Interactive Learning Module

Dagesh Kal and Chazak

• This unit will explore the diacritical mark known as a dagesh.
• Biblical Hebrew has two types of degeshim:
• דגש קל (dagesh kal) – a gentle dagesh found only in the letters בגדכפ"ת
• דגש חזק (dagesh chazak) – a strong dagesh, which may be found in all letters except the gutturals (האחר"ע)‎.See below that there are a few exceptions to this rule, with "ר" taking a dagesh 17 times and an "א" taking one four times.
• In many Tanakhs, the two types of dagesh look exactly alike, being simply a dot in the letter. On AlHatorah, to disambiguate between the two possible degeshim in the בגדכפ"ת letters, a slightly larger, bolded dot is used to mark the dagesh chazak.
• For example, see Shemot 1:1 and contrast the dot in the "בּ" of "בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" and the dot in the "ב" of "הַבָּאִים". This latter bolded dot is a dagesh chazak.

• Function – There are six letters in the Hebrew alphabet (ב,ג,ד,כ,פ,ת) which can each make two different sounds; the presence or absence of the dagesh kal signifies which sound to make.As such, a dagesh kal can be found only in these six letters. These letters are known by the acronym בגדכפ"ת (or: "beged kefet").
• Plosives – When the dagesh is present, these letters make hard, "explosive" sounds, created through a quick pop of breath (as in the sound בּ = b).
• Fricatives – When the dagesh is absent, the sound of the letters is softer, created through ongoing friction (as in the sound ב = v).
• In general, a letter will be a fricative after a vowel.Thus, if there is a dot in a בגדכפ"ת letter that follows a vowel, it is because it is a dagesh chazak, not a dagesh kal. See Ibn Ezra on Shemot 18:9 that the only exception is the two appearances of the word "ויחד" in Shemot 18:9 and Iyyov 3:6. For discussion see the appendix. It will be a plosive at the beginning of a word or after a closed syllable.
• A caveat: In Biblical Hebrew, if two words are combined by a makkaf, a hyphen, (or if they are closely joined one to another due to the cantillation) they might function as one word. Thus if the word before the makkaf ends with a vowel, and a בגדכפ"ת letter opens the second word, it is as if it follows a vowel (and not as if it opens a new word) and it will be a fricative.
• Contrast "כִּי־בָא" in (Bereshit 28:11) with "כִּי בָּא" in (Bemidbar 21:1). In Bereshit, a hyphen connects the two words so it is as if the "ב" follows a vowel, making it a fricative. In Bemidbar, there is no hyphen so the word "בָּא" stands alone, and the "בּ" is a plosive.
• Modern pronunciation – Today, most Israeli Hebrew speakers maintain a distinction in sound only between three of the בגדכפ"ת letters, the "ב" (בּ = "b", while ב = "v"), "כ" (כּ = "k", while כ = "kh"), and "פ" (פּ = "p", while פ = "f").Jews of Ashkenazi origin distinguish between "תּ" (t) and "ת" (s) as well, while many Jews of Yemenite origin distinguish between the letters of all six pairs (though not necessarily preserving the exact distinctions of ancient Hebrew). According to their pronunciation, a fricative "ת" sounds like the "th" in the word "thin" while a fricative "ד" sounds like the "th" in the word "that". They pronounce a "ג" as an Arabic "ghayn" (similar in sound to a guttural "r"), and the dotted "גּ" as a "j". However, as "j" is not a plosive sound this is likely under the influence of Arabic rather than being a vestige of the ancient Hebrew pronunciation. It is possible that in ancient Hebrew the dotted, plosive "ג" was pronounced like a hard "g" and the dagesh-less "ג" was its fricative counterpart, a guttural "r" sound.

• Doubling – A dagesh chazak signifies that a certain consonant is lengthened, doubling the value of the consonant. Thus, for example, the word "שַׁבָּת" is transliterated as "Shabbat" with two b's to mark the fact that the "ב" is doubled.
• Affect on syllabification – A dagesh chazak, thus, both closes and opens a syllable.
• In Biblical Hebrew, every syllable opens with a consonant and has only one vowel. This may or may not be followed by a second consonant. If a syllable ends with a vowel, it is open; if it ends with a consonant it is closed.
• When a letter is doubled via a dagesh chazak, it serves as both the final consonant of the first syllable (closing it) and the first consonant of the second (opening it). For example, in the word עַמִּים, the "מ" is doubled, so the word breaks into two syllables as follows: עַמ | מִים
• Given the above, a dagesh chazak can never appear in the first letter of a word or in its final letter (unless this letter is followed by a vowel).See, for example, the words "וְאוֹדֶךָּ" and "אֲרוֹמְמֶךָּ" in (Tehillim 118:28).
• However, as discussed above, if two words are joined by a hyphen, they function as one word, and so in such cases the opening letter of the word that appears after the hyphen might still take a dagesh chazak. See, for example, the hyphenated "מַה־זֹּאת" in (Bereshit 3:13). Due to the hyphen, it is as if the "ז" is mid-word, following a vowel.

• There are several reasons a letter might be marked by a dagesh chazak:
• דגש משלים (a compensatory dagesh) – Often, a dagesh chazak will come to compensate for a missing letter. For example, when two letters are hard to pronounce in sequence, one letter might be assimilated with the next. The second letter is doubled to compensate.An example of assimilation can be found in the English word "immoral" (in + moral = immoral). The "n" is lost, but the letter "m" is doubled. See the next slide for examples of compensatory doubling in Biblical Hebrew.
• דגש תבניתי (a structural dagesh) – Sometimes the doubling is an integral part of a word's form, with certain verbal conjugations and noun patterns always including a dagesh. For example, the pi'el, pu'al and hitpa'el conjugation patterns are all marked by a dagesh in the middle root letter (ע' הפועל). Similarly, nouns of the pattern "קטֶלת", (including words like: (יַבֶּשֶׁת, טַבַּעַת, צַמֶּרֶת, דַּלֶּקֶת) or of the pattern "קַטָּלָה" (including words like: בַּקָּשָׁה, בַּקָּרָה, יַבָּשָׁה) all have an inherent dagesh in the second letter of the root.
• דגש תנייני/משני (secondary dagesh) – Modern scholars suggest that in some instances a dagesh is secondary, inserted in order to close a syllable so as to preserve a short vowel.As short vowels are generally not found in open unstressed syllables, the syllable is closed by doubling the final letter of the root so as to allow for the short vowel. An example of this type of dagesh can be seen in the words אֶשְׁנַבִּים and שֶׁנְהַבִּים. This type of dagesh is less well known and understood, and it is not always clear whether such a dagesh is secondary or an inherent part of the original structure of the word.
• Stylistic dagesh – Certain words might have a dagesh "לתפארת הקריאה", for aesthetic purposes, to make sure a certain letter is stressed. Examples include: אֵלֶּה, אָנָּא, הֵמָּה, הֵנָּה, לָמָּה ,שָׁמָּה.

• The following are several of many scenarios when a dagesh might be inserted into a word to compensate for a missing letter.
• Contractions – When certain prepositions are joined to a word, they might lose a letter which is compensated for by a dagesh, marking the doubling of the next letter.
• For example, מן (from) can be attached to a noun by simply adding the prefix "מ". The missing "ן" is marked by a dagesh. Thus, for example, מִן מִצְרַיִם = מִמִּצְרָיִם.
• Assimilation of sounds – When two letters are hard to pronounce in sequence, one letter might be assimilated with the next. The second letter is doubled to compensate.
• For example, to mark the first person plural in the perfect (past tense), the suffix "נו" is added to a verb, as in "כתבנו" (we wrote). However, when the verbal root ends with a "נ", it gets assimilated into the "נ" of the suffix which is marked by a dagesh. Thus, when conjugating the root "נתן" (give), the phrase "we gave" is not "נתננו" but "נָתַנּוּ".
• Geminates – Certain roots have a doubled consonant when in the verbal form, such as עזז (to be strong) or חקק (to legislate). These are called "geminates", meaning "twin" or "doubled". Often this doubled consonant is missing in related adjectives and nouns, which mark the missing letter by adding a dagesh into the identical remaining root letter.
• Thus, for example, " עַזִּים" (plural for strong) has a dagesh in the "ז" to mark the missing second "ז" and "חֻקִּים" (laws) has a dagesh in the "ק" to mark the missing second "ק".

• The rule – With some exceptions, the five guttural letters (האחר"ע) do not take a dagesh chazak. This is apparently due to pronunciation difficulties. Some of these letters were pronounced very deep in the throat making doubling difficult, while others are very weak consonants with not enough of a sound to be doubled.
• Compensatory lengthening – Often, to compensate for the missing dagesh there will be some vowel lengthening. Some examples follow:
• The pi'el conjugations of words all take a dagesh in the second letter of the root. Thus, the future of "he will smash" is יְשַׁבֵּר, with a pattach under the first letter of the root and a dagesh in the second. When the second letter of the root is a guttural, like in the root "ברך", the conjugation is instead "יְבָרֵךְ", with the pattach lengthening to a kamatz to compensate for the missing doubling of the letter "ר".
• Normally a definite article is marked by adding the prefix הַַ to a noun and placing a dagesh in the first consonant of the noun. For example, "the boy" is "הַיֶּלֶד". If the first consonant of the noun is a guttural which cannot take a dagesh, there is compensatory lengthening of the vowel under the prefixed "ה". Thus, "the head" is not "הַרֹאשׁ" with a pattach but "הָרֹאשׁ", with a kamatz.
• Above we saw that geminate nouns and adjectives mark their missing doubled root letter with a dagesh. If the letter that is supposed to take a dagesh is a guttural, the previous vowel will be lengthened. Thus "רָעִים" (evil) and "שָׂרִים" (officers) both take a kamatz instead of their original pattach, lengthening due to the missing dagesh.
• Exceptions to the rule – Despite the above rule, there are several places where "ר" and "א" nonetheless take a dagesh.
• There are 17 places where a "ר" takes a dagesh.See Shemuel I 1:6, 10:24, 17:25, Melakhim II 6:32, Yirmeyahu 39:12, Yechezkel 16:4 (*2), Chavakkuk 3:13, Tehillim 52:5, Mishlei 3:8, 11:21, 14:10, 15:1, Iyyov 39:9, Shir HaShirim 5:2, Ezra 9:6, and Divrei HaYamim II 26:10. See Sefer Yetzirah 4:1 which appears to suggest that each of these is actually a dagesh kal (marking a plosive sound), suggesting that reish too has two sounds and can be either plosive or fricative, just like the בגדכפ"ת letters. The source states: "... רך וקשה, גבור וחלש שבע כפולות בג"ד כפר"ת מתנהגות בשתי לשונות". However, in many of these examples the dagesh follows a vowel, which would imply that it is a dagesh chazak (for otherwise it would be a fricative).
• There are four places where an "א" takes a dagesh as well.See Bereshit 43:26, Vayikra 23:17, Iyyov 33:21, and Ezra 8:18. See Shelomo Morag, "ניקוד", in Encyclopedia Mikrait, and Uriel Frank here for discussion of the phenomenon. They note that three of these are found in the similar words "תָּבִיאּוּ" and "וַיָּבִיאּוּ", whose form does not call for a dagesh (even were there no guttural). It is possible, then, that the dot is not functioning like a dagesh but rather more like a mappik, a mark to indicate that the letter is to be vocalized and not silent, pronounced "vayavi'u" and not "vayaviyu". [In the Eretz Yisrael vocalization system, degeshim were used to distinguish those alephs which functioned as a consonant from those acting as a vowel-letter; here the dots might be functioning similarly.] The last example reads, "רֻאּֽוּ", and being in the pi'el form, would normally require a dagesh (if not for the guttural). Here, too, the dot might be included for pronunciation purposes, to ensure that the double "u" sounds are not assimilated one into the other, and that the word is pronounced "ru'u" and not "ru". [U. Frank notes that the word "ראוּבֵנִי" appears eighteen times in Tanakh, all with a silent "א", pronounced "Ruveini". As such, it was important to indicate that in the word "רֻאּֽוּ", in contrast, the "א" is in fact pronounced].

• As בגדכפ"ת letters can take both a dagesh chazak and a dagesh kal, one must distinguish between them.
• The rule – If a dagesh is found after a vowel it is a dagesh chazak.The בגדכפ"ת letters are fricatives after a vowel, so the presence of the dagesh must indicate doubling, not that they are plosives. As mentioned above, there is one exception, the two appearances of the word ""ויחד" in Shemot 18:9 and Iyyov 3:6. For discussion, see the appendix.. Otherwise, it is a dagesh kal.Thus, if a dagesh is found in the opening letter of a word or appears after a closed syllable (marked by a sheva nach) it will be a dagesh kal.
• See above that if two words are joined by a makkaf (a hyphen) (or closely connected by cantillation marks), they are treated as one word.
• In AlHatorah, the dagesh chazak of בגדכפ"ת letters is slightly larger and bolded.
• Exercise – Determine if the dagesh in each of the בגדכפ"ת letters in the following words is kal or chazak: בָּאוּ, בַּמִּדְבָּר, בַּדֶּבֶר, רַבִּים, וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּם, אַתֶּם. Explain your conclusions. Then, check yourself by finding the words in Shemot 5:1-11 and checking which of the letters have a bolded dagesh.

• Though one might sometimes ignore the presence of a dagesh, especially when it does not affect pronunciation, there are several words which are almost indistinguishable if not for the presence of a dagesh in one of the letters.
• Compare, for example, the pointing of "ערומים" in Iyyov 5:12 and in Bereshit 2:25. What does each mean?
• Compare the word "חַטָּאִים" in Bemidbar 17:3 with "חֲטָאִים" in Kohelet 10:3. What is the difference between the two nouns?
• How does Bavli Berakhot 10a play with the two similar words to make a homily on Tehillim 104:5 "יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים מִן הָאָרֶץ וּרְשָׁעִים עוֹד אֵינָם"? [Click on the E/ע button for English.]

• Another example of a homonym relates to the word "אמה".
• Read Shemot 2:5 and compare Shemot RabbahClick on the "show additional commentaries" button and choose Shemot Rabbah (or Bavli Sotah 12b) and Rashi on the words "וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת אֲמָתָהּ וַתִּקָּחֶהָ". How does each understand the word "אמה"? What is Rashi's objection to the Midrash?
• Use the dictionary to compare the meaning of the word "אמה" when spelled with a dagesh in the "מ" and without.Click on the dictionary tab to see the translation.
• See also R"Y Bekhor Shor. What other difficulty does he raise with the Midrashic explanation? [In singular, how is the letter aleph in "אמה" pointed when it means maidservant? How is the letter pointed when it means cubit? Why does having a dagesh in the letter "מ" affect the pointing of the first consonant?As the dagesh closes the syllable, it is now a closed, unstressed syllable, which must take a short vowel. Thus, when "אמה" means cubit, the word takes a pattach rather than a kamatz. Why, in the verse, does the word have a chataf rather than either a pattach or kamatz?]If the word means maidservant, the base form takes a kamatz, but when suffixes are added and the syllable with the kamatz moves further away from the stress a kamatz reduces to a sheva (propretonic reduction). Since gutturals like "א" can't take a sheva, it gets a chataf instead.
• Given the grammatical difficulty of the Midrashic explanation, what might be prompting it?
• Why does the Midrash suggest that this word specifically is chosen rather than the more common "יד" (see Rashi)? What miracle is highlighted by making the play on words? Why might the Midrash want to make Moshe's salvation as miraculous as possible? See Moshe's Birth for many more examples where Midrashic sources amplify the miraculous nature of Moshe's birth.
• Another factor might be motivating the Midrash as well. Why might the Midrash not want any maidservants to be a part of the narrative of finding Moshe? [What potential problem might the presence of maidservants who know of Moshe's Jewish lineage present?]

• In slide #7, we noted that a dagesh in a letter that follows a vowel will be a dagesh chazak. There is, however, an exception to this. See Shemot 18:9 and Iyyov 3:6. What word, nonetheless, takes a dagesh kal after a vowel?
• See Rashbam on the verse in Shemot. To what other words does he compare this root? How, though, does their vocalization differ from the word "וַיִּחַדְּ"?
• From what we learned about gutturals,See -- why does the word "וַיִּחַדּ" follow a different vocalization pattern?
• See Ibn Ezra's second commentary. How does he use the fact that the word contains a guttural to explain why, in this case, a dagesh kal follows a vowel?Ibn Ezra notes that the form of the word should have been "וַיִּחְדְּ" with two silent shevas and a dagesh kal at the end, following similar verbal forms of roots which end with a "heh" which gets dropped in the imperfect conjugation. As gutturals cannot take a sheva, it was replaced with a vowel, but, nonetheless, the dagesh kal remained as a vestige of the original longer form (despite now following a vowel).

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