The Pronunciation of the Words “<i>mor</i>” and “<i>yabolet</i>” in a Cairo Genizah Fragment of Bavli Eruvin 102b–104a

Abstract

This article refers to a Cairo Genizah fragment related to Bavli, Tractate Eruvin 102b-104a, identified as Cambridge, UL T-S F2 (2) 23. FGP No. C 98948. In the fragment, there are two words, “mor” and “yabolet”, which were written as vocalized by the scribe or copyist. Their pronunciation differs from that customary today, i.e., “mar” and “yabelet”. The purpose of this paper is to explain how this pronunciation was generated, the evolvement and development of this pronunciation as it appears in the fragment, and to examine whether there are additional words in other sources that were pronounced similarly. This paper begins with a description of the Genizah fragment and continues with a reproduction of the fragment itself.

Keywords

• Eruvin
• Genizah
• sugya
• pronunciation
• Hebrew words