[Avodah] Transition From Aramaic To Hebrew

[Jay F Shachter]

I just finished reciting the standard text of the `Eruv Tavshilin,
which, like the Qaddish, like the Ha Laxma `Aniya, begins in Aramaic,
and ends in Hebrew.

What makes it interesting is that, precisely in the region where the
text switches from Aramaic to Hebrew, there are two words of
indeterminate language, words that could be either Aramaic or Hebrew.
Specifically: either the last 3 words, or the last 4 words, or the
last 5 words, are Hebrew, while the rest of the words are Aramaic.

But where, exactly, is the transition?  I understand that the question
may be strictly indeterminate, like the cardinality of the continuum,
but maybe not.  Maybe thru an analysis of where other texts transition
from one language to another, you could assert with a high level of
confidence that in this text there are, e.g., only 3 Hebrew words, or
that there are, e.g., 5 Hebrew words.

The question actually has practical significance, because I want to
know how the authors of the text intended me to pronounce the word
which is spelled kaf-lamed and with the kaf vocalized with a qamatz.
If the word is Hebrew, then the qamatz is a qamatz qatan, and is
pronounced "call".  If the word is Aramaic, Aramaic lacks a qamatz
qatan, and the word should be pronounced "kahl", rhymes with "doll".


			Jay F. ("Yaakov") Shachter
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