MORE ABOUT SHEWA Featuring “The Rule of Shewa”

More About Shewa Two kinds of shewa: Vocal: Really short sound, for example: amuse שְׁלֹמֹה שְׁמוּאֵל Silent: Marks the end of a syllable, no sound. אָבְרָהָם לָךְ

More About Shewa Vocal: If a shewa occurs at the beginning of a syllable, it is a vocal shewa. שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁ מוּ אֵל If a shewa follows a long vowel, then it is a vocal shewa. שׁוֹפְטִים שׁוֹ פְ טִים An exception: If the syllable has a long vowel and is a stressed syllable, then it is silent. For example: לֵכְנָה (visualize a little stress mark above the lamed) לֵכְ נָה Silent: If a shewa occurs at the end of a syllable, it is a silent shewa. If a shewa follows a short vowel, then it is a silent shewa. יִשְׂ רָ אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל

More About Shewa Two shewas in a row: When two shewas are next to each other, the first shewa is silent and the second shewa is vocal. כַּרְמְלִי (Carmelite) כַּרְ מְ לִי One notable exception: יָלַדְתְּ (both silent)

The Rule of Shewa What happens when two shewas are at the beginning of a word? Rule 1: The first shewa becomes a hireq. (this usually happens when we add a preposition to a word) שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל + לְ לְ שְׁ מוּ אֵל לְשְׁמוּאֵל לִשְׁ מוּ אֵל לִשְׁמוּאֵל

The Rule of Shewa Rule 2: If the second shewa is a composite shewa (beneath a guttural), the first shewa will morph and match the vowel of the composite shewa. (composite shewa = partial shewa = khatef qamets/khatef patakh/khatef segol) אֱדוֹם אֱדוֹם+ לְ לְ אֱ דוֹם לְאֱדוֹם לֶ אֱ דוֹם לֶאֱדוֹם לֶאֱדוֹם לַאֲדוֹם לָאֳדוֹם

Shewa Summary Vocal: 1. At the beginning of a syllable. 2. After a long vowel (in an unstressed syllable). 3. If it is the second of two shewas (unless at the end of a word). Silent: 1. At the end of a syllable. 2. After a short vowel. 3. If it is the first of two shewas. Special “Rule of Shewa” applies to two shewas at the beginning of a word.