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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Why so much philosophy about all possible plural forms of
TALIS. The grammar of this noun has by no mean been influenced by Ben Yehuda or
any other apikorsim of his type. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The word has ever been feminine in Hebrew. The main sources
where to look for a really pure Hebrew (when no reference can be found in Kitve
Kodesh (i.e. Tana”ch), are the MISHNA and the Ramba”m’s Yad
Hachasaka. These two books are written in quite pure Hebrew.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Both the Mishna AND the Ramba”m use Talis in feminine
form ONLY. See for instance: <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Mishna Kelim 29/2 Chaluk echad, Talis achat. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Ramba”m Hilchot Zizis 2/12: Talis mezuyezes. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>AFAIK there are NO EXCEPTIONS.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The plural of Talis is not to be found in the Yad Hachasaka,
but it is does exist in the Mishna: Taiyot (and nothing else!). See for
instance: Zavim 4/5: esser taliyot.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The erroneous form Talitot (similarly constructed like britot)
can only be found in other rabbinic compendia, which are less particular about
a pure Hebrew language, like gemara and some midraschim. The masculine form
Talessim is very common among Yiddish speaking gedolim, like Pri Megadim,
Mishna Berura, Kitztur Sch”A, Chaje Odom.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>To affirm that the word Talis origins from Greek is a nonsense,
too. In their Sefer Hashorashim – both Rabbi Yona ben G’annach and Rada”K
assume that the word might be connected to Tleh (=sheep) [does not the sheep
wear a ”talis” out of wool?! ].<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Kol Tuv. Gmar Chatima Tovah<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>– Berysz Rosenberg<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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