו" (with the ע and ח switching)
  • Ramban Devarim 21 – Ramban suggests that "תִתְעַמֵּר" is equivalent to "תתאמר", and then brings many other similar examples: ("פדעהו מרדת שחת (איוב ל״ג:כ״ד) – פדאהו, כמו שפרשתי במלת פתע (רמב״ן במדבר י״ב:ד׳), וכן: מעשה צעצועים (דברי הימים ב ג׳:י׳) כמו באל״ף, מן: הצאצאים והצפיעות (ישעיהו כ״ב:כ״ד) – הבנים והבנות").

אותיות השיניים (teeth) - זשסר"ץ

  • Hoil Moshe Zecharyah 8:14 – Hoil Moshe suggests that the word "זמם", to devise or consider, relates to the word "שם", to set (with the ז and ש switching) and thus refers to someone who places his thoughts in a certain direction.

Exchanged Letters

Taf Replacing Heh

  • Devarim 32:36: כִּי אָזְלַת יָד" = כי אזלה יד" (See R"Y Bekhor Shor and Ibn Ezra who notes, "כי גם שתיהן סימני הנקבה", but then suggests "ולפי דעתי: שתי״ו אזלתה לסמיכה")
  • Yechezkel 46:17:  וְשָׁבַת לַנָּשִׂיא" = ושבה לנשיא"  (See Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Radak, Hoil Moshe4)
  • –

Yud Replacing Heh

Normally when a ל"ה verb (a verb which has a "ה" in the third letter of the root) is conjugated, it loses the "ה". For example, the third person plural of the root "כסה", is "כסו", not  "כסהו". Sometimes, though, the missing "ה" is replaced by a "י". [See Shadal on Shemot 15, and Ibn Ezra on Yeshayahu 41:5].

  • "תְּהֹמֹת יְכַסְיֻמוּ" (Shemot 15:5)
  • "וּבְקָרְךָ וְצֹאנְךָ יִרְבְּיֻן" (Devarim 8:13)
  • "צוּר חָסָיוּ בוֹ" (Devarim 32:37)
  • " יֶחֱרָדוּ קָרְבוּ וַיֶּאֱתָיוּן" Yeshayahu 41:5
  • "יִרְוְיֻן מִדֶּשֶׁן בֵּיתֶךָ" (Tehillim 36:9)
  • "וַאֲנִי כִּמְעַט [נָטָיוּ] (נטוי) רַגְלָי" (Tehillim 73:2) -
  • "אֶזְכְּרָה אֱלֹהִים וְאֶהֱמָיָה" (Tehillim 77:4)
  • "יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ" (Tehillim 122:6)

Mem Replacing Nun

  • Vayikra 10:19 "הֵן הַיּוֹם הִקְרִיבוּ אֶת חַטָּאתָם"  – The initial word "" might be short for "הנה", meaning, "behold" or it might mean "הם" with the nun replacing the mem. Contrast Rashi and  Rashbam.
  • Melakhim II 11:13 ("קוֹל הָרָצִין") – See Radak.
  • Yeshayahu 13:8 "וַחֲבָלִים יֹאחֵזוּן" – See Radak and Hoil Moshe.
  • Yechezkel 4:9 ("קַח לְךָ חִטִּין") – Radak notes that this is equivalent to חטים, with the nun replacing the mem.
  • Yechezkel 26:18 ("עַתָּה יֶחְרְדוּ הָאִיִּן") – See Rashi and Radak that אין should be read as "איים"
  • Tehillim 64:7 ("יַחְפְּשׂוּ עוֹלֹת תַּמְנוּ") and Eikhah 3:22 (" חַסְדֵי יְ־הֹוָה כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ") – See Ibn Ezra that "תמנו" is equivalent to the verb "תַּמּוּ" (to be complete or finish, from the root "תמם"), and that the extra "נ" might mark the missing double "מ" of the root (normally indicated by the dagesh in the "מ"). 
  • Mishlei 31:3 ("וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַמְחוֹת מְלָכִין") – See Rashi on Daniel 12:13.
  • Iyyov 3:8 ("הָעֲתִידִים עֹרֵר לִוְיָתָן") – Shadal5 reads the verse as is, to refer to the Leviathan, exaplaining that the people prepare themselves for the arousal of Leviathan. Cf. Ibn Ezra6 who claims that the word should be read as if written "לויתם", meaning "their mourning".  See also Rashi agrees regarding the exchange of the nun and mem, but assumes the word relates to "gathering".
  • Iyyov 24:22 ("וְלֹא יַאֲמִין בַּחַיִּין") – See Rashi that this is equivalent to "ולא יאמין בחיים".
  • Iyyov 31:10 "וְעָלֶיהָ יִכְרְעוּן אֲחֵרִין" – See Ibn Ezra7 that "אֲחֵרִין" should be read as if written "אחרים"
  • Daniel 12:13 "לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין" – See Rashi and Ibn Ezra that this means "at the end of days", with "ימין" = "ימים".
  • Rut 2:9 (וְהָלַכְתְּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן); see also 
  • כי במגלה הזאת מצאנו ראינו זה כמה פעמים תשנה את טעמה מזכר לנקבה ומנקבה לזכר במ״ם במקום נו״ן ונו״ן במקום מ״ם הלהן תעגנה הם שני נוני״ן במקום מ״ם ותלכנה שתיהם עד בואנה וכו׳ מ״ם של שתיהם היא במקום נו״ן וכן לפנים כרחל וכלאה אשר בנו שתיהם הוא מ״ם במקום נו״ן ועל הדרך הזה נאמר פה והלכת אחריהן נו״ן במקום מ״ם ולא דבר רק הם כי אם להדרש ע״ד משז״ל הבי המטפחת הבה כתי׳ מלמד שהי׳ מדבר עמה בל׳ זכר הוא כי באומרו הלהן תשברנ׳ הלהן תעגנ׳ רמז כדברי מי ששמעתי אומר שרמזה בתוך דברי׳ לחוש אולי יהיו נקבות

Attached Letters


  • Hoil Moshe Vayikra 7:16 "וּמִמׇּחֳרָת וְהַנּוֹתָר"
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